The Mail Bag
Everton to visit Oz
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Apparently there is some truth to the earlier rumour that Everton may visit OZ (Perth in particular) as part of preseason. They just need to set up a second game.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=620121&sec=global&cc=3436
Ciaran Duff, Posted 18/02/2009 at 17:15:46
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Ciaran - Sorry mate, I?ve just read that and made it sound like a bad idea. Which it isn?t. If a good pre-seson tour taking in Oz makes footballing sense, I?m all in favour. I guess one T Cahill might approve too!
I approve, still a 6+ hour flight from sydney, but count me in.
I’m with you Ciaran, I’d love a second game on the east coast. Despite that I’ll go anywhere in Australia if they come.
A visiting established EPL club like Everton can only help the A leauge as well.
A visiting established EPL club like Everton can only help the A leauge as well.
Heard that the second game will be against North Queensland Fury as they have just signed Robbie Fowler and I think Luis Filipe, some Brazilian I have never heard of. Will be going to both games though, shit how far away is Perth from Townsville.
I think its great The Toffees coming to Perth. I hope it happens as it will be beneficial to local football in WA and Everton as well.
Townsville is even further away from Perth than Sydney, about an extra couple of hours flying time.
The weather will be nice in Nth Qld at that time of year but who wants to see that toe rag Robbie Fowler. Hope the second game is in Sydney (or even Melbourne). Will be interesting to see how many Blues fans would turn out.
I?d would love see Everton playing in Melbourne against Melbourne Victory. I?ll be wearing my Everton top regardless I am also a Victory supporter as well.
I’m with you Ethan!!!
Perth to Townsville is about 7 hours flying, via Brisbane. More realistic is a second game in Sydney or Melbourne, possibly Brisbane.
Out of interest, a certain Mick Lyons is currently living in Perth, working with one of the local state teams, not sure if he is involved with any of the negotiations?
Out of interest, a certain Mick Lyons is currently living in Perth, working with one of the local state teams, not sure if he is involved with any of the negotiations?
Jesus thats a worry regarding Mick "The Jinx" Lyons, Perth will blitz us 3 nil if he has anything to do with it. I thought he was training the Bahrain national team anyway. 13 years with the club, nothing for 13 years in trophies.
Quite right too.. it doesn’t matter where in Australia they are I will be there at all the games.. Hope one is here in Brisbane!!! Maybe against the Roar.. Sydney is overated...
How about 3 games? I’ve already been in touch with the Wellington Phoenix to make them aware of the Blues possible trip down under. If that doesn’t happen, see you in Oz!
Keith Glazzard ? I think Peter Reid is in charge of the Thailand national side so maybe that?s part of the plan anyway.
Perth is on my more recent places to visit from Melbourne. Now I have even more reason ;)
How about the Gold Coast with their moneybags owner. He could use his private jet he keeps gloating about to fly the Toffees from Perth to the Gold Coast for a bit of a tan and a run on the beach before their game. Plus it?s only 1½ hours from where I live. That would be fantastic.
Unfortunately, I would have to go on my own because I am surounded by red shirted supporters in this town and they wouldn?t appreciate or deserve seeing the lads live.
Good Idea Steve Cavanagh!
It would be cool for the Blues to play a game in NZ.
I would make sure my whole family went to Wellington for the game, even if I am still here in the UK!
Be a shame to miss seeing them play in the homeland though!!
It would be cool for the Blues to play a game in NZ.
I would make sure my whole family went to Wellington for the game, even if I am still here in the UK!
Be a shame to miss seeing them play in the homeland though!!
Steve, good thinking, and I bet you?re right about Reid being involved. It does make a lot of sense in many ways, and marketing is definitely one of them. And this doesn?t just mean selling replica shirts ? an expanded fan base can only be s good thing.
There must be loads of Oz youngsters, and their folks, who look up to Tim Cahill ? get ?em on board and make EFC the club that those future socceroo stars want to play for.
There must be loads of Oz youngsters, and their folks, who look up to Tim Cahill ? get ?em on board and make EFC the club that those future socceroo stars want to play for.
There’s a definite lack of Everton fans in Australia, I spent a year there and only came across three in my whole time there. I watched the derby in Perth and there was only me and a crazy old guy supporting the blues. There were far too many red shite fans (although it was just after they fluked the european cup so there was probablya lot band wagon jumpers) so the balance certainly needs redressing.
A trip to New Zealand could be on the cards and financially worthwhile too ... Wellington has an A-League side with great support and a great stadium. EFC haven’t been here since 1987 ... and that wasn’t a bad year! My home city Christchurch has it’s own EFC fan club (Bluesaders) and we’d love them to come here too... but I’m sure they’d ALL get up to Wellington as flights are only about $100 (30 quid) return.
Blair, I all for the next game being in NZ but it wont happen after the Beckham debacle. I hope that Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne get it, so its easy to get too.
A good time to visit Oz and garner support on the back of Tim Cahill, It would be nice to see Everton play the Australian team, with Cahill playing half each way after all it's only exhibition stuff. Maybe they could bring the FA Cup with them...
A good time to visit Oz and garner support on the back of Tim Cahill, It would be nice to see Everton play the Australian team, with Cahill playing half each way after all it's only exhibition stuff. Maybe they could bring the FA Cup with them...
Well, another arresting fact ? or trivia, depending on your point of view ? which suggests that once a upon a time more than 2 or 3 Aussies were interested in the Toffees, is that the largest soccer (as it still is in Oz) attendance at the Sydney Cricket Ground remains at 51,566 for a match on 2 May 1964 between Everton and NSW.
During that tour Everton also played the Aussie national team, winning 8-2 at Olympic Park in Melbourne (Gabriel and Vernon scored hattricks and Temple a brace; crowd 32,453) and 5-1 at the old Sydney Sports Ground (scorers Morrisey 2, Gabriel, Scott and a young Colin Harvey, crowd 40000)!!
Those of you familiar with Olympic Park and the old Sports Ground will know that those crowd sizes would have absolutely had them bloody jam packed in. So, we were the rage Down Under once a upon a time ? or maybe it had something to do with a perceived association with the Beatles who, I understand, sparked a modicum of interest in Oz at the time.
There are actually quite a few blues who live around Melbourne I was suprised to find out when I moved there in ’01 from a country area of Victoria which is full of Sky 4 fans. Although most late comers tend to go for the red shirted teams (mind you, I see quite a few Chelsea shirts around these days as well). So I think a game in Melbourne would get quite a bit of support and would be nice and close for me to go and see.
Peter, I agree that the last time Beckham came here was a joke but that was against a mickey mouse side, Oceania X1, put together and funded by Auckland City Council. Losses for that game have just been announced at about $1.8m NZ.
The previous time Golden Balls played here with LA Galaxy was against Wellington Phoenix, in Wellington. Big crowd, great evening and a half-decent game too so it could work.
The previous time Golden Balls played here with LA Galaxy was against Wellington Phoenix, in Wellington. Big crowd, great evening and a half-decent game too so it could work.
Be a great promotion for footbal over in Auss and will be good to bring out the blues over there. Perth is massive and takes in an area of something like Liverpool and Manchester together. If you go to the local Perth Glory game you will see lads wearing footy tops of lots of English clubs and others from around the world and they will be together. There are loads of Evertonians and hopefully if this tour goes ahead I will be going to meet them...
I wish they would visit Ireland
Come to Sydney! Will be watching the cup final in cheers bar. COYB
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1 Posted 18/02/2009 at 21:06:38
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Perhaps a stop in Thailand for a few Changs there or back and, hey, this could be the start of global marketing.