Séamus Coleman says he is not stressed that he still has no club weeks into the new season, and he has promised to make a decision soon in the coming weeks on whether to continue playing or to hang up his boots.
And wWhile the veteran is unlikely to be included when Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson names his squad next week for the four-game series in the Nations League, as he is without a clubeven allowing for the impact he made to the national team when he was recalled from exile by Hallgrimsson, Coleman says he would have retired from playing at the end of last season were it not for the dream of playing for Ireland to keep him involved.
Coleman has been without a club since he left Everton.at the end of last season And while he’s had options, including a firm offer from Sheffield United, he’s still unattached.
He is now training on his own, having spent time training with his local GAA club in Donegal over the summer, and retirement could be on the cards if a suitable offer does not come his way.
“The decision has to come at some point, but I’m OK with making a decision,” Coleman told the Stick To Football podcast on Disney+.
“I’m not kind of stressed in either way about it, I’m quite laid-back about it. I had a good run, and it was more so just the Ireland stuff.
“I wouldn’t mentally commit to it for two years. I don’t think I’ll be playing for Ireland in two years, regular starts or whatever.
“Around the group, around the squad, I still think it could help everyone but it has to be right for me and my family, and the time’s come close where I’m going to have to decide either way.
“I was home in Ireland for about six weeks there so it was nice, because usually when you go back for pre-season the kids are just finishing up for their school holidays, so we’ve had like a nice period back in Ireland.
“I’ve been keeping fit and training and not stressing too much about what’s next.” added Coleman, who
Coleman also confirmed that he would not want to play in League One or below; he would only play on at Championship level.
“I’m training by myself, it’s not the same, I’m trying to stay as fit as I can. Now the window closes things might open up a little bit, but I’ll be making a decision very, very soon and again, if it wasn’t for that Ireland stuff, my a decision would have been made.
“I probably was done 100 per cent at the end of the season until I spoke with the Ireland manager, and I’d done quite well in the Ireland games over the last year — we got close to the World Cup and got knocked out.
“But he mentioned about me staying on to be part of it for the Euros in a couple of years, now I know that’s a long way away. So that kind of planted a seed in my mind, maybe I could carry on and see what it’s like.”
Coleman says he did meet Sheffield United but backed away.
“I spoke with a club and I met the manager and went down there. I just felt it was a bit soon after leaving Everton,” he added.
“It all happened too soon and I didn’t want to keep them hanging on because I didn’t want to mess them around, they were trying to get their players in so I just went back to Ireland.
“The [Sheffield United] manager was really, really good, like a little bit old-school, and the club was a good set-up as well, but I didn’t want to keep them hanging on and decided it just wasn’t right and then just went home and switched off.
“I think probably just because I’ve been somewhere for so long. And it just came very quick. It was just a big decision to make quite quickly after I think I finished with Ireland, and then they were on the phone like a couple of days later. I didn’t want to rush these decisions, so it just didn’t feel right.
“I’ve not been training with a team. I’d find it strange going into a team now. I was back home for the six weeks. I’d done a little bit of Gaelic football with the lads back home, and trained with the soccer team back home, but just to stay fit, keep your movements going. But in terms of training with a team, I’ve not been [training].
“I just feel like I need a break from it. I wanted to go home, I wanted to spend time with my family. My mum, my dad, my brothers, my in-laws, the kids got to have seven weeks back in Ireland, and it was nice and I wouldn’t swap it, but it’s not to say that it [playing] is not something that I will go back to in time.
“The Ireland thing is huge for me. I love Ireland. I’ve just dropped a little bit of doubt in my head about the possibility of wanting to play on, and because I felt so good in the games.”
Coleman added that moving back to Ireland is also an option for family reasons.
“My wife would get on the plane in the morning and go wherever if we needed her, she’d support me and that’s important as well,” he added.
“I have been thinking, ‘I’m going to stay here’ or ‘let’s go home, let’s move home’.
“My wife is unbelievable, she’s been there through all the good times, the bad times, the injuries. Everything that’s come with it, she’s had to deal with it, and two of us are over here on our own, three kids, you know, all the family’s back home, we don’t have that kind of support network, that’s why we enjoy going home so much.
“She just wants me to be happy and just wants me to do what’s right for me.”