A year on, Everton’s Seamus Coleman holds no grudges

Tomorrow will mark a year to the day that Seamus Coleman suffered a double leg break following a rash challenge suffered while on national team duty, trying to get his Republic of Ireland side to the World Cup to be held this summer.

A moment of madness from Wales’ Neil Taylor was all it took to cause Coleman to lose almost a full year of football after his horrific tackle caused a double break that left Everton’s fullback out for over ten months.

Speaking to the media on his return to the international stage, Coleman reiterated that he held no grudges against Taylor.

“I haven’t even thought of Neil Taylor five times since the injury.

”I was going for the ball, he was a bit high but these things happen in a tough international fixture. If I hold any grudge against him it’s not going to help me in my rehab. He has to get on with his journey and I have to get on with mine. If I hold any anger towards him it won’t help me. Let him carry on with what he has to do, and I’ll crack on myself.

”He sent a message and that was fine with me, no problem. It’s a year ago now and I’ve got things to look forward to. The tackle will always be brought up but I have to crack on.”

The Irishmen take on Turkey in a friendly tonight, with Coleman likely to come up against his Everton teammate, striker Cenk Tosun.

Coleman added that even during the low spells, he was always confident that he would make a comeback.

“That never crossed my mind from day one or any way through the injury. I knew if I did everything I was told and the work I needed to do in the gym, that I’d be back on the football pitch.

“I’ve been back now for five or six games and I’ve felt very good in the games and hopefully I can do the same in the Irish shirt. But never for a second did I doubt that I’d be back playing football, no.”