In a fickle, venal, crooked, cut-throat business Coleman has played the game by other rules. He has been honourable and wholehearted and sincere, qualities that are beyond the detection of data analytics (via IrishTimesSport )
In the final few months of what could be his last Everton contract, Coleman is leading the club in another relegation battle. When they were fighting on their backs in the closing months of last season Coleman postponed a hernia operation and played through the discomfort. Just like every player in their early 30s, Coleman has seen his game reduced by decay, but what Everton desperately needed on the field was the spirit of him as a footballer.
On the night they secured their Premier League survival, coming from behind to beat Crystal Palace at Goodison Park, the Everton manager Frank Lampard pulled Coleman into the middle of the dressingroom to pay a personal tribute in front of the group. Spotting somebody filming the scene on their phone, he made a deliberate gesture of approval towards the citizen cameraman, no doubt knowing that what he was about to say would reach a wider audience.
With Lampard’s arm draped around him Coleman stood stony-faced, mortified to be standing at the teacher’s desk as the best boy in the class. The really interesting part, though, was the reaction of the dressingroom. As soon as Lampard stopped talking, the place erupted in cheers, rapturous cheers. That was how they felt about him.
“Never mind being a leader or captain,” said Coleman in the interview. “I just want to be a good person. I want lads to feel at home here as much as possible but, at the same time, have standards on top of that.”
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