Everton’s youngest ever player in a league game Jose Baxter is combining his duties as Blues Under-16s coach with a new role assisting the Malaysia national team thanks to a helping hand from former Goodison Park fans’ favourite Tim Cahill. Baxter made his senior debut aged just 16 years and 191 days when coming on as a 78th minute substitute for Nuno Valente in a 3-2 defeat at home to Blackburn Rovers on August 16, 2008.
The Bootle-born player made 15 appearances for Everton and after hanging up his boots aged 29, he was taken back in by the Blues to join the staff at their academy. Baxter, who will work in a combined for Malaysia alongside his ongoing duties at Finch Farm, has flown out to south-east Asia for his first international camp, spending the first week in Johor and the next two in Kuala Lumpur.
The squad is now training ahead of an Asian Cup Group F qualifier against Vietnam at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil on Tuesday. The 33-year-old explained how his opportunity was presented through another player brought in at Goodison Park by David Moyes.
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Baxter told the club’s website: “It came about through Tim Cahill. Tim knows Peter (Cklamovski), the head coach, really well and had success with him in the Asian Cup when Peter was assistant to Ange Postecoglou.
“They wanted a third coach to help the national team, Tim spoke to me and found I fitted the category. I had a few conversations with Peter which went really well, so they reached out to Everton, arranged everything around when I could leave for the camp, and it worked out really well.
“I always want to be around the best because I’m a firm believer that iron sharpens iron. You always do your background checks on managers and Postecoglou was one I really liked, and Peter was a big part of their success with Australia. He’s gone on to have big success in Asia with the likes of FC Tokyo. “I’m someone who likes to come out of my comfort zone. I don’t want to grow old in the same environment. In order to do that, you need to go and venture out because there’s a whole world outside of Liverpool. “It’s been great so far. The learning I’ve had already from being here just for two weeks has been exceptional, just with the manager, getting to work with international players, it’s been brilliant so far. Being around the elite environment, around national players, has been incredible.
Jose Baxter made his Everton debut at the age of 16
Jose Baxter made his Everton debut at the age of 16(Image: Getty)
“Peter has fantastic staff around him. Matt Smith (assistant coach), John Crawley (goalkeeping coach), Craig Duncan (head of high performance), they’ve all been really welcoming. You’ve got Aidil Zafuan as a coach, someone who has been a player and won more than 100 caps for Malaysia, who gives you a real insight into the squad, and the technical director Tan Cheng Hoe. “The Crown Prince of Johor, Tunku Ismail Idris, who Tim works with as an advisor, has an amazing vision for Malaysian football. He and his family want to build a legacy in the sport and they’re having a really good go of it. The national team will only move forward with that. “I have to thank the Crown Prince, Peter and Tim, as well as Gareth Prosser (academy director) and Carl Darlington (head of academy coaching) at Everton, for this opportunity. I’m very grateful to everyone involved for supporting me in terms of my development.”
Everton, who made half a dozen pre-season visits to the USA first time around under Moyes, with a seventh trip, under successor Roberto Martinez, organised before the Scot first departed the club in 2013, are heading stateside again this summer to take part in the Premier League Summer Series. Since then, the Blues have taken part in the Florida Cup under Rafael Benitez in 2021 while the following year under Frank Lampard they faced Arsenal in Baltimore and Adrian Heath’s MLS side Minnesota United.
Ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, Moyes’ men will take part in the Premier League Summer Series against Bournemouth at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey on July 26; West Ham United at Soldier Field, Chicago on July 30; and Manchester United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, on August 3. However, Baxter reckons a future trip to Malaysia would be beneficial for both parties.
He said: “Everton is my job so that’s the focus in terms of the job in hand. These international camps will come around and there will be times where I’ve got to be away for weeks at a time. “But it’s about building those relationships, and good relationships help all parties. I can bring good practices back to Finch Farm, or Everton may want to come out on a tour over here. “There’s real exposure available on both sides. Once you envision the bigger picture and see what they’re creating out here, it’s pretty special.”