Phil Jagielka, Everton FC
WHILE some might sulk, snipe and complain, Everton FC’s Phil Jagielka is the type of player to take set-backs in his stride, with a smile on his face.
It’s the first-class professional attitude which has won over each manager he has played for, and now convinced Roy Hodgson to take him to Poland and Ukraine.
England’s new manager is good friends with David Moyes, but he won’t have needed to pick up the phone and asked the Scotsman’s opinion upon learning Gareth Barry’s injury would rule him out of Euro 2012.
The convincing, no matter how much Moyes insisted Jagielka should have been in the final 23 in the first place, had already been done.
It was the way the 29-year-old refused to let his head drop at initially being included only on the stand-by list.
The way he sparkled alongside Joleon Lescott again, as Hodgson’s reign began with a win and a clean sheet on Saturday.
That response won’t surprise Evertonians.
Jagielka earned the Blues a place in the 2009 FA Cup final with the winning penalty against Manchester United, then missed the final through injury.
Two years later, despite fine form in the league, he was omitted from the team that returned to Wembley for another semi-final against Liverpool.
His response? Simply to run even harder, tackle even tougher, and lead even more competently as the Blues achieved a seventh place finish.
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