Roberto Martinez has been reaping praise onto Sylvain Distin and says the French man who turns 36 next week could be playing the football of his career.
Distin has been pivotal to the success of the Everton team this year, helping the team to keep 8 clean sheets in 14 league games. Distin has built up a great understanding with toffees captain Phil Jagielka and Martinez says that the work that Distin puts in have been crucial.
Martinez told evertontv: “When you get in a situation like Sylvain’s, it’s not the manager making decisions, it’s football.
“I’m proud to have a player like Sylvain Distin representing Everton because he has got incredible standards.
“All we need to do is carry on doing the same thing and then at the end of the season football gives you the reward that you put in as a professional.”
He added: “Sylvain has been an incredible performer this season. I wouldn’t say he has just carried on where he left off last season, he has stepped up and has gone to a different level.
“He has always been paramount in our defensive duties but now he is very important in our style of play and the distribution that he brings to the team.
“Age becomes a number. Sylvain looks after himself – he is always the last man out at Finch Farm and he could play for a long, long time.
“The number becomes experience in football and it can be used to your advantage. We need to enjoy this player who is a true ambassador of our football club.”
Distin was signed by Everton in 2009 from Portsmouth and would like the player to sign a contract extention, just months after agreeing a new one. Distin has played 143 times for Everton, scoring twice but has somehow not received a call-up for France.
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