Michael Ball feared Nathan Patterson’s Everton career was in danger of being killed off before it even got started by a case of toxic shock.
But he believes the protective arm thrown round the former Rangers ace by Goodison gaffer Frank Lampard means he’s now set to flourish after successfully bedding into his new Premier League environment. The 20-year-old didn’t exactly live up to the hype during his first six months in England following his £12million switch from Ibrox.
He registered a grand total of just 45 minutes of action after being hooked at half-time on his debut in an FA Cup tie against Boreham Wood in March. Surgery on an ankle injury brought an early end to his campaign without him making another appearance but the question marks over his signing - sanctioned by former boss Rafa Benitez - continued to float about Liverpool during his two-month injury lay-off amid ill-informed speculation that new manager Lampard didn’t fancy the Scotland full-back.
But former Gers and Toffees star Ball reckons Patterson has good reason to thank the Chelsea and England legend for keeping him out of the firing line as his new side battled for their Premier League existence. Everton were a club at war with itself last year.
The appointment of former Anfield boss Benitez went down at Goodison about as well as Boris Johnson announcing a Merseyside visit. The rancour that decision prompted was only swatted away when Lampard arrived to lead the club on its successful survival mission.
And with the gloom lifted, Lampard finally felt safe to unleash Patterson against the biggest names down south. Now with seven Premier League run outs under his belt, its safe to say Lampard’s faith has been repaid with a string of of stand-out displays from the youngster who will start for Scotland against Ukraine tonight.
Ball told Record Sport : “When Nathan signed, the club was in a relegation battle and that’s why he was always going to find it difficult to walk straight into a Premier League side.
“OK, it was a Premier League side who were under-achieving, who were struggling but Nathan was a young lad trying to adapt to a new club. Maybe Frank felt it would be too risky to throw him straight in there.
“I think he was protecting him because the bottom line is Nathan has been signed to play a part in the future of Everton Football Club. Throwing him straight in at that time could have been damaging to his career so Frank felt it was better to wait.
“It would have been tough for Nathan. He was signed by another manager who was relived of his duties pretty quickly. The club was all over the shop at that time. Fans were split on the board, on the previous manager.
“There was a toxic environment at Goodison Park and the fans felt a disconnect with the team. And that’s what Nathan walked into.
“Fortunately Frank realised that and has managed to get the fans behind the boys now by saving the club from relegation. There’s a unity to the club now.”
Patterson wasn’t exactly brimming with experience having made just 27 top-team appearances for Rangers before his big-money move. But while his progress at Ibrox was blocked by James Tavernier, he’s already successfully dislodged club captain Seamus Coleman from the Everton ranks and has now established himself as Lampard’s first-choice right-back.
Ball - who lifted an SPL title with Gers in 2005 - added: “It would have been a big jump to step up from the Scottish league to playing in the Premier League and Nathan would have needed time to find his rhythm at a moment when Everton didn’t have the luxury of time.
“He then picked up an injury and that was his season done. So this season was massively important for the kid. The fans hadn’t really seen what Nathan was all about. They’d heard all these reports from Scotland that the boy has everything but they’d yet to see it with their own eyes.
“But they’re seeing it now alright. Seamus Coleman picked up a knock in pre-season and Nathan has grabbed his chance. He looks like he’s been playing at this level for years and the fans can finally see what the fuss is all about.
“He’s improving week on week and I feel there’s still another 20 or 30 per cent to come. He loves driving forward but his main job is to defend and that’s where we’re seeing the main developments.
“Nathan’s up against some top players down here each week and it’s a standard he won’t have faced before. But he’s standing up to be counted and already it looks like a massive coup to get this lad for the money they paid for him. It’s an absolute bargain.”
He may be in competition for a start with Republic of Ireland veteran Coleman but Ball expects the skipper to play a vital role in establishing Patterson as his long-term successor.
“Seamus will be fantastic for Nathan, just as Tavernier was during his time at Ibrox,” he said.
“Seamus is under-rated by people outside Everton but he will be nurturing Nathan and giving him every ounce of experience he has. Nathan also has that experience of Conor Coady and James Tarkowski playing inside him, which reminds me of my early days when I had Richard Gough playing beside me. He always made sure I was on my toes and talked me through the game.
“Hopefully having something similar should really help Nathan develop his game for the future. He also has Ashley Cole - one of England’s best ever full-backs - and Leighton Baines at the club too. They will help bring Nathan’s game on to the level he wants to reach.
“I look at him at times and think this lad has more to come. He just needs to belief in himself and it will come.”
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