Jagielka has high hopes for Toffees

Everton defender Phil Jagielka is determined to fulfill the club's ambitions and continue punching above their weight as they compete at the top end of the Barclays Premier League table.

After another poor start to the season, the Toffees finished the campaign strongly to surge up the table and finish seventh, just outside the European qualification places.

Jagielka is under no illusions that it is going to become increasingly difficult to stay in touch with the league's big-spenders based on Everton's current budget, but says that won’t get in the way of next season's target.

Having finished the 2009/10 campaign strongly, David Moyes' side were tipped to challenge for Europe again this season, but a slow start quickly put pay to those ambitions and Jagielka is hoping the players have learnt their lesson.

"Maybe expectations elsewhere won't be as high this time around, but I'm sure the gaffer's ambitions will be higher," said Jagielka.


 

“He won't want another poor start and he'll find out why.

"But hopefully when these games come around towards the end of next season they mean a lot more than trying to secure seventh."

Jagielka discussed the need to strengthen in the summer in order to remain competitive and to give Everton every chance of achieving their European goal next year.

"We do need fresh faces come the summer, and there might be a few people who's contracts are up or might not be staying here but the gaffer knows what he's been doing.

"He's been doing it long enough now and the season has left on a positive note.

"Hopefully we can get some fresh faces, pretend it's January instead of August when the season begins and get a good start."