SEAMUS COLEMAN was quite happy with his role in the formation deployed by new Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti yesterday.
When Everton were in possession, Coleman played on the right of a 3-5-2 formation.
It was the first time that Coleman and on-loan French international Djibril Sidibe started in the same team with Sidibe in a more advanced role on the right-hand side.
“I enjoyed it,” Coleman said. ”It was something the manager worked on during the week – when we have the ball to drop into a back three.
“I was happy to do it. We did it for a few days in training and I really enjoyed it actually.”
With Coleman starting Ancelotti’s first game, the Killybegs man appears in favour with the Italian, who has been handed a long-term deal at Goodison Park.
The success of the formation with Coleman and Sidibe in the same team will perhaps raise the eyebrows of Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy, who wasn’t happy with how his try at having Coleman and Matt Doherty in the same team fared out last March.
Coleman will now be hoping to convince McCarthy again ahead of the play-off against Slovakia in March after Doherty impressed at right-back against Denmark, a game Coleman missed due to a suspension.
Coleman enjoyed the first few days under Ancelotti, who has succeeded Marco Silva on Merseyside.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s late goal against Burnley gave Ancelotti a winning start to his Toffees tenure.
Coleman said: “Me, as a player, I listen and learn from every manager and respect them wholeheartedly.
“But a manager with his track record, what he’s done in the game, as a club we should be very proud, we should embrace it as players, soak it all up and learn from the best. And hopefully this can really kick us on.”
Coleman also gave a nod to the impact of the caretaker manager, Duncan Ferguson.
He said: “He lifted the place, lifted the crowd and then, obviously, when the crowd are feeling good and they see Carlo Ancelotti coming out today it’s a massive boost and it was set up for us to win today.
“But we still had to go out and do it and Burnley are a good side and doing well for themselves.
“But I think momentum’s been building from the few games that Duncan had, so we’ll rest up, get ready to go again and hopefully it will be another three points (against Newcastle tomorrow) and we can keep climbing that table.”
