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First of all, I think we should put a couple of things to bed,” he said, “speaking in the wake of the friendly defeat to Iceland. “James wants to play for us but it just seems to be quite often when he has come to us that he’s just recovering from an injury, and the time element seems to fall on us on whether you play him or don’t play him.“James wanted to play in the game, and there (had been) a fairly lengthy time from when he picked up the injury. He had a bit of setback but he was back running and, the things he did in the couple days of training we had, he was very happy with. But we all know training is totally different to what you’re doing at match level, and that was a bit of a concern. But he’s important for us.”
While O’Neill again stressed that McCarthy “wanted to play and was fit to play” against the Welsh, he added that, in terms of the player’s match fitness, as manager he had expected he would probably have review to situation at half-time and was prepared to substitute him if required.
“But I wasn’t thinking he was going to pull up in the warm-up,” he said, “but he overstretched himself.” O’Neill also indicated that, even then, McCarthy thought he might still be able to play in the game but, at that point, the decision was taken to withdraw him from the side.
The Derryman also said that he feels the Irish management and medical staff are having to cope with the consequences of an injury issue which can only be fully dealt with at Goodison Park. “What he does at club level is something that’s outside our jurisdiction and outside our control, and I think that hamstring problem that he’s continually having, that’s got to be addressed by him and his club more than anything else,” he said.
“We’re trying to pick up the bits of this here but it’s not a fight... “I’m really surprised you’re telling me (about first reports of Everton’s dismay). If you’re looking at the length of time he hasn’t been with us and the times that he’s missed matches, either by not being picked or picking up a niggling injury, that’s something the club and James will have to look at because we’re not in control of him, we only have him these (few) days and we’re guided by James and our staff. The reason it seems to be more pronounced is because of the historical things seemingly between this country and Everton.