Some players can divide the fanbase like nothing else, and for a few years in the blue half of Merseyside, that man was none other than Kevin Mirallas.
Went to Belgium to speak to Kevin Mirallas. He told me:
– Hiring Moyes would be like going “back in time five years”
– Lukaku’s exit left players questioning where goals would come from
– Allardyce’s methods left him wondering if he “knew football”https://t.co/qi3fHhdwtp
— Patrick Boyland (@Paddy_Boyland) October 16, 2019
The Belgian international, who now plies his trade in his home country for Royal Antwerp, spent seven years at Everton, making over 150 appearances in the Premier League as stats from Transfermarkt show and frustrating supporters to no end.
Although the former Olympiacos winger had his moments of magic, such as scoring and assisting a goal in a frantic 3-3 Merseyside Derby, Mirallas left Everton this summer as a player who would normally irritate fans and was often the scapegoat for disappointing results.
Yet following a recent interview with The Athletic, some Everton fans on social media slowly started to confess that they rated Mirallas despite his inconsistencies for the Toffees.
Here’s what some Everton fans had to say about Mirallas following his interview…
Never understood the nastiness toward him on here for Evertonians. Apart from Lukaku he was probably our most dangerous player, especially when we last had a decent side around 2013-2015. Scored some crackers too
— Barto (@_barto1) October 16, 2019
Not necessarily a popular shout, but I liked Mirallas. For periods, he was our main source of pace, flair and creativity. Could finish too.
— Jon Livesey (@JonLiveseyDS) October 16, 2019
I think Mirallas suffered from constantly changing managers. He was never prolific, but did seem to drop off a cliff in 2016. I once said in 2014 he would replace Cahill as the new Mr Everton, shame that didn’t happen.
— Everton Premier League stats (@EvertonLeague) October 16, 2019
Fair play to Mirallas here. Regardless of what might have been said or done in the past he’s mostly saying exactly what most of us fans think, both positive and negative.
— James Wharton (@JWharton_EFC) October 16, 2019
Enjoyed that Paddy. Not quite the pantomime villain he’s often made out to be.
— Celtic Toffee (@celtic_toffee) October 16, 2019
Some supporters, though, still had some bad blood with Miraellas after a fairly long spell at Goodison…
An overrated (largely by himself), one-good-game-in-five merchant and a physical coward on the pitch.
— Carl McVey (@Wagsefc) October 16, 2019
— Paul Westerberg (@PaulWesterberg5) October 16, 2019
Hiring Mirallas was like signing a man with the mentality of a nursery child.
— Shoey Mc (@ShoeyEFC1234) October 16, 2019
Mirallas has had an underwhelming start to life in Belgium this season, with stats from Transfermarkt showing that the 32-year-old attacker is yet to score or assist for Antwerp.