Seamus Coleman discusses his future with Stick to Football

Seamus Coleman has admitted his participation with the Republic of Ireland national team is the reason he hasn’t retired from football.

The Killybegs native ended a 17-year playing career at Everton at the end of last season. Signed from Sligo Rovers for a bargain £60,000 fee in 2009, the 37-year-old right-back went on to make 433 appearances, including a club-record 372 in the Premier League.

With Heimir Hallgrímsson’s Ireland last year, Coleman’s return coincided with victories over Armenia, Portugal and Hungary to seal a place in the World Cup play-offs, where the Boys in Green lost out of Czecia on penalties in Prague.

Ireland, along with England, Scotland and Wales, will co-host Euro 2028 and Coleman still dreams of lining out at thee Aviva Stadium and admits speaking to Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder about a move.

"I was probably was 100 percent done at the end of the season until I spoke to the Ireland manager,” Coleman told Stick to Football. “I’d done quite well in games and got close to the World Cup, he spoke about being involved for the Euros - that’s a couple of years away.

"But it planted a seed, I spoke with Sheffield United. The manager was great, a little bit old school, the club was a good setup, but I didn’t want to keep them hanging on and decided it just wasn’t right.

"I’m not stressing, I’m quite laid back, I’ve had a good run and it was more so the Ireland stuff that has put a bit of doubt in my mind. Now the window is closed it might open up a little bit but I’ll be making a decision, very, very soon. If it wasn’t for the Ireland stuff my decision would be made.”

Stick to Football is a multi-award-winning football podcast and flagship programme of The Overlap media channel, presented by Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Ian Wright, Jamie Carragher and Jill Scott.

The edition featuring Coleman will be available on YouTube from Thursday, September 10.