Republic of Ireland captain Seamus Coleman spoke openly to media yesterday at the launch of the 2021 Spar Better choices campaign.

There was plenty to talk about with the Euro’s in full swing and Rafa Benitez just named as manager of Coleman’s club side Everton.

Addressing the hostile reaction to this by some Everton fans, given Benitez’ past with Liverpool, he said that once the decision was made and the season underway that real fans would support the manager as they support the club.

Coleman is a decent guy, conscious of his responsibilities to club, country and younger players coming through just as he is to his own young family who he has been spending time with in his native Donegal.

He admitted to watching the European Championships with a strong sense of ‘what if’ and reflecting on how close we had come in the penalty shoot-out with Slovakia that would have teed up a playoff decide against Northern Ireland.

His own earliest memories of watching a big championship were based around Robbie Keane’s goal against Germany in the 2002 World Cup Finals.

That was his generation’s ‘Italia 90 and he remembered running out to play and looking to recreate those moments with his friends.

He felt that he was a better Gaelic footballer than a soccer player but that the decision needed to be made at the age of 17 to focus on one and he has clearly no regrets about the path he chose.

Happy to riff on which of the Donegal team might be handy as soccer players and which Everton lads might make it at Ballybofey, Jordan Pickford as a corner forward in case you were curious, he drew the line at answering only one question, on which Liverpool players he might see making the short trip across Stanley Park for a reunion with a former manager.

SPAR’s Better Choices summer 2021 campaign includes a specially curated online hub providing customers with recipes and suggested shopping lists to make planning for staycations, barbeques and match nights in, simple, healthy and tasty.

Spar has been a partner of the FAI since 2015 and saw over 100,000 boys and girls take part in the Spar FAI School Zone initiative earlier this year.

 

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