He signed a new contract in the summer, he says that he wants to play for Everton...then he says in the next breath that he'll consider a departure if he doesn't get his place in the team.
Forgive me for seeing in that statement a player who's out of the first team through poor form and the better form of others and who's unwilling to do what everyone else does: bide their time and take their chance.
He's a phoney. And he's bad news if you're looking for a settled group of players all pulling in the same direction. The time has come to cut him off and bring someone in with a better attitude and team ethic than him. He is literally a waste of money and a squad place.
I remember the Column Howard Kendall wrote in the Echo shortly after we rejected 8 million for Naismith on deadline day, supporting Martinez's decision to keep him and saying he'd have done the same. As usual with Howard it was spot on and provided a level of understanding and insight into football that few fans can really grasp. Essentially he put that Naismith was a good egg and a brilliant squad player.
Kendall always recognised the importance of such players going back ton the 80's with your Richardsons, Alan Harpers and later on lads like Paul Power. Essentially very professional experienced players who you could depend on to give you the same things week in week out. More importantly around the club not causing too much trouble at not being picked, supporting the manager and working their socks off to get back into the team. It sets the right ethos.
There is a value to that beyond what you see on the pitch and beyond the 8 million Norwich offered us. Even when things got difficult at times last season perhaps the one player who never let his level drop was Naismith. Naismith has vindicated that really with his perfect Hatrick a few days later against Chelsea. He is the sort of player who you can bring on off the bench and he will immediately give you what you require, he doesn't need a run of games like Mirallas (or Deulufeu) to get into form.
I only mention it to contrast with Mirallas. Everything you say is true and means that while he may look better on the pitch and have more ability than Naismith, whether he is as useful squad player is hugely doubtful. To be a good squad player you have to have a different skill set to a first team regular. Consistency, professionalism and a degree of humility.
Mirallas has now become a squad player for us and there have to be huge question marks as to whether he can be that effective in that role. I worry he will always need a run of games to get to his best which we can't really afford him. The only saving grace I think he has is that I think he could be very suited to playing as a striker for us in the system Martinez uses and might allow Lukaku some rest time.
Martinez is clearly looking to have a fair bit of rotation in the attacking positions particularly on the left. I have mentioned Naismith, but Kone has also shown a brilliant attitude. In and our but by all accounts a very positive and cheerful guy around the place who everyone is delighted for. Likewise Cleverley's comments are very telling about struggling to get back into the team. Saying all the right things. Essentially he's done nothing wrong to lose his place, but is willing to work hard in different positions to get back in and appreciates that's how it will be at Everton.
I really worry for Mirallas currently. If we got an 8-10 million bid from someone I wouldn't be surprised to see him move on. I'd probably like to keep him on the basis that he'd be a good back up striker if we ever lost Lukaku. But we'll see.
