AFTER WHAT was described in the press release as a “sensational” run of form in Everton’s first team over the last few months, Séamus Coleman has been handed his second new contract by the Premier League outfit in under a year. He is now committed to the club until the summer of 2015 on what have been described as “vastly” improved terms.
Just two years on from signing for the Goodison Park club, Coleman’s rate of progress has been little short of astonishing, and the 22-year-old is now a firm favourite with the supporters as well as, it seems, the manager.
However, he remained modest about it yesterday, insisting he’s pleased with everything he has achieved and saying he gives his all for the club.
“I’m over the moon to sign the contract,” he said. “My aim was to keep impressing after every contract and this new one proves that I’ve been doing well. I just want to keep going now.
“When I came over first it was a two-year contract and I treated it as a trial. I got a new one whilst I was at Blackpool, and to get another one so quickly was a surprise because that’s three in a short space of time.
“When I go out on the pitch I get my head down and I have a go,” he added. “Even if it’s not going well for me on the ball, I’ll keep running around and giving it 100 per cent, and the fans appreciate that.”
West Brom expect to have Steven Reid back in action three weeks ahead of schedule after the knee injury sustained by the Ireland international against Manchester United on New Year’s Day turned out to be less serious than expected.
“We expect Reid to be back training next week hopefully,” said West Brom boss Roberto Di Matteo. “Things are quite positive with him. The injury wasn’t as bad as anticipated and he has recovered really well.”
Birmingham City’s Republic of Ireland under-21 international, Jay O’Shea, has gone out on an emergency one-month loan to the Jim Gannon-managed Port Vale just days after returning to St Andrew’s from Stevenage.
