Expert: Everton must now take decisive action after ‘damaging’ Yerry Mina confession
Everton should no longer let Yerry Mina dictate when he returns from injury as his eagerness to play could cause “damage” in the long term.
That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
Mina, 27, was plagued by various setbacks throughout 2021-22 and ultimately made just 11 appearances.
The Toffees’ defensive shortcomings were exposed in the Colombian’s absence and they only narrowly dodged a shock relegation.
As quoted by the Liverpool Echo last Saturday (11 June), Mina confessed: “Some injuries were my fault because I always want to give my best.”
Dinnery suggests that it is perhaps time to “take the decision out of the player’s hands”.
“A lot of decisions with regards to return to play are player-led,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“We see lots of examples of players putting their bodies on the line and giving everything they can. That’s just what they do.
“Ultimately, as with Yerry Mina, that can have an impact in the short term. But it can also damage your availability and ability to tolerate your load game week to game week.
“It would be a tiny percentage of players at any one time who can truthfully say they are 100 per cent fit when they go out to perform. There are always knocks and niggles because of the dynamic nature of the game.
“You’re going to pick up problems. It’s about understanding the limitations of the body.
“There are always other factors that come into consideration. Mina is pivotal to the backline. Their points per game is so much better when he’s in the team.
“You can therefore understand why he might want to go out there and prove himself. Sometimes the heart rules the head. Maybe sometimes that decision needs to be taken out of the player’s hands.”
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