Everton manager David Moyes has expressed sympathy for Ireland captain Séamus Coleman, whose farewell to Goodison Park, and potentially the end of his playing career with the club, was cut short due to injury.

Coleman (36) has only made five appearances for the club this season due to injury, but was given a significant boost when named to start the final game at their old stadium before moving to a new one next season.

Coleman, however, only lasted 18 minutes before being replaced, and he is now a doubt for Ireland’s two-game friendly series next month.

“I am really pleased [that he started], but also very disappointed for him because he picked up a thigh strain early in the game,” Moyes said after the 2-0 victory over Southampton.

“That actually affected us in other ways because the substitutions that got made changed us a bit and made us a bit weak in the second half, that we couldn’t take off one or two players who were tiring.”

Moyes stated before the game that Coleman would be at the club next season – the Donegal man is out of contract – but did not specify whether he would be a player, a player/coach, or in a coaching-only role.

Heimir Hallgrimsson named Coleman to his squad for friendly games against Senegal and Luxembourg last week, but admitted there was concern about the Everton player’s and Sammie Szmodics’ ability to recover in time.

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