Conor Coady remains influential in Everton’s dressing room despite not playing, his close team-mate James Tarkowski has revealed.
Coady has not played since the defeat to Aston Villa in February, Sean Dyche then opting to bring in Michael Keane for the Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee.
That has not stopped the England international maintaining responsibility behind the scenes though, Tarkowski said, adding that while not playing must be difficult it is clear “he cares” about Everton’s plight.
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Tarkowski and Coady formed a core partnership under Frank Lampard, beginning in the second game of the season at Aston Villa back in August. Coady had signed just days earlier and with fellow centre-backs Yerry Mina and Ben Godfrey having picked up serious injuries in the opening game of the campaign against Chelsea.
The pair, known as the ‘dads’ of the squad, were among a senior leadership team introduced for the season by Lampard and survived a formation change to remain together in the starting line-up until the early days of Dyche’s reign.
Since Keane was selected ahead of Coady for the trip to Arsenal in March, Coady has yet to feature. Tarkowski acknowledged this must be difficult for Coady, but highlighted the 30-year-old as one of the key leaders of the group even now, with Everton fighting a desperate battle for Premier League survival that he is unable to impact on the pitch.
Tarkowski said: “I think everyone knows what he is like but for someone who has not played for the last few weeks to still be talking the way he is, day in and day out. I know on a matchday it can’t be easy for him but he cares.”
Tarkowski, asked whether he meant Coady remains a positive driving force for the squad, added: “He is one of them. We all want the best for this club and we all want the best for the team so everyone’s noses are pointing in the same direction.”
Coady’s loan deal concludes at the end of the season, though Everton have an option to buy the centre-back for a small fee. Making the move permanent looked a certainty under Lampard but Coady's future has been thrown into doubt by Dyche’s changes to the first team, apparently influenced by a belief that the Liverpool academy graduate may be stronger in a defence that includes three centre-backs rather than the two the manager has favoured since his arrival.
Asked at Finch Farm this week about Keane’s selection ahead of Coady, Dyche said: “He’s played in a four a lot more than Conor Coady, who is a very good player and an immaculate professional and has played a lot of his career in a three. Things like that come into your thinking.”
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