Dick Advocaat, the Dutch manager of Russian champs Zenit St Petersburg, has a number of Evertonian black marks to his name. First black mark; nabbing true blue Michael Ball and taking him to Rangers. As for the second black mark; David Moyes said:
“I have known Dick from his time at Rangers. I don’t know him awfully well but I have come across him a few times and phoned him for advice on Dutch players and always found him to be a gentleman.”
So…dispensing ‘advice’ to Moyes on Dutch players – presumably including injury flop “Shandy” Andy Van der Meyde – thanks Dick! And finally for the last black mark to his name, Dick Advocaat himself, who ripped into Everton’s – and the English – style of football. Advocaat said:
“You can’t compare Everton with any team in our league because they play totally different in Russia. In Russia we play football but Everton are a very physical team, very difficult to beat. It’s a lot more physical in this league, I know that. But if we try to fight them, we will lose, so we have to try and avoid a fight.Everton play the English style of football whereas we have more technical type of players. In our league, we play pass, one-touch, two-touch. Here it is more or less based on the long ball and you start fighting for the ball in the final third of the pitch.”
So it won’t be a fight tonight, more of a stroking session, but will Advocaat’s comments have the Toffee’s riled up for some ultra-violence?