Coleman: 'Time To Stand Up And Be Counted'

Seamus Coleman concedes Everton “need to do better” and is promising the Blues will be primed and ready to tackle a demanding FA Cup tie at Millwall next weekend.

Everton missed the opportunity to record successive Premier League wins when they lost to Southampton on Saturday, six days after defeating Bournemouth at Goodison Park.

A victory at St Mary’s Stadium would have lifted Marco Silva’s side to seventh, a position in the table Coleman insists is “up for grabs”.

More immediately, the right-back – who joined Everton 10 years ago this month – is directing his focus towards the Cup and Saturday's mouth-watering fourth-round tie in south-east London.

“Millwall is a great game for us – it’s going to be tough but I’ve made no secret of the fact it would be great to finally win a cup with this club,” said Coleman.

“It starts with Millwall and we have to dust ourselves down, go again and make sure we are prepared this week to go and have another battle.

“The Cup is important for the fans, the manager, the players, everyone involved with the Club. 


“The manager will be wanting to do all he can to win the Cup…  and it is something I know the Everton fans are desperate for.

“As players, we are as well. There are no easy games, either, and going to Millwall will be difficult so we need to be prepared and do our homework this week.”

Coleman made his 277th Everton appearance against Southampton, drawing level with magnificent former midfielder and peerless manager Howard Kendall.

The Irishman, however, left the south coast unable to shake the feeling his side had passed up a chance to rediscover the momentum which propelled them through a succession of positive results earlier in the campaign.

Coleman has captained Everton in every game – save for when he sat out the New Year’s Day meeting with Leicester City – since his return from a four-match absence against Crystal Palace back in October.

He has been on the pitch for 14 matches in that period, winning five and drawing three, a sequence which illustrates the inconsistency Coleman insists Everton must banish from their football. In the two months to late November, manager Silva's team claimed 16 points from the 21 available.


“There is no magic potion – we just need to work hard and keep battling,” said Coleman, who admitted his frustration Everton could not provide some cheer for more than 3,000 supporters who packed their corner of St Mary’s. 

“Hopefully with wins the confidence will come but at the minute we are not winning enough, we are not getting back-to-back wins, which always breeds confidence.

“The past six or seven weeks… we’ve won a game, performed well and looked forward to the next game, but it hasn't gone quite so well. You don’t want to keep saying we had new players coming in and are trying to organise that... as a whole we need to be better, we need to stand up and be counted.

“Seventh is up for grabs and there will be a lot of teams fighting for that position. We can only look at ourselves and that starts with going on the training ground on Monday and preparing the best we can and having a great attitude like all professional footballers should.

“The only way you can do it is on the pitch and be proud to play for your club. At the minute, we all need to do better.”

The FA Cup draw has paired Everton with Millwall for the first time since the teams met in the third round of the competition 13 years ago.

Everton required two games to see off the capital club in that instance, winning 1-0 at Goodison following a 1-1 draw at The Den.

But Coleman, who is eagerly anticipating his first trip to Millwall’s famous home ground, is eyeing progress at the first time of asking this time round.

He added: “I’ve never played there and I hear it’s a great atmosphere. We are looking forward to the game and hopefully we can win it and advance in the Cup.

“Silverware is massive for this club and I want to win the Cup. That would be a great achievement and give the fans something to celebrate.”