Seamus Coleman is one of a number of young Irish internationals focused on making the Ireland squad for the Euro 2012 finals in Poland next summer, but all must convince Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni to include them on the European adventure.
The Everton defender is one of a number of players fighting to make Trap’s final 23 man squad for the Group C games against Croatia, Spain and Italy.
The Killybegs born midfielder knows he has to find favour with his international manager before the Euro 2012 squads are named next May.
“The only thing to do now is to play well for your club week in and week out between now and the end of the season and show the manager what you can do,” said the Goodison Park favourite
Meanwhile Trapattoni has challenged James McCarthy to find his voice and force his way into Ireland's squad for the Euro's.
McCarthy put in a man-of-the-match performance for Wigan against Chelsea last Saturday and Trapattoni sent the 21-year-old midfielder a message of congratulations afterwards.
Trap said - "James did well and I sent him a message saying 'bravo'," said Trapattoni. "He answer me also. He can grow very well. But, he is still a little shy. He can play many good balls. But he can call for the ball too. Sometimes, he is free. If he is more vocal, he can improve 30pc more.
"When I was a young player, I played immediately. In the past, James didn't play. But now he's started playing again and that's very, very important because he has a good quality."
And Trapattoni has also warned Darron Gibson that it's in his best interests to seek a new club when the transfer window opens in January.
"I know the way he thinks and this is his intention, I know he wishes to go for this situation but it depends on what agents and his manager will say," Trapattoni said.
"Gibson has great vision and he shoots very well. but in the Wolves game, Manchester United won 4-1 and he was on the bench so it is hard for him."
Although Derry born Gibson is still in Trapattoni's plans, the Italian admits that he will find it hard to select him for next summer's European Championships if he does not start playing more regularly by getting a move away from Old Trafford.
"It is a problem now that he stays on the bench. In one month it is very difficult to recover your condition,"
Ireland international Seamus Coleman believes his background in Gaelic football has put him in good stead for life in the Premier League with Everton.
The 23-year-old tasted success with underage Donegal teams and well as his club side Killybegs before opting to pursue a career in soccer when former Sligo Rovers manager Sean Connor saw enough of the St Catherine’s defender to offer him a contract in the League of Ireland. Five years ago tomorrow Coleman made his first team bow as a late substitute in a 5-0 FAI Cup replay loss at Derry City’s hands before joining the Merseyside giants just over two years later after a couple of excellent seasons at the Showgrounds.
Had fate decreed otherwise, Coleman might well have played before the 81,436 supporters who descended on Croke Park in August for Donegal’s All-Ireland semi-final against the eventual champions, Dublin. He was a recognisable face in the crowd instead, able to attend as he recovered from an ankle ligament injury.
“Gaelic was always my No1,” Coleman told The Guardian. “I played bits and pieces of soccer but I didn’t have a serious commitment to it. Gaelic was my chosen sport but when I was 18 I was offered a chance with Sligo and €150 a week. I thought I should at least give it a go because I could always go back to Gaelic if it didn’t work out. That was the plan anyway, but I haven’t looked back since, to be honest. It’s been unbelievable.
“I’d played Gaelic all my life and I loved it. I was on the county teams and we’d been quite successful. It was a tough decision to leave it behind. I didn’t want to leave a team that had all my mates in it. I still follow Donegal and Killybegs and keep in touch with the lads there. I’ll go whenever I can. I was playing Gaelic every week for my home town and we were winning, so it was difficult to move away from all that but, at the same time, I’d wanted to play in the Premier League in England since I was a boy.”
Coleman’s first appearance for Everton was one he has since put down to experience. Two years ago, the right-back was thrown in on the opposite flank at Benfica’s Stadium of Light, with the striking talents of Pablo Aimar, Javier Saviola, Oscar Cardozo and, particularly that night in Lisbon, Angel di María. And similarly to the Bradywell on his Sligo bow, Coleman’s debut was a demoralising 5-0 loss.
Redemption came in early December at Goodison Park when Coleman was flung from the bench in the first half to play significant roles in the lead-up to goals from Louis Saha and Tim Cahill as Everton came from two down to force a home point against Tottenham Hotspur. The strength, energy and honesty he brought to Everton’s right wing that night, which secured a regular first-team role the following season, was born of his own education.
“I think some of my Gaelic experience has been useful here,” he says. “It’s a harder game for a start. If you get pushed you get straight back up. You don’t roll around looking at the referee for a free-kick and you wouldn’t get one if you did in Gaelic. It’s a fight – nothing too serious, but it is pure determination and I think I brought that with me here. I just had to play soccer the way I played Gaelic and thankfully it worked out.”
After a successful loan at Blackpool where Coleman played a significant role in the club’s dramatic promotion via the play-off finals, there was a repositioning on his return to Goodison. Last September at Craven Cottage, Everton manager David Moyes opted to push Coleman on from right-back to the wing and by the time the tills were totted at the end of the campaign, the Killybegs native was named the club’s young player of the year, scoring five goals and obtaining four international senior caps. He’ll be making the trip to Tallinn next month for the crucial Euro 2012 play-off, having been named in Giovanni Trapattoni’s squad on Friday.
This season, Coleman’s steady rise on the progress chart was stunted before it got a chance to develop. In a pre-season fixture against La Liga side Villarreal, Coleman was the victim of a horrendous challenge from Carlos Marchena. The ligament damage wasn’t as bad as initially feared but it meant a lay-off of four weeks but Coleman, in his own innocent way, made his way back to fitness and set up Saha’s leveller against Chelsea in the Carling Cup on Wednesday before starting against Manchester United on Saturday. He’s still living the dream.
“I got injured at the wrong time and came back quicker than I was expecting,” he adds. “I played a few games and I think I could have done better in them but it’s a long season,” he says. “This season has been harder. Teams know more about you in your second season and you have to adapt. The manager has spoken to me a few times about what I need to do and what I can add to my game. Last season was fantastic for me and I need to build on that now.
“I do find it hard to believe where I am. I’d never say no to a photo or an autograph because a couple of years ago I was the one asking. You will never hear anyone in the changing room complaining about the club’s finances. We are at Everton to do a job. We’ve got great supporters who are fully behind us and, let’s be honest, we are spoilt rotten. The facilities are fantastic, the kitchen staff, everyone, is so friendly and I just love the place. I will never take it for granted, that’s for sure.”By Alan Foley - Donegal Democrat
Everton’s 2-1 win over Fulham, and a Seamus Coleman goal was the perfect way for the young Killybegs born international to head into next Saturday's Euro 2012 game against Macedonia and the Uruguay friendly the following Tuesday.
The young Irishman says the win over Mark Hughes' side has given Everton a big lift ahead of the fixture gap, and he hopes to see the team return to Merseyside with the same level of optimism once the international fixtures are complete.
Coleman is one of David Moyes' players who will be heading off on international duty, and the 22-year-old is delighted to be leaving on the back of a home victory.
"It's what we wanted - especially going into the international break," Coleman toldevertontv. "We wanted to go away on a high so we can come back on a high.
"The win was very important. There was a good buzz in the changing rooms and everyone will head away with their countries in high spirits - it wouldn't be nice going away with a defeat so it's exactly what we wanted."
Coleman netted Everton's opener against the Cottagers for his sixth goal of the season after beating Mark Schwarzer with a powerful header from Leon Osman's cross on 35 minutes.
And with half of his tally coming from headers, Coleman revealed he's been putting in extra effort in training to increase that number before the term ends.
"Steve Round has helped me a lot since I've moved position," he continued. "Whether it be heading it into goal or heading it back across goal for someone to tap it in, it has been worked on.
"I've got a few chances at the back post in the last couple of games and the opposition goalkeeper had saved a few, so I just watched it onto my head and tried to put it back across goal and thankfully it went in.
"The deliveries coming in from the left hand side are great whether it be from Osman or Baines. I have had a few chances and maybe I should have headed a few more goals, but I'm glad I got one today."
Irish international Séamus Coleman is looking forward to the prospect of going up against Chelsea left back Ashley Cole on Saturday, and hopes to come out on top as Everton look to secure their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Cole is widely regarded as one of the best left backs in the game, and the young Irishman believes these are the kind of challenges you should be enjoying.
Coleman, who made his Ireland international debut against Wales last week, has already pitted his wits against the England man twice this season and can't wait for his next opportunity at Stamford Bridge.
"It's what you want as footballer, you want to play against the best players in the world," Coleman told evertontv.
"I've played against him a couple of times already this season, it's always good to play against him and I go into the game on Saturday hoping to get the upper hand.
"He has a lot of experience, he's played at the top for a long time, he's very fit and he knows the game well, it's very hard to get the ball past him," he added.
"He attacks quite a lot, so me being a right back anyway I like to go back and defend and hopefully if I come up against him I can do well."
Everton go into the Chelsea clash on the back of a disappointing defeat to Bolton on Sunday, but the Donegal born Irish international has urged his teammates to move on from that display.
The Blues have already played out two 1-1 draws with Premier League champions Chelsea this term and Coleman is confident Everton can go one better and set-up a tie with Reading in the last 16.
"We want to forget about Sunday as soon as possible, it wasn't a good enough performance and we all know that," said Coleman.
"Obviously it's a massive game on Saturday in the FA Cup and we go down there hungry to advance in the competition.
"It didn't happen for us, we can't put our finger on why but we want to put it behind us now and get ourselves right again," admitted the Irishman.
"We drew with them, and the game at Goodison in the Cup we probably could have beaten them, so we know they are not unbeatable and we're confident of getting a result.
"We had enough chances to finish it off at Goodison but their 'keeper made a lot of good saves which helped - but we're definitely going there wanting to win."
Séamus Coleman admits tasting international football with Ireland has left him wanting more.
Coleman's friends and family from Killybegs and other parts of Donegal were inside the Aviva Stadium on Tuesday night to see him make his international debut against Wales in the first game of the Carling Nations Cup which ended in a comfortable 3-0 win for Ireland. After playing for almost an hour, Coleman is hoping Giovanni Trapattoni saw enough to keep faith in him for the crunch Euro 2012 qualifier against Macedonia next month in Dublin.
"Playing for your country is what every professional wants to do and I am no different," said the former Sligo Rovers player. "The more caps the merrier for me.
"He (Trapattoni) was delighted with the good convincing win and he congratulated me on my debut, which was all I wanted.
"To be honest I just wanted to play whether it be right back or right wing. I am used to right wing because of my time at Everton and I really enjoyed it. I am just going to go back to Everton and work hard there and hopefully the club form will be rewarded with more caps at international level.
"The game was similar to Premier League football," added Coleman. "We knew all about their players as well so that probably helped on my debut. There were a bit of nerves beforehand but I wasn't overly nervous. A small amount of nerves is always good to have so I was fine and I really enjoyed it. All my family and friends were down from Donegal so they went home happy."
Ireland international Séamus Coleman is hoping to celebrate his new improved contract with a win against West Ham this weekend.
The young Donegal born midfielder says he is keen to keep impressing after signing a four-and-a-half year deal.
Coleman extended his stay on Merseyside until at least 2015; the latest in a series good news stories since he arrived from Sligo Rovers in January 2009.
But the 22-year-old Killybegs right winger has been sensational this season, and he believes the new contract is the reward for his hard work.
"I'm over the moon to sign the contract, my aim was to keep impressing after every contract and this new one proves that I've been doing well," Coleman told evertontv.
"I just want to keep going now. When I came over first it was a two-year contract and I treated it as a trial," he added.
"I got a new one whilst I was at Blackpool, and to get another one so quickly was a surprise because that's three in a short space of time."
Coleman has endeared himself to the Blues fans with his all-action displays since breaking into the first team.
And he says he will continue to put in the maximum amount of effort even when he's not at his marauding best on the Everton right flank.
"When I go out on the pitch I get my head down and I have a go," said Coleman.
"Even if it's not going well for me on the ball, I'll keep running around and giving it 100 per cent and the fans appreciate that."
Coleman scored against Saturday's opponents West Ham when the sides met at Upton Park in December.
Everton were far from their best that day in East London, and Coleman knows the Blues must perform well to record a second successive home win despite the Hammers being stuck at the base of the Premiership table.
"The Premier League this season is so tight and everyone is beating everyone apart from United at the top," continued Coleman.
"You can't take anything for granted and West Ham aren't going so well and they are going to be fighting for it but we need the points at Goodison."
Owen Coyle knows all about the threat that Ireland international Séamus Coleman is likely to pose to his Bolton team tonight. Coyle spotted the Irish winger’s potential when he tried to sign him from Sligo Rovers during his time in charge at Burnley.
Killybegs born Coleman maintained his stellar rise in the game last weekend by scoring Everton’s equaliser in the 2-2 draw with Blackburn, and he continues to earn plaudits for his attacking style and vigour.
“I had Seamus in at Burnley,” said Bolton boss Coyle. “He came in and played a trial game for us and he got injured after 10 minutes and he was unfortunate.
“He caught his knee and was out for four to six weeks but as soon as he was back fit, everybody was talking about this young player. If he’d played the full game and not picked up the injury we probably would have signed him.
“But he went back to Sligo and got himself fit again and by that time there were bigger clubs than ourselves at Burnley looking at him, with Everton being one of them and he moved there.”
Coyle added: “He went about it with such vigour and enthusiasm, I liked him straight away before he’d even played, and you see how he’s evolved at Everton.
“He had a great loan spell at Blackpool and now he’s pushed himself into the Everton first team. David Moyes has been very good with him and very clever with him because he gave him a little sample of the European stuff last year and knew that the Championship with Blackpool would serve him well. He’s been proved right because he’s been terrific.
“He’s getting better and better. He’s a full back but he can play further forward and he’s just an outstanding young player with a real sense of purpose, a real sense of drive and I love that type of player.”
Everton defender Seamus Coleman has been called into the Ireland squad ahead of the Euro 2012 qualifiers against Russia and Slovakia.
The Donegal born full back has been hugely impressive in little more than 180 minutes of first team action this season and despite the Toffees' poor start to the campaign, he comes into Giovanni Trapattoni’s squad for the first time as a result of a calf injury to Stephen Kelly.
Keith Treacy and CSKA Sofia striker Cillian Sheridan are both on standby for the squad having initially been named in a provisional 26-man squad last month.
Midfielder Keith Andrews is due to make his first start of the season for Blackburn Rovers against Stoke tomorrow. Andrews came on as a sub last weekend and played 70 minutes for the reserves in midweek.
Richard Dunne is available for Aston Villa after missing the last two matches with a back injury.
Ireland face Russia at Lansdowne Road next Friday before travelling to Zilina to face Slovakia on October 12th. They currently top the group on six points, ahead of Slovakia on goal difference.
Aiden McGeady will have precious little inside information to impart to his teammates ahead of the Russia game after only one of the Spartak Moscow winger’s teammates was included in Dick Advocaat’s squad and defender Sergei Parshivlyuk is unlikely to start in Dublin.
McGeady will, however, be well aware of the dangers posed by Aleksandr Kerzhakov. The Zenit St. Petersburg striker was cast into the international wilderness following Russia’s World Cup play-off defeat to Slovenia last November. But two hat-tricks in his last three club matches led to a dramatic recall from the Dutch coach as he desperately seeks to rescue the Russians’ qualifying campaign.
Advocaat’s side come into the match under severe pressure following their defeat in Moscow to Slovakia. The reaction to that shock has been predictably scathing and despite claiming he would not bow to the “frenzy in the press or speculations of the fans”, Advocaat has done exactly that.
Dmitri Torbinski and Dmitri Sychev – two of the players singled out for criticism in the Moscow sports dailies – have been cut adrift while Denis Kolodin and Alan Kasaev are also dropped. In come Igor Denisov, fit again after a foot injury, and the uncapped pair of Parshivlyuk and Pavel Mamaev of CSKA Moscow.
Tottenham’s Roman Pavlyuchenko, yet to start a competitive game under Advocaat, will be vying with Kerzhakov and Stuttgart’s Pavel Pogrebnyak for the lone striker role, while Andrey Arshavin and Alan Dzagoev should provide extra firepower from the flanks.
Ireland squad :
Goalkeepers: Shay Given, Keiren Westwood, Joe Murphy
Defenders: John O’Shea, Seamus Coleman, Richard Dunne, Sean St Ledger, Greg Cunningham, Kevin Foley, Paul McShane, Kevin Kilbane
Midfielders : Keith Andrews, Glenn Whelan, Darron Gibson, Paul Green, Liam Lawrence, Aiden McGeady, Andy Keogh, Damien Duff, Keith Fahey
Forwards : Robbie Keane, Kevin Doyle, Shane Long.
Seamus Coleman continued his impressive progress for Everton this season after playing the last half hour in the Toffees superb comeback aginst Man United this afternoon, and David Moyes is keen to push the Donegal born defender all the way to a regular starting position in the team.
“Seamus is doing well. He is pushing all the time to get into the team. He is on the verges of it. We brought him on against Villa and brought him on further forward, but Tony Hibbert has started the season well.
“Seamus will be in the squad, he has been in and around every game. We’d like to help him progress but there is competition there with Tony Hibbert and Phil Neville.
“The one thing Seamus has got on his side is he is young as a footballer, not like 17 years old, but he’s come from Sligo Rovers and is not completely up to the full speed of the Premier League and what’s expected. But he’s progressing and getting close. He was a great 60 grand buy.”
Moyes adds: “He’s a right-back but came on further up against Villa because he has abilities to get forward. We are short of a right-sided midfielder at the moment.
“Jack Rodwell came off against Villa and he’d been on the right which is out of position for him, so we are looking for a solution there. Who knows? Seamus could be the one to give it a go there.
Everton defender Seamus Coleman says his new four-year contract is proof he is progressing at Goodison Park.
The Donegal born Ireland u21 international is currently on loan at Blackpool and joined Everton from Sligo in 2008.
"I was playing to get a new contract because it shows that you've done alright, so I'm delighted," Coleman said today.
"When I came here I had a long enough contract but you always want to get another one to show that you've done something to earn it."
The Ireland Under-21 international's loan at Blackpool ends on Monday, the day after their Wembley play-off final against Cardiff.
But Coleman said he would think about going out on loan again.
"I'd be open to it and I'm going to do whatever David Moyes tells me to do," said Coleman. "He's the boss and whatever he thinks is right for me I'll do.
"He hasn't got a bad record with young players so far. So whatever he thinks best, I will agree with."
Ireland u21 international Seamus Coleman's promotion hopes remain on track after his Blackpool side squeezed into the Championship play-offs on Sunday.
The side managed by Ian Holloway endured a nervous afternoon against Bristol City and could only muster a 1-1 draw. Brett Ormerod headed an equaliser after Nicky Maynard gave the visitors the lead with a spectacular 25-yard dipping volley in front of 12,296 fans, the biggest crowd at Bloomfield Road for 30 years.
The draw, though, was good enough as Blackpool finished the season in sixth place, a point ahead of Swansea who drew 0-0 with Doncaster. Blackpool now play Nottingham Forest over two legs, at home on Saturday before visiting the City Ground this day week. The winner will meet either Cardiff City or Leicester City at Wembley on 22 May for a place in the Premier League.
Coleman, from Killybegs in County Donegal, is on loan at Blackpool from Everton and is expected to return to Goodison Park in the summer. Since the 21-year-old joined Blackpool in March, they have taken 20 points from a possible 27, losing only once and that was against Championship winners Newcastle United.
Seamus Coleman can’t wait to return to Everton despite forging a reputation as a rising loan star in the Championship.
The Irish full-back from Killybegs in Donegal has built on his growing potential with a string of superb performances for Blackpool, where he is currently on loan from the Toffees.
Coleman, 21, has already scored for his temporary club and was voted man of the match for Ian Holloway’s side after their victory over Doncaster on Easter Monday.
Now Everton boss David Moyes will mull over a likely request from Holloway to extend the right-back’s loan period until the end of the season.
The original agreement between the clubs was for a month-long deal which is set to end next week.
Coleman is hoping he will be allowed to stay and help the Seasiders’ bid to reach the play-offs.
But he is determined to be back at Goodison for next season, when he believes the Blues are on the brink of a special campaign.
He said: “Everton is the place to be now. It's a pity our run in Europe is over, I played in three games in the Europa League and that was a great experience, but I feel we could really do something at Everton next season. I want to be part of that.
“I had a good chat with David Moyes before I came here, he told me straight that I was doing well and that I was still in his plans but he just wanted me to get some more experience.
“I am getting games and that's the main reason I came here – to get more experience.”
Coleman has been encouraged to attack by Holloway, and scored an impressive solo goal against Scunthorpe on Good Friday.
He said: “David Moyes has managed in the Championship, he knows it's a good standard and a good test for me.
“Everton have been in touch all along since I came here on loan. Alan Stubbs rings me after every gameto see how I got on, and the club are following my progress, so that's good to know.
“But Moyes has told me that my future lies with Everton and that they certainly don't have any plans to sell me.
“I have 18 months left on my contract so I intend to see that out and they want to keep me, they seem happy with how I am doing.”
On whether he will remain at Bloomfield Road, he said: “We’ll obviously have to wait and see what Everton say, but whatever both clubs want I’d be happy with.
“I’d love to stay and help us get promoted, but if I have to go back that’s the way it is, and I just have to do whatever I’m told.”
