Seamus Coleman lived and breathed Everton’s relegation battle even when he could not kick a ball in support of the club he loves.
For a second successive survival fight, injury limited his involvement in the closing stages - but the ligament damage sustained weeks ago was forgotten when Everton’s survival was confirmed. Footage from the touchline shows Coleman bursting from the dugout upon the final whistle - only for his leap to quickly turn into a hobble as his body recalled his knee issue quicker than his mind could.
Coleman endured the final games of the season as a fan as much as a player - suffering the same torture as many supporters as he watched the games that impacted Everton on TV. Now the season is over, attention will turn to the club captain’s future as his contract enters its final weeks. It is likely he will be given every opportunity to choose whether or not he stays at the club he dearly loves.
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Coleman is held in high-esteem across Finch Farm and Goodison Park and such was his influence last season that, had Frank Lampard remained in charge, the club would probably have allowed Coleman to take the initiative in talks over his future.
Lampard said last year: “Everybody here understands what Seamus is to this club. If his performance levels are there and he wants to stay, there is no doubt if he knocks on my door, I will help try to make it happen because how I am with Seamus. He’s one of the best men I’ve worked with in this game. He will always say the right thing and do the right thing. If he feels like he is contributing to this club, he will want to stay and help the cause - that’s the sort of bloke he is It’s kind of an ongoing situation but Seamus has to know - and will know - whatever capacity he wants to be at this club, he deserves whatever he wants.”
Coleman’s position with Sean Dyche may well be the same. Dyche is a very different manager to Lampard and while he accepts that, unlike at Burnley, he will not be able to control or influence every aspect of the club’s footballing operation, he has his own approach and that will include a view on who he wants in and around Finch Farm. But even while talks with out-of-contract players were put to one side while Everton fought for survival, there were positive hints when it came to Coleman.
Asked about Coleman’s influence behind-the-scenes following the Boubakary Soumare challenge that saw him stretchered off at Leicester City, Dyche said: “I think the way that he is around the group, the way that he is around the professional side of what he does just rubs off on others. I think Patto [Nathan Patterson] has already been talking about the way he has been speaking with him and his further development as a player. He is a fantastic pro, it is as simple as that, the way he conducts himself is immaculate.”
Coleman, who started his coaching badges several years ago, has been a big influence for young right back Patterson and their heads met in raw celebration when the Bournemouth match ended. The 34-year-old hammered home the message to players about the importance of Everton staying up, explaining in his programme notes for the last game of the season: “I can assure you that every single player is more than aware of the significance of this game. This is a proud football club with a proud history and a proud fanbase, and relegation from the top division of the English game is simply not an option for us."
That Coleman still provides valuable influence on the pitch could not have been clearer across Dyche’s tenure. He scored the stunning match winner against Leeds United, his rifled effort from a tight angle one of 10 contenders for Match of the Day’s goal of the season accolade. When Coleman came off injured against Manchester United, his absence for the following games against Fulham and Crystal Palace was damaging - against Fulham, Everton suffered a costly defeat and makeshift right back Ben Godfrey was targeted by Willian. At Palace it was Mason Holgate’s turn to deputise and he was sent off after being tormented by Jordan Ayew. Coleman came back but Soumare’s challenge at Leicester ended his season - the final images of his involvement including him pumping his arms to rally the away end while he was carried off.
Since then it has been clear he has lived every kick of every ball relevant to the club's survival fight: "I can only imagine how tough it has been mentally for our fans in recent weeks”, he wrote ahead of the Bournemouth game. "At various times we have Manchester City, Newcastle United, Fulham and West Ham fans.”
A statesman to the end, he finished his note by reflecting on the incredible support home fans gave their relegation-threatened players in the final stages of the defeat to Man City recently, adding: "On behalf of the players I can't thank you enough for your backing this season and the way you have stood by us. The chanting at the end of the Manchester City game here was emotional. There is no other fanbase like ours."
In the early stages on Sunday, almost 40,000 Everton fans burst into the "60 grand" song dedicated to the bargain fee Everton paid Sligo Rovers to secure his services 14 years ago. At that stage Coleman, too, was looking on as a supporter. If that tribute to the fans was to be the final words of his final captain's notes feature, it would be poignant. But given his importance to Dyche and Everton it is difficult to see him not being given the opportunity, in some format, to remain at the club he loves, and where he is loved.
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