Seamus Coleman’s Determination to Return to Republic of Ireland Action
Seamus Coleman, the 35-year-old Everton defender, is set to make his return to the Republic of Ireland national team after a period of absence due to a serious knee injury. Coleman’s last appearance for his country was in a Euro 2024 qualifying defeat by France in March last year, where he impressed by marking Kylian Mbappe.
Coleman’s Comeback
After recovering from his knee injury sustained at Leicester, Coleman is eager to contribute to the team’s upcoming friendly against Belgium. He expressed his determination to make the most of his time on the international stage and help the team perform better than in the previous qualifying campaign.
Reflecting on his injury and recovery, Coleman mentioned, “It was a bit of a scare the night of the Leicester game because I kind of thought that might have been it. It looked to be a bad injury, but thankfully I got away without it being an ACL, which was important at my age.”
Managerial Updates
Former Ireland player John O’Shea has been appointed as the interim head coach, leading the team as they prepare to announce Stephen Kenny’s permanent successor next month. Lee Carsley, the England Under-21 boss, confirmed that he will not be taking on the role after discussions with the Football Association of Ireland.
Carsley mentioned, “We had an initial conversation in November. I went to speak to them. Really informal, enjoyable, for around an hour. It went no further.”
New Partnership with Sky
Sky has been announced as the new primary partner of the Ireland men’s team, ending the team’s sponsorship drought since 2019. The partnership will also extend to the women’s team, covering major events such as the Women’s Euros in 2025, the 2026 World Cup, the 2027 Women’s World Cup, and Euro 2028.
