Leon Osman discusses Everton's upcoming season, Jack Grealish, Tyler Dibling, and much more in an exclusive interview with Roundtable.
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Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman is a name almost every Evertonian will know.
The 45-year-old came through the ranks at Everton and went on to make 352 appearances in the Premier League. Osman stayed loyal to the Toffees, only leaving the club to head out on loan during his early years.
Since retiring from football, Osman has been seen regularly on our TV’s or on the internet discussing the game, most recently teaming up with Evertonian Tony Bellew on the Outside of the Box podcast.
Osman is someone who knows Everton, and in particular David Moyes, better than anyone, so we sat down with the Outside of the Box podcaster to discuss the upcoming season.
Osman confident heading into the season
Optimism and Evertonians haven’t gone hand-in-hand over the last few years. From relegation battles to points deductions, it’s been a difficult period for the Toffees.
Last season, Everton showed signs of heading back in the right direction, particularly before imploding in the final weeks of the campaign.
Discussing where Everton could finish, Osman believes we can be pushing for the top eight this season.
“I’m feeling confident. I think we can be pushing for around 8th this season. I’m not sure if that’s my heart or my head talking, but I think finishing around there would show the clear progression and stability that David Moyes has brought to the club.”
REUTERS
REUTERS
Osman feels that finishing in and around seventh or eighth would be a good target for Everton, but he can’t help but have the optimism of finishing higher in the table as we edge closer to the Premier League returning.
“If I’m honest, I always start the season thinking we can compete with the guys at the very top and maybe hang onto 5/6th but that’s definitely my heart. 7/8th is a good target.”
New signings may be necessary if Everton do want to make that push for the European places.
“There’s still potentially a couple more signings needed, but if we can strengthen in the right areas, it would be fantastic to see Everton pushing for European football again,” says Osman.
Osman happy with the business, but he wants more
Everton have made some strong additions in the summer transfer window so far, but the supporters will be desperate to see more before the market slams shut.
“I think we’ve made some really good signings. Hayden Hackney is the type of player we’ve missed in previous years. He’s young, has been a high performer in the Championship with Middlesbrough and has the potential to develop into a really important player for Everton.
“When I was playing, David Moyes made similar types of signings, bringing in young players with something to prove, like Tim Cahill, and Hackney reminds me of that approach.”
It’s an interesting comparison Osman makes between Hayden Hackney and Tim Cahill. Although different profiles, they were both exciting talents from the Championship, and I’m sure every Evertonian would like to see Hackney hit the heights Cahill did.
IMAGO / Paul Marriott
“Nørgaard gives us experience and looks like a strong replacement for Gana Gueye, while Brennan Johnson gives us another option in the wide areas. Tyrique George is also a really exciting young player with plenty of potential,” Osman adds.
On paper, Osman is happy with the business done so far, but there are still some signings he’d like to see the Toffees bring in over the coming weeks.
“I do think we still need a right-back, and if we can add that and another forward option, those additions could really put us in a strong position for a successful season.”
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Osman’s podcast with Bellew, available on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple.
The Jack Grealish conundrum
There has been plenty of chat about the prospect of Jack Grealish returning to Everton during the summer transfer window. Angus Kinnear recently spoke out to confirm that the club have continued to hold talks with Grealish over the summer, but it’s unclear whether the Toffees will get a deal over the line.
Supporters certainly can’t be blamed for wanting to see Grealish back at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. A player with so much charisma and talent, and Osman would be happy to see him back at Everton heading into the new campaign.
“Absolutely. I thought Jack was really good for us last season. He adds quality and experience to the squad, and if Everton can get a deal over the line, I’d be really happy to see him back.”
Whether Grealish returns remains to be seen, but it’s no surprise that many Evertonians, including Osman, would love to see another loan deal at least.
Could this be Tyler Dibling’s year?
Osman knows better than most what it’s like to play for the club at a young age. Making his debut for Everton at the age of 21, the former midfielder has played in front of the demanding supporters, and he knows it takes time for players to hit the heights expected of them.
When asked which one player he feels could be a surprise package this season for Everton, Tyler Dibling’s name emerged.
“I think Tyler Dibling could really step up this season. He’s a young lad with so much potential and the early signs we’ve seen in pre-season have been really promising,” Osman said.
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REUTERS
We’re still yet to see the best from Dibling, and he’s far from the finished package at his age. As mentioned, Osman didn’t fully break through until his teen years were behind him, so there’s still time for the young Everton winger.
“There are still bits for him to learn, but he has the ability to make a real impact, and I think Evertonians could see a lot more from him this season,” Osman added.
Dibling will be pushing for a start as the Premier League returns this weekend, but whether he’s done enough during pre-season remains to be seen.
Which former team-mate do Everton need?
During his lengthy Everton career, Osman played with some phenomenal players. Some who the readers will consider their favourite ever, some who will go down as legends of the club, and some who have only recently retired!
I’m sure many of you would love to bring back a player of the past to come into this Everton side to take them to the next level.
When asked who Osman would pick out of his former team-mates to drop into this current Everton team in their prime, the former midfielder found it difficult to just select one.
“Wow that’s not easy. We’ve had some brilliant players at times and thinking of them in their prime it’s a who’s who of Everton’s greats,” Osman said.
One player who got an honourable mention was Everton’s former captain, Seamus Coleman, which is no surprise considering the right-back situation.
“Looking at the team now, seeing where we’re able to improve, and seeing leadership and fight in the player and the influence they’d have on this generation, then it’d be between Seamus and Big Dunc.
“Iif we’re saying they stay in their prime for five plus years with no injuries, I’d have to go with Duncan. If only!”
A prime Duncan Ferguson would certainly cause havoc for Premier League defenders, and an experienced striker could be what Everton needs to go to the next level.
A prime Osman certainly wouldn’t go amiss either. It was great to pick the brains of the former Everton midfielder as we edge closer to the return of Premier League action.