Sheridan looking forward to the trip to Everton
Last updated : 04 January 2008 By The Chairman
John Sheridan is looking forward to the trip to Everton but realises the enormity of the task with the loss of so many players from the last game when Athletic humbled Leeds on their own patch.
He said, "We know how tough it's going to be, so I'm disappointed we can't go to Everton with a full-strength team. It's a shame because I would have loved to watch those young lads take on better opposition and seen how they coped. We just have to deal with it, and I've got people to come in who know a decent performance at Everton would do them a lot of good. We know they are a very, very strong side, but I'm going there honestly believing we can get something from the game. I hope the players feel the same because there will be a party atmosphere with 5,000 of our fans and we need to handle it right. We've got to believe in our chances of getting a result. That's what we did at Leeds, and we went there and beat them."
"I'm not daft, though, and we'll need to be ready from the start because I think Everton will try to get the game won early. The longer it goes on, the better our chance, so I expect them to come at us aggressively, which is the way Everton always play. I hope we do ourselves justice and, as a manager, I'm looking forward to pitting my wits against one of the top men in David Moyes."
First team opportunities are up for grabs for the likes of Kelvin Lomax and JP Kalala. The team will be bolstered by the addition of a few teenagers.
ATHLETIC'S SQUAD (from): Crossley, Pogliacomi, Eardley, Hazell, Stam, Lomax, Thompson, McDonald, Allott, Kalala, Smalley, Davies, Hughes, Wolfenden, Chalmers, Alessandra, Black, Bell.
