The club captain said he enjoyed his experience assisting Leighton Baines in the FA Cup win over Peterborough United last month and that management was something he could ‘have a crack at’
Everton hero Seamus Coleman is open to a future in the dugout after the club captain helped lead his side to victory in the FA Cup.
Coleman presided over the win against Peterborough United with Blues coach Leighton Baines as the pair took control just hours after the dismissal of former manager Sean Dyche. It was a positive experience for the 36-year-old, who has already gained his coaching qualifications.
Asked whether it was enjoyable enough for a career in management to tempt him once he hangs up his boots, he said: “It did, yeah. Even just spending that little bit of time with Leighton is probably the first time I’ve properly planned for a match, albeit it was a very short period of time.
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“But, yes, being on that side, seeing and feeling how it works and being on the sideline and seeing your team was good, and enjoyable. In the future it’s definitely something I think I will have a crack at.”
Coleman looked at ease as he prowled the dugout with Baines, his former teammate and then Under-18s boss, who has since been promoted to the backroom staff of new Everton manager David Moyes. The pair took it turns to step to the side of the pitch and Coleman could be seen delivering instructions throughout the third round victory, delivered courtesy of goals from Beto and Iliman Ndiaye.
Coleman and Baines were asked to take control of the first team earlier that day following the departure of Dyche. His exit was officially confirmed fewer than four hours before kick-off and Baines spoke after the game of travelling from Finch Farm to the first team hotel to handle the matchday squad.
Offering his reflection on the day in an interview with the club, Coleman said: “It was a crazy few hours, for sure. I was due to be on the bench as a player on the night, then, obviously, it all changed very quickly. The main point in it all was, at that point in time, Everton needed me and wanted me to stand with Leighton – of course I’m going to say yes.
“I was more than happy to do it. Over the past six years I’ve done my coaching badges and, obviously, Leighton has been with the Under-18s. I think we used a mixture of both what he’s been doing tactically and me being myself with the group, trying to make the lads understand the importance of it all and what’s in store for the football club.
“It was one of those things that when I found out, I thought, if I’m doing it I’m going to fully commit to it, so that’s what I did. I put on my black coach’s tracksuit and made myself very visible to the lads quite early in the dressing room so they could get their laughing and joking out of the way because that was a big part of the first five minutes of me in the coach’s uniform.
“But, listen, I respect that group of players a lot and I know they have the same respect for me so they knew it was needs-must at that time and we had their full support as well. There wasn’t much we changed but, yeah, it felt a bit surreal, to be honest. It’s something I really enjoyed and a night I’ll look back on with fondness, for sure.”
