Röhl Pays Tribute To ‘Idol’ Coleman After First Everton Goal

Merlin Röhl has opened up on his admiration for Blues skipper Seamus Coleman after the iconic Everton defender announced he’ll be departing the Club at the end of this season. 

Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to Sunderland marked Coleman’s final home fixture as an Everton player, bringing to a close a remarkable spell of more than 17 years on Merseyside.

The Everton goal scorer in the game was Röhl, netting for the Club for the first time – and he paid tribute to the departing Everton skipper in his post-match interview.

“He’s had a great impact on me,” explained Röhl. “From the first minute, I think we had a really nice connection.

“He believed in me as a football player and as a person. I really admire him for his attitude and for everything he gives for the Club. 

“I try to see him as my idol and take everything I can see from him and get the real hard work onto the pitch for the Club.

“That’s every training day too – he’s one of the best trainers I’ve ever seen. That’s why he’s been here so long and why he’s such a big figure.”

Defeat leaves Everton in 12^th position in the Premier League table, falling to three points behind eighth-placed Brentford with one game remaining – an away trip to face relegation-threatened Tottenham on Sunday. 

“It was a big opportunity for us,” acknowledged Röhl. “We had opportunities in the last games, but this one was perhaps the last opportunity to get back in the race for Europe.

“We didn’t get the win today and it’s disappointing, especially on a day like this – the last home game for Seamus Coleman.

“We didn’t play great in the first half, but we took the lead. Sometimes this is football, but we couldn’t get another goal. 

“Football is always so tough and sometimes you win the games by only a margin, and the last few games we couldn’t get the win, and that’s disappointing.”