Toffees skipper Cahill tips Coleman for the top

TIM CAHILL believes that Ireland’s Seamus Coleman has the quality and potential to take advantage of the ongoing injury crisis at Everton after the former Sligo Rovers defender finally announced himself to the Premier League during his team’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham.

Making his fourth appearance for Everton, Coleman, who joined Everton in a €166,000 (£150,000) deal in January, was superb against Harry Redknapp’s side, after coming off the bench to replace the injured Joseph Yobo in the early stages on Sunday.

Goalkeeper Tim Howard made the headlines with an injury-time penalty save from Jermain Defoe but Coleman’s contribution is a rare positive in what has been a desperately frustrating campaign for manager David Moyes.

“He was fantastic. He played really well, he got forward and made a difference for us at times. Good on the youngster,” was the Everton manager’s assessment.

“He was undoubtedly man of the match. His run for our first goal was excellent and he’s played really well throughout. He got forward and made a difference for us at times.

“He’s a quiet unassuming Irish lad who has really come on a tonne.”

As well as looking steady at the back, he burst forward from right back to provide a cross for Louis Saha to halve Spurs’ lead and turn the tide of the match.

Yobo sustained a hamstring problem and joins fellow defenders Phil Jagielka, Sylvain Distin and Phil Neville on an injury list that almost makes up an entire team.

Although the absences have hit Moyes’ season hard and even left the manager pondering his future, the arrival of Coleman must have been a huge bonus to the Scot and Everton captain Cahill feels the right back can make the most of his chance.

“He was fantastic,” Cahill said.

“Now it’s about helping Seamus learn how to play in the Premier League and against Tottenham he showed how well he is learning.

“His attitude is one of the best things about him. He never stops, works hard in training and loves being part of the team. As a captain I’m proud of him and he deserves it.”

Coleman has overcome huge set backs in his career. to date. The 21-year-old Donegal man moved from Sligo Rovers during the January transfer window and impressed in Alan Stubbs’s reserve team during the season half of last season.

Coleman, who has played for the Republic of Ireland under 21 side, looked close to making the breakthrough into Moyes’s first team after pushing his way to the fringes of the side during pre-season.

But he suffered a freak foot infection during the summer that raised doubts about whether he would play ever again. Coleman suffered a blister on his foot during Everton’s trip to the US but returned to reserves action in October.

He made his debut in the Europa League at Benfica in the same month but, playing out of position at left back, was horribly exposed as the Portuguese ran riot in a 5-0 victory.

But, having fought off competition from Celtic and Birmingham, Moyes had little doubt in Coleman’s ability and he made further appearances in the 3-2 defeat at Bolton and last week’s 1-0 win at AEK Athens.

With the busy festive period approaching, and doubts about Tony Hibbert, Coleman may get a few more opportunities to show what he is about over the next few weeks.