Athlete Quotes

I didn't think I was going to play that day. I'd have to thank the training staff for getting me on the field that day. They made a bigger deal than I thought it was.

Whether you're a mechanic or you build houses or you work in an office, you don't have to like your boss.

They knew who I was in Australia in 2006, but not to a great extent. Now, with the momentum of a second World Cup, it has gone crazy.

No money in this world could convince me to play for Liverpool. That's not a lack of respect for Liverpool supporters or the football club. It's respect for the Everton supporters. You just can't do that. It goes against everything that I stand for. No chance.

It's a massive compliment to me to be known in Asia because Asia is the way forward in football, along with the Middle East. I believe that strongly.

If kids see you on the street and they want an autograph, that's a big honour so I spend half an hour before I get in the ground and 40 minutes to an hour after the game with the Everton fans signing autographs.

I'm blessed that I'm not content. Whenever I work with kids, which I'm passionate about, I want them to know that, yes, two World Cups, two Asian Cups, but I've done it the hard way.

I'm a very traditional person. The tattoos are about my grandmother dying and they tell the story about my mother and father, my brothers and my sister, my kids. It's pretty much a family tree on my arm with my life in football too.

I want to work with kids and help develop them, show them the right way, the right morals and attitude into how to become a better footballer. Australia has many different cultures but I'd like to bring in the indigenous style, bring their competitiveness, athleticism and raw ability into the frame.

I take compliments and I take constructive criticism. Not everyone loves you. It's the way you react as a footballer. I use it all to make me play better.

I remember cleaning boots at Millwall on £250 a week and feeling like a millionaire. I'd made it then. At that time, if I never played for another club it wouldn't have bothered me too much because I'd made it with a football team in England.

I hold the record now with Dixie Dean for being the only Everton player to score three Merseyside derby goals at Anfield. I still hope to better it. Things like that, the fans never forget.

Every time I score the passion comes out and I try to relay that back to the fans and to the players and the staff how grateful I am to be playing for such a good football club. The fans have taken well to me. I am part of the furniture at Everton, but I don't take it for granted.

All I do is play football, eat, sleep, play with my kids, play football.

If you go to a game nervous, you make a mistake.

I'm just trying to play my best and have fun.

I feel like the same person, but I feel as if I need to work twice as much now.

When I was coming up, I just wanted to play baseball and I'm doing what I love to do most. How can I feel pressure doing what I love to do?

I'm taking my time. I feel much more confident, and every day I feel like I'm getting better.

Whatever you do, don't do it halfway.

If you look up the definition of greatness in the dictionary, it will say Michael Jordan.

Coaching is easy. Winning is the hard part.

When I did play, I tried to make the most of it.

We didn't score any runs today. That's not my fault.

It's always frustrating when you leave people on base.

In baseball, you've got to keep working.

I need to work on everything.

I know how to prepare my head.

I feel it's the best thing that could have happened for me, leaving the Braves so I could go to another team that would give me more of a chance to play like with the Marlins.

I don't know nothing about nothing.