Gray confirms Everton will take the knee in the Premier League opener
After showing talent during his period at Leicester City, the 25-year-old failed to live up to his promises as he joined Leverkusen from Leicester last January for a fee as small as $2.20m.
However,
the English winger returned to the Premier Leaguethis summer with Everton on a three-year deal as the Toffees compensated the same amount Leverkusen paid for him.
It seems the former Leicester prodigy has immediately linked up with his new teammates in their US pre-season tour as he made a decisive contribution in his first appearance for the Blues.
Having replaced James Rodriguez at the break in the half-time at Orlando, the winger helped his side to secure
a penalty shootout victory over Millonariosin July.
Demarai Gray insists he has a lot to prove at Everton, he told
Everton’s official website: “I don’t think there’s been a training session yet where Rafa hasn’t told me something I can improve. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I don’t want to be told what I am good at – everyone knows what they are good at. I want to be told what I can work on.
“I am happy I have a manager like that, an honest manager. I am confident I am going to improve with him.
“For me, it is about achieving consistency and scoring goals and being productive at the top end of the pitch.
“I am an attacker and that is what I am paid to do: put the ball in the net and help create goals for the team, help the team get points.
“I genuinely have a good feeling I am going to progress with Everton and the next few years are going to be some of my best.”
Confirming the Toffees will taking on the knee ahead of their Premier League opener against Southampton, he added: “We are going on the knee – but the people giving abuse from behind a screen don’t care.
“I am all for being involved and showing it is a good cause – but you see what happened to the boys who missed the penalties – and there is your answer.
“Young, black English players – and kids – will see the abuse and may not want to play for England, which is sad.
“No mother will want their child to potentially be in that situation. And no human would want to be in that situation. I wouldn’t. It is not fair.
“When things are all good and our black players are scoring the goals, everything is great.
“Then we get to a final, which hasn’t been done in so long, fall short at the end, but the whole country has been brought together by these players, and some people shut them down like that.
“It is not a good sign."
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