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Irish Daily Mirror
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Calvert-Lewin's speech about Coleman sums up love for Everton captain
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has heaped praise on Seamus Coleman, saying he is everything good about Everton. Calvert-Lewin has been at Everton since 2016, making over 250 appearances for the Toffees and playing under countless managers. But the one mainstay of his time on Merseyside has been Donegal man Coleman, who has just been offered a contract to play a 17th season at the club. Striker Calvert-Lewin's Everton future is in doubt, with new contract talks having stalled, but his admiration for Coleman knows no bounds. Speaking on the High Performance Podcast, Calvert-Lewin was asked who the biggest cultural architect at Everton is, and he was in no doubt of the answer. "The biggest cultural architect at Everton is Seamus Coleman," Calvert-Lewin said. "What a man he is! He deserves all the credit he's got from people and all the plaudits and positivity associated with him because he really is that guy. "Some players or people might put on a bit of extra to look a certain way, but he truly lives and breathes it. "I was talking about feeling a relegation battle before, but he feels it tenfold compared to me. It's the way he's emotional in the sense that he loves Everton Football Club. "I think that's quite rare these days because football is also a business, and sometimes football doesn't love you back. I wouldn't say gone are the days where you have those childhood stories of players staying at the same club, but it's a little different now. "I think he still appreciates the faith that Everton put in him when he was a young lad. Nobody can argue what he's done. "People often forget that, probably in Everton's history, the last three years—the points deductions, relegation battles—have been the toughest. The uncertainty, maybe higher up, and things like that, which do filter into a dressing room and affect your performance when the environment's unstable. "You do have to stay focused and stay as a unit. Seamus has been the main driver of that through sheer passion and love for the club. As you can tell, I respect him a lot." Calvert-Lewin added: "He just does everything right. He doesn't cut corners. Simple things, you know—he's on time, and he's very aware of how people perceive him in the environment. He knows that people will go off from how he acts. "So, he never loses sight of that. If we're going through a sticky patch, he'll make sure he's the first on the training pitch, first in the gym, or first to training because he's setting the example. For me, he's been a great leader to learn from because that's all I've ever known. I know Seamus like I know Everton." Calvert-Lewin continued on the Everton captain: "You wouldn't believe some of the stuff he has done in moments of need when he's stepped up and spoken in the dressing room. I can't think of an exact moment, but he's able to recognise when the team needs a kick up the arse. I've heard him give a lot of speeches over the years. "He won't mind me saying this, but his go-to is always: 'There are people in those stands who are paying a lot of money to come and watch us. They're working all week, and this is their outlet to come and watch us win and, at the bare minimum, see us give our all.' "It's something along those lines. Without saying too much, he speaks about the people, he speaks about the football club. He's almost able to disassociate himself as Seamus the footballer and place himself as Seamus, Everton Football Club. You feel it, you know? It's captivating. "You go out ready to run through brick walls. Managers have come and gone in that period of time, but he's been the captain. He's had to deal with a lot in terms of internal politics, points deductions, this person, that person, and still, he's out there giving 110% on the day."
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Calvert-Lewin: Everton pressure pushed me to my lowest point
Calvert-Lewin Interview Reveals Emotional Toll of Everton Struggles Emotional weight of the badge Dominic Calvert-Lewin's conversation on the High Performance Podcast offered more than insight into elite football. It revealed the raw underside of responsibility, mental pressure and what it means to wear the number nine shirt for Everton during its most turbulent era. 'People obviously forget that probably in Everton's history, the last 3 years, the points deductions, relegation battles, has been the toughest,' Calvert-Lewin said. His voice throughout the interview was not that of a player looking for sympathy, but one seeking understanding. Pressure in isolation The Everton striker described the emotional breaking point that occurred away from the pitch. 'That was a low point for me because I ended up crying. You know, I was on my own on my birthday crying on my bedroom floor.' That moment came weeks before he scored the goal that kept Everton in the Premier League. Photo IMAGO He described that goal against Crystal Palace as 'just like a relief. Biggest relief ever.' But it was not just a professional reprieve; it was personal salvation. 'I put that responsibility on my shoulders, you know. I kind of like thought it's my responsibility to save everybody, save people's jobs.' Misunderstood in the spotlight One of the most compelling themes in the interview was Calvert-Lewin's regret at how some of his public moments were misunderstood. 'I phrased it in that talking saved my life… and I regretted it because talking changed my life,' he admitted, explaining how the media misinterpreted a deeply personal post. Advertisement This was not a cry for help, he emphasised. It was an effort to help others. 'I wanted to show emotion to help kids… help the next generation to know that I've been through a difficult journey and I've still come out on top.' Footballer and human The Everton striker repeatedly stressed that behind the professional façade was a human being dealing with layers of pressure. 'You know, he's got loads of money, drives whatever, plays in the Premier League, everything's great… but I also have problems.' Photo IMAGO The mental toll of repeated injuries left him questioning everything. 'I started to make the wrong decision. I need to not be in my head. I need to be in my body and trust that my body knows what to do.' Calvert-Lewin's conversation, shared candidly with podcast hosts Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes, was a reminder of the unseen battle athletes face. 'I've never heard a stadium erupt like it in my life,' he said, recalling the aftermath of that goal. Yet, it was what came before — the tears, the pain, the isolation—that made the eruption mean something more.
Daily Mirror
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Dominic Calvert-Lewin admits 'crying on bedroom floor' during Everton struggles
Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin has opened up on his struggles off the pitch as the Toffees battled for Premier League survival in the 2021/22 season Dominic Calvert-Lewin has revealed he spent part of his birthday in tears on his bedroom floor as Everton battled for Premier League survival. The Toffees forward scored the pivotal goal to cement his side's place in this division in 2021/22 but endured emotional turmoil in the build up to that moment. Calvert-Lewin, 28, joined Everton as a teenager in 2016 and netted the winning goal against Crystal Palace to secure a 3-2 win and the Merseyside club's place in the top-flight. The striker has scored 71 goals in his Everton career but none more important than in that moment. An injury-plagued season saw Calvert-Lewin's influence on the pitch wane, having hit a career high 21 goals the previous term. With the Toffees battling for survival, the Sheffield-born star's return saw him pile pressure on himself. Calvert-Lewin's issues saw him believe that it was 'his responsibility to save everybody', with the prospect of job losses and relegation on the horizon. Speaking on the High Performance Podcast, Calvert-Lewin admitted he hit 'rock bottom' before scoring that goal. "I did an Instagram post [at the end of the season] which was an outburst of emotion," Calvert-Lewin said. "I can look back in hindsight and reflect on what it was, I scored the goal against Palace that kept Everton in the league and that feeling I will never be able to describe. "It was the weight of my own pressure, the football club. I am quite an emotional person and I put that weight on my shoulders. I thought it was my responsibility to save everybody, save jobs and that's a lot to put on your shoulders. When I scored that goal it was relief. "On my birthday, four or five weeks before I scored that goal, that was a low point for me. I ended up crying on my bedroom floor, I think it was not knowing how to express what I was feeling in that moment. Feeling that things are getting away from you. "You have all the pressure of the football club on your shoulders and at the time I couldn't play, as I had another injury. I was thinking it was a rock bottom moment for me. I felt better after I cried and let out that emotion, and was like 'I'm going to save Everton Football Club'." Calvert-Lewin's contract is set to expire this summer and wants to find himself in a winning environment. The forward, who has four goals in 11 England caps, wants to earn his way back to the Three Lions set-up and make a Champions League debut before he hangs up his boots. "I have to be careful with what I say because I am still contracted to Everton, I have a long history with Everton and a big respect for the club," he said. "The main thing for me is I want to win, I want to be in a winning environment. After the last three or four seasons it has been about survival. "When I started my career I wanted to play in the Premier League, play for England a go to major tournaments with England and play in the Champions League. I have played in a major tournament for England, I have played in the Premier League, but I haven't played in the Champions League. There are still things I would like to achieve before my time is done. "To have the opportunity to decide potentially where that place will be. If it gives me the best opportunity and environment to win and score goals, then that would be the return of me to the England team and playing in the Champions League. "That has been my driver to play at the highest level possible. My representation of that is the Champions League, World Cups, Euros and getting into that bracket of elite players."
Wales Online
04-06-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin left crying on bedroom floor at moment he 'hit rock bottom'
Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin left crying on bedroom floor at moment he 'hit rock bottom' Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the crucial goal that kept Everton in the Premier League in 2022, and he has opened up on the emotional toll that season took on him amid regular injury struggles Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin has opened up about his mental health struggles while battling injuries over the years (Image: Getty Images ) Dominic Calvert-Lewin has openly discussed his struggles with injury and the immense pressure he felt at Everton during the club's recent tribulations. The forward even revealed how he found himself in tears on his bedroom floor on his birthday during the final stages of the 2021/22 season, as he yearned to beat his injury struggles and contribute for his club. He bounced back from those challenges to net the goal that ensured Everton's Premier League survival. His diving header in May 2022 clinched a remarkable comeback victory over Crystal Palace in the penultimate match of the campaign and secured the Toffees' future in the top flight. The season had started positively for Calvert-Lewin, with the striker finding the back of the net in the first three league matches and earning a call-up to the England squad. However, this form came with a price as he soldiered on through the discomfort of a broken toe. Reflecting on that period on the High Performance Podcast, he recalled having to withdraw from international duty as he tried to adjust to his injury. And it was then he developed the first of several quadriceps issues that have since plagued him. Despite the difficulties, he played a pivotal role in Everton's fight for Premier League survival, notably assisting Alex Iwobi for a crucial stoppage-time goal against Newcastle United and scoring a vital opener against Brentford. However, it was his dramatic diving header against Crystal Palace that truly turned the tide as Everton secured their place in the league. Article continues below "That feeling, I'll never be able to describe it," he said. "It was the weight of my own pressure, the football club. I am quite an emotional person so I put that responsibility on my shoulders. I thought, 'It's my responsibility to save everybody, save people's jobs.' Calvert-Lewin has finally managed consistent minutes over the past two campaigns after several injury-ravaged seasons (Image: Getty Images ) "So when I scored that goal it was a relief. The biggest relief ever. On my birthday, which would have been four, five weeks before I scored that goal, that was a low point for me. I can't remember why, I think it was built-up emotion, I ended up crying. "I was on my own on my birthday, crying on my bedroom floor for whatever reason, feeling a little bit sorry for myself. I think it was not knowing how to express what I was feeling in that moment, that feeling things were getting away from me, feeling you have all the pressure of the football club on your shoulders, and you just want to go out there and play. "And at that moment I couldn't play because I had picked up another injury and it was overwhelming. But I remember thinking to myself, 'This is a rock bottom moment.' In my mind I was thinking, 'It doesn't get worse than this, you need to pick yourself up and go again.' Content cannot be displayed without consent "So that was a catalyst for me because I felt better after I cried. I let out that emotion, all that pressure I had put on myself, and thought, 'I am going to save Everton Football Club.' I ended up scoring the winning goal." The Sheffield-born star also spoke of opening up about his emotional struggle when that season ended, taking to Instagram to write how talking had saved his life, reports the Liverpool Echo. He told podcast host Jake Humphrey he meant to write that talking had changed his life, and the attention of the media that followed created another layer of pressure for him to deal with. The 28-year-old emphasised the importance of his message and elaborated: "Hindsight is a beautiful thing. What I actually did was almost put more pressure on me, because I put myself in the spotlight for a non-footballing reason... we all have problems and that is what I was trying to portray." Attempting to recreate the moment his header found the back of the net against Palace, he continued: "I've never heard a stadium erupt like that in my life. I remember the ball coming in. I remember heading the ball. I remember feeling like I had lost sight of the ball. Looking back up. And it had just gone past the keeper. It was his goal against Crystal Palace that kept Everton in the top flight three years ago (Image:) "And it was like [tries to replicate the crowd noise], it was like a noise that was almost still. It was that loud it was silent, if that makes sense. Everything just faded out and I remember just wheeling off, running, I don't know what I was doing... it was the most euphoric thing I have ever felt playing football." Article continues below Despite ongoing injury issues hampering Calvert-Lewin's career, he has managed to produce pivotal moments to aid Everton in their fight against relegation in the subsequent two seasons. His penalty at Leicester City proved crucial in the final month of the next season, which concluded with Abdoulaye Doucoure ensuring survival on the last day of that campaign. Last year, his courageous last-minute penalty secured an essential draw at Newcastle. That acted as the stage for a revival in which he netted a decisive goal against Burnley and the second in a 2-0 Merseyside derby victory that virtually eliminated relegation worries. He was absent for a significant portion of this season, scoring just three goals in 26 Premier League outings. And the future now looks uncertain for the nine-year Everton veteran as his contract is due to expire at the end of this month.
Daily Mirror
03-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin emotionally recalls 'crying on bedroom floor'
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has spoken about the pressure he placed on himself to bring success to Everton, as a series of injuries rendered him almost helpless in a Premier League relegation battle Dominic Calvert-Lewin has recalled shedding tears on his bedroom floor on his birthday, as Everton's struggles in the 2020/21 season got to him while he was hindered by injury. While he bounced back to net the goal that eventually ensured Everton's Premier League survival, the centre-forward opened up about the emotional toil that being sidelined had on him. The season had started positively for Calvert-Lewin, with the striker finding the net in the first three league matches and earning a call-up to the England squad. However, this form came with a price as he soldiered on despite a broken toe. Reflecting on this period on the High Performance Podcast, he remembered having to withdraw from the international squad and, while trying to adjust for his injury, developed the first of several quadriceps issues that have since plagued him. Calvert-Lewin also opened up about his challenging season, marred by injuries and managerial changes, from Rafa Benitez to Frank Lampard's rescue mission. Despite the setbacks, the 28-year-old played a pivotal role in the campaign, notably with his decisive diving header from Demarai Gray's free-kick against Crystal Palace that truly turned the tide for the club and saved them from relegation, igniting ecstatic celebrations at Goodison Park. Reflecting on the overwhelming emotions of that moment, Calvert-Lewin said: "That feeling, I'll never be able to describe it. It was the weight of my own pressure, the football club. "I am quite an emotional person so I put that responsibility on my shoulders. I thought, 'It's my responsibility to save everybody, save people's jobs.' So when I scored that goal it was a relief. The biggest relief ever. "On my birthday, which would have been 4/5 weeks before I scored that goal, that was a low point for me. I can't remember why, I think it was built-up emotion, I ended up crying. I was on my own on my birthday, crying on my bedroom floor for whatever reason, feeling a little bit sorry for myself. "I think it was not knowing how to express what I was feeling in that moment, that feeling things were getting away from me, feeling you have all the pressure of the football club on your shoulders and you just want to go out there and play. "And at that moment I couldn't play because I had picked up another injury and it was overwhelming. But I remember thinking to myself, 'This is a rock bottom moment.' In my mind I was thinking it doesn't get worse than this, you need to pick yourself up and go again. "So that was a catalyst for me because I felt better after I cried. I let out that emotion, all that pressure I had put on myself, and thought I am going to save Everton Football Club. I ended up scoring the winning goal." Calvert-Lewin also shared his emotional journey on social media, telling podcast host Jake Humphrey about the unintended consequences it had. He had meant to write that talking had changed his life, but the message was misinterpreted, leading to increased media scrutiny and additional pressure. The striker emphasised the significance of his message, that people can triumph over their hardships, wrote on his Instagram: "Hindsight is a beautiful thing. What I actually did was almost put more pressure on me because I put myself in the spotlight for a non-footballing reason... we all have problems and that is what I was trying to portray." Recounting the unforgettable moment his header found the net, he added: "I've never heard a stadium erupt like that in my life. I remember the ball coming in. I remember heading the ball. I remember feeling like I had lost sight of the ball. Looking back up. And it had just gone past the keeper. "And it was like [tries to replicate the crowd noise], it was like a noise that was almost still. It was that loud it was silent, if that makes sense. Everything just faded out and I remember just wheeling off, running, I don't know what I was doing... it was the most euphoric thing I have ever felt playing football." Despite ongoing injury woes, Calvert-Lewin has delivered crucial moments to ensure Everton's Premier League survival in recent years, including a pivotal penalty at Leicester City and Abdoulaye Doucoure's last-day heroics to avoid relegation the following season. Last year, his courageous last-minute penalty secured a draw at Newcastle, setting the stage for a revival in which he netted the decisive goal against Burnley and the second in the 2-0 Merseyside derby victory that virtually eliminated relegation worries. However, after sustaining a hamstring injury at Brighton and Hove Albion, he was absent for a significant portion of the latter half of this season under David Moyes – and with his contract due to expire at the end of this month, his future remains uncertain.
