Everton: National media scores ‘Invaluable’ Seamus Coleman 8/10 on international duty
Everton captain Seamus Coleman remains an “invaluable contributor” for the Republic of Ireland after their draw with Belgium.
That is according to Irish publication Balls.ie, with the defender handed an 8 out of 10 match rating, the highest of any Irish player.
Coleman played the entire 90 minutes in the friendly clash at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (23 March), which ended 0-0.
“Coleman showed a willingness to get forward in the first half and likely would have had a goal if Chiedozie Ogbene got his head up to play a simply squared ball inside the opening five minutes,” as reported by Balls.ie.
“The Everton man was asked more defensive questions after the introduction of Jeremy Doku at halftime, something he dealt with brilliantly against a player of real quality.
“One or two wayward touches aside, it was an excellent performance from a player who seems to raise the levels of the team whenever he is on the pitch. At 35 years old, he is still an invaluable contributor in this Irish side.”
Everton skipper Seamus Coleman flying high for the Republic of Ireland
Toffees defender Coleman boasts legendary status for club and country, with fans of the latter treated to another superb display from the right-back.
His age certainly didn’t get the better of him despite tricky opposition, with the full-back playing the entire match in Dublin, impressively keeping a clean sheet.
Coleman’s determination and energy levels were on full display in the Irish capital, with the 35-year-old surely set for another key role when Switzerland travel to Dublin on Tuesday (26 March).
It has certainly been a challenging season for the veteran defender due to injury issues, with Coleman not operating at 100% at the time of his latest international call-up.
Toffees boss Sean Dyche may just have mixed feelings about the 90 minutes against Belgium, with the player needing minutes on the pitch, but at the same time needing to conserve his energy for a Premier League relegation fight at Goodison Park.
In other Everton news, Jordan Pickford has gushed over a ‘Rolls-Royce’ Goodison Park teammate after a recent development.
For more Everton news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.