09/11/2023 22comments  |  Jump to last

Kevin Mirallas, who retired in September, has been telling Belgian media how he didn't want to come to Everton back in 2012, when he was signed by David Moyes for £5.3m. 

“When I signed in England I didn’t want to go there,” he said.

“I felt really good at Olympiakos, I felt good at the football level, at the family level as my son had just been born so there was stability. My agent really pushed it. I don’t regret it because it was one of my best spells, I spent seven years there, but I didn’t want to go.

“I felt really good, my life was really good, there was a quality of life behind it and in England I had to start all over again. The day I left Olympiakos I cried; I didn’t want to leave.

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“I arrived at Everton in August it was 14 degrees, raining, I went ‘wow’. I left ten days after my son was born. I didn’t want to go there but then I saw the training centre and I said, ‘it’s good, it’s structured’.

“In England it was great, the stadium all that. The coach, David Moyes, wanted me to have everything prepared, I had a magnificent welcome and was well compensated but, in my head, I wasn’t prepared.

“Then I got injured and in October I phoned my agent and said I want to leave. He tells me I signed for five years but I say ‘do what you want but I don’t want to stay’. He says to me ‘you’re crazy, everyone wants to be in your place’ but I just said, ‘call those in charge, I don’t want to stay’.”

 

Reader Comments (22)

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Duncan McDine
1 Posted 09/11/2023 at 17:07:21
I always had him down as being a bit of a prick... far from a hero. This interview definitely doesn't change my mind.

Grabbing the ball from Baines for that missed penalty was the start of some very sour times. I don't know if the dressing room was split before then, but it certainly was afterwards.

Andrew McLawrence
2 Posted 09/11/2023 at 17:25:32
A few years ago, on a game day at Goodison, I was down at the area where the players drive in. I got speaking to one of the car parking staff and asked him who I was likely to see?

He said that if I waited until 20 mins before kick off I would see Mirallas arrive in. Then he shook his head and said that he was the only player to do that. Often wondered if that was true.

Barry Rathbone
3 Posted 09/11/2023 at 17:56:10
Very good player had loads of ability could score and had a bit of snide as Mr Suarez can testify.

Very surprised he never got snaffled by a challenging club he had enough about him to play at a higher level and it puzzled me the lukewarm reception he got from some Evertonians. A couple more like him would have transformed us.

Andrew Brookfield
4 Posted 10/11/2023 at 02:16:42
Far too inconsistent for a challenging club I'd say. Would have decent spells for sure, but was frustrating at times, often anonymous for weeks on end. A poor man's Richarlison imo.
Eric Myles
5 Posted 10/11/2023 at 06:23:59
Like Barry, I remember Mirallas being very good for us, he always seemed to be in a good position and was willing to take a shot on until his injury.

Like we say with so many others, he just wasn't the same after that.

Derek Thomas
6 Posted 10/11/2023 at 06:57:17
He was never the same after Ratboy crocked him...

Near the end, he seemed to have a tad too much of the gold Bentley syndrome.

Christine Foster
7 Posted 10/11/2023 at 07:41:46
Well, you know what? I just looked at a few minutes of his spells here and elsewhere, you can be his biggest critic but I wish we had him or someone like him now.

Selfish? Arrogant? (All good strikers are!) But he knew where the goal was. back in the days when we had someone who could score from a free-kick, or wasn't a centre-forward.

I do, I really do wish we had someone of that ilk now...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFIBhX3Eqc8

Danny O’Neill
8 Posted 10/11/2023 at 07:51:50
Talented but inconsistent. Hit and miss. Part of me thinks that he typifies Everton players of the past few decades.

Part of me questions the player's desire.

But reading between the lines, is this a classic example of agents and clubs dictating? I know it is a feature of the modern game and that we could argue the player was in his comfort zone and would rather have stayed where he was.

If we look deeper, is it different to Alan Ball who apparently didn't want to leave but ultimately didn't have a choice. Duncan Ferguson's move to Newcastle? We recently had Rooney say that he had no burning desire to leave Everton, but was told he was being sold to Chelsea. So he chose his own destiny. Who can blame him?

It's very easy in the raw heat of the moment for us supporters to blame the player, but more often than not, it's the club and agents who pull the strings and make the decisions.

Back on topic and to Mirallas. He had his moments where he pleased the crowd, but could equally frustrate.

What is it about Belgium players? They all seem continuously restless. Especially when they go away with the national team.

Eric Myles
9 Posted 10/11/2023 at 08:47:37
Danny #8, and the nearly related Dutch ones too. I've worked with a few Dutch and for a Belgian company and they have a certain arrogance about them?

Despite that one is still a good friend!

Brendan McLaughlin
10 Posted 10/11/2023 at 08:48:14
If Mirallas had been half as good as he thought he was... we would have had some player on our hands.

Unfortunately he wasn't... we didn't.

Dave Abrahams
11 Posted 10/11/2023 at 09:34:18
I thought Mirallas was very good sometimes and average or less at other times, depended too much on his mood.

I don't miss these type of players that's for sure, in love with himself.

Paul Olsen
12 Posted 11/11/2023 at 21:36:49
Top-class on his day, sadly not every week. Don't know why someone seem to take offense from this interview, Nothing wrong with it.

He played in some good Everton years, He always had the potential of doing something spesial.

Derek Thomas
13 Posted 12/11/2023 at 07:02:38
After about 3 years he'd more or less 'done his dash' and then somebody (Bill? who knows) extended his contract and I thought... ay-up – he's going to be sold and the contract was to bunk up his value, or whatever.

But for some reason, he never was and was a deadwood and a money-stealer until he did go.

Ajay Gopal
14 Posted 14/11/2023 at 12:20:11
The overriding image I have of Mirallas is him and Lukaku sniggering on live TV telecast of a game when it was announced that Belgium had appointed Martinez as the head coach of the Belgium football team.

I thought it was pretty disrespectful towards Martinez, and kind of summed up the attitude of both the players. Both hugely talented who thought they were too good for Everton, but their careers stalled after leaving the club.

Robert Tressell
15 Posted 14/11/2023 at 12:27:19
Ajay, I would have said that Lukaku's career took a fairly big step up after leaving us?

He won the league and player of the year with Inter...

Brendan McLaughlin
16 Posted 15/11/2023 at 21:48:01
Ajay #14

I thought the pair were pretty respectful given that they managed to limit themselves to merely sniggering...

Tom Bowers
17 Posted 15/11/2023 at 21:53:26
Much like many players Everton have signed over the last 20 years, talented but underachievers for the most part.

Sure he had some bright moments but far to few and then injuries became an excuse. Did have a few decent games alongside Lukaku.

Mark Ryan
18 Posted 17/11/2023 at 09:04:57
Hated him. Arrogant, selfish with the ball and inconsistent too. He thought he was Maradonna. Some days he was no better than Madonna.

Hated him. Snider waster who occasionally scored goals and then basked in the glory for 3 games. I can't even believe I'm wasting time writing about him…

Brian Harrison
19 Posted 17/11/2023 at 10:10:17
I wonder if its something with Belgium players that they cant wait to talk to the press when away on International duty or when the finish playing. Mirallas often expressed his views when away on International duty as did Lukaku. Now we have another Belgium who when away on International duty is eager to tell the press, that there were clubs in for him but he decided to stay probably to this summer to improve and possibly become the best. On a previous trip with Belgium he told reporters that he had to change his mindset when he joined Everton, and get used to losing.
Always amazes me who they are so conceited you wouldnt think they contributed to losing games, must be there team mates who are to blame.
Gerry Quinn
20 Posted 17/11/2023 at 10:31:45
My mother was Belgian - but she never went crying to the press about me!
Paul Hewitt
21 Posted 17/11/2023 at 10:46:09
I thought he was a terrific little player. Wish we had him now.
Ajay Gopal
22 Posted 18/11/2023 at 05:27:41
Ha.. ha..Gerry (20), that comment made me laugh out loud :-)

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