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Seamus Coleman

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Oviedo at right back? Has he ever played there before? I can't think of too many players as left-footed as he is who have played right back.
 


Seamus Coleman: I put my Euro joy on hold to console gutted Besic

Exclusive: Coleman cut short his Euro 2016 celebrations to comfort Mo Besic
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Everton's Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy celebrate after the final whistle during the UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifying Playoff second leg at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin.
Seamus Coleman was in raptures when his thoughts turned to someone whose dreams had been ruined.

The Republic of Ireland had just qualified for the Euro 2016 finals after defeating Bosnia 3-1 over two legs.

There were joyous scenes at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Monday night as Coleman and his team-mates embraced and soaked up the adulation of an ecstatic home support.

But among a sea of green euphoria, there were pockets of despondency, disappointment and deflation from those in white.

Mo Besic, Coleman’s Everton club-mate, was one of those suffering and so the 27-year-old cut short his celebrations to go and commiserate his friend.

“I am delighted that we have got through to the European Championships but anyone who knows Mo and talks about him will tell you that he is such a great lad,” Coleman told the ECHO.

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Jon Walters (L) of Republic of Ireland and Muhamed Besic of Bosnia-Herzegovina during the Euro 2016 play-off second leg


“He is such an honest person, he fights for his country and fights for his club and I just knew that it would have meant a lot to him if Bosnia had made it to the Euros so, because he’s my Everton team-mate, I thought I’d go over and show some support to Mo, give him a hug and say ‘I’ll see you in a few days’.

“It was tough for him, he’s a great lad and he wished us well when we came back. Ideally, if our countries could have avoided each other and both gone through, then it would’ve been great.”

Besic, at half-time substitute in Dublin, was playing a competitive game for the first time since September after a hamstring injury.

The Blues midfielder, banned for the first leg of the play-off with Ireland, impressed but was unable to inspire a fightback.

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Muhamed Besic must now turn his attentions back to the Toffees after his Euro heart-ache

“When the team was named on Monday, because he’d missed the first leg, I was expecting him to play in the second,” Coleman said.

“When I saw that his name wasn’t on the board before the game I was quite happy and relieved because I know what he can bring.

“He gets on the ball, he passes forward and he would link up well with Pjanic and Dzeko, so I was happy to see him not in the starting line-up to be honest.”

Besic is working his way back into contention at Goodison having missed the last nine matches through injury.

The 22-year-old will hope to be named in the squad to face rock-bottom Aston Villa - a game Coleman admits has been difficult to plan for given they have a new manager in charge.

“Especially in the first two or three games of a new manager, which we will face, they get a lift,” he said.

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Manuel Lanzini of West Ham United is brought down by Seamus Coleman

“Usually we do analysis on teams and be looking back five, six or even seven games but with the new manager coming in we can only look to the Man City game.

“So it will be new for us and they’ll be hungry to prove to the manager why they should be in the team, so that is why it is difficult playing a team with a new manager in the first two or three games because all the lads are trying to impress him.”

He added: “I’ve looked at the fixtures and we’ve played a lot of the so-called top teams and we’re ok in the table but with the games coming up, we can really climb up that table. So we need to be on it.”

Everton have already faced last season’s top eight sides but now head into a run of games against some of the sides in the lower reaches in the division.

A trip to Norwich City, on December 12, is among them - a day that will hold extra significance for Coleman.

“When I’m with Ireland I’m focused on Ireland, wholeheartedly and when I’m with Everton I’m focused on Everton,” he said.

“What I have to do between now and the end of the season is play as well as I can for my club and hopefully that can get me on the plane, so I will focus on Everton."

“Hopefully on the day of the Euro 2016 draw we can get three points against Norwich and then look forward to seeing who we have in the draw.”
 

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