Marouane Fellaini discusses 'crazy' Everton transfer and reveals 'yellow card meeting'

Marouane Fellaini has looked back on his time at Everton including what could have won David Moyes' side a trophy and why he had a meeting over his yellow cards

Marouane Fellaini has reminisced about his "crazy" last-minute Everton transfer and opened up on what he believes the side were missing at that time.

The midfielder made the move to Goodison Park on transfer deadline day in 2008 and quickly established himself as an important member of the squad.

Looking back on his late switch to the club in that summer transfer window, the former Belgium international has explained why he knew it was the right move for him to make after then-manager David Moyes had researched him thoroughly.

Fellaini told evertontv : "Yes it was last-minute.

"I remember I was in the national team with Belgium and they called me urgently to come to the airport.

"It was last-second, and to be honest I made the right choice!

"David Moyes watched me for a few months, or a year or more. Everton is a great club, the competition is high, it was the right time for me to move.

"It was a bit crazy because it was my first transfer, so I had no experience about that. I was a bit sad to leave my club and teammates, we had a great team and good atmosphere so it was not easy.

"Like I said, it was the right time to move, learn something else, and improve."

Moving from Standard Liege to the Premier League was initially tricky for Fellaini.

In particular the high intensity of the Premier League was something that the midfielder had to get used to, and led to a few yellow cards along the way.

The 33-year-old also revealed that there was a meeting with the club over the amount of cautions he had received, and he explained that he improved in that aspect as he gained experience.

"The rhythm is high, I played 11 years in England and every year the rhythm and intensity was higher," Fellaini added.

"When you come there, it's difficult to handle the speed, the intensity, the contacts. It's hard, but I worked hard - I had a good team, good coach and good staff.

"They [the referees] picked me out. After a few months we had a meeting because I'd picked up a lot of yellow cards.

"In the end, I had ten yellow cards but five were not yellow cards. I asked the referees, 'Why are you giving me that?'.

"But anyway, it's like this. Every year I improved on this. It's part of the game. With time and experience you control that."

Often Moyes fashioned Fellaini into a makeshift striker for his side, and played the Belgium international high up the pitch to utilise his height and physicality against defences.

The midfielder explained that he was surprised at how well he performed in that position, but that he did enjoy his time playing high up the field.

The 33-year-old added: "It was a new job for me to play behind the striker, as a No.10. It was a new job for me and wasn't easy, but I scored I think 11 goals in the first year.

"So it was good for me, I helped the team a lot when I played in this position. It was good for me, I learned from that.

"I was a bit surprised, but I learned a lot. I'm someone who likes to learn, with great players.

"With this position, I play differently. When you play in midfield and as a No.10, it's a completely different job."

During Fellaini's time at Everton the club unfortunately couldn't win a trophy, despite reaching the FA Cup final in his first season on Merseyside.

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And the midfielder believes that the lack of a top goalscorer was the only thing holding Moyes' team back from claiming silverware at that time.

"I think, for me, we had a great team at Everton," he concluded.

"We missed a striker who can score 25 goals. Ok we had Yakubu, but when I arrived at Everton he got a big injury.

"After that we had Jelavic, and after he arrived for six months he scored 12 goals. After that he was a bit down because players start to know you, it's not easy.

"I think if Everton had a player like, for example, Lukaku at this time with our players - it would be great."

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