SEAMUS Coleman left Everton to get the first team football he needs to prolong his career with the Republic of Ireland.
The talismanic right-back who turns 38 later this year will bring his tally of international caps to 81 with performances against Qatar (Thursday night in Dublin) and against Canada next week.
Everton manager David Moyes said he offered Coleman a variety of coaching roles but he wants to play and after the two Ireland games he will decide where his club career goes and a switch to Premier League new boys Coventry City under Frank Lampard – a long-time admirer of the Donegal native – has been rumoured.
Coleman didn’t give any indication on where he will be moving but he is unlikely to be short of options and it was a conversation with Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson who implored him to keep playing that convinced the former Sligo Rovers star to prolong his career with the Boys in Green.
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“The manager said if I could be fit and well and performing he would like to have me around,” he said.
“As soon as the carrot of Ireland got dangled in front of me that became a massive factor in my decisions. I’m looking forward to the two games and then having a break and seeing where I stand after that.
“It was just a conversation with the manager on the bus, just after training one day that got me thinking again.
Heimir Hallgrimsson hopes to have Seamus Coleman at his disposal until Euro 2028
Heimir Hallgrimsson hopes to have Seamus Coleman at his disposal until Euro 2028(Niall Carson/PA)
“I wasn’t necessarily thinking about it (international retirement) but I also know I have a responsibility to stay fit and stay active and to be performing, because it is not a given, of course.
“That is why I am not dead set on what I am going to do, I am going to take my holiday and see what’s out there, but the carrot of the Euros (in 2028) and the manager at the moment wanting me to be around is definitely very tempting.”
Former Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti is on record as saying that Coleman could play at elite level until he was 40. Coleman says that physically he feels “really good” but he’s taking nothing for granted.
“I’m not going to look as far ahead as 40,” he said.
“It’s going to be a nice summer to sit down, relax, see how I feel and go from there.”
Ireland last home game against North Macedonio could have been the end of the road for Coleman. He brought his children out onto the pitch in what seemed like a farewell moment but having come so close to qualification for this summer’s World Cup finals, the Killybegs native is keen to go again.
“The last qualifying campaign was powerful in many ways in how it gripped the nation again,” he said.
“I don’t feel like that’s it, we nearly qualified and it’s done. I do find in the manager’s meetings since he came in that there are subtle messages in his meetings, subtle messages to try and get into the lads’ heads that we’re building towards something and building to be consistent: We missed out on the last one but why did we miss out and we’re close…
“Just subtle messages all the time and hopefully the lads will start qualifying more regularly and it would be great to be part of the next one, jeez that would be a dream but in football I can’t be seen to be looking that far ahead either.”