Jelavic reveals World Cup fear to Everton fans

Nikica Jelavic has written an open letter to Everton fans in which he admits his concerns over his World Cup place forced him to move to Hull.

Nikica Jelavic: Letter to fans. Picture: Getty

The Croatia international hopes a new start at the KC Stadium will help him ahead of this summer’s tournament in Brazil.

Despite a disappointing second half to his two-year stay on Merseyside, the 28-year-old expressed his gratitude. “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Everton fans from the bottom of my heart for their support,” he wrote in the Liverpool Echo. “I believe the scoring run which I went on during those first six months [scoring 11 times in 16 games after his move from Rangers] is the real Nikica Jelavic and I’m pleased the Evertonians were able to see and appreciate what I’m really about.

“Everton supporters have a special way of making you feel like one of them, and even when I was not in the team in more recent times I always felt they were behind me.

“Playing for Croatia is something I also take huge pride in and with a World Cup on the horizon I was in the situation of needing to play more games to make sure I remain in [coach] Niko Kovac’s thoughts.

“That wasn’t happening at Everton, and Roberto Martinez was very honest and up front with me about his thinking.”