Jagielka determined to restore pride

, 4 May, 55comments  |  Jump to most recent

Phil Jagielka captain insists that the players will be playing for their reputations as much as the financial boost to club from finishing higher in the Premier League over the final three games of the season.

As another disappointing campaign comes to a close and nine remaining points on offer, the Blues have a ceiling of ninth place which would add around £3.2m to the club's coffers if they can achieve it but the captain says that the team is focused on restoring some pride as much as those extra merit payments.

“We've got some young players in our squad but we've also got no shortage of experience and we all know that the last games of the Premier League season are important,” Jagielka told the Liverpool Echo.

“And not just for the fact that every position in the table means more money for the club. There is pride at stake here. There is no such thing as a game that doesn't matter when you play for this football club.

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“Every time you pull that Royal Blue jersey over your head you are expected to give nothing less than 100% to try and win the game.

“That's the way it has to be and believe me, the lads on the park will live up to that and try to deliver in these last four games.”

Jagielka won't be available for either of the next two away games at Leicester and Sunderland but he hopes to return from a hamstring injury for the final match of the campaign against Norwich City at Goodison Park.

Ramiro Funes Mori will serve the final match of a three-game suspension when the Blues travel to the King Power Stadium on Saturday where Leicester will be crowned champions but will be eligible for Roberto Martinez's side at the Stadium of Light next Wednesday.

Matthew Pennington deputised for the Argentine in the win over Bournemouth last Saturday and is expected to do so again this weekend.

Quotes sourced from Liverpool Echo



Reader Comments (55)

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Brian Williams
1 Posted 04/05/2016 at 20:42:22
Hmmmmm... should have showed it all season really when it could have made a difference.
Paul Conway
2 Posted 04/05/2016 at 20:46:40
We might pull back 25% of the transfer fee squandered on Niasse.

Or, if the club really want to be apologetic and magnanimous, they could offer what's left to play for financially, as free tickets for next season (on a lottery basis), to fans who have already squandered hard earned cash, on the likes of Niasse and Co.

Why should the Fans have to pay, while under archievers are lining their pockets, getting their arses numb on the bench!!

Tony Hill
3 Posted 04/05/2016 at 20:47:01
Nice fella is Jags. Great effort in the semi-final. He's a cliche conveyor belt though and he's entirely ineffectual. As well as a new manager, we need a new captain.
Doug Harris
4 Posted 04/05/2016 at 20:47:31
Seems like another roll out the players to pamper up the fans.

Look, there's 9 points up for grabs; let's just have a phenominal moment and forget that we started this season back in August.

Sorry, Jags, it doesn't wear anymore

Dave Lynch
5 Posted 04/05/2016 at 21:20:17
Why do players, manager and board treat us all like knobheads?

Drowning out the protest and now they are going to start trying with 3 games to go...

Unfuckingbelievable!

Winston Williamson
6 Posted 04/05/2016 at 21:26:52
Two simple words say you're full of shite jags:

Anfield Derby

Doug Harris
7 Posted 04/05/2016 at 21:28:56
As an add on to my post...

Jags....“That's the way it has to be and believe me, the lads on the park will live up to that and try to deliver in these last four games.”

Four games?

Martin Mason
8 Posted 04/05/2016 at 21:30:30
Total shite, Jags. Even he thinks we are stupid.
Dave Clark
9 Posted 04/05/2016 at 21:32:20
The other night on Bein Sports here in the Middle East you had Don Hutchinson, Dion Dublin and Neil Lennon all scratching the heads as to why Evertonians wanted Martinez to be sacked. They all said two Semi-Finals and 11th, what more do they expect?

That's how far we've fallen, these no marks talking like we are Watford or Crystal Palace. It's totally embarrassing.

Also, let's put some myths to bed "two Semi-finals" – other than poor Chelsea side at home we didn't play anyone of substance on the way. Two goals up at City and the clown still blew it.

The next "the squad isn't that good after all", what garbage, most of them are picked for their countries and there is no excuse not to be in the top for this season. Fact is we have a clown of a manager who's arrogance is beyond belief.

"Martinez is a nice guy but......" what nonsense! How do you know he's a nice guy? Do you know him? If so please tell him from me he's a joke!

As Paul Merson said (the only media pundit with balls and he's not even an Evertonian), listening to Martinez is like a scene from Men in Black.

I've never felt so low at being an Evertonian and although I've always backed Kenwright I have to concede he is the one responsible for this mess.

James O'Connell
10 Posted 04/05/2016 at 21:35:02
Well if you can get any sense of pride out of this season you are a better man than me.
Mick Davies
11 Posted 04/05/2016 at 21:35:20
I'm sure Roy Keane wouldn't have said this near the end of a season like we've endured... the difference between nice guys and winners.
Dave Older
12 Posted 04/05/2016 at 21:40:51
It's a bit late now for this crap Jags? Excuses, excuses....Sick of it. A good defender he is but he is no Kevin Ratcliffe or Dave Watson. We need a real shake up in the summer, it doesn't matter where we finish now. We deserve a mid table finish, we don't deserve any better.

Moshiri is a billionaire so a few extra million quid won't make a difference to him. Martinez, just play the youngsters and see if they have something to believe in for next season.

Anthony Dwyer
13 Posted 04/05/2016 at 21:44:11
Ffs, why do they do it..... Fuckin embarrassing.
Dave Abrahams
14 Posted 04/05/2016 at 21:44:59
No matter who you are if you've nothing sensible to say you are better saying nothing, if Everton won the last three games 6-0 it wouldn't disguise the very poor season we, the fans, have had to endure.
Andrew James
15 Posted 04/05/2016 at 21:48:15
Come on guys, Jags does give all he can for the shirt. That's why he is injured. But he is trying to do two things: set the standard high for the players still fit to play and keep professional and upbeat.

Haven't any of you ever worked in jobs where you have to bite your lip or try being optimistic for political reasons?

Yes, most of our players have been poor this season but I suspect a lot has gone on behind closed doors.

Imagine being a no-nonsense defender and being forced to play in a defence under RM? Jags must be holding his head. It's cost him his place for Euro 2016.

Jim Bennings
16 Posted 04/05/2016 at 21:56:05
Pride?

What, two more likely away defeats at Leicester and Sunderland and at best a scrappy draw or win at home to Norwich??

Too little too late now.

We have talked a good game all season but played from a very different hiyme sheet.

Brian Porter
17 Posted 04/05/2016 at 21:59:44
Far too late Jags. Three games to go and all.of a sudden pride is at stake? You'd be thought better of if you stopped spouting the Martinez line and stopped treating us as if we're idiots.

The season has been one long train wreck, you know it, we know it, only bloody Martinez thinks we've progressed. Too little, too late, like your boss I'm afraid.

Colin Glassar
18 Posted 04/05/2016 at 22:08:20
Don't forget lads this is a crucial stage of the season. Good lad Jags, but not captain material.
Kevin Tully
19 Posted 04/05/2016 at 22:12:46
I've always liked Jagielka, lots of effort on the pitch and clearly takes pride in being captain of the club. Sadly though, he strikes me as a player who is happy to take a draw at Anfield, and 6/7th is where he, and the majority of our squad feel most at home.

Until a hurricane blows through the place, starting with the luvvie, we are destined for a ceiling of Europa League football. Even if we managed to do a Leicester for 32 games, you just know we would end up in 5th spot.

After a generation of mediocrity, the fans, the board and more importantly the players all expect to bottle it at some point. Let's hope Moshiri can change the whole ethos at the club, but it won't happen when the likes of Kenwright, Elstone & Woods are here. Until they ship out, we will remain plucky little Everton. It's in their blood to promote us as the underdog who finishes 6th against all odds.

Les Netherwood
21 Posted 04/05/2016 at 22:15:43
Might as well forget about it now, it's too late to start saying sorry for a really terrible season. We need a new manager and some new players, and a Captain who plays like a Captain.

Let's have a new chairman as well......the one we have now is the REAL problem.

Darryl Ritchie
22 Posted 04/05/2016 at 22:18:58
This season is for all intents and purposes, done. Give the kids a run, and start to get your head straight for 2016-17.

There's no more pressure. If you can actually enjoy playing the last three games, maybe we might enjoy watching them.

John Critchley
23 Posted 04/05/2016 at 22:19:37
No Jags... too little too late, I'm afraid. I'd say we could possibly hope for three points out of nine, which would be diabolical, but then again after the season we've had, Roberto "what a manager!" Martinez will tell us those points are Phenomenal.

Andrew James
24 Posted 04/05/2016 at 22:28:11
Mick @11

I seem to recall that as soon as Roy Keane at a similar age to Jags started calling it like it was (in his opinion) he was moved on pretty damn fast. He also left the Republic of Ireland in 2002 by doing similar.

Not always the winner as his managerial record testifies.

Andrew Jones
25 Posted 04/05/2016 at 22:30:19
Agree with all of the above. Patronising shite! Season tickets must be falling short. Jags is a good player but so many times this season has lacked leadership we needed from a captain in particular in the big games where top club captains boss the refs!
Eugene Ruane
26 Posted 04/05/2016 at 22:32:47
Do they never fucking learn?

Can some media expert not pull them all to one side and say - 'listen, best say nothing for the time being, we know you mean well but supporters are feeling very raw at the moment and every comment is just like salt in the wound.'

Forget tennis balls, if Jags, Baines, Lukaku, Howard etc get close enough to the Upper Gwladys against Norwich, they can expect one of these Link in the kipper.

Tony Burke
27 Posted 04/05/2016 at 22:36:09
Ranieri's explanation for Leicester's unlikely triumph underlines what we we already knew about our team this season. He lauds the "humility" in the Leicester dressing room, saying that, "They help each other in the bad moments – they play with the heart and soul, they play as 11," In other words, "chemistry" is present in abundance, something which, as Baines has famously told us, is missing from us.

And "humility"? With several games to go, one of your key players boasts about wanting to play in the Champions League when his team are nowhere near it! On many levels, we are a shambles and I can't see that changing any day soon.

Ray Robinson
28 Posted 04/05/2016 at 22:36:41
If Jags was asked a question by the Echo, what do you want him to say, "Nah, we don't give a monkey's chuff about the last three games!" Cut him some slack, he seems a genuine guy to me. He make talk platitudes occasionally but at least he's understandable – unlike his manager.
James Watts
29 Posted 04/05/2016 at 22:37:15
He's trying to say the right things... unfortunately I don't know why he wasted his breath. Oh wait, I don't know why The Incredible One wastes his breath either most of the time but doesn't stop him, unfortunately.
Rob Newling
30 Posted 04/05/2016 at 22:43:32
Adding insult to injury?

It's already been said above – blood some of the youngsters & show us next season!

Been supporting the Blues for far too long now - still have that blind optimism every August! ;-)

Fair play to Leicester though – shows it can be done!

Martin Nicholls
31 Posted 04/05/2016 at 22:43:38
If the Premier League was won by talking a good game our lot would walk it. Unfortunately Jags, it's played on grass. Least said, soonest mended mate.
Max Murphy
32 Posted 04/05/2016 at 23:08:07
Restore pride?
There's no pride to restore.
Joe Foster
33 Posted 04/05/2016 at 23:15:06
What pride is left? We are officially a laughing stock and we had better get used to it while we have RM as manager.
John Daley
34 Posted 04/05/2016 at 23:15:20
To be fair to Jagielka (and other players) they must rue the day 'media duties' became a required part of their job criteria. They've got to be as bored at being trotted out on a regular basis to repeat the same old bollocks as the fans are at listening to it, but they can't really refuse, or stray too far off script, without facing accusations of unprofessional behaviour and casting the club in a bad light.

Jagielka, as captain, has to put a brave face on it in public, whilst simultaneously throwing the fans a small bone to acknowledge the fact performances have been below par. He can't really stroll in and say "We're a fucking disgrace and you wouldn't believe the shit that's been going on in that dressing room" (even if that's the truth) because he'd be signing his own death warrant and kissing the captaincy goodbye.

He's got to keep trotting out the cliches. Well, I suppose he could maybe mix it up a bit by finding an alternative angle, injecting some wit or throwing in some heartfelt soul-searching, but we're talking about football players at the end of the day. 86.2% of them probably believe Gazza's 'a proper character', James Corden is the King Of Comedy, sending pictures of your ball sack to some bird off Geordie Shore is a great idea and 'Mr Unbelievable' by Chris fucking Kamara is the finest literary work of the last five years.

Laurie Hartley
35 Posted 04/05/2016 at 23:31:35
I think Phil Jagielka is in the same mould as Gareth Barry - an honest to goodness professional. Every team needs such players.

I would welcome good performances in the remaining games but it will take more than that to restore our pride as a football club.

It may seem strange to man but the greatest hurt I feel from this season is down to the result at Anfield. If we want to restore our pride as a football club we have to learn how to beat them. I will never be satisfied until we can.

If and when we ever do learn to do this we will rise again.

They once had a manager who taught them the importance of these two games in any season. In doing so he laid the foundation for decades of success.

Steve Barr
37 Posted 04/05/2016 at 23:51:48
I believe Phil is one of our more honest players.

But please, this nonsense about him playing through the pain barrier in the semi-final... I know amateurs who do that in run of the mill games. That's the least he would do given the personal incentive he had to play in a cup final.

He knows his time is running out for silverware.

Do these people think we're that stupid and gullible?

Mark Daley
38 Posted 04/05/2016 at 00:03:28
Yup, can't disagree with the comments.

You can get 7-1 on Leicester scoring 4 or more on Saturday, which sounds like decent odds; they're relaxed, and it's their last home game of the season, so a hat-full seems highly likely. Still, our Big Push can begin with Sunderland I suppose.

John Atkins
39 Posted 04/05/2016 at 00:04:47
Nice fella but a very weak Captain, no balls

Showed it after the KM penalty fiasco against West Brom last season, pathetic and should have been stripped there and then of the captaincy!

Far too nice Jags lad, far too nice, remember the saying good guys come second.

Oh for a Roy Keane type attitude or even dare I say it the fight the Spurs players had on Monday night even though it was out of order. You have to admire their fighting spirit if only we had an ounce of that attitude we might have been in a cup final or two plus challenging for Europe. Even the nice guys of Leicester have shown fighting spirit lately.

We miss the likes of Phil Neville don't we? (Wow) but we really miss players like Big Dunc, Barry Horne, Joe Parkinson, John Ebbrell, Peter Reid, Paul Bracewell Terry Darracott, Mick Lyons, Andy King, Andy Gray, Pat Van den Hawe, Brian Labone, etc etc – players who fought for the jersey with sweat, blood and tears

Players who got stuck in and let the opposition know they were in for a game, seriously who do we have today that is feared ? Nobody! We need a Huth or a Shawcross even a Joey Barton type! – A horrible little shit like Bellami or Savage !!! Get stuck in and fight you useless shower.

Yes I've been drinking!!!

Eugene Ruane
40 Posted 04/05/2016 at 00:12:44
I would love to know exactly what the media obligations are.

Does anyone know?

I believe it would make it much easier on players if supporters knew.

It would make 'why's he fucking saying...' more or less redundant, as you'd be able to answer your own question – ie: 'Because part of the deal is Sky insist on weekly interviews from four players including the captain. Each interview will last at least 3 minutes' (if that was the case).

I always think of Alex and Duncan Ferguson (re talking to the media).

Duncan seemed to go through his entire career without saying anything to anyone and without anyone saying 'but you've got to.'

'Sir Alex' was happy to be interviewed as long as all was going swimmingly, when things weren't going well however, interviewers got nothing (or risked having their mike shoved up their hoop).

Conclusion – the threat of possible violence can get you out of media duties.

(Conclusion based on the first conclusion – even with Gibson and Besic, we'll remain Europe's number one supplier of donkey's hind legs.)

Dan Davies
41 Posted 05/05/2016 at 00:24:57
Media duties. Talk shit. TRY and brainwash fans. Tow the line. Keep Bungling Bill happy. Sky happy. Another $50 grand into the bank account, this week, cha ching, Happy days.

I would love to see Roy Keane on the coaching staff wouldn't that be fun.

John Atkins
42 Posted 05/05/2016 at 00:53:30
Agree Dan a Roy Keane type would do

Can't forgive Jags after that West Brom penalty fiasco last season it summed it up for me, he should have grabbed the ball told Mirallas to fuck off and hand the ball to Baines ! Captains duty

To be fair that was quite a turning point for us and RM. I would love to know the stats of points achieved at home since that game

There really does seem to be a total lack of leadership and belief on the pitch, I'll say it again but we need the attitude of a Phil Neville! Not the ability of Neville but certainly his Man Utd winning attitude, that club he came from and indeed his peers were taught to believe and succeed – they had and were taught a winning mentality. A bit like Leicester this season to be fair

We just don't have that mentality at the club hence the recent Derby result, the players went out knowing we would lose, that I am sure, they were obviously disappointed with the 4-0 but they would have been quite satisfied with a 1-0 or 2-1 defeat, trying to come out with a respectable defeat

What did and what do we display? Fear, non belief, inferiority complex, defeatist mentality – the list sadly goes on

Mark Andersson
43 Posted 05/05/2016 at 02:03:31
I have just read the full article in the Mail. How I won the League, by Claudio Ranieri. "What a manger "

A must read for every football fan.

Can't see any pride from our shower of shite, getting anything against the new Champions on Saturday.

Bill Gall
44 Posted 05/05/2016 at 02:05:51
Bit late isn't it but remember pride comes before a fall.
Andrew Presly
45 Posted 05/05/2016 at 02:48:17
This just about carried weight in 2012.

Depressing.

Abhishek Saha
46 Posted 05/05/2016 at 02:52:53
I saw the new lad Pennington play out 90 minutes against Bournemoth. He had a good game and he looked more inclined towards clearing his lines rather than playing out from the back. He'll get that balance with some more game time and once the nerves have settled.

Overall, I would reckon that we have got another matchday centre half. COYB!

Phil Walling
47 Posted 05/05/2016 at 05:37:58
Spurs lost it because they 'lost it' the other night and were no exemplar to any team.

And to all the Keane worshippers on here, just glance at his managerial record to see how well his self-centred bullying style works in today's game.

We'll win at Leicester – they've been on the town all week. You'd think they were Champions!

Eddie Dunn
48 Posted 05/05/2016 at 06:56:04
Just days after our capitulation at Anfield, I had four in-laws to stay for a few days. Three of them are reds and the result wasn't mentioned for the first day, as it was just too embarrassing. They couldn't be bothered to crow, they were simply sad that we couldn't give them a game.

It is a disgrace. Like the fuck-up in Kiev and the semi collapse at Man City. Jags is a wholehearted lad and seems a genuine nice guy, and he probably has no choice but to do his media duties.

All the shite that they have come out with this season is a complete joke. "How the next 3 games will define, etc, etc, character, young players, three years".

Come and give a little talk after we get into the top 4, and tonk Liverpool 3-0, then I will be dying to listen.

Brian Porter
49 Posted 05/05/2016 at 07:01:56
I'm probably way off the point here and certainly off topic but as things are quiet on TW this week, I just want to share a thought.

We've all been talking about Moshiri recently, hoping he's going to the club's saviour and herald in a new era at the club, but...

In the case of Abramovich at Chelsea, the arabs at Man City and the owners across the park and a number of other clubs, they are just what it says on the box, OWNERS with the power to make big decisions and direct the actions of their club as a whole. As we are constantly being reminded AFTER Moshiri bought into the club is that he is an INVESTOR and is not the OWNER of Everton FC.

So, while his large but currently not decisive share holding certainly makes him a man of influence within the club, he actually lacks the real power to make massive decisions as by his own admission he is happy to leave footballing matters in the hands of Kenwright.

Surely, if he had the power we all hoped he had he would have instigated a managerial change after the debacle if our humiliation by the RS followed by the semi final defeat. In short, I don't think Mr Moshiri is exactly what we at first thought. Investors invest in exchange for a financial return, owners take charge and make things happen. If anyone can tell us what Moshiri has made happen so far, I'd be interested to hear it.

Dave Abrahams
50 Posted 05/05/2016 at 09:04:47
Brian (49) you are correct he has done very little upfront, but it is early days, there was a statement yesterday that the season ticket sales are 8,000 down on what they were this time last year. It was only on Twitter but, if true,might start a reaction from inside the club, and I know it was Twitter.
Dean Peamum
51 Posted 05/05/2016 at 10:15:14
“Every time you pull that Royal Blue jersey over your head you are expected to give nothing less than 100% to try and win the game."

Expectation. As in nothing but the best is good enough? That went years ago. Maybe 100% has been downsized by the club to 50% too.

Martin Nicholls
52 Posted 05/05/2016 at 10:43:03
Along with most others, I like Jags despite some obvious failings one of which is he doesn't learn. Many have commented about the WBA penalty incident and his failure to insist that Baines took it. He did the same in the semi when again Baines was clearly willing to take the penalty and should have done so – fatally, Jags allowed Lukaku to make the decision.

John (#42) – I'd take issue on one particular point you make, that being that the players were "obviously disappointed" to lose 4-0 at Anfield. After the way most of them performed I'd think they were relieved to have got away with that scoreline!

Brian (#49) – to those of us who know a little about private companies and their share structures I can assure you that a 49.9% holding, particularly in a Company such as Everton, constitutes de facto ownership and thus the power to make all decisions. As to your claim that Moshiri "by his own admission is happy to leave all footballing matters in the hands to Kenwright", I assume you obtained this nugget in a private conversation with FM (or from one of Phil W's "sources"!) as to my knowledge he's never publicly said any such thing. Let's not dress up our personal thoughts/opinions as facts, eh lads!

David Harrison
54 Posted 05/05/2016 at 13:46:26
I know he's been wheeled out to say something to give the illusion that it matters but really.... best just to acknowledge another season down the pan and call for someone in authority to grow a pair and give us some hope by sacking the manager
Dave Ganley
55 Posted 05/05/2016 at 14:04:43
Ha ha ha ha restore pride??? As Jim Royle says....."my arse"
Richard Leeming-McHale
56 Posted 05/05/2016 at 17:48:43
Oh Jags, we love you, but c'mon.......
Gerard Carey
58 Posted 05/05/2016 at 20:51:40
Somebody whisper it gently to our Captain fantastic – don't worry Jags, no point in closing the stable door now, the horse bolted months ago!! More's the pity that Bobby brown shoes wasn't on board.

Dave (55), spot on.
Paul Kossoff
59 Posted 06/05/2016 at 19:24:19
Determined to restore pride is he? He should have started that at the beginning of this season.
If him and the rest of the over paid over rated squad would have shown anywhere the pride the supporters have we would not be in this situation.

Imagine if this team were on performance-related pay? You would soon see the difference.


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