Séamus Coleman is set to lead Ireland out against Malta tomorrow night, for what will be the Everton man’s first start for Stephen Kenny’s side since June.
Coleman was an unused sub in Thursday’s defeat to Norway at the Aviva Stadium but the Ireland captain, who underwent groin surgery during the summer after getting injured in that June encounter against Armenia, will play in the end of year friendly in Malta.
It has been a challenging period for the 34-year-old, who has had to battle to get his starting place back at club and international level.
“As players we are all competitive,” says Coleman. “You’ve got that fire in your belly, you always want to play.
“But you’ve got to understand from every angle as well. There have been times when I’ve come in not in the best of form and times when I have come in in form. It’s just about when you get the opportunity to give as good as you can, because ultimately you never know when it’s your last opportunity. So, you have just got to give it everything you’ve got all the time.
“Ultimately for me it’s always important how the team gets on. But it’s important too to have that fire in your belly to be a part of international teams.
“That’s down to me when I get the opportunity, and to make sure I’m doing the business at club level as well. I feel much better than I did in the summer. I had the procedure done and the pain has left me, thankfully.”
Coleman was introduced off the bench late on against Scotland in September but the Malta match will represent just his third on-field involvement in 2022. Kenny has always viewed Coleman as a leader within the group, even when not playing.
“Seamus has had such a good career and is such an incredible competitor with such a desire to win and to play. He has always been a first choice player,” says Kenny. “To be honest with you, he has been terrific any time he has played with us. In the last camp, the games against Ukraine and Scotland, the back-three played very well. Even though we lost the Scotland game, the back three was very good and the players deserved to start the other night.
“Séamus obviously plays tomorrow. He has had a terrific run of form with Everton over the last six games that he has started.
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“Séamus has been an amazing captain for Ireland. He is revered throughout the country for his playing career. Of course he wants to play, that’s only natural. You should never lose that. We are all very proud of Séamus, he knows that.
“I think the captaincy side of it, he is brilliant in the camp. But obviously he doesn’t want that, he wants to be first and foremost a player.”
The expectation is that Coleman will be part of the squad for the next campaign, but he acknowledges there are more playing years behind him than in front.
“I wouldn’t say keep going until I can’t no more, because I think you have got to be realistic with your body,” says Coleman. “If I go back to Everton in January and I am in training and I notice lads are running past me two or three times in a training session, I think you have got to look at all things. But at this moment in time I feel good when I play.
“Listen, I’m not 23 or 24, I’m not up and down the way I used to, but I feel good. I’ve played against some good wingers this season and I’ve felt comfortable.
“It’s not about looking that far ahead, it’s just about the next game and trying to be as good as I can be in the next game.”
