Aiden McGeady talks about challenges of adapting to life in Russia
After Everton debut, Irish winger reveals that novelty of living in former Soviet Union soon wore off
Patrick Counihan
Everton's new midfielder, Aiden McGeady. evertonfc.com
Aiden McGeady has opened up about life in Russia with Spartak Moscow after making his Everton debut in Monday night's 1-1 Premier League draw with West Brom.
The 27-year-old Irish winger has admitted he targeted a move to England when the novelty of life in the former Soviet Union wore off.
"I could probably write a book on it the amount of things there were. Most difficult was probably trying to adapt to life over there," McGeady said.
"It is not like moving here, where everything is easier to do. Things are that little bit, probably not backwards, but a lot of it is like 20 years ago.
"The first couple of years were great but after that the novelty wore off a little bit and it was a difficult place to live with a family, it's not the easiest place to bring up children.
"It is a totally different way of life and the way they approach football over there is like night and day compared to here. It was probably just too big a change."
McGeady also revealed that the Spartak management threatened to send him to Turkey with their youth team after a row with coach Valeri Karpin.
"Towards the end I was getting a bit frustrated but I never had any falling-out with the manager. In the end it was just a case of they were getting tired of me not re-signing so I ended up getting put in the youth team, which was a good experience," McGeady said.
"But I can't have any complaints, it was a great life experience and a real eye-opener. The standard of the top teams was pretty good as they have a lot of money.
"It was a difficult league. Every away game was a flight. I've actually been to Siberia, five and a half hours on a flight for an away game."
McGeady clearly feels more at home since his move to Everton and England's top flight.
The former Celtic star said, "It has taken a while to get into the Premier League. Whenever I was linked with English teams there was nothing I could do, it was down to the club and when you are under contract to a team like that they don't really bother that much about money.
"They want silly money for you so it kind of puts you out of move but I was under contract any way and kind of happy. I wasn't too fussed but obviously when I got to the last year of my contract I was getting a bit agitated. Everything seems to have worked out for the best."