There is so much to think about as we come towards the end of the season that I hope one important detail does not get missed.
Much of the next two months will be dominated by the final games of the wonderful Goodison Park. One of the many positive consequences of the form inspired by the return of David Moyes is that the farewell campaign should end with players, staff and supporters able to enjoy the storied surroundings of an iconic sporting arena.
It did not always look like that was going to be the case. The first half of the season was characterised by away supporters leaving in celebration and this year threatened to descend into another relegation battle. Those concerns are now over - a feat achieved through more memorable experiences at the Grand Old Lady, particularly the burst of emotion that greeted James Tarkowski’s late, late, late derby equaliser.
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On the pitch, there is the overhaul of the squad that is set to take place over the summer. Some tough decisions will be made in the coming weeks and there will be a swathe of players who will be saying goodbye ahead of the expiration of their contracts.
One of them could be Seamus Coleman.
Now, I don’t want to cause any alarm here. David Moyes has made clear there is a home for the 36-year-old at the club next year. Whether that be as a player or a coach remains to be seen but Coleman will have the opportunity to play on or step into a backroom role and make use of the coaching badges he already has.
I do not think this will be a summer in which sentimentality plays a serious role, and I do not think that would be a defining feature of any offer to the club captain. Moyes, perhaps more than anyone given the longevity of their relationship, knows the value of Coleman’s insight, leadership and presence.
The Republic of Ireland international has played an inspirational role behind-the-scenes - a fact most senior figures have acknowledged - from Carlo Ancelotti to Frank Lampard. Over a quiet international break I have caught up with Blues players past and present - it is very rare an interview passes by without some reference to the support given by Coleman to players and staff.
I was lucky enough to spend time around Coleman on the club’s summer trip to Ireland, a poignant pre-season for him as he returned to former club Sligo Rovers. I (with other reporters) chatted with him at length about his past, present and future. I then attended the showcase of the club film on his career and watched him be enveloped by crowds of adoring supporters at Sligo.
I can only speak glowingly of my interactions with him - from the calm of a trip like that to the intensity of the spotlight at Finch Farm, or in the corridors of the Etihad after his Christmas appearance against Manchester City. Everything I have seen vindicates the respect and adoration others have shown for him.
Coleman’s value to Everton is not in doubt. I just hope that, of all the decisions yet to be made, this is one that is made before the end of the campaign and one that is communicated to supporters.
The reason I say this is because I feel Coleman, more than anyone, deserves a proper send-off if he was to either leave the club or hang up his boots in the summer.
During a time in which Everton have not added silverware to the club’s record, and one that has been dominated by crises more than cup runs, in recent years at least, he still stands tall as an Everton giant. It would be great to see him lead Everton out at the new stadium. If that is not to prove possible then I hope supporters get the chance to show him how much he means to them, rather than the season ending with unanswered questions over a player who represents the modern soul of this historic club.