My Best Ever Everton XI
DISCLAIMER: This is my opinion as I am going off my very own personal experience watching Everton and the stories and opinions told to me by fellow Everton fans.
When Football fans think of Everton, they think of the 1980's under the greatest ever Everton manager, Howard Kendall. Everton haven't had a grand history of silverware compared to the biggest and most famous European clubs but they have had some fantastic players grace Goodison Park and other stadiums, whilst wearing the famous Blue and White shirt. In this post, I will explain my personal selections for what I think is Everton's Best XI.
Honourable mentions: Alan Ball, Duncan Ferguson, Paul Gascoigne, Dave Hickson, David Unsworth, Gary Speed, Leon Osman, Tony Hibbert, Sylvain Distin.
Neville Southall (Goalkeeper)
Age: 57.
Years at Everton: 1981 - 1998.
Now this is a choice taken from my Dad and Grandad as they watched him grace Goodison. Bought for £150k, Southall made 578 appearances for the Blues and won two First Division titles, two FA Cups, four FA Charity Shield, one European Cup Winners' Cup and various runner-up medals. One highlight from his Everton career was his save against ex-Tottenham player Mark Falco in a 2-1 at White Hart Lane, with many saying that it was the best save since Gordon Banks' from Pele. He was also known for his famous half-time 'sulking' stance when 3-0 down to Leeds at half-time. There aren't any Everton keepers that can get near to Southall in terms of sustained quality between the sticks and he is rightfully the best keeper in Everton history.
Seamus Coleman (Right-Back)
Age: 27.
Years at Everton: 2009 - Present.
Many around Goodison will think that Coleman is the best right-back in Everton history and I agree, obviously from the header, but his play-style has changed slightly in the past year. Being signed for £60k, if you haven't heard from the song, Coleman received a man-of-the-match award on his debut when he came into a game against Tottenham (for the injured Joseph Yobo). After a loan spell at Blackpool, Coleman broke into the first-team. He burst forward down the right wing and added additional firepower to the developing attacking threat Everton. However, ever since the arrival of Roberto Martinez as manager, Coleman has often stayed back when he can and only goes forward on certain attacks, when Everton look evident to score. Many this is because of the various ankle/hamstring injuries taking their toll on Coleman or he has been instructed to stay back in the right-back position more often in order to follow Martinez's very possession based game plan. Anyway, he may have dipped in form in recent months but he is still Everton's best-ever right back.
Martin Keown (Centre-Back)
Age 45.
Years at Everton: 1989 - 1993.
Although he wasn't at Everton for a long time, Keown is definitely one of the best centre-backs to play in the Premier League with nonsense tackling and a down-to-Earth attitude that really reflected his play. He is more known now for his appearances on Match of the Day but Keown really developed his game at Everton before moving at Arsenal for £2 million and eventually becoming part of the Invincibles.
Phil Jagielka (Centre-Back)
Age: 34.
Years at Everton: 2007 - Present.
Many would disagree with this entry but again, this is from my own personal years watching Everton. Jagielka has been the backbone of Everton's defence for what feels like ever, (I know it's actually been nine years, please calm down), and with the inclusion of ex-Swansea defender Ashley Williams as a replacement for John Stones, he can only get better than he already has been. Like my Dad often tells me, the type of centre-back I would prefer to have at the back is the one that will blast it into row Z and throw their body at every shot the opposition takes. Jageilka is just that. He may not be the most glamorous defender of all-time, as I imagine Pep Gurodila shakes his head at Jags' limited passing ability from the back, but every team needs a solid no-nonsense centre-back to keep order at the back, through the good, bad and ugly.
Leighton Baines (Left-Back)
Age: 31.
Years at Everton: 2007 - Present.
Baines is currently the longest serving Everton player from the current squad of players and to be honest, he has always been fairly consistent in his play (although maybe in recent years his defending has gone slightly down hill). In 2010-11, Baines played every single minute of Everton's Premier League games and gained the club's Player of the Season, Players' Player of the Season and Goal of the Season awards. His performances in 2012 gained him a place in the PFA's Premier League Team of the Year in 2012, the first Everton player to do so for 22 years since Neville Southall in 1989–90. There was a multiple amount of bids for Baines in the 2013 Summer transfer window from Manchester United but were all rejected from Everton due to Baines' vital part in Everton's attacking threat. Ultimately, Baines has become a very valuable player to the current Everton and although his current standing in Martinez's team is quite questionable, he's for sure Everton's best left-back of all-time.
William Ralph 'Dixie' Dean (Right- Midfielder)
Age: 73 (Died at Goodison Park on 1st March 1980).
Years at Everton: 1925 - 1937.
The Greatest ever Everton player. If you want proof of that, stand outside Goodison Park on a matchday and see the countless people that stand near and take pictures at the Dixie Dean statue. William Ralph Dean signed for Everton for £3,000 in 1925 and scored an amazing 60 league goals in the 1927-28 season. Playing for Everton was a childhood dream for Dixie, as it would be for any fan that watches from the stands as a kid. This loyalty and passion was proven in the highest regard when he stayed with the Blues when they were relegated to the Second Division. Sadly, Dixie died when he went to watch Everton play local rivals Liverpool at Goodison Park but further cemented his status as an Everton Legend.
Tim Cahill (Centre-Midfielder)
Age: 33.
Years at Everton: 2004 - 2012.
Cahill signed from Millwall for £1.5 million and quickly built a reputation of a goalscorer with his fnaatstic heading abilities. This became apparent in the 2008-09 season when he was moved to various positions across the attacking roles due to injuries suffered by Mikel Arteta, Victor Anichebe and Yakubu. Cahill continued to score a good amount of goals but started to slowly fade from the starting XI as he suffered a big goal-drought as he didn't score for the whole of 2011. He left in the summer of 2012 for New York Red Bulls but he has been placed on this list as he proved that he can carry Everton's attacking threat when needed and his unquestionable passion for playing for the badge (which is what you want from every Football player). On leaving Everton, Cahill said "I want to thank everyone at Everton, from the club to tremendous supporters. it has been a privilege to be an Everton player for the past eight years and it was a very difficult decision to leave. i will always support Everton and I wish the club the best of luck in the future."
Mikel Arteta (Centre-Midfielder)
Age: 33.
Years at Everton: 2005 (on loan from Real Sociedad), 2005 - 2011.
Initially, Arteta was signed on loan from Real Sociedad by David Moyes and helped Everton's finish in the Champions League fourth spot. He was then signed permanently for £2 million. Arteta then became Everton's set-piece specialist after a few months and also had surgery in early 2008 for a serve stomach injury. However, the 2010/11 season showed signs of frustration for both player and club. Upon departing Everton, Arteta said "I am 29 years old so I haven’t got much time left to take a chance like this one. I have done my best for Everton". And I agree with that now, even though I didn't at the time.
Steven Pienaar (Left-Midfielder)
Age: 34.
Years at Everton: 2007 - 2008 (on loan from Ajax), 2008 - 2011, 2012 (on loan from Tottenham), 2012- 2016.
After a few impressive seasons at Dortmund, Piennar signed for Everton for £2 million, after joining intinally on loan. He then moved to Tottenham in 2011 but joined Everton on loan in 2012 and then joined Everton again for £4.5 million in January 2012. He scored Everton's 100th Premier League goal against former club Tottenham on 9th December. However, his connection down the left flank of the pitch with left-back Leighton Baines is what he is remembered for at Goodison Park as he produced some fanatstaic link-up play with the former England left-back, endless runs at goal and sheer desire to win the ball, to cement himself as one of the club's greatest-ever let wingers,
Gary Lineker (Striker)
Age: 55.
Years at Everton: 1985 - 1986.
Although Lineker was only at Everton for one season, he is still one of the very best strikers to grace Goodison Park. Joining Everton from Leicester for £800,000, Lineker scored 30 goals in the First Division (including three hat-tricks) to help Everton finish second and on the way to being runners-up to Liverpool in the FA Cup final. "I was only on Merseyside a short time, nine or 10 months in total really, but it was still a happy time personally, while professionally it was one of the most successful periods of my career," Lineker said on his time at Everton. "I still have an affinity towards Everton."
Wayne Rooney (Striker)
Age: 30.
Years at Everton: 2002 - 2004.
The most famous Everton player in recent years, Rooney made his debut as the second youngest Everton player behind Joe Royle. He announced himself when he scored a famous last-winner goal against Arsenal and also made Rooney the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history, a record that has since been surpassed twice, by James Milner and James Vaughan. In January 2003, Rooney signed his first professional contract, which made him one of world football's highest-paid teenagers. Rooney showed the World why he would become a Premier League legend at Everton and although his very public departure splits Everton fans' opinions, there is no doubt that he is one of the best strikers in the club's history.
