Everton FC striker Steven Naismith and manager David Moyes
CAPTAIN Phil Neville believes the early signing of Steven Naismith can set Everton FC up for a successful start to the new season – after last summer’s discontent over transfer activity.
The Blues’ skipper was delighted to see Naismith join the club this week and says the Scotland international looks like being a perfect fit at Goodison Park.
Everton are two days into a week-long training camp in the Austrian mountain village of Obertraun and Neville says the new arrival has instantly lifted morale.
Last year, the Blues had to wait until transfer deadline day before freshening up their squad with Royston Drenthe and Denis Stracqualursi joining on short-term deals with just minutes to spare before the window closed.
However, Everton FC had sold Mikel Arteta, Yakubu and Jermaine Beckford in the meantime and heading into the first game of the campaign against Queens Park Rangers, supporters were still sifting through the extent of the club’s financial chall-enges, as revealed by chairman Bill Kenwright.
Neville spoke with brutal honesty after the 1-0 defeat but now talks with optimism ahead of the season’s curtain raiser against Manchester United on August 20.
“It’s a massive boost,” he said of Naismith’s signing.
“I think when you get somebody new in the dressing room it challenges the whole squad, it lifts morale and it provides challenges to all the team – one, to impress the new signing and, two, to fight for your place.
“We haven’t done that (made an early signing) in the last two or three years and this one is obviously a big boost for everyone.”
Before meeting Naismith, Neville quizzed his former Glasgow Rangers team-mate Nikica Jelavic on the 25-year-old forward.
And now having taken time to speak with the ex-Kilmarnock man, the Everton captain is convinced the club have signed a player with an appetite to succeed in the Premier League.
“In the first couple of days I’ve seen him and spoken with him, he’s got a hunger to succeed and it’s great when you hear that he really wanted to come to Everton,” added Neville.
“I think he saw the quality of the team and the quality of the manager and he wanted to be a part of it.
“He’s settling in fine.
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