Ex-Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar retired from professional football at the start of the month.
Former Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar has told the club’s official website that the best player he played with was Toffees’ left-back Leighton Baines.
Pienaar announced his retirement from professional football earlier this month after a short spell in his home country of South Africa with Bidvest Wits, after leaving Sunderland following their relegation to the Championship.
The 35-year-old enjoyed a glittering career that saw him also play for Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham Hotspur and Ajax, and will be remembered at Goodison Park for picking up the 2009-10 Player of the Season award.
Asked who was the best player he had played with throughout his career by Everton, Pienaar responded by saying Toffees veteran Baines as the duo combined on the left flank despite a significant lack of height.
“I miss him [Baines],” Pienaar said. “His humour as well, and the way he is as a person; off the field and his humour. On the pitch, we clicked. We were honest with eachother and worked hard for one another. It just came natural and we enjoyed our game.”
Baines remains sidelined with a long-term calf injury that has seen him forced to remain in the treatment room since November 26, where he first picked up the injury in a dismal 4-1 loss to Southampton.
However, the England international is said to be nearing a return to full fitness and could return this month, easing Sam Allardyce’s problem area at left-back which sees Cuco Martina continue to play out of position on the left side of defence.
It remains to be seen how long Baines will remain at Everton, with only one more season set to run on a contract believed to be worth £70,000 a week, according to the Daily Star.
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