EVERTON FORWARD THEO Walcott has credited his switch to the Toffees for reigniting his passion for football, admitting that he feels he will have ‘greater times’ than when he was at Arsenal.

The 29-year-old made the move to Goodison Park from the Gunners in January earlier this year following 12 years at the Emirates Stadium.

The forward is relishing his resurgence on Merseyside and maintains that his move away from north London was the right call to make.

“I wasn’t enjoying it. I’ll be honest. I was frustrated, I wasn’t playing, I didn’t play a lot of the games,” Walcott told the Mirror about his last few seasons under Arsene Wenger.

“Having spent so much time there, done so well, it does hurt, but that’s gone now. I had great times but I feel like I’m going to have even greater times here, I really do.

“I also feel like I’m playing with a smile on my face. If I’m doing that then the best will come out.”

Walcott initially signed for Everton when they were under the guidance of former England manager Sam Allardyce but he is highly effusive in his praise for current coach Marco Silva, who arrived at the club during the off-season.

Silva was linked with a move to the Toffees following a brilliant start to the previous campaign at Watford and the forward thinks that the Portuguese can lift the club to new heights.

“I genuinely believe, the football we are playing, the way the manager can take us, is above Arsenal and more,” Walcott added. “That’s the reason I joined the club, with the young talent coming through and the signings. I feel like we’re nearly there, I really do.

“With Marco Silva, the way he coaches players, he has that knowledge, he wants the best out of you. He wants something out of you all the time and, having seen him work in a short space of time, it’s only going to improve.”

Everton meet Arsenal in the Premier League this weekend as they look to bounce back from a 3-1 defeat to West Ham.

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