If ever a man was Manchester United-ready, that man was Seamus Coleman.
If ever a club was crying out for a Seamus Coleman, that club was Manchester United.
In the last three weeks alone, Jose Mourinho has had Matteo Darmian, Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia fill his right back slot. The latter of the three is a good, good player and he’s a solid defender and he’s not exactly a problem area in the team but United are not and never were a firefighting club.
They don’t bring in the best or develop the best only when it’s absolutely necessary. They just bring them in, end of. They just develop them and they let the players sort it out amongst themselves. They let the cream rise.
Seamus Coleman has risen like a bloody tide and he has proven his worth.
Rob Redmond wrote a piece last week about why Coleman never got a transfer to an ‘elite club’ as he called it after the Donegal man was by far and away the best full back in England in the 2014/15 season. It beggars belief that someone like Moussa Sissoko can briefly light up a handful of games and then kick up enough of a stink to push through a £30m transfer in the very next window but someone like Coleman can play so well so consistently for so long and not really get sniffed at.
“He’s too busy doing his job,” the article reasoned.
What makes the Irish captain so great – his drive, his ruthless determination, his pure, fiery aggression – is also part of the reason that he hasn’t taken one last leap to the very top when we’ve seemingly been talking about it for the last two years.
Coleman is electrifying going forward. He’s sharp, he’s game, he’s as direct as they come and yet his defensive work is better, even if he’s still tarnished with the same brush that someone like Trapattoni might’ve used back in 2012 as an excuse not to bring him to the Euros.
He’s learned everything he’s needed to learn, he’s developed every part of his body that needed worked on and now that old head of his that simply does not accept being beaten is driving him to new levels. There’s not a footballer on the planet that can match Seamus Coleman’s passion.
It drips out of him like sweat would pour off an ordinary man.
When he spoke after Ireland’s win in Austria, he spoke with steel. He spoke like a leader.
"We're really proud of our fans" – the skipper is delighted with a great evening's work #RTEsoccer https://t.co/FKQ87JdD6E
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) November 12, 2016
When he headed home Everton’s 89th minute equaliser against Swansea on Saturday, he headed with skill. He jumped like a leader.
So his heroics brought him back to the forefront of people’s minds and his consistency has convinced Manchester United fans that they are tired of waiting. They want Seamus Coleman and nothing less.
They all know he’s good enough.
https://twitter.com/LethalMata/status/800475113443512320
He’s all over the radar.
Coleman for Everton what a goal
— Mkhi (@Just_Jeff10) November 19, 2016
Some of them have already started writing out their teams for next season.
https://twitter.com/Bazza__10/status/800369405234413569
https://twitter.com/chopz_enk/status/800026209988001792
There’s only one man they want and he comes with the best attitude in the game.
i hope that we will sign coleman instead of him
— Soban Zahid (@sobanzahidmu) November 18, 2016
He’s even being offered a lift.
I'll drive Memphis Depay to Everton myself, as long as Coleman's got his bags packed to jump in for the ride back. #MUFC #EFC
— Alex Chattin (@AlexChattin) November 14, 2016
Anything to stop them depressing themselves any further with the regret.
#ManchesterUnited #ManUTD #ManUnited Manchester United FC opinion: 'The club should have signed Seamus Coleman.. https://t.co/9ERpTFz7Tn
— Man Utd Fans (@manutdnewsonly) November 13, 2016
Make no mistake about it, Coleman could arrive at Old Trafford tomorrow and become a star.
As a defender and as a footballer, he’s got the ability and then some. As a character, he’s cut from the same unbreakable cloth as some of the finest Irish men to represent United were.
When someone needs digging out, he’ll do it.
When someone needs encouraged, he’ll roar like a bloody lion.
McCarthy is f**king on it tonight
Seamus Coleman is making damned sure of itpic.twitter.com/Vsy5SfTPYd
— Conán Doherty (@ConanDoherty) June 22, 2016
When a manager drops his standards, Coleman will not accept it.
“He just set a few standards that should have happened in the previous campaign, by the players as well,” Coleman said of Ronald Koeman, discussing the Roberto Martinez era.
“Just timekeeping and that. Making sure that people are in on time and it’s just sharpened the place up all round.”
He’s already a player of Manchester United’s quality. He just doesn’t have the shirt yet.
Aaron Kernan joins Colm Parkinson on The GAA Hour to explain the work he’s doing for the Club Players Association. Derry captain Chrissy McKaigue talks Slaughtneil and a Dublin club advertising for hurlers gets a sore touch. Subscribe here on iTunes.
