BRAZILIANS

Because it was two minutes from my front door, I'd be at the counter within a minute of seeing the ECHO van splutter past our house.

These bizarre vigils were part of my obsession with all things Everton. I HAD to know who the Blues were trying to sign, who was passed fit to play that Saturday or whether Earl Barratt had left yet.

Yes, I probably spent as much time pestering poor Ray in the newsagents as I did lurking outside Bellefield trying to ingratiate myself with the ground staff and savouring the 20 second bursts of excitement when the gates opened - and for that short time - I got a glimpse into the place where my idols worked.

The best bit for Everton news junkies like me was when we were linked with someone big, or even flew them over for talks.

I'll never forget the excitement when Andrei Kanchelskis pulled out of Bellefield in his silver Merc after singing on the dotted line for big Joe Royle, or the naff sprinkler salvo for his pitch presentation at Goodison.

Equally I'll never forget the see-saw emotions of the Muller saga, when we came close to buying the Brazilian after the U.S.A '94 World Cup (when we'd to pretend to like John Aldridge because we supported Ireland).

Finally, we were getting our hands on one of those flashy, expensive, magical, world-beating Brazilians.

The rest is history, but suffice to say he never hung around long enough to get the sprinkler treatment and Dave Prentice still laughs at the surreal afternoon he spent at Goodison when it all fell apart.

Now we've finally got a flashy, expensive Brazilian striker on our books, albeit on loan, but in typical Everton style he's a player who generates more questions than answers.

What has Jo been doing so wrong at Manchester City to have played such little first team football?

Has he got a bad attitude? Has he found the Premier League a step too far from Russia's Rosgosstrakh top flight?

Why does he spell his name 'Jo' like a girl?

What is clear though is that Jo's capture is a boost for the threadbare blues, even if all he ever does is simply give the manager more options in selection and formation.

Then, if he can recapture his CSKA form we could be laughing all the way to fifth and saying 'Wagner Who?'

The only person who might not be too pleased with Big Jo's arrival will be Fellaini. He might get all jealous at the Brazilian's mad-cap hair style, wait until noone's about, and then shove him into the walls of the changies at Finch Farm, hissing (irony-free): "Get your own gimmick you lanky t*t."

As for tomorrow, Liverpool will have to face Cahill on his own again and they won't be relishing that. I just hope David Moyes gave the Aussie a day off yesterday after his recent exertions, because he and Osman started to look understandably jaded at Old Trafford.