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http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/2012/05/15/nikica-jelavic-exclusive
Prolific Nikica Jelavic has admitted his blistering start to life at Goodison Park has taken him a little by surprise.
The super-cool Croat netted in Everton's 3-1 win over Newcastle United last weekend to take his terrific tally for the Blues to 11 in just 16 games.
A stomach injury meant the January arrival didn't open his account for the Club until he grabbed the only goal in a victory against Tottenham on March 10.
But a scorching run - including a burst of seven goals in just four outings in April - has left Evertonians optimistic manager David Moyes has unearthed a genuine 20-goal-a-season hitman.
Jelavic, whose record for previous club Glasgow Rangers was an impressive 36 goals in just 54 appearances, also scooped the Premier League's Player of the Month award for April and had Blues fans dreaming of FA Cup glory after orchestrating victory at Sunderland to tee-up a Wembley semi-final meeting with Liverpool.
And though his strike in that game was ultimately too little to spark a much-desired victory over the Reds, his contribution did help fire Moyes’ men above their Merseyside neighbours in the league.
All in all, it's been pretty near faultless from the new boy - much to his evident delight in a rare and exclusive interview with evertontv following Sunday’s stirring finale to the campaign.
"Everything has been perfect for me so far," said the striker in the clip which can be watched above. "Am I surprised at how well it has gone? A little bit. I expected maybe five or six goals and I said to myself that that would be great. But this is a huge, huge step and I'm delighted with 11 goals.
"The Premier League has been pretty much as I expected. It's difficult, it's hard and you have to fight in each game, 100 per cent. English football, the Premier League, is the best football in the world. So I am happy I have settled so quickly."
That all but five of Jelavic’s last 46 goals at club level have come with his first touch demonstrates the cold-blooded ruthlessness which has sent chills through Premier League defences on either side of Hadrian's wall.
It's shattered records too. In scoring a brace in last month’s 4-0 win over Fulham, the 26-year-old became the fastest player for 100 years to reach 10 Everton goals.
But the Croatia international believes his smooth transition from Scotland to one of Europe’s most challenging leagues would not have been possible but for the assistance of those beside him on the battlefield.
"To score 11 goals is great but without the other lads I would have had no chance,†he said. “We have a good squad and I'm very happy.
"Always when you come to a new club, you ask yourself about another league, another culture, everything like that. But I always believe in myself in situations like that.
"I settled quite quickly but my teammates have helped me a lot. Without the other players, without the staff and everybody in the Club, it would have been very difficult. They have accepted me like I have been here for many years."
The video above is just part one of our exclusive interview with Jelavic. Look out on evertonfc.com in the coming weeks to find out what the Club's latest goal hero had to say about his teammates, his ambitions, his rapport with fans and his excitement ahead of Euro 2012
Prolific Nikica Jelavic has admitted his blistering start to life at Goodison Park has taken him a little by surprise.
The super-cool Croat netted in Everton's 3-1 win over Newcastle United last weekend to take his terrific tally for the Blues to 11 in just 16 games.
A stomach injury meant the January arrival didn't open his account for the Club until he grabbed the only goal in a victory against Tottenham on March 10.
But a scorching run - including a burst of seven goals in just four outings in April - has left Evertonians optimistic manager David Moyes has unearthed a genuine 20-goal-a-season hitman.
Jelavic, whose record for previous club Glasgow Rangers was an impressive 36 goals in just 54 appearances, also scooped the Premier League's Player of the Month award for April and had Blues fans dreaming of FA Cup glory after orchestrating victory at Sunderland to tee-up a Wembley semi-final meeting with Liverpool.
And though his strike in that game was ultimately too little to spark a much-desired victory over the Reds, his contribution did help fire Moyes’ men above their Merseyside neighbours in the league.
All in all, it's been pretty near faultless from the new boy - much to his evident delight in a rare and exclusive interview with evertontv following Sunday’s stirring finale to the campaign.
"Everything has been perfect for me so far," said the striker in the clip which can be watched above. "Am I surprised at how well it has gone? A little bit. I expected maybe five or six goals and I said to myself that that would be great. But this is a huge, huge step and I'm delighted with 11 goals.
"The Premier League has been pretty much as I expected. It's difficult, it's hard and you have to fight in each game, 100 per cent. English football, the Premier League, is the best football in the world. So I am happy I have settled so quickly."
That all but five of Jelavic’s last 46 goals at club level have come with his first touch demonstrates the cold-blooded ruthlessness which has sent chills through Premier League defences on either side of Hadrian's wall.
It's shattered records too. In scoring a brace in last month’s 4-0 win over Fulham, the 26-year-old became the fastest player for 100 years to reach 10 Everton goals.
But the Croatia international believes his smooth transition from Scotland to one of Europe’s most challenging leagues would not have been possible but for the assistance of those beside him on the battlefield.
"To score 11 goals is great but without the other lads I would have had no chance,†he said. “We have a good squad and I'm very happy.
"Always when you come to a new club, you ask yourself about another league, another culture, everything like that. But I always believe in myself in situations like that.
"I settled quite quickly but my teammates have helped me a lot. Without the other players, without the staff and everybody in the Club, it would have been very difficult. They have accepted me like I have been here for many years."
The video above is just part one of our exclusive interview with Jelavic. Look out on evertonfc.com in the coming weeks to find out what the Club's latest goal hero had to say about his teammates, his ambitions, his rapport with fans and his excitement ahead of Euro 2012
