Aiden McGeady: 'Russia not the easiest place to bring up children'

By Robert Summerscales, Reporter | 18 January 2014

New Everton signing Aiden McGeady admits that he encountered a big culture shock during his three-and-a-half-year spell in Russia with Spartak Moscow.

New Everton signing Aiden McGeady has admitted that he encountered a big culture shock during his three-and-a-half-year spell in Russia.

The Irish winger began his career at Celtic before leaving the Glasgow giants to join Spartak Moscow in 2010.

McGeady, who left Spartak to sign a four-and-a-half-year deal at Goodison Park last week, says that he enjoyed his time in Russia, but that he had to leave for family reasons.

"I could probably write a book on it the amount of things there were," he said. "Things are that little bit different over there, a bit like it was here 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 could make his Everton debut in Monday night's match against West Bromwich Albion.