FADDY CAN BE UP THERE WITH LAW AND DALGLISH SAYS GARY NAYSMITH

GARY NAYSMITH has watched James McFadden finally win the daily war he waged for two years over his Everton future.

Now he reckons there's no battle too big for the Scotland striker to take on - including the one to dislodge Kenny Dalglish and Denis Law from the nation's history books.

Faddy has been fighting since day one of his £1.25million move three seasons ago to prove to boss Davie Moyes he's first-choice material.

It's a mountain his 42 appearances show he has scaled at last this term. The next peak in his sights, according to Naysmith, is swathed in dark blue.

Both Goodison stars' stock leapt another notch in the Far East with class performances in the 5-1 battering of Bulgaria and the backs-to-the-wall draw with Japan to lift the Kirin Cup.

And Naysmith, himself born again after a deflating season of injuries and top team snubs, insists his Toffees mate has Dalglish's caps AND goals record at his feet.

King Kenny's 30 strikes in 102 appearances shares top slot with Law who managed it in an incredible 55 caps.

Naysmith said: "People forget Faddy's only 23 yet he has NINE goals in 27 caps - and nine were as a sub. For someone of his age to have done that much at this level is frightening.

"Especially when you consider he's not done it in a successful team.

"Most of the time he's been playing for Scotland we've either been losing or right up against it.

"It's easy to forget how young James is because he started so early.

"Who knows if he'll keep going to the likes of Dalglish's record but he's on target. He has a goal every three games at the moment so is ahead of the game. And for a young guy who is only going to get better that is great for Scotland."

Despite McFadden's flashes brilliance he still has a tendency to hit the self destruct button at times. His two bookings in the Kirin Cup were classic Jekyll and Hyde moments.

One for kicking the ball away needlessly at 3-1 up against the Bulgars, the other for dissent.

But Naysmith just grins at the image. He sees that every day.

Gary laughed: "That's just Faddy. You'll NEVER get it out of him.

"He always gets so frustrated when he gives the ball away and it just comes out. He'll learn to deal with it in other ways though - but he's like that even in training.

"Faddy wants to win and set standards and the way he's played this season it's paid off for him.

"He's forced himself into being the main striker alongside James Beattie.

"We were playing one up for so long but Faddy's form made it impossible to keep doing that and we had to go to two up to accommodate him.

"He's not started as many games as he would have liked but it's hard for a young boy to come into that environment, especially the way we play.

"Beatts was always going to play in front of him because he cost £6m. He's a target man and when we play one up it's not Faddy's game.

"He needs to play off someone, drop deep, go wide - get freedom.

"But he came on as a sub a couple of times, changed it and earned the right to play the last dozen games."

And despite McFadden controversially knocking back a new deal last week Naysmith will be surprised if they're not still blues brothers come August.

The left-back said: "He's settled, is buying a new house, loves his training and the guys and is happy even though it hasn't gone perfectly. I think he wants to stay."

But while Faddy knows he has ended the season on a high Naysmith is wishing his was only beginning.

Ankle and knee problems have combined to make it a nightmare year for the former Hearts star.

Despite finding his way back into Moyes' starting line-up for seven of the last nine games he knows his struggle is only starting. And it's a struggle Gary insists he WILL walk away from if it means protecting his Scotland place - even though he has two years to run on a lucrative contract.

He said: "I need to be playing or I won't get in the Scotland team.

"I know the gaffer say he'll keep picking guys who can do a job but you can't come to an international and not be playing club football.

"I'm realistic enough to know that and hopefully I'll be playing and it will be at Everton.

"I've had six seasons. I love it, my family's settled and two of my kids were born down here.

"But football's everything and if I'm missing out on most of the season again, I'll need to look at it once more.

"There's a lot of competition in my spot. Myself, Nuno Valente, Alessandro Pistone will be back, Phil Neville can play there too so I don't know what's going to happen next season.

"I still have two years to go so I'm happy I have security but I'm also aware I've missed a lot of football through injury and can't be not playing. I'm getting to that age. Between my ankle problem and my knee I've missed over a year with serious injuries.

"I'll go back to preseason, try my hardest, try to get in the team but if it's not happening I'll maybe need to look elsewhere.

"The gaffer has been great. He knows I've done well to return from a career-threatening injury and just wants me back and ready to go.

"I can't ask for any more than that. It would be easy for me to coast for two years but I'm not that kind of guy. I won't do that especially with the amount of football I've missed.

"Two years gives me security but it's not everything. I've been at Goodison for five and a half years making good money. I just want to play football."

Taken from the Sunday Mail