Alan Stubbs says Everton will go into their new European campaign with eyes wide open after the disaster experienced in the last one.
Defender sticking by the Toffees
Experienced defender Alan Stubbs insists Everton will go into their new European campaign with eyes wide open after the disaster experienced in the last one.
Two seasons ago the Toffees were beaten in the Champions League qualifying round and the Uefa Cup first round in the same season.
The club have suffered the embarrassment of that short European venture ever since, but on Thursday they face Ukrainian outfit Metalist Kharkiv at Goodison Park, and Stubbs says all the players are determined to make amends.
The 35-year-old said: "This time round, hopefully we will be a bit wiser, a bit more experienced about how European football goes and we will take it from there and hopefully reach the group stages.
"Thursday is going to be a great night for the club again, but it will only be a great night if we get a good result. We're really looking forward to it but we know it will be a difficult game.
"The manager David Moyes and his assistant Alan Irvine have been over to the Ukraine to watch them and they know it will not be an easy game at all. You do not get easy games in Europe.
"From my point of view, this will be my first game in Europe. To play for Everton full stop was something I never thought I would do, so to play for Everton in Europe would be a fantastic achievement."
Hectic schedule
Following the game on Thursday, Everton travel to the Ukraine in a fortnight for the return leg, it will be part of a very hectic schedule for the club which will see them play seven games in 22 days, and although Stubbs welcomes the busy period he is fully aware of the threat European football poses and is focused on making that a success not only for the team but for the supporters alike.
He added: "Now that Europe is upon us we have an extra challenge and that is playing on a Thursday and then again on a Sunday. But it is what we all wanted, so you are not going to get anyone here complaining about it.
"The reward is not just for ourselves but for the fans. It is the chance for them to go on a trip again. Apart from a couple of years ago, they have not had a chance of that for a while and unfortunately a couple of years ago it was short lived."
