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Lucas Neill has signed

News on official site saying Lucas Neill has signed...
Stuart Mitchell, Posted 17/09/2009 at 16:50:31

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Brendan O'Doherty
1 Posted 17/09/2009 at 19:52:42

Neill signs - official on the OS.

David McKitt
2 Posted 17/09/2009 at 20:30:00

Does anyone know for how long? I originally heard a 4 year contract, but i then heard its only 1 year. Im hoping its only 1 year.

Matthew Tait
3 Posted 17/09/2009 at 20:42:43

The site says a 1 year deal.

Aleksandar Jovanovic
4 Posted 17/09/2009 at 20:55:45

This is a great deal if you ask me!! Neill has huge Premier League experience and we didn’t have to pay any transfer fee for him!!!

But why in heaven’s name did we sign Heitinga then? We paid £6 mil and gave him big wages (for our standards)!!! Where do we think of playing him and when because by the time he ADAPTS himself to English football Jags will be recovered!!!???

I fear he’s going to be another Per Krøldrup and wasted money, which we don’t have!!!

Russell Buckley
5 Posted 17/09/2009 at 21:18:10

Very good signing for the season. As an Australian I know what Lucas is capable of.

This should see Tony Hibbert on the bench now. Neil and Cahill are old mates at the very least the large Everton fan base in Australia just got another reason to love this great club.

Bill Goodall
6 Posted 17/09/2009 at 21:25:50

Good signing. One year deal will make him work for it. Agree with you Russell, it will give us even more exposure down here which is great for our ever growing down under fan base.

Matthew Lovekin
7 Posted 17/09/2009 at 22:06:55

Not a huge fan of Neil, but he is better than Hibbert & Heitinga, and will provide more squad depth. A good signing.

Brendan O'Doherty
8 Posted 17/09/2009 at 22:44:41

Check out the photo on the OS of Neill and the CEO.....looks like he’s well in there!

Gerry Western
9 Posted 17/09/2009 at 23:03:29

I think this is a really good piece of business. He’s a much better defender than either Hibbert or Neville. We’re going to need a few more bodies and a player of Neils caliber does more than make up the numbers. With the Aussies looking to compete in the World cup he’s sure to make an effort if given the opportunity. Neville’s injury was unfortunate but as they say every cloud has a silver lining.

Keith Glazzard
10 Posted 17/09/2009 at 23:16:21

Quite amazing really. Window shut. Slim squad getting anorexic. Sign the Socceroos captain - free, on a ’normal’ wage.

He might turn out to be the dog’s bollocks or a load of bollox, but its all hands to the pumps for a couple of months now.

Welcome, Lucas Neill.

Jim Hillier
11 Posted 17/09/2009 at 23:54:01

Better to have the option than not, I concede, so long as we can afford the wages, but I am still concerned about needless fouls. Having said that, I’d pick him in front of Hibbert, no question.

Thought Gosling played a blinder tonight, though he didn’t exactly have his hands full defensively. Am I the only one who thinks it is worth exploring this option?

Gerry Western
12 Posted 18/09/2009 at 00:17:38

Jim, Rodwell, Fellaini, Bilyaletdinov and Piennar will no doubt grab the headlines but like you I thought Gosling was a revelation tonight. Calm and composed but above all great ball distribution. We were a totally different team particularly down the right side tonight.

David Hallwood
13 Posted 18/09/2009 at 00:24:28

Agreement all round I thought Gosling was superb, but I’d like to see him against better players. I thought Billy had some nice touches and some great crosses, I’m still worried about wide open midfield and a half-decent side might have punished us.

Russell Buckley
14 Posted 18/09/2009 at 00:45:53

Agree with the above posts Gosling had a great game. In saying that he had very little defending to do. But he at least showed he can serve as a good attacking option at RB.

In reality all our players were made to look very good. Strange how the things change we now have more cover at RB than serveral other positons.

Heitinga, Neville, Hibbert, Neil, Gosling and Coleman.

Aleksandar Jovanovic
15 Posted 17/09/2009 at 19:00:48

I simply can't help but wonder how John Heitinga fits in Everton now that we have signed Lucas Neil??? I think Neil is a great deal for us, since he has huge Premier League experience and we did not pay any transfer fee for him.

But now having him at the right back leaves Heitinga wondering in the team. Where can he possibly play?? Now Distin and Neil are good signings because they are used to playing in England while Heitinga is not. By the time he adapts himself to English football Jags will be completely recovered and ready to play.

At the same time Gosling is in my opinion excellent as a right back solution and Neville should always be playing at right back as he lack quality for midfield, where Rodwell and Fella are making excellent duo of defensive midfielders.

All this simply means that there is no space in squad for Heitinga!!! And if we bought him just to fill the holes why didn't we do it with someone far less expensive (like Neil for example)??? This way we have paid £6 million and gave Johnny good wages just to have him seating on our bench!!!

I am sorry if you disagree with me but I can't help myself but think that Heitinga will be just another Per Krøldrup and needless waste of money which we already have very little!!!

Wilson Tan
16 Posted 18/09/2009 at 07:41:52

Aleksandar, I suppose this signing means Moyes sees Johnny as more of a defensive midfielder (ala Neville) which means either Rodwell or him to fill this position.

Tony Williams
17 Posted 18/09/2009 at 09:15:52

Heitinga was bought in and Neill was not even in the picture, a last minute thing so the comparisons with Per are so wide of the mark you have come back on yourself.

Matthew Tait
18 Posted 18/09/2009 at 09:24:56

Fellas this is a squad game, we’re in Europe and will be playing two games a week fairly frequently, esp if we have cup runs. Heitinga has a good pedigree and gives options at centre-back, right back and defensive midfield. GIven our injury situation he could end up playing his football in any of those positions in any given game depending on form, availability and opposition, I’m sure his flexibility was a key consideration in buying him.

It would be interesting to know though whether Neill would have been signed if Neville hadn’t got injured, my guess is probably not but hard to say.

Matthew Lovekin
19 Posted 18/09/2009 at 09:57:16

As I’ve mentioned before, I wonder how many Evertonians have seen Heitinga play regularly? He may be a big name (played for Ajax and Atletico) and commands big transfer fees and high wages (Dutch international), but I’d rather a player did well on the pitch.

I’ve seen Heitinga play a number of times, he’s slow, runs round like a headless chicken, relatively small, gives away penalties, scores own goals and a general thug of a player who makes Julian Dicks look like a fairy.

A waste of money and worse than a Kroldrup who is going to cost us points as well as money.

Thai Indawongse
20 Posted 18/09/2009 at 10:03:52

As an Aussie, I’m bloody stoked!!!!!!

Lucas Neill is now my second favourite Everton player, right behind Timmy Cahill.

EVERTON AND AUSTRALIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anthony Doran
21 Posted 18/09/2009 at 11:48:12

The signings just keep on coming...even after the transfer dealine has past :)

James Cadwaladr
22 Posted 18/09/2009 at 13:08:32

I dint make the game last night as have been aaway with work for a few days but I did manage to watch it on TV.

I have to agree with Mathew Lovekin in that I have never been a huge fan of his and would go as far to say that I didnt like him. However he was interviewed at half time on channel 5 and have to say he came across very well, genuine and pretty humble. On the basis of the interview and only that it appears as though he has a good attitude and seems very pleased to be here.

Iain Love
23 Posted 18/09/2009 at 13:38:12

Quality addition to the squad .I think he will be our 1st choice R/B , Heitinga as def mid. But the main thing it gives us is options
ps
Wasn’t Rodwell superb last night

Daniel Smith
24 Posted 18/09/2009 at 07:01:37

Welcome to Everton, Lucas Neill:

Rich Williams
25 Posted 18/09/2009 at 15:06:10

I am surprised by the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the Neill signing. He is not that good a footballer, just a grafter, he is probably gobbling up £40k a week and he is in his thirties.

All this means is we now have 4 right backs in front of the likes of Gosling and Coleman, who will now rot in the reserves eventually getting a move to Walsall/Coventry where they will prove themselves and sign for a bigger club (a la Danny Fox at Celtic). Ok it is only for a year and I understand the squad argument but it just doesn’t make sense to me. Can’t say I like this move to be honest.....

Interesting that Mustafi made the bench last night, Moyes must rate him.

Tony Williams
26 Posted 18/09/2009 at 16:09:00

Is that the same Celtic who got beat by the massive Hapoel Tel-Aviv?

Tony Williams
27 Posted 18/09/2009 at 16:12:03

Forgot to add, the same Celtic whose main striker is a failed Man Citteh player, the Man Citteh before they touched lucky with their wonga?

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