Nigeria’s Silver Medal winner Victor Obinna killed it so bad at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with 3 goals and 2 assists that clubs were literally waiting for him the moment he touched down back in Italy.

San Siro boss Jose Mourinho signed the 21 year old Obinna away from Chievo on a three year deal and immediately sent him to England and David Moyes’ Everton on a season long loan, reuniting Obinna with Olympic partner Victor Anichebe.

image via Chievoverona

Remember the days when Thomas Gravesen was killing it back in 2005, having played over 140 times for Everton?

Yeah, you remember… The big move to La Liga and Real Madrid, where he only spent a year (34 appearances with a goal) before falling out with seemingly everybody at Madrid before the great Dane was on his way to Glasgow Celtic before the start of the 2006-07 season. Gravesen would only feature 22 times before being sent out on loan back to Everton in 2007/08 season where he saw action in just 5 matches.

Now Gravesen and Glasgow Celtic have come to an agreement that the 32 year old will be released from his contract and allowed to search for a new club ahead of the 2008/09 campaign.

More Gravesen pics after the Jump, but the last one is NSFW ….

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UPDATE - Pienaar is out for 6 weeks after suffering a break in his metatarsal after a heavy challenge during Everton’s 1 - 1 friendly against PSV Eindhoven.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for David Moyes. Maybe he’ll be able to get the directors to open up that kitty of theirs now.

South African Steve Pienaar has finalized his permanent transfer to Everton after David Moyes and the board at Goodison Park completed his 2 Million Euro move from Borussia Dortmund and signing a three year contract.

The former Ajax product has featured in 35+ matches so far in the Premiership campaign and looks set to have South Africa’s 2010 World Cup hopes resting squarely on his shoulders.

For the second year in a row (last year against Real Salt Lake) Premiership side Everton FC has come to the United States for pre-season matches and walked away with a loss.

While it’s obviously not the end of the world as they are preparing for a long, long season, the 2-nil loss to the Chicago Fire (who actually knew they were even playing this match) has Everton head coach David Moyes publicly wondering about his attack.

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Everton have accepted a £10.5million bid from Fulham for striker Andy Johnson, according the Liverpool Echo. The England frontman’s future at Goodison Park has been the subject of constant speculation all summer with a host of clubs believed to be keeping tabs on him. And Fulham now appear to have jumped to the front of the queue - ahead of Wigan and Sunderland - by having their offer accepted.

I know everybody here is focused on the “Big Four”, but this would be a great acquisition for the Cottagers.

Image via BBC

Last weekend LA got to enjoy the ADICUP and the festivities that went along with it. It was definitely a good time hanging out at Crossroads, catching up with friends and watching some games. Next weekend it is NY’s turn to represent with 24 teams taking place in adidas Fanatic VII. Some of the teams include Complex, No Mas, Earnest Sewn, Chinatown Soccer Club and 10 Cane Rum. If anyone out on the left coast makes it down to Chelsea Waterside Park let us know, and if possible send in some pictures.

UPDATE - Thankfully this story has a happy ending as Yobo’s brother, Norum has been released after being held for 12 days.

No word if a ransom was paid.

via Soccernet

‘On behalf of Joseph and the family, I want to say a big thank you to Everton Football Club. They were very supportive in every way possible, especially the chairman (Bill Kenwright), who was calling on a daily basis to find out how things were progressing.’

‘Joe is very happy to see him, but he is still down emotionally, still shaken. Right now, he just wants to get himself emotionally ready enough to get set for pre-season training,’ concluded Shittu.

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If you’ve ever wanted to hear Tim Howard’s views on his former team Manchester United and their success as of late, then Mattias Karen’s article is something you’re going to want to check out.

I’ve known Tim now for over 10 years and I can honestly say that he’s the same person now that he was with the US U-18 squad down at the Olympic Training Center outside San Diego in 1997.

It’s great to see good guys make it at the highest level.

So imagine you’re the referee.

You’ve given a free kick at the top of the box with only 7 minutes left in the match.  The visitors (in this case Everton) are up 1-nil and if the result stays that way, Everton will be level with Liverpool.

As the Birmingham player Mauro Zarate (on loan from Al Sadd of Qatar) lines up to take the free kick, you notice another Birmingham player (defender Radhi Jaidi) jumping up and down behind the Everton wall, making faces and ultimately trying to distract Everton keeper Tim Howard.

Jaidi is really doing nothing wrong other than looking a fool and standing in the sight line of Howard, but as Zarate takes his set piece (which was a thing of beauty and to be honest, I’m not sure if Howard would have gotten to it anyways) Jaidi is interfering with the keeper, while he’s not technically interfering with the keeper.

What would you have called? Foul?  Unsportsmanlike conduct?  Interfering with the keeper?  Or would you have let the goal stand as is?

Referee Steve Bennett let the goal stand, drawing Birmingham level with Everton for a 1-1 result.

image via SkySports

While things are going great for Barclay’s Premiership clubs in Champions League, things are so good in the Uefa Cup after tonight.

Both Timmy Howard’s Everton FC and Juande Ramos’ Tottenham Hotspurs are out, in heartbreaking fashion falling in penalty kicks.

Juande Ramos’ luck ran out after last years win with Sevilla, even after the won 1-0 to tie it up 1-1 on aggregate.  Jermaine Jenas’ pk was saved and Chimbonda went wide knocking Spurs out of the competition.

Up at Goodison Park Everton scored two important goals to tie it up 2-2 against Italians Fiorentina on aggregate before falling 2-4 in penalties on misses by Yakubu and Jagielka.

image via PFutebol