McCarthy didn't play for Everton yesterday, as he's "'one or two weeks' away from fitness", according to Ronald Koeman: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/...verton-koeman/
This makes him a doubt for the upcoming Wales clash. Squad is to be announced tomorrow, of course.
Originally Posted by RTÉ
Deja vu, albeit with a different intro.
Well I guess in a way him not playing for his club kind of justifed the times he has taken stick for not playing for Ireland.
Still we have other midfielders waiting for a chance, Conner Hourihane to name but one, and assist for Villa on Saturday.
Koeman has a go at both James McCarthy and Martin O'Neill after McCarthy aggravated his hamstring problem before the Wales game: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...oeman-10124151
Originally Posted by Andy Dunn
He might have a point this time?
I doubt that Ireland did anything with McCarthy other than what Everton would have done themselves to have him fit for a game. I understand that McCarthy trained twice at most and felt it in the warm up last Friday which hardly constitutes pushing or risking him. Hasn't he only played 90 mins for Everton once this season? I think everton need to look at the way they are handling his fitness the way Chelsea did with Duffer when he had similar hamstring problems
Seemed like we were desperately trying to get him fit in time for the match. I doubt Everton would have been quite as desperate if the early signs were that he wasn't going to make it. Keane was close enough to ruling him out when he hadn't trained up until the Wednesday, was it, or Thursday. Everton had been wrapping him in cotton wool but we appeared to try to accelerate the process. I was kind of thinking that myself so I'm definitely not surprised by Everton's frustrations.
It would be interesting to hear O'Neill's perspective, or even McCarthy's.
Koeman added:
Acrimonious.Originally Posted by Ronald Koeman
Lukaku isn't a great analogy though considering Lukaku played a game for Belgium and was then rested. McCarthy was rested for both our fixtures on the basis of the concern over his hamstring. To be fair to the Irish management, it's not as if they played a player whose fitness was in doubt. You'd nearly get the impression from Koeman's comments that McCarthy had actually played a game.
Was the hamstring injury actually aggravated in the warm up as suggested?
Hmm, possibly not. I'd assumed it was, but maybe it was simply decided - by player, management or both - that it would be best for McCarthy not to play. The way Koeman has been talking though, it would suggest McCarthy's hamstring problem has been worsened.
The Mirror reported the following:
That would suggest an aggravation and/or deterioration.Originally Posted by Andy Dunn
Comparing a friendly to a crucial World Cup qualifier is insane and Koeman must know that. McCarthy was given every chance because of the importance of the game but ultimately didn't make it.
There is no story here apart from Koeman mouthing off for no reason
Bring Back Belfast Celtic F.C.
O'Neill confirms that here - http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/s...es-446466.html
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.
O'Neill says McCarthy "overstretched himself"* but that "even then, McCarthy thought he might still be able to play in the game".
Is Koeman exaggerating matters then (possibly so as to distract from Everton's potential culpability as far as McCarthy's recurring injury problems are concerned)? It sounds like he may be. If McCarthy still felt he could have played on Friday night, how does that fit with the Mirror reporting that he's now expected to face a lengthy spell on the sidelines?
*What exactly does that mean? I've got zero expertise in the field of hamstring injuries, but does it mean McCarthy pulled the muscle again or does it mean he just felt a bit of pain/tightness upon exerting himself?
Last edited by DannyInvincible; 30/03/2017 at 12:48 PM.
It sounds similar to his last hamstring setback with Everton on 6th March, but that's not the point here.
James was still in rehab when this squad assembled, otherwise he would have been fit enough to join in the sessions. He has a long injury history. He was taken out of his primary rehab environment.
By placing the carrot of an important WC qual ahead of him, faced with a depleted team the Irish management have left their door wide open to accusations that they forced the situation, inward and outward pressure on James to be fit to play and possibly with the aid of a complaint FAI doctor. The management were well aware of wishes of Everton not to take risks. Koeman had claimed James would not be fit until some time between 19th and 25th. By fit Ronnie explained, would be to play James for 30 minutes or so then put him through a recovery program.
MON offers stinging rebuke to Koeman.
http://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/state...-martin-oneill
You kinda get the feeling that Liverpool are going to hump Everton on sunday. Ronnie is in for the prolonged angst.
Erm, tets, in that post of mine that you've deleted, I quoted Ronald Koeman's spoken words from a public press conference, all ten minutes of which could be viewed via the YouTube video that I also posted. Of which forum rule was that in breach?
The first rule is what Tets says are the rules.
Here's what Koeman said during the pre-Merseyside derby press conference earlier today that provoked O'Neill into making his scathing "master tactician of the blame game" statement this evening: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/...ronald-koeman/
Or see from 1m35s:
Koeman has now tweeted a sarcastic response to O'Neill's claim that McCarthy "returned to Everton [post-Euros] after a very short break, but only 11 days later, he played his first of three games, all within an eight-day period, against Real Betis, Manchester United and Espanyol":
Originally Posted by Ronald Koeman
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