Reports claim Mirallas unlikely to be retained by Olympiakos

Another Gravy Train passenger, it is all too easy for these type of players, once they get the equivalent of a Lottery winning contract, they get paid whether producing or not, and enjoy the lifestyle.

The worrying thing for me, it is like a disease, and can spread quite easily, the younger fringe players too, see this and think, "Well, if he gets away with it, so can I".

What other occupations in real life would tolerate this, apart from politics, high profile bankers and over-rated actors and TV 'personalities'?

I'll always love him for his 2-minute cameo vs Swansea and getting sent off, as if to tell Martinez, "I told you so" and that he should have been on the pitch from the start.

He has self-confidence and arrogance in abundance; essentially he wants to win. That's maybe why so many fans dislike him, as Everton aren't used to winning.

Similar to Phil Neville getting a relatively poor reception from fans was his winning mentality, in my opinion. There was a man who threw his FA Cup runners-up medal in the bin, whereas us fans thought we'd won the lottery just making it to Wembley.

Can't really think of anyone except perhaps Lescott, and only very briefly in his case, but rather than gloat about it I get to thinking maybe the Finch Farm malaise that all but engulfs the current squad has had deeper roots than is comfortable to think about.

Jeez, being a fan of this club is so very, very depressing!

For his talent, I think it was all downhill from there!

When, for example, did he ever replicate his goal against Arsenal, as a 17-year-old, after he left us?

The only reason for the contract – apart from the usual one of management incompetence, is there must have been somebody sniffing around a deal.

[Puts on paranoid hat; agent 1 says to agent 2, "You sniff around my guy for a move and I'll sniff around yours and we might get new deals out of it... luverly jubberly, everyone's a winner."

Kevin who?

Surplus to requirements now so take the money available. Maybe Celtic or Rangers will want him... Farsley Celtic and Cove Rangers that is.

Actually, before I make a fool of myself. I get it. Could you put some sort of irony font on your posts in future, because you nearly got me there.

And the greats to me include the likes of Cruyff, Messi, Maradona, Best and Pele by the way. Players who did things beyond exceptional shots and the like – players who did things beyond any previous contemplation is what I mean.

.. cos, if it's as you say, that he's a 'winner' (who wants to win)... and a lot of fans don't like him cos we 'don't like players who want to win', then clearly he's super-motivated to do well, and we Everton fans just aren't into those kinds of 'winning mentality' players... er, what? Run that by us again..

This 'winning mentality' player was sent home from the training ground – not just hauled off the match-day pitch – with his pal, Schneiderlin, for clearly not giving a shit!!

So glad to see that's your sort of player, and the rest of us must have just used it as an excuse not to like him because what we reallydon't like is that he was really showing us how much of 'a winner' he was!!!

Yeah, funny that, alright.

Hugh, replicate as in score an exact copy? Probably didn't. If you mean "emulate" however then the overhead kick against Man City is one of many, many great goals he scored, mate.

These two are head and shoulders above anything that's played in the last decade.

But, the underlying point was that given his undoubted and precocious talent as a teenager, he never developed those talents further. Perhaps he wasn't allowed to because SAF was grooming CR7 for the "star" role.

I for one would be pretty proud of that regardless of what talent I began with!

I think that discussing these two diametrically opposite players in the same thread is an insult to Rooney.

Mirallas is all about Mirallas. Sulks when not playing. Petulant when brought on as a sub. Rarely brilliant. Usually ordinary. Occasionally a liability.

Rooney has always been like a kid who can't believe he's being allowed to play football for a living. Since I saw him as a teenager, out on his knees vs Aston Villa but kept on to score a late goal when we had no other hope, I have loved his attitude. Yes, off the field he can be a bit of a twat at times.

Yes, he has had bad games. But he never hides. Despite being finished according to some, he is our top scorer this season, mainly doing it from midfield. His passing, his tactical nouse – watch his tour de force vs West Ham – and his desire to win are always there.

If he can get a bit of that attitude into the rest of the squad, we would be on the up. That is what I pay my money to see. Not some moody Belgian who thinks the world owes him a living.

So, yes, I feel that adds to the argument that Everton fans prefer losers. I bet Denis Stracqualursi would get a better reception from blues than Romelu Lukaku, and that sums it up really.

Martin Keown?

I'd say Lescott broadly flopped at Man City. Yes, he won 2 titles, but he was unconvincing in the first title win – and played just 10 times in the second.

The rest have flopped.

Play in Greece was been suspended following an incident earlier this month after PAOK's owner, Ivan Savvidis marched onto the pitch to confront the referee armed with a gun.

Now I'm a 2nd-Amendment American to be sure. But that! Well that's taking things a bit too far.

What the hell? Surreal!

Also, he has been eligible for 12 matches thus far (not sure if that counts the one that was postponed). He has made 11 appearances so far, per Transfermarkt stats, 8 league games, and 3 cup games.

He has played around 625 minutes out of the 8 games (give or take 10 minutes) and about the same minutes ratio in the three cup games. Also, he is playing on the right so maybe needs time to adjust to the position and to playing with a team that actually puts people in the box. He did notch his first goal the last league game. Finally, the entire team is having trouble scoring.

Olympiakos, is rumored to be planning on rebuilding for next season. There also might be money issues at the club, and in the league. The plan is to offload a bunch of the higher-priced older (>30-year-old) players. So, if that is true, then it would not make sense to purchase a player in the same age and salary brackets as the players the club is moving on, does it? It likely has less to do with Super Kev than it does the club and $$.

The problem with speed-reading posts is that it can lead to errors about the main thrust of the post. I think you probably owe Martin (#28) an apology.

I only had to look up the Transfermarkt stats. My wife has a cousin who is an Olympiakos fan who lives in or near Piraeus (something to do with shipping). He keeps me in the loop about Super Kev and the club knowing that I am an Everton fan.

As for the punishment, well, I can take it. I am an Everton fan after all.

1. Materazzi
2. Mustafi
3. Speed
4. Lineker
5. Keown
6. Richardson
7. McMahon
8. Beardsley
9. Dacourt
10. Newell

I thought you had gone out of your way to look up the facts about Kevin – that's why I referred to you being a glutton for punishment.

But you are correct: being an Evertonian means you are used to disappointment. Hopefully that is about to change!!!

How standards have dropped at our club.

I apologize for my oversight. I thought everyone knew the players' nicknames. I didn't realize that you were new here.

"Super Kev" is a nickname associated with various Kevins in English football. Mirallas is one of them. Kevin Campell, Kevin Keegan, and Kevin Phillips were some others. I will try to use proper names in the future so you can keep up.

Sunstroke can do strange things to a person's pysche. Hope you get better soon!

Scratches head. Looks in the mirror for signs of sunstroke. Sees none. Phones Doctor.

"Hi Doc, sorry for bothering you, but do you have the symptoms for a medical condition known as Strange Psyche Syndrome?"

"Well, my boy, there are quite a few. From the relatively benign eg, being rather shy in large crowds, to the extreme – being a serial killer. I take it you are none of those. What symptoms are you exhibiting?"

"Well Doc, I posted a list of 10 players on ToffeeWeb, who I thought had done better after leaving Everton."

"Fucking hell, lad. Are you a nutter? Only Rooney improved after leaving Everton. Next thing you will be proclaiming David Ike as The Saviour. Book yourself in with the local quack straight away. Something wrong with you."

"But I don't understand, Doc, how I could have developed Strange Psyche Syndrome?"

"Were you hit on the head recently or take any hallucinogenic drugs?"

"No, Doc"

"Hmm. A recent study by the revered medical researcher, D Alexander (The Don to his mates), found a link between Sunstroke and Strange Psyche Syndrome. His research had the same reaction from sections of society as Darwin's book – The Origin of Species – did from churchgoers when it was first published. But once we looked at D Alexander's research on the links between Sunstroke and being a Lunatic closely, we realised he was indeed The Don. It all made complete sense. You need to be careful, given where you live".

"But I checked and I don't have sunstroke."

"Ah well, son, you see that was the second part of his research. You can have sunstroke without knowing it".

"So Doc, are you saying I might have sunstroke without knowing it, and therefore may have Strange Psyche Syndrome?"

"Lad, no doubt about it. Anyone who posts a list of players, besides Rooney, who improved after leaving Everton is most certainly a nutter, loon and a sufferer of SPS (sometimes called "Triple-S" for those who can't spell)."

"Doc, I need a lie down. I am starting to see and hear Dead People."

"Who ya gonna Call?"

"Ghostbusters!"

A joy to read something really funny. Clearly ill and not a real fan!

Nottingham Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis, charged with drug trafficking, according to reports in Greece.

The Greek shipping magnate has become so furious at his side's lacklustre displays that he's planning to call up players from the Under-20s for the remaining games.