Jeffers training with the reserves

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LIVERPOOL last week and Manchester United tomorrow.
The sense of occasion remains the same for Franny Jeffers, even if the role which he now plays has long-since changed.
Striker Jeffers, who went to the same Croxteth school as Wayne Rooney and scored on the night they both made their England debuts - in a 3-1 friendly defeat against Australia back in February 2003, under Sven-Goran Eriksson at Upton Park.
But he will be confined to the stands at Goodison Park when his former team-mate braves the barbs ringing in his ears after a week of torment.
Their paths parted long ago and Jeffers, 29, is presently without a club and training at boyhood side Everton for whom he made a cameo in Jamie Carragher’s testimonial at Anfield.
Yet he is philosophical about his fortunes and, amid interest from Australian A-League side Gold Coast United, is ready for one more chapter in what has been a roller-coaster career.
“It’s football. You can’t have any regrets,” he said. “I still believe I have a bit to offer.
“I will go in anywhere and work hard, but I probably need to play for a team who plays in and around the box.
“I’d be banging my head against a wall and getting frustrated at a team that wants to go back to front and just be direct, which a lot do in the lower leagues.
“Maybe the time is right for a change of scenery. There’s some interest from Australia. I’ve spoken to Tim Cahill and he says the league there is getting better and better. We’ll see.”
It still seems a giant step into the unknown for a player who had a trial with Premier League Blackpool in the summer and who Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger made his “fox in the box” in an £8million deal in 2001.
“Going on trial at places is something I’ve never done,” said Jeffers, who was released by Sheffield Wednesday.
“I went to Devon with Blackpool and played three or four games in pre-season.
“I scored in one of the matches, I wasn’t great, but no one is in pre-season. It just never worked out. I’ve been on my own since, doing as much running as you can possibly do without actually playing football.
“Everton thankfully said I could join in with the reserves. Hopefully it will set me up if something does come along.”
Jeffers joined Arsenal after blazing a trail as one of the country’s most exciting youngsters, with his eye for goal allied to pace and intelligent movement.
The Premier League’s elite have since found themselves drawn back to Goodison with midfielder Jack Rodwell the target of their affections.
However, Jeffers believes Rodwell, currently out injured, was right to sign a new deal.
“It is different circumstances at Everton now,” he said. “There’s no reason why the young players should leave.
“The training ground is great, the squad’s great, there’s the manager here and the club is moving forward.
“When I was a young kid, the club wasn’t moving forward. The wrench for me was leaving the team I grew up supporting. Football wise, I don’t see how I could have turned Arsenal down.
“It’s not for me to tell Jack what to do, but I think he has made the right decision. The squad at Everton is not far off pushing for big things and I think we’ll kick-start our season against United.”
Jeffers will be there, the highlight of his career still the games he played for Everton rather than the headed goal he scored from Rooney’s pinpoint cross in his one and only half of football for the senior England side against the Socceroos.
“England’s not really the highlight, no,” he said. To play for Everton was more important for me.
“I’ll be in the main stand or one of the lounges. I’m an Evertonian so, if I am not playing on a Saturday, I’m not going to watch anyone else.
“It is what I did before I played for Everton and it’s what I’ll do while I’m not playing now.”
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http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/198611/Jeffers-has-no-regrets

Thoughts?
 

Well I have no problem with him training with the reserves. But the most interesting thing he said is that "Theres no reason why young players should leave". All good stuff.

Gotta applaud Everton, even after so many years. Letting a former player back when he is probably feeling the lowest he has felt. Classy move from a classy club.
 
I guarantee Moyes will be looking into signing this guy on a short term contract.

When you have someone with the international scoring record that he does under your nose for nothing you don't let him go.
 

Moyes is a classy guy. Saw a video with him in on the BBC yesterday and a hack asked him about Rooney, and he laid into the hack, saying a proper football journalist wouldn't ask such questions, a gossip journalist might, but not a football one.

Whenever he speaks I feel proud that he's our boss. Top guy.
 

Like Rooney he never really cared for the club as a blue for me, he eventually moved and good ridence, but i remember him lobbing in a transfer request for ridiclous wages for a kid, to try and enginer a move for himself. Never a blue.
 
Being an Evertonian is like being a part of your family. You will always have that cousin/brother etc who completely screwed things up and is a bad mark on the family....but they are still family
 
Elong said:
Being an Evertonian is like being a part of your family. You will always have that cousin/brother etc who completely screwed things up and is a bad mark on the family....but they are still family
Click to expand...

Twice! To be honest i dont hink he deserves to be in the same training complex as Arteta, Cahill etc.

A memeber of the Tomas Radsinski school of snideyness for me.
 
Last edited:
Neiler said:
Twice! To be honest i dont hink he deserves to be in the same training complex as Arteta, Cahill etc.

A memeber of the Tomas Radsinski school of snideyness for me.
Click to expand...

To a degree, but Radzinski wasn't an Evertonian like Franny is. Does sound like he's just saying the right soundbites to pick up a contract somewhere though
 

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