CRAZY GANG HAS LIFTED GRAY
DEMARAI GRAY has credited Everton’s ‘crazy’ support for inspiring a return to form that has significantly eased Premier League relegation fears at Goodison Park. Toffees fans have responded in style to calls to help their team stave off the drop, creating an even more boisterous atmosphere at recent home games and gathering at the club’s Finch Farm training ground for noisy send-offs ahead of away fixtures.
These extra efforts have been rewarded with seven points from a possible nine and, according to Gray, that improvement is no coincidence.
He said: “It’s crazy. I haven’t seen anything like it. I’ve played abroad and it’s a different type of fans… but this is just more than
I’ve seen.
“I’m quite calm before games and I’ll just listen to music and relax but before the Chelsea game, you could see all the banging on the bus and the blue flares.
“I’m a calm player but I was like, ‘I’m on it!’ That’s a game where I was throwing my body in and we were all putting our bodies on the line.
“It gives us a massive boost, so we can’t thank them enough and, if anything, we owe them.
“I wish we could have that every week, we probably would have won the league if we did!”
Gray is also keen to highlight boss Frank Lampard’s role in instilling the resilience that has been evident during a run that has helped Everton take control of their own destiny.
He added: “He’s realistic to the situation, he doesn’t sugar-coat things, but it’s in the right way to get his messages across.
“I think that’s important and we’ve responded well.you can
have all the talent but if the mindset of the group isn’t right, you’re going to fail.
“The mentality switch is the biggest thing for us over the last few months.”
Such is his faith in the manager, Gray is convinced that Everton won’t be involved in a battle at the wrong end of the table next season.
He added: “Although it’s difficult in this situation to install a proper gameplan, because we’re fighting at the minute, what he’s given us has been good.
“He’s got everybody on board and the results over the last month and the change in attitude and performance have been pretty evident.
“Don’t get me wrong, he does have a gameplan, but if you come in halfway through a season it’s difficult for anyone to bring an actual philosophy.
“I think next pre-season, we can build on what he wants to do and take it into next season.”