Celtic took Everton’s Seamus Coleman on trial before his move to Merseyside.
Aberdeen winger Niall McGinn has told The Scottish Sun that Celtic will be massively disappointed to have missed out on signing Seamus Coleman after his trial spell with the Bhoys.
Northern Ireland take on the Republic of Ireland in an international friendly this week, and McGinn could be in line to feature for Michael O’Neill’s Northern Ireland side.
The game means that he should be taking on Republic of Ireland right back Seamus Coleman, almost ten years since they had a very brief spell at Celtic together.
Coleman was with Sligo Rovers, starring over in Ireland when Celtic brought him in for a trial in late 2008, only for him to sign for Everton instead in January 2009.
Coleman, now 30, has racked up more than 250 appearances for the Toffees whilst becoming one of the Premier League’s most dependable right backs.
Celtic have been left to rue not signing him, and now winger McGinn – who signed for Celtic in January 2009 as Coleman was finishing up his trial under Gordon Strachan – has spoken about the situation.
McGinn noted that failing to sign Coleman is a ‘massive disappointment’ to this day for Celtic, and praised him for an unbelievable career with Everton, leaving the Bhoys to wonder what might have been.
“When I signed for Celtic, Seamus Coleman was actually there on trial,” said McGinn. “To think that Celtic didn’t sign him was a massive disappointment for them. Certainly when you look at the unbelievable career he has gone on to have at a top level with Everton,” he added.
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