Everton
vs
Blackburn
Match Schedule:
Date: September 20th
Time: 14:00 (GMT)
Lucas Neill has admitted he gambled with his future in football by becoming a free agent this summer and that the decision paid off with his £40,000-a-week deal at Everton.
The Australia international signed a one-year contract with David Moyes's side on Thursday night, having failed to agree an extension to his £80,000-a-week deal at West Ham United and seen proposed moves to Atlético Madrid and Sunderland collapse over personal terms.
Neill says he gave serious consideration to leaving the Premier League, ideally for Atlético, but the uncertainty, running into the second month of the season, has been made worthwhile by the move to Goodison Park.
"It was different," Neill said of this summer. "It wasn't the intention but there was a lot of interest and I just got that gut feeling and believed Everton was worth the wait. I was in a privileged position where I didn't have to worry about the window. As a result of that it has worked out really well, the fact that I had this opportunity.
"The Atlético Madrid interest was genuine but, as you can see, they have a lot of problems there and perhaps the timing wasn't right. I'm not going to deny that I was very excited about the opportunity to move country, learn a new language and a different style of football at a club in the Champions League. It was one to consider but it didn't happen. It is what it is and I'm delighted to be here."
Neill has not played a competitive game since June but claims he could make his Everton debut, if selected, against another of his former clubs, Blackburn Rovers, tomorrow. The defender added: "I've been working with the Australian fitness coach, Darren Burgess. He's had a heart rate monitor which I download every day on to my computer.
"He sends me fitness programmes to do with a personal trainer at the gym and on my own most nights. Mentally it's hard to go out and train on your own but it's all been worth it."
Posts
