Home is where the heart is for Coleman

It will be a sad day when Seamus has to hang his blue boots up, so I for one really hope that his wish comes true; make it this season and let's push on from there...

However, the recent treatment of Coleman and Baines has made it very easy to see why players have no issue in prioritising their own best interests. These are two players of genuine class who have carried the club at times. They've had opportunities to move on, to win things, and to earn more money. They've chosen to stay because they genuinely felt connected to the club. Yet literally two poor performances, in Coleman's case, and people are jumping on his back. I'm not for one moment suggesting these guys can't be criticised but the ‘he's finished' comments have been totally unwarranted.

Though unfit, Seamus decided to play for Ireland, run by one of the highest paid unperforming (admitted by O'Neill in a recent interview) International mangement teams, one step up from Allardyce in mercenary attitude. (Congratulations to the truthful Newcastle Fan. ) Coleman ended with an injury for his effort, which further delayed his recovery.

On Saturday, he had a good performance after receiving a collective kick in the ass from a large section of the Everton supporters, who pointed out the lack of competition for the right-back position and the need for an alternative consideration. Coleman was lucky Kenny was injured.

My advice to Seamus is make sure you don't get injured for those two ejits over the International Break, especially given the opposition. HI hope McCarthy isn't in Dublin and has at last got some sense,

Loyalty is a two-way street.

I can fully understand why Rooney, Stones, Lukaku and Barkley moved on, and I'm surprised that Coleman stayed given his quality and interest from top clubs.

I do not believe that anyone should be immune from criticism though, as his comments vaguely imply.

What happened to Baines? I think the two players are different cases anyway. Coleman is still in the peak of his career, even if it be the latter stage. Baines is further down the line and the need for a long-term replacement is far more pressing.

He took a full part in pre-season. He then took a bad challenge on his right ankle by Charlie Daniels early in the game vs Bournemouth, similar to what Sigurdsson took vs Chelsea. Tried to play through it and had a poor game. He ended up with a stress fracture in his foot after the Wales match. All different injuries.

He is a man of loyalty to family, friends, club and National team and indeed to those he sees in need. He is keen to play and do his best for the club and thankfully he is equally cherished by the vast majority of the support base. I hadn't read of his options to leave before, but not surprised he chose to stay as it is typical of the man.

He is showing signs of getting back to being the player we all know and love but whether he can eventually get back to his old self must remain a question.

We should be looking to the future for a long-term replacement as, no matter how good a player is, they are human and can't go on forever. If we could ever find another Seamus though is very doubtful; I think players like him are very few and far between.

Jerome #5, I don't understand what you're on about, and frankly I don't think you have any idea either. You have zero information about how Seamus's return was managed, and zero evidence that his subsequent injury against Bournemouth had anything to do with any mismanagement. And I think Coleman's being back to almost his best just 20 months after the injury speaks to good rehabilitation, not bad. Plus, this is one player who never needed a "collective kick in the ass" for motivation, so excuse me if I completely dismiss any influence from the fans.

Phil #2, I get your point, and I agree that both have been unfairly criticized at times – Baines playing through that long-term ankle injury last year was definitely not at his peak – but I think every club has examples of players who planted their flag rather than pursue larger glories. And I think Baines hasn't been mistreated... he's a true pro and understands that Digne has come in and staked his claim.

I also agree that the likes of Baines, Jagielka and many others should be praised for their stellar contribution to the Blues.

However we should also remember that loyalty takes time and a player needs to put in many years before he could be considered as loyal. That is why supporters need to be cautious when slagging off or being too critical of younger players starting their careers.

At the present time we have a solid group of younger players such as Davies, just to mention one, who often have to put up with mean-spirited criticism. Such players do not always have the strength and tenacity of Coleman and certainly the maturity to be able to handle the scorn directed towards them.

We MUST be patient with young players in order for them to become great players and, eventually, loyal to Everton. They need support at the beginning of their careers as well as cheers near the end.

On a side note - this guys not a bad corner taker:
https://video.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2018/11/14/2065909843328810614/1024x576_MP4_2065909843328810614.mp4

Jerome, as for Seamus needing a kick up the arse to up his game??? Sorry but you are way off the mark with that. You don't get to be loved & cherished by the REAL Goodison faithful (they are the fans who don't hurl abuse when a class player like Seamus is having a little bad run of form), unless you demonstrate the fire, passion & sheer determination that Seamus has shown us over the years. He has rarely had a bad game in all that time.

The fact that he recovered so well from a career-threatening injury proves that he is self-motivated. So your comment that a 'kick up the arse' was either warranted or had anything to do with continuation to regain full match fitness is way out of line for me. A reminder that form is temporary, class is permanent... and Seamus is class.

While he was out last season, Everton were leaderless, rudderless and without any soul. Seamus has always given that in spades whether he performed as an 8 or a 4.

Having played at full-back, you depend on the man in front of you to fall back to help you defend when the opposition has the ball. In my opinion, Walcott has contributed to the exposure of Seamus. Watch any of the top teams – they will never allow their full-backs to be exposed two on one.

I couldn't agree more, a true blue, who wears his heart on his sleeve, NSNO, also he's nowhere near the highest earner at the club, and never held the club to ransom.

Coleman has had so much respect from fans owing to how he's dragged himself from a raw player to one of the best full-backs in the world and a guy who would run through brick walls. Terrible injury but supported wonderfully by the club and supporters alike. His performances this season have been far below what is expected of him. He's still been supported but people in two minds whether he should be rested and Kenny play. Nothing wrong with that.

Digne just walked in and flipped the script. He took the job, fair and square, no argument, he's brilliant. But I believe Bainesy still has plenty of career left.

Digne should watch and learn how cute Baines is in and around the opposition's area he always looks for the right ball and knows exactly when to slow down, make the pass, then dart off to make the run as well as executing pinpoint crosses.

I'd say Digne does have the edge defensively but Baines is an old pro at being effective going forward.

I'm actually looking forward to seeing Baines in action again – what a class act he has been.

As things stand, I can't see Baines getting back into the side as Digne has been too good — even a blip in form may be indulged as Silva knows he is the man for him.

Baines may be waiting for a FA Cup tie at the earliest, barring an unfortunate injury.

Seamus was in the firing line for a few weeks after a few sub-par performances. It's embarrassing, and to use a word I've seen occasionally on this site, I'm ashamed of it.

Coleman is the latest one to be targeted and it is shameful.

And, as I have pointed out previously, it is entirely reasonable to criticise a mature player's performance even if you have a lot of time for the player and what he has achieved.

In Baines, Jagielka and Coleman, we have three stalwart servants to the club, loyal almost to a fault, all very good players and a large part of the reason Moyes's sides over-performed. But they are also, to a greater or lesser extent, coming towards the back-end of their careers, Jagielka's most noticeably so, Coleman's with perhaps the most hope of a few more top years, though the injuries he's had are a concern and he has not been on his very best form consistently for a while now. Meanwhile, Baines's form has been dropping as he gets into his thirties and while I don't think he'd let us down, a stronger option has materialised in his position. I think it has been entirely fair to point all this out.

As for the younger players, of course we all want them to do well but the harsh reality of the Premier League is that the odds are very much against.

If you don't believe me, why not take a look at the composition of the various national teams, different age levels, from a few years ago when you'd hope they'd be coming into their prime right now. You'd be surprised by how many names you may just about have heard of but would have no idea where they play nowadays. The same will happen to our crop. Most, if not all of Calvert-Lewin, Davies, Dowell, Lookman, Kenny from that winning Under-20 England side almost certainly won't cut it at the very highest level. We might be better accepting that rather than expecting EFC to have a 'class of 92' type repeat.

Opinions about players' performances are always going to differ amongst fans and we are all entitled to air our views here. But hearing 'Evertonians' around the ground hurling abuse at one of our all-time greatest club players is a whole other matter. I hope you don't mean that type of 'criticism' is okay and acceptable??

I don't think Mark was advocating vocalising displeasure about particular players during the match, but rather on forums such as TW, which is fair game – without different opinions and the many different ways of expressing those views, it would be a very bland site indeed.

Good on him, though.

I think Lawrence has replied well for me.

I also think that maybe one needs to put the shouts you hear at the ground into some kind of context. People get passionate.

At that moment, if Coleman or anyone else is having a poor game and does something that, for example, leads to a goal, then you are going to get a few groans, shouts or whatever and that may seem negative but it's what happens when you get c 40,000 people engrossed in the moment.

And if you've ever sat close enough to the manager's bench at a game, you'll likely also hear a few choice words about what is occurring on the pitch. I've even seen plenty of players have a pop at each other!

I guess these players are paid enough to have a thick enough skin...

Stats show on touches, interceptions, pass completion, accuracy of passes, and crosses in the final third —Digne is consistently one of the highest performing players that Everton have had for some time.

Baines was an excellent player, but is nearing the end of his career. Competition-wise, in his position, he is up against one of the best: the left-back position, though Baines was injured, was well identified in needing added squad depth.

Coleman would find himself in the same position if Everton had a similar right-back. The right-back has now been identified as needing squad depth.

This is the reality of a footballers life in today's Everton. Other players that are up against it and will find themselves increasing so are Zouma, Schneiderlin, Walcott, Tosun, Calvert-Lewin and maybe even Bernard.

If there is a good right-back Brands can get, go get him. Seamus turns 30 — no matter what we say or think about him.

Mick McCarthy for me all the way...