No USA???

Johnny_No.5 · June 8, 2012

I gather we are not going to the USA this year?? Can only be a good thing..Hopefully this will put us in prime condition for the start of the season, I really find these tours very petty and a waste of time and money..

Brennan · June 8, 2012

A waste of money ? They make us money.

Groucho · June 8, 2012

I thought the squad found them beneficial. Moral boosting, team spirit and all that.

chriswho · June 8, 2012

Groucho said:
I thought the squad found them beneficial. Moral boosting, team spirit and all that.

Of course I'm biased, but I thought they were good tours. Play against mls teams that are in mid season form, or other top tier European clubs wo come over here in preseason. Not to mention, playing games in the us in the summer is hot and humid so it definitely helps conditioning.

Maybe we take a year off, but if Landon joins, a USA preseason tour could have another meaning come next year...

wscottl · June 8, 2012

Not bothered, the Aston Villa friendly is included with the Union season ticket plan.

Philly rumored to be talking to Portsmouth for 2013. (y)

BoysInBlue · June 8, 2012

Johnny_No.5 said:
I gather we are not going to the USA this year?? Can only be a good thing..Hopefully this will put us in prime condition for the start of the season, I really find these tours very petty and a waste of time and money..

The facilities in the U.S. were top class. Far better than the facilities in Indonesia will be.

If the U.S. is so bad, why do the 'top 4' teams like Utd, City, Chelsea etc go there virtually every year? Can't be that much of a detriment.

Del · June 8, 2012

Anyone going the Dundee game

Michigan Blue · June 8, 2012

The USA tour is great for us Blues across the pond. I went to the game in Philadelphia last year and if I recall it was sold out or pretty close to sold out. Most of us over here won't get the opportunity to travel to Goodison.

kenada_blue · June 8, 2012

Of course we won't go the states...its not like we could try and can cash in on the Donovan loan...again

Carl Hankin · June 8, 2012

didnt moyes say,we always start off bad in the season when we have pre season in the USA, so he changed it...

EFC NY · June 8, 2012

BoysInBlue said:
The facilities in the U.S. were top class. Far better than the facilities in Indonesia will be.

If the U.S. is so bad, why do the 'top 4' teams like Utd, City, Chelsea etc go there virtually every year? Can't be that much of a detriment.

The "top 4" go every year because they make bank. Who is paying real money to see United play an MLS team in England in July in game that doesn't count. No one. But 100,000 people will pay top dollar to fill the Rose Bowl to see them play.

Facilities, food, accomadations, etc are top notch. Time difference not that bad is you stay east. Also, they can relax here. No one is recognizing Rio Ferdinand as he strolls through Manhattan. Where and when can he be left alone in England.

pbeyer · June 8, 2012

Michigan Blue said:
The USA tour is great for us Blues across the pond. I went to the game in Philadelphia last year and if I recall it was sold out or pretty close to sold out. Most of us over here won't get the opportunity to travel to Goodison.

Philly was defo sold out. Made the trek down for that. Great atmosphere for that one.

DC, not so much, was there as well. Think it was something like 10k fans, not positive though.

BoysInBlue · June 8, 2012

Carl Hankin said:
didnt moyes say,we always start off bad in the season when we have pre season in the USA, so he changed it...

No, he never said that. He said they have a great time in the U.S., the training is superb, the players enjoy it, etc. We've had U.S. pre-seasons and started seasons well before - 2004/2005, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008, all examples of this.

He changed it this year for the sake of change, because hes desperate for a good start to a season for once, and he's running out of ways to try to change pre-season without addressing the real problem - selling a top player and not replacing him and/or doing transfer deals after the season has started and thus disrupting the team.

Brennan · June 8, 2012

BoysInBlue said:
No, he never said that. He said they have a great time in the U.S., the training is superb, the players enjoy it, etc. We've had U.S. pre-seasons and started seasons well before - 2004/2005, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008, all examples of this.

He changed it this year for the sake of change, because hes desperate for a good start to a season for once, and he's running out of ways to try to change pre-season without addressing the real problem - selling a top player and not replacing him and/or doing transfer deals after the season has started and thus disrupting the team.

The reason we're not going to the US is because of other issues, Moyes didn't choose not to go there.

EFC NY · June 8, 2012

pbeyer said:
Philly was defo sold out. Made the trek down for that. Great atmosphere for that one.

DC, not so much, was there as well. Think it was something like 10k fans, not positive though.

I was at the Philly game as well. 100% sold out, and great atmosphere. Philly fans were really into it, and gave Heits a lot of stick when he got sent off (who gets sent off in a pre-season friendly). Game itself sucked from an Everton perspective because it was record heat for Philly, let along England, and I think Moyes ordered the players not to tackle.

It wouldn't surprise me if that evening was hotter than any evening has ever been recorded in England.