What a signing Seamus Coleman has been for Everton and at the age of 28 there's still plenty more to come from the Killybeggs man. The Republic of Ireland captain moved to Merseyside in 2009 when the Toffees paid £60,000 to Sligo Rovers. Not bad when you consider the average weekly wage of a Premier League footballer is in the region of £45,000.
When you look down the list of right sided defenders in the Premier League you will struggle to find anyone better than Coleman. Tottenham's Kyle Walker has improved a lot under Mauricio Pochettino and Arsenal's Hector Bellerin could become the best in the future but I would have Coleman ahead of them right now. He has shown that he can play in a defensive four or as a wing back when Ronald Koeman plays three at the back.
Obviously he's on the pitch to defend but it's important that he contributes in attack as well. Since his Premier League debut in October 2009, only three defenders have been involved in more goals than Coleman's total of 33. His Everton team-mate Leighton Baines has been involved in 64 goals, Antonio Valencia has contributed to 47 and Branislav Ivanovic who has just left Chelsea has had a hand in 40 goals.
Think back to a couple of weeks ago when Coleman popped up with a late winner for Everton against Crystal Palace. He's also come up with headed goals against Arsenal and Swansea this season as well as a nice left footed effort against Middlesbrough and who could forget his crucial goal against Georgia in the World Cup qualifiers.
Apart from delivering on the pitch, Coleman is also the model pro off the pitch. He said recently that moving to England at the age of 21 was an advantage because he got to spend his teenage years in Donegal. He has remained grounded as his stock has risen and he always conducts himself in the right way in interviews. A lot of professional footballers don't want to talk to the media anymore which is their choice but Coleman will always stop in the mixed zone to chat to reporters after a game.
He has taken the Ireland captaincy in his stride and what an honour it would be for him to lead the Boys in Green to a World Cup in Russia next year but there's a lot of work to do before we can all dream of that. It's hard to believe that he wasn't deemed good enough to make Giovanni Trapattoni's squad for Euro 2012.
Coleman has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park but for now he continues to excel on Merseyside and we wish him the best of luck tonight as he gets ready to make his 200th Premier League appearance.
