DINIYAR BILYALETDINOV believes a well-earned break this summer will help him produce his best for Everton next season.

His winning goal against Portsmouth on Sunday brought the curtain down on the 2009-10 season but also ended a marathon 17-month campaign for the 25-year-old.

Prior to joining Everton last August, Bilyaletdinov was well into the Russian season with Lokomotiv Moscow that had started in March.

He then had just a handful of days off before moving to Merseyside and making his debut as a late substitute in a 2-1 win over Wigan.

Add to this that his pre-season with Lokomotiv had commenced in the January, and Bilyaletdinov admits his first campaign in England has been a long, hard slog.

“I played from January last year to this May,” he said. “That’s 17 months, which is a long time without a proper break.

“Last season I took just three days break before I came to Everton. After January or February it started to take its toll. You feel like you have a heavy head.

“ In Russia I used to take a break every year at December and start working again in January.

“But that has not been possible for me at Everton yet.”

Russia’s failure to make the World Cup means that, while some of his Everton teammates will link up with their national sides for training camps before travelling to South Africa, Bilyaletdinov will finally get to put his feet up.

Since his arrival at Goodison, Bilyaletdinov has shown flashes of why David Moyes forked out a fee in the region of £9million to make him his most expensive summer acquisition.