Everybody has a footballer they just don’t like, regardless of their ability. Mine is Everton’s Kevin Mirallas. That may seem a bizarre, completely subjective and almost irrational target of burning hatred; in the grand scheme of the beautiful game, the Belgium and Toffees winger is a relatively insignificant figure, who probably won’t be remembered for too long after hanging up his boots.
But that’s precisely why Mirallas irritates me so much. He has the arrogant mindset of a world-class player and whilst that may make someone like Cristiano Ronaldo arguably the best in the business, Mirallas simply doesn’t have the ability to consistently back it up. He’s at best an above average Premier League wide-man, yet acts like he should be the star of the show at Goodison Park.
Take his scintillating strike from the acutest of angles against West Ham in the Third Round of the 2014/15 FA Cup. At first glance, one feels obliged to praise the Belgian for his technique, instinctiveness and audacity in shooting from a difficult dead ball situation. But scratch a little deeper and the goal highlights his selfishness, arrogance and lack of respect for his team-mates.
It was a one-in-100 effort, the other 99 times spooning over the byline in almost humiliating fashion. Mirallas would have known that – and that whipping the ball into the box from a decent position would’ve given the Toffees an equal if not greater chance of finding the net – but he did it anyway. That time it just so happened to pay off, sparing him of bemused glances from those waiting in the area.
But the moment that truly turned me against Mirallas came a few weeks after that goal, during a scoreless draw with West Brom. The Toffees were on top against the largely passive Baggies and when they won a penalty, it appeared to be the moment that would push their momentum too far ahead for the visitors to come back. A goal seemed virtually guaranteed as well; Everton’s resident penalty-taker Leighton Baines is one of the best converters in the business.
But standing in the England international’s way was Mirallas. Not the designated penalty taker by any means; in fact, a forward who has missed as many as he’s scored – two apiece – at competitive senior level and whose last successful convert prior was three years before in the Greek top flight.
Despite his limited experience in situations, despite Baines being the far superior penalty taker, Mirallas picked up the ball, plonked it on the spot and brushed the full-back aside – barely acknowledging his existence.
Suddenly realising the pressure to score his selfishness had placed on his own shoulders, Mirallas cut his effort several yards wide. It cost Everton two points, during a time of the season when his side were desperately battling to get back into the top half amid a six-game winless run. They eventually finished the campaign in eleventh, one point away from the top half.
Rather incredibly, just a matter of weeks after that, the 29-year-old started talking to the press about how he wanted to find a new challenge and play in the Champions League, declaring that Atletico Madrid had already shown an interest in him. Talk about poorly-timed, talk about poor taste – talk about overestimating your own abilities. If there’s one thing Diego Simeone doesn’t have time for, it’s players who don’t work as part of the team.
“I have never said I absolutely want to leave Everton. I like it over here, but I feel ready for a new challenge. I dream of playing in the Champions League next season. With Everton or with another club.
“I just have to see after the season. I like the Premier League, but Spain also tempts me. Atletico Madrid have inquired, but there was no offer.”
Of course, on the pitch, footballers should be cocky and edging towards arrogant, especially those of an attack-minded nature, but Mirallas takes that privilege to the extreme. Over the last three seasons, which have seen the winger net a rather unspectacular 15 Premier League goals, he’s averaged 3.15 shots per ninety minutes.
In comparison, to show how ridiculous that is, Luis Suarez, the centre-forward for Barcelona, has averaged 3.78 shots per ninety minutes this season to produce a return of 29 La Liga goals. That’s the striker for the most potent attack in world football averaging less than one shot more than a winger employed by the Premier League’s seventh-best side – or 9.6th best over the last three seasons.
You have to wonder how much that’s not only affected Everton’s results, but also the highly-talented young rabble who’ve come through at Goodison Park during that time. Romelu Lukaku, Ross Barkley, John Stones and Gerard Deulofeu gave Everton one of the most exciting starting XIs in the Premier League under Roberto Martinez, but it could never quite gel enough to turn enormous potential into impressive results.
Whilst many Everton fans will place that failure on Martinez’s doorstep, the influence of players like Mirallas must be questioned as well. The problem under the Spaniard was that everybody wanted to be the star of the show, to the point that the young players almost refused to work as a team.
Mirallas’ relentless selfishness, as one of the most experienced members of the squad and particularly of the attack, certainly didn’t help. In fact, it set the worst example possible for players like Lukaku and Barkley.
Which all makes you wonder why Everton have just handed Mirallas a new three-year contract, extending his self-interested stay until 2020. There’s another fantastic cohort of young players breaking into the first team at Goodison – let’s just hope Mirallas isn’t the bad apple that spoils the bunch.
WIN! Take our survey below for a chance to win your favourite club’s new 17/18 home or away shirt…
