Arriving at a new club is never easy. Gelling with new team mates, revolving around new surroundings and generally getting used to the club you have arrived at. There is no disputing Phil Jagielka, admittedly, found the initial transition from Pennine Hero to Everton squad player difficult.

As a nervy Phil Jagielka made an increasingly uncertain start to his Everton career, few went along with the well worn line that he would prove to be £4million well spent -perhaps not even the former Sheffield United defender himself.

Becoming accustomed to not only a new city but various new positions must have proved arduous, but to Jagielka’s credit he has passed the initial tough test with flying colours.

Dissenters have been silenced, confidence has grown and since the turn of the year, Phil Jagielka has proved a man mountain, his contribution has been incredible.

Visibly, minor flaws persist within the “Jag”, most notably his distribution which simply must be improved, but in terms of defending, you will not find many greater “defenders” in every sense of the word. His tackling, blocking, interceptions and reading of the game - all of them have proved highly commendable.

Next season will be extremely interesting, as I believe Leighton Baines will play a much greater role which will mean one of Yobo, Lescott or Jagielka will have to make way. All three have their merits but in my opinion, Jagielka should be Joleon Lescott’s long-term partner in the centre of our defence.

Don’t get me wrong, Yobo is a fantastic athlete, has excelled immensely since his arrival but Jagielka has the edge for me. Yobo can be prone to errors, mistakes that tend to prove costly and have a detrimental effect on our points tally.

Everton Football Club has possessed some fantastic centre backs over the years, most notably, Kevin Ratcliffe, Dave Watson and Derek Mountfield. I now feel we have a defence worthy of matching our ambitions, we are a strong, well equipped unit that infrequently leak goals.

Much of this is thanks to not only the emergence of Phil Jagielka, but the colossal player of the season, Joleon Lescott, who since has arrival from Wolverhampton Wanderers back in the summer of 2006, has surpassed every Evertonian’s perhaps nervy expectations.

Jagielka’s recent England call up is just rewards; he is in on merit and hopefully will get his chance to impress in the forthcoming fixtures. Neil Warnock instructed David Moyes that if his Sheffield United were to be relegated, his first bit of business should be that of Phil Jagielka. Warnock’s logic is not only now proving wise, but one that is allowing Everton to grow and flourish.