Qudus SalihuBeto lifts lid on ‘special’ Everton training under David Moyes and makes transfer exit admission
Beto lifts lid on ‘special’ Everton training under David Moyes and makes transfer exit admission
Everton goalscoring hero Beto spoke after his fine scoring run continued in the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace
Everton hero Beto has revealed he is doing special training under the new managerial regime – and that he came close to leaving the club in the transfer window. The 27-year-old netted seven times for the Blues in 35 games under Sean Dyche but has now struck five times in seven matches since he left.
Beto’s recent spree started on the day of Dyche’s departure as he fired Everton ahead in their 2-0 home win over Peterborough United in the third round of the FA Cup.
After further Goodison Park strikes in the shape of a brace in the 4-0 thrashing of Leicester City and the opener in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool, he has now taken his goals on the road with his coolly-taken effort to put David Moyes’ side ahead in their 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
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Beto explained he now has a bespoke regime at Finch Farm to get the best out of him and said: “It’s just a boost of confidence, all the new staff and my team-mates have given me the confidence to play my game. That’s what I’m doing and I’m getting rewarded with the goals and the wins.
“I do special training with the coaching staff, hold the ball, finishing. The gaffer just said, ‘play your game and play tidy and you’re going to help us a lot’.
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“He likes to make me do my game. Running behind is a massive part of my game and the team is playing better now too.
“He’s really tactical as a manager, he’s passionate and he loves to speak to the players. He gave us confidence and said we have the quality to play.”
Beto, speaking after the victory over Palace, added: “I’m feeling confident and calm. This (chance for the goal) was a tough one, a close one, but I did it and I’m really happy. Charly (Carlos Alcaraz) gave me the assist and scored a goal – a really good game from him.
“We always have pressure to score because we need goals to win. We’re having more chances under the gaffer and it’s helping us.
“We’re scoring the chances and it’s helping because sometimes we had a lot of chances and didn’t score. Not just me but all the team.
“It’s just to prove to myself that I belong here and I’m a Premier League player. I just want to keep going.”
Beto is currently Everton’s only fit senior striker but his recent upturn in fortunes is also remarkable given that he was repeatedly linked with an exit throughout January. Asked if he nearly went, the Guinea-Bissau international said: “There was a point, yeah. I didn’t want to go but if it happened, it would have been because I needed to get minutes anywhere.
“But football is football, things happen quickly, and now I’m here doing this interview. I’m glad I didn’t (go).”
Beto insists that the Evertonians were a big reason why he was glad he stayed and having done a lap of honour sprint in front of them after the end of Goodison Park’s last Merseyside derby, he celebrated in front of them again following the full-time whistle at Selhurst Park. He said: “It’s a derby and everyone wants to play a derby.
“We played really well and deserved at least a point. I was really happy and wanted to show the fans that we work hard and rewarded them with a point.
“It is emotional. I can see they (the fans) love me and I love them back.
“This is a work of God. I believe in God and it’s really amazing.”
And asked about his distinctive goal celebration, which resembles the gestures deployed by legendary basketball superstar LeBron James – a part owner of neighbours Liverpool FC – Beto explained how he actually bases it on someone else with an Anfield connection, former Reds frontman Christian Benteke.
He said: “It started when I was in the Portuguese fourth division and I just kept going. I liked Benteke and the celebration a lot and I started doing it.”
Qudus Salihu
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