Ronald Koeman backs Seamus Coleman to make full recovery

Ronald Koeman has described Seamus Coleman as “one of the best professionals I’ve ever worked with” and said the player’s “strength of character” will help him make a complete recovery from his broken leg.

Revealing that he contacted the Donegal man on the day after the game against Wales, the Everton manager said: “He was in pain when we spoke — it is normal to have some pain after such an injury — and, naturally, he was feeling very down. This is all normal. But he knows he will have a lot of support, and the reaction of Evertonians, their thoughts and good wishes, and the reaction of so many other people as well who follow the game, will mean a lot to Seamus.

“In all my years in football, Seamus is one of the best professionals I’ve ever worked with.

“His dedication to the game, his attitude and motivation are always where they should, and he’s like that in training every day as well as in games.

“That mentality will really be helpful to him now in not only coming to terms with what has happened but in setting out on the road to recovery and, over time, in building himself once more to the level he has maintained over many years here at Everton.

“That strength of character will be a big, big thing.

”He is valued very much as a player, which makes it really difficult that we are talking about an injury that will keep him out for six, seven months, something like that. But I know he will come back strongly, that’s the type of man he is. And he will have support from everyone around him, too, which he knows. It won’t be easy what he has to face but he has the character to overcome this, I am sure.”

Meanwhile, Ashley Williams has revealed he felt “sick” when he realised the seriousness of Coleman’s injury.

The Wales skipper said: “I didn’t really see the tackle. All I saw was the red card and my initial reaction was to go to the referee.

“At the time, I was in the swing of things. It took me a minute to realise, ‘actually, he hasn’t got up’, and that it was Seamus who was down.

“At that point, I wasn’t thinking about the game or us being down to 10 men. I started thinking: ‘Is my mate okay?’ That was when I went over to him.

“Even at that point, I didn’t know it was so serious. After the game, I went straight into their dressing room to speak to James McCarthy, and he told me Seamus had gone to hospital and had broken his leg.

“It was just a weird feeling from everyone around the dressing rooms.

“Even people who don’t know Seamus like I do were gutted. Neil Taylor was completely gutted. He was sitting on the floor virtually in tears.

“He asked me to check if it would be okay to go to see Seamus in hospital. He got his number off me and sent him a text straight away.

“When I found out it was a broken leg, it made me feel sick inside, because it’s someone who I like so much and is one of my mates.

“He’s going to have up and down days, but the way he is, I’m sure his determination will help with his rehab and, hopefully, we’ll have him back sooner rather than later and stronger than ever.”