It's Seamus Coleman's birthday - he's 28 today - so in honour of the new Irish captain and Killybegs' Finest™, here's the Balls.ie guide to being more like Seamus Coleman.
Delete your Instagram account
Last week, Coleman told the Daily Mail exactly what is wrong with modern football, with vainglorious footballers posting images of themselves on Instagram one thing the Irishman skewered:
Your job is to train well and play well on Saturday and do well week in, week out. That's your job. Your job isn't to be going out and buying the best of everything just because someone else is.
'But they feel they all need to have the best because of the pressure. They think they need to look good on their Instagram pictures. They think they have to follow the leader but they are just kids — boys.
While you're at it, dump that Louis Vitton washbag
In the same interview, Coleman pointed to the great tyranny of the Louis Vitton washbag:
It's a big bad world out there in football and it's easy for a young footballer to be sucked into a certain way of life.
If I see a footballer with a Louis Vuitton wash bag I wonder what that does to others. If you are the only young lad in the changing room without one then you feel that pressure that you need to go out and get one. Even if you don't want one or even like one.
Don't forget where you've come from...
Coleman has always retained a close relationship with his home. While he watched Euro 2012 in a bar in Killybegs, he frequently pops back home to catch as much of the Donegal Club Championship as he can.
Here he is just last week, taking in the Championship clash between Kilcar and Naomh Conaill:
Bhí Seamus Coleman, imreoir @Everton & @FAIreland i láthair tráthnóna inniu ag cluiche leath 1/2 cheannais @KilcarGAA v @NaomhConaillGAA pic.twitter.com/guSHEmFkon
— Damien Ó Dónaill (@RNF36) October 2, 2016
Coleman's still got his Gaelic football skills, by the way.
You can take the man out of Donegal... #IRLFRA pic.twitter.com/WqRV9bRwf8
— Ross O'Donoghue (@Ross_OD) June 26, 2016
...and they won't forget you
Coleman remains a local legend. Killybegs hosted an official homecoming for Coleman after the Euros, and there was quite the turnout:
Seamie is home ! @BayviewKillybeg @StCatherinesFC @JOEdotie @oceanfmsport @OceanFmIreland pic.twitter.com/h9PN68bHZA
— Pauric Byrne (@dgldj) June 27, 2016
Coleman spent the entire day meeting locals, staying up until 1.30am signing autographs and posing for photos:
Set the tone for one of Ireland's greatest football victories
Roy Keane sending Marc Overmars into the mid-2000s from Landsdowne Road remains one of the most oft-cited moments in Irish football, but Coleman followed likewise against the Italians at the Euros. It was a must-win, and Coleman set the tone with this reducer on Mateo De Sciglio:
Then continue being generally inspirational
Coleman to James McCarthy in the same game. Like you wouldn't run through walls for the fella.
Have a story of your dad picking a fight with Paul Rudd make it to David Letterman
Paul Rudd took a trip to Donegal for his Stag Party, and wore the Irish football jersey he was presented with on the Late Late Show. Rudd's jersey had number 2 on the back of it, and he bumped into Coleman's dad in the pub. Let him tell the rest of the story:
https://youtu.be/109FfAnkiwk
Be Ireland's answer to Luis Suarez (at least to Phil Neville)
Yep, Phil Neville - his former Everton teammate - reckons he Coleman has a streak in him that us reminiscent of Luis Suarez. Neville told Graham Hunter the following:
Because there are not that many, you can actually pick out those ones that you think, 'Those are street footballers. They've come up the hard way. They've actually done it.' And I use the example at Everton of Seamus Coleman.
Seamus Coleman played for a team in Ireland (Sligo Rovers), £60,000 bought, didn't go through the academy system.
Scruffy tracksuit, say - not matching. No flashy trainers. Came in, he had hunger. He would run through that brick wall.
And did he have the best ability at the start? No. But he had more determination.
Now? Probably one of the best full-backs in the Premier League. Now captaining Republic of Ireland in the European Championships.
He had the hunger. And Suarez has it. Sanchez at Arsenal.
Have we left out any Seamus Coleman best moments? Let us know.
