What Anthony Gordon did for fans after intimate…

What Anthony Gordon did for fans after intimate training session as Everton star lives up to reputation

Anthony Gordon is always the last player to leave fan events and that was true again on Tuesday.

As the sun set on the Olympic Village he signed and posed for pictures with supporters, then signed and posed again and again as the Everton staff packed up around him. He was then pulled out to show off his dribbling skills for the club’s media channels.

His showpieces came after he looked in good form in a squad training drill held at the rugby league centre of excellence for New South Wales. Gordon was the most prolific in a session that took place before dozens of Blues in the shadow of the Accor Stadium - where Everton had defeated Celtic to win the Sydney Super Cup days earlier.

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Everton do the fan engagement side of things really well. Boosted by the passion and drive of the supporters clubs, those who travel to see them on tour are often well catered for and invited to exclusive events. I have been privileged enough to follow the club in the US and now Australia in the past six months and local organisers of both tours have told me how much more open Everton are to engage than other clubs they have hosted over the years.

Here, around 40 supporters watched a training session in which Gordon scored the most, Neal Maupay dinked in a cheeky finish and Abdoulaye Doucoure - withdrawn at half time against Celtic with a knee injury - took part. His involvement suggests Isaac Price may have the company of another recognised central midfielder against Western Sydney Wanderers. Some of the best action actually came after the session wrapped up - assistant manager Joe Edwards showing off a vicious right foot and James Tarkowski scoring a spectacular volley.

It was a nice way to finish a busy day in Sydney - for myself and the club staff. I had started with a chat with first team coach Ashley Cole under the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge. In a park that ran along the banks of the Parramatta River the Champions League winner spoke to Australian press and then the Liverpool ECHO about his role at the club and enjoyment of the trip. He believes the squad has taken benefits from the tour so far. The atmosphere around the Everton camp was quite relaxed on Tuesday and spirits were high, around the team hotel and at the training session - even when players competed over press ups to the sound of 50 Cent in the centre's gym.

As well as fan engagement work, Frank Lampard handed a shirt to a wonderstruck Jarrod Carluccio. Carluccio plays for Everton's next opponent and Lampard is his hero. It was a nice touch that went beyond a signed shirt as Lampard spoke with the winger and offered him advice on his development. Carluccio later tweeted his appreciation, posting: "Thank you to everyone involved, beyond grateful to be able to meet my footballing idol."

Western Sydney Wanderers will pose an interesting challenge for Everton and attention has turned to what the A-League side can do. Currently second in the table, they beat rivals Sydney FC last week - the same Sydney FC that beat Celtic. Everton are aware of the atmosphere generated by the fans and keen to ensure the players are prepared. This side knows the peril that can sometimes be part of matches like this after the 4-0 defeat to Minnesota United in the summer. That ended up being a significant moment for Lampard and the coaching unit's understanding of the team. With that in mind, expect Everton to do their homework as they attempt to avoid trouble before they return to the UK. And with this match starting at 8.45am GMT it should be easier to follow than the Celtic game, so check in on the ECHO website, where I will be providing live coverage from the CommBank Stadium.

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