Leon Osman: Missing out on Europe will be a disaster
May 9 2008
By Paul Walker, Liverpool Echo
EVERTON midfielder Leon Osman believes it will be "a disaster" if the club fails to qualify for the UEFA Cup on the last day of the season.
Wigan-born Osman – who will be 27 on Cup final day next week – picked up the club’s goal of the season trophy at Wednesday’s third annual awards dinner at St George’s Hall.
But his mind was very much on Sunday’s final home match against Newcastle.
If Everton lose and Aston Villa win at West Ham, then fifth place and UEFA Cup qualification will be snatched from them, having not been out of the top five since January.
Osman said: “Sunday’s game means everything to us. Not only to make sure we are automatically in the UEFA Cup proper, but we don’t really want to be left in the Intertoto Cup.
“With that competition the players have to start back training a couple of weeks earlier and it means competitive football earlier than it should be for the lads, with their fitness levels not quite right by then.”
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