Mirallas’ mentality is everything Everton must leave behind
Attitude plays a colossal part in being a successful footballer; a part that is often overlooked. Even the most talented, the most skilful and the most fit will struggle to reach the heights that they are capable of if they fail to apply the correct attitude.
Over the years, Everton have taken on a number of players who were capable of much more, but their attitude prevented them from succeeding. Jô and Royston Drenthe are just two of those names, both of whom wasted their opportunities due to their immaturity and their lack of focus. Both players have since come out and professed their regret at wasting their opportunities with the club, and both have seen a somewhat downward career trajectory since they left Goodison Park.
As well as often enabling success to be achieved, a correct attitude also helps players become endearing figures to the fans. Denis Stracqualursi exemplifies this for Everton, as his never give in attitude made him a fan favourite on Merseyside. ‘The Strac’ was, in terms of being capable, a dreadful deadline day signing, yet the three goals he scored for the Toffees meant much more than the four scored by Real Madrid-loanee Drenthe, purely due to the Argentine’s commitment and hard-work ethic.
It’s important for players to approach any situation with the correct mentality, whether that is to give your absolute all for the club, or making sure you fight for your place and make yourself count.
Kevin Mirallas, is someone who has the wrong attitude.
Not even four months ago, the 29-year old forward signed a new three-year contract with the club, proclaiming that Everton was “the best club for [him],” also saying, “[he is] very happy here.” Now, Mirallas is “so sad” that the club didn’t allow him to move back to former club Olympiakos on deadline day.
So why the sudden change? Why did the Belgium international want to move back to Greece so soon after being so happy with a new contract offer? Simply, a weak mentality.
Mirallas has played in four of Everton’s seven games since the club kicked off their season with a Europa League qualifier against MFK Ružomberok on July 27th. Mirallas started that day, and came on as a substitute in the reverse fixture, before making further appearances in the starting line-up against Hajduk Split at home, and coming on against Stoke City in the league.
Presumably though, playing in 57.14% of Everton’s games so far this season isn’t good enough for Mirallas. If you don’t count the Chelsea fixture, for which Mirallas wasn’t in the squad on account of his attitude, Mirallas was batting at an average of 66.66%. Not bad, considering we’re just over a month into the season, and there are plenty more fixtures to fulfil over the next nine months.
Farhad Moshiri has made large strides in ensuring Everton become a powerhouse in English football, and whilst the club are still a long way off yet, important steps have been made, with a top manager being brought in, a new stadium on the horizon and with a considerable amount of money being spent on fresh talent. What must now be done, is ensure the squad is an actual team, which would mean those with the wrong attitudes must now go.
Mirallas, and Barkley is included in this too, isn’t prepared to fight for his place in the squad. Instead of complaining about wanting to leave, Mirallas should be getting his head down and working to show Ronald Koeman that he deserves to be in the starting line-up. However, Kev is far too happy to be in an easy environment, and doesn’t like the challenge he has been presented with at Everton.
This from a man too, who said just four months ago, that “[he hoped] we sign some top players to fight for the Champions League places [this] season,” and that it was a dream “to win at least one trophy with Everton”. Now he doesn’t want the added competition, and desperately wants to jump ship.
Everton need to rid themselves of players who possess this poisonous, negative attitude. Success doesn’t come to those who don’t want to work for it, and anyone who doesn’t want to work for, or play for Everton Football Club, should be removed as soon as possible.