Coleman hopes luck has finally changed
Not just that but an Everton side in which the man from Killybegs is featuring regularly at his favoured position of right-back and, with Ireland in the midst of an injury crisis, that puts him squarely in the frame for a role against Germany in Dublin on Friday night.
Three points and a run-out at the Aviva and he may as well do the Lotto too.
“Yep, simple as that,” he laughed.
It’s all a far cry from the start of the summer when he was ruminating on a difficult season at Goodison Park and looking on from afar as Giovanni Trapattoni’s squad came a cropper against Croatia, Spain and Italy at the European Championship.
That he was watching the action from a pub in his home town called Fawltey’s added an element of unconscious irony to proceedings and it can’t have been easy sitting there with his mates [in his Ireland jersey] being told by all-comers how unlucky he was not to be in Poland.
“It was very disappointing, to be honest. Everyone wanted to be picked in the 23 but it wasn’t to be and I got the chance to rest up with a few injuries over the summer and I have started the season off well this year.
“Hopefully I will get another chance to get to a major tournament with Ireland. That is my aim now, my drive, because everyone wants to play in a major tournament for their country. It’s luck. These things happen. I’m not going to moan about it.”
Donegal’s procession towards a second All-Ireland title three months later eased the pain for Coleman, who could have been a contender on the GAA scene only to choose a contract with Sligo Rovers over the chance to audition for the county minors and strong ties remain.
Mark McHugh and Paddy McBrearty grew up 10 minutes down the road from him, speaks reverentially about team captain Michael Murphy and has no doubt that manager Jim McGuinness would be a success in soccer if he turned his cap that way.
McGuinness shows no signs of doing that, of course. Coleman is equally content with the path he took — one which may prove to be even more rewarding later this week.
Trapattoni mentioned Coleman on a number of occasions during yesterday’s media briefing but, though John O’Shea looks like being moved into the centre of defence, a betting man would still put his money on the Italian slotting Stephen Kelly in at right full-back.
Kelly has experience at this level that Coleman can’t currently match and yet Trapattoni was clearly impressed by the younger man when he was given a chance against Oman for the recent friendly win at Craven Cottage.
His run of games for Everton during Tony Hibbert’s injury-enforced absence should stand to him too and even his time spent on the right wing, which Trap never seemed too happy about, may be a plus now that he has gravitated back to the corner.
“It can help me out because usually I have Phil Neville and Tony Hibbert telling me what to do when I’m ahead of them and it is quite helpful when I have the likes of Kevin Mirallas or Steven Naismith ahead of me just to tell them what positions to be in to help me out.”
Whether his time is now or a tad further down the line, Coleman is clearly reaping the benefits of turning up and doing what he is told — something that will surely not escape the notice of his clubmate Darron Gibson whose self-imposed exile continues.
“There’s nothing I can say on that. He was obviously disappointed that he didn’t get to play at the Euros which is understandable but his decision is his decision and there is nothing I can do to change his mind. Hopefully we will get him back soon.”
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