WE CAN DOU
... but I’m happy not to be the hero in relegation fight like last May, admits quiet Toffees star
ABDOULAYE DOUCOURE became an instant Everton hero for his relegationdefying goal last May – but is happier staying in the shadows this time around.
The Mali midfielder admits the stunning strike against Bournemouth made him a household name – and not just on Merseyside.
Doucoure said: “Supporters from other clubs have recognised me because of that goal. They say he’s from Everton, he’s a saviour.”
Normally low profile, he would rather it stayed that way, but, with Everton once again in a relegation battle, the 31-year-old might have to don his Superman cape for an encore. He added: “I’ve seen the goal back a lot of times. It’s my favourite goal in terms of the situation and everything.
“It was the most nerveracking and best moment in football. The worst because it was mentally tough and the best because the end was so beautiful.
“Of course, we don’t want to go through that again and have to repeat it. This season we’ve had so many points deductions. Except for that, by now we should have been safe.
“It is what it is and we don’t want to get to the last game to try and be safe again.
“We want to have the job done before. We will try to do that in the last seven games. I don’t want to live again what I did last season. It was too stressful for the fans and they don’t deserve that.
“No one deserves that and so you have to make sure the team is ready to fight to get over the line before the last game.”
As they travel to Stamford Bridge tomorrow night, Everton will hope that Doucoure also maintains his goals against Chelsea – he has scored in two successive games – after they were landed with a two-point deduction to add to the previous six-point punishment.
A bonus is that Doucoure, along with fellow Muslims
Last season was too stressful for the fans – they don’t deserve that
Idrissa Gueye and Amadou Onana, have just completed Ramadan.
Doucoure said: “It finished on Wednesday. It was quite tough.
“Now you can eat, you can get back some energy.
“The first two weeks are OK, but the last two weeks are much harder because your body gets very tired – no food, no drink for a month [during daylight hours].
“With the staff here everything was OK, everything was in place.”
And an opportunist goal from Dominic Calvert-lewin against Burnley last week ended a run of 13 Premier League games without a win. Doucoure insists the squad’s fighting spirit to overturn the odds did not suffer during a barren points period.
“In football, you always have something to prove to people – to the manager, team-mates,” he added. “I am a great example of resilience because I never give up. You can hit me 10 times and I will stand up 11 times – this is my mentality. “I’m like this with everything in my life.”