When Morgan Schneiderlin was confirmed as an Everton player this week, there was a fair bit of surprise at the Frenchman’s choice of squad number.
The central midfielder opted to make the number two shirt his own, prompting outcry from a few football purists.
But why has he gone with the number? Is he a huge Tony Hibbert fan? Has he always seen himself as a natural full-back? Is there an in-joke that none of us were aware of?
Thankfully, the former Manchester United man has ended the speculation by explaining why he has gone from number 28 at Old Trafford to number two at Goodison Park.
Schneiderlin has a job on his hands at @Everton wearing the number 2 shirt straight after a club legend pic.twitter.com/n5I7otZhAI
— Alistair Clark (@AlistairClark98) January 12, 2017
“I wanted to give the kit man a rest after putting Schneiderlin on the back. They wouldn’t want a big number after that!” the Frenchman joked in an interview published on Everton’s official site.
“A lot of squad numbers had already been taken and number two was free. I couldn’t have 13 because of superstition and, after that, there was 36, 37, 38, which I think is too high.
“I will take the number two for now and, if it’s good for me, I will keep it.”
Despite not getting onto the pitch during Everton’s 4-0 victory over Manchester City until the second half, Schneiderlin already has the same number of goals in 25 minutes that Hibbert managed in more than 300 appearances for the club. Yes, before you ask, that’s 0 goals.
