Alan Stubbs hopes to fulfil European dream for Everton

Sep 18 2007 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

Alan Stubbs applauds the fans (158)

ALAN STUBBS has urged Everton to announce their return to the European stage when they begin their UEFA Cup campaign this week.

The Goodison outfit play host to Ukrainian unknowns Metalist Kharkiv in their first round first leg tie on Thursday.

Everton’s last sojourn into Europe two years ago ended in disappointing failure, falling at the first hurdle of both the Champions League and UEFA Cup to Villarreal and Dinamo Bucharest respectively.

And while the excitement builds ahead of Thursday’s tie, Stubbs has underlined the importance of David Moyes’s side making an early statement in the competition.

"Thursday is going to be a great night for the club again, but it’ll only be a great night if we get a good result," said the defender.

"We’re really looking forward to it but we know it will be a difficult game. The club, the manager and Alan Irvine have been over to see them and it won’t be an easy game at all. You don’t get

easy games in Europe.

"I’m sure Metalist have been over and highlighted which players will be a threat, and it’ll be as difficult a game for them as it is with us.

"We go into the game only knowing what we have seen off videos, but we’ve got to make sure they know by the end of the game on Thursday who Everton are."

Everton are hopeful of attracting a full house for the fixture, with tickets still available at £18 and £8 for concessions. Should Stubbs get on to the field on Thursday, it would be his first-ever appearance in Europe for his boyhood club.

The centre-back had departed to Sunderland for Everton’s brief European excursion in the 2005-06 season, and returned only after Moyes’s side had been eliminated.

And Stubbs added: "To play for Everton full stop was something I never thought I would do, so to play for Everton in Europe would be a fantastic achievement – not just for myself, but also for all the players who are here."

Everton could again be without Tim Howard, who missed the weekend defeat to Manchester United as he recovers from his dislocated finger. Understudy Stefan Wessels said: It handed a debut to close season arrival Stefan Wessels, and the German says he won’t give up the first-team jersey without a fight.

"I don't know how long it will take for Tim to come back and you never wish a colleague to get injured but that is what I came here for," said Wessels to evertonTV.

"Tim is a very good goalkeeper who has played very well but when he is injured "I would like to be there and to play well and I hope I will have some more chances."