West Brom new boy Gabriel Tamas recalls how his Euro battle with Everton's Duncan Ferguson left him with a black eye

Jan 24 2010 by Andy Walker, Sunday Mercury

West Brom's Gabriel Tamas has revealed how he was given a bruising introduction to the British game – by the elbow of ex-Everton hardman Duncan Ferguson.

The Romanian showed Baggies fans that he was made of tough stuff at Newcastle last Monday night following his tasty physical tussle with Shola Ameobi.

Having tasted football in six different countries, Tamas already ranks the English game as the toughest out there.

However, the 28-year-old was already braced for the bullying centre-forwards from these shores, thanks to a memento picked up during one of his first encounters with an English club.

During his first loan stint with the Romanian club, Tamas was part of the Dinamo Bucharest side that took on Everton in a two-legged UEFA Cup tie back in 2005.

And, having walloped their Premier League opponents on home turf, the return leg at Goodison Park turned out to be a feisty affair.

Dinamo were branded a disgrace after Everton’s Mikel Arteta was left convulsing on the turf following a sickening challenge, while Tamas was accused of spitting at current Blues star James McFadden and Ferguson.

However, notorious Scottish hard nut Ferguson left his own mark on Tamas, in the form of a shiner to his right eye.

Unsurprisingly the heated tie still remains clear in the on-loan Albion defender’s mind.

“I had played against English clubs before; Liverpool during a friendly game for Auxerre and also for Dinamo Bucharest I played against Everton. We won 5-1 in Bucharest and lost 1-0 away,” recalled a smirking Tamas.