Age is no barrier despite Toffees struggles as Holgate reaches his 21st
Mason Holgate turns 21 this afternoon, and Everton’s current predicament is forcing him to grow up fast.
Holgate clocked up the 50th game of his club career last Sunday in the draw at Brighton, and then gave away a penalty in Thursday night’s Europa League defeat at home to Lyon.
That loss plunged Everton and manager Ronald Koeman even further into crisis, as they head into today’s home game with Arsenal.
The hype and expectation after spending more than £140 mon new players seems a world away now.
But it’s a vital learning curve for Holgate in the fickle world of football. He has gone from the highs of last season to lows he has faced in recent weeks.
“Myself and the rest of the young lads here know football isn’t easy,” he states.
“There are going to be a lot of ups and a lot of downs. It’s about trying to stay the same through all of them.
“Last year, for people like Tom Davies and me, there were a lot of highs. We were doing well as a team.
“This year, it’s a bit lower. It tests our characters and we have to show that we will stand up and be counted when things are not going well.
“As a squad, we have not done what was expected of us, but as individuals, it’s not through a lack of effort. Things just aren’t going for us at the moment.”
The situation may not be ideal, but Holgate is delighted to have the opportunity to put things right.
Holgate moved from Barnsley as an 18-year-old in the summer of 2015 and the defender is delighted at how much football he has played.
He went for a trial at Manchester United and, although that didn’t work out, there are no regrets about moving to Merseyside.
When he sees other players of a similar age twiddling their thumbs at other big clubs, he knows he made the right choice.
“For me and the other lads, we don’t want to be judged as young,” he says. “If we’re in the team, we have to show why.
“We want to be seen as good players, no matter what age we are. We don’t to be seen as being carried.
“A lot of managers would drop young players and go for experience, but the boss has stuck with us and we want to show that age doesn’t affect our minds or the way we play.
“I don’t think there is anywhere better
in the Premier League than Everton for young players. If you’re doing well, you get your chance.
“It was a no-brainer for me to come here and I’ve been proved right.
“It’s hard, especially for a defender, to play at a young age. So, to already have 50 games at 21 is good, and hopefully there will be plenty more.
“There were five or six of us in the last couple of England Under-21 squads, so that proves you get a chance.
“People from other clubs must look at Everton and see that we get chances to play and they must be a little bit jealous.”
With Arsenal also under pressure to get a result after their defeat at Watford last weekend and the subsequent comments by Hornets striker Troy Deeney about their lack of bottle, the stakes will be high at Goodison.
But Holgate thinks that a win today could turn the whole mood around.
“Obviously we are under a little bit of pressure as a squad, but I’m still confident,” he adds.
“We all know that we are good enough to turn it around.
“It helps us that we have not had a lot of time to dwell on what has happened. We have to keep looking forward.
“We know we have to do a little bit more as a team, but things just don’t seem to be dropping for us.
“When they do, things will be seen differently and everyone will say that we have turned a corner.
“Results have not been what people wanted, but it’s not through a lack of effort. We always give it everything. Hopefully it will turn around and we can start climbing the table.
“Then people’s expectations will change again.”