James McCarthy M free agent b.1990

[Razors left peg]

He was excellent against Italy and France in 2016.

Yeah he was good in the Euros I suppose. As I said I'd still pick him if hes fit, but I think that says more about where we are than where he is.

[Snapshot]

He should get games at Celtic due to squad rotation, number of competitions, high octane style of play - not cos he would walk into first 11 due to superior quality to what's there.

His style of play doesn't really fit in with what is going on at Celtic at the minute. James doesn't play on the front foot or isnt creative enough to warrant a starting spot when they are actively looking to go out and break down opposition and win a game.

Away at Ibrox, tynecastle, in Europe etc he should do a job.

But it begs the question: why hand a four-year contract to an expensive, injury-prone player who's the very antithesis of the manager's style and who will only be used now and then?

[irishfan86]

I suspect McCarthy will be the holding player. He is an elite midfielder from a defensive perspective and will allow the attacking players to have the freedom to take more risks. In that way, it actually makes a lot of sense to me.

[Eirambler]

But it begs the question: why hand a four-year contract to an expensive, injury-prone player who's the very antithesis of the manager's style and who will only be used now and then?

I think they'll probably come to regret that decision in time, especially the four year contract bit. But the famous "Premier League Experience" continues to count for a lot and when added to availability on a free transfer, seems to cause clubs to make strange decisions. See Newcastle and Jeff Hendrick - I'd say if they could go back in time they'd want to undo that decision.

[Snapshot]

I suspect McCarthy will be the holding player. He is an elite midfielder from a defensive perspective and will allow the attacking players to have the freedom to take more risks. In that way, it actually makes a lot of sense to me.
He's not an elite midfielder - maybe he had that potential but injuries took a significant toll. He can still do a job for Celtic - but a four-year contract was a major surprise. Good luck staying fit in his 30s when he struggled to do so in his 20s.

[EAFC_rdfl]

He's not an elite midfielder - maybe he had that potential but injuries took a significant toll. He can still do a job for Celtic - but a four-year contract was a major surprise. Good luck staying fit in his 30s when he struggled to do so in his 20s.
Ryan Giggs was probably more injured in his 20s than his 30s

[Colbert Report]

Not even on the bench today for Celtic, who thrashed St. Mirren 6-0 at home. Is he just building his fitness up before being allowed to play? It seems very strange to bring a guy in on huge money and then not play him.

[brine3]

Yeah he's fully fit at the moment.

Probably why SK didn't pick him.

McCarthy yet another player who would have blossomed into a brilliant player if he had been playing on the continent instead of England.

[ColourfulPeanut]

Yeah he's fully fit at the moment.
McCarthy yet another player who would have blossomed into a brilliant player if he had been playing on the continent instead of England.
How? Do they have better physios over their or something?

[seanfhear]

How? Do they have better physios over their or something?
I don’t think gravity is quite as strong there.

[elatedscum]

Not even on the bench today for Celtic, who thrashed St. Mirren 6-0 at home. Is he just building his fitness up before being allowed to play? It seems very strange to bring a guy in on huge money and then not play him.

Kenny mentioned that he was sick which stopped him playing

[brine3]

They have better tactical and technical training of young players, and tend not to run the legs off of them when they are young.

McCarthy was knackered by the time he was 27.

[Poor Student]

Came off the bench for Celtic today for the last 15 mins against Ross County. Looked quite good. It's strongly rumoured he had COVID a few weeks back hence the slow start to his Celtic career.

[punkrocket]

Comes of the bench 10 minutes into the second half in Seville with Celtic 4-2 down.

[Bielsa´s irish]

What an inmense player he is. Man of the match for the bhoys

[Poor Student]

What an inmense player he is. Man of the match for the bhoys

Eh?

He started against Livingston and was diabolical. Misplaced passes all over the place. Really really bad. Hopefully he's shaking off the ring rust after a lack of a pre season and having had COVID/

[Stuttgart88]

McCarthy struggling with the intensity of Ange Postecoglou's football and wasn't a Postecoglou signing, or something like that.

https://theathletic.co.uk/2834532/2021/09/19/celtics-midfield-is-too-porous-without-mcgregor-and-there-is-no-effective-plan-b/ (subscription required - I don't have one, I found this on BBC Scottish football gossip page).

[Eirambler]

I can't believe they signed him, never mind that they gave him a four year deal. Well past his best, injury prone and doesn't fit the manager's system. Absolute madness.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Thats because he played for Ireland a golden scapegoat

[Bielsa´s irish]

Inmense again for Céltic. It seems their greek coach told his teammates to look for a pass to James whenever he is available so the team played at his tempo. An assist for the third goal as well.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Actually he had two assists today

[DeLorean]

It was Rogic who assisted the first (hard to see the number on jersey but it was 18, not 16). 'Jimbo's' assist for the first goal was a beaut though, threaded through the eye of a needle.

1441119182460899332

[seanfhear]

It was Rogic who assisted the first (hard to see the number on jersey but it was 18, not 16). 'Jimbo's' assist for the first goal was a beaut though, threaded through the eye of a needle.

1441119182460899332
Great pass ~ great control ~ great finish.

[Poor Student]

Inmense again for Céltic. It seems their greek coach told his teammates to look for a pass to James whenever he is available so the team played at his tempo. An assist for the third goal as well.

Again...? When was he immense before?

[tetsujin1979]

Inmense again for Céltic. It seems their greek coach told his teammates to look for a pass to James whenever he is available so the team played at his tempo. An assist for the third goal as well.

Really? Where did you see that? Can't find any pass map for the game, so I don't know who made/received the most passes

[Poor Student]

Really? Where did you see that? Can't find any pass map for the game, so I don't know who made/received the most passes

His passing was erratic. He gave the ball away cheaply sometimes but also put in a couple of sublime passes one of which was an assist for the first goal. It's hard to tell if he's not on the same wavelength as the team, is still just really unfit/rusty or isn't really suited to playing in a side dominating possession that needs to sustain a high tempo. He was a lot better than his last appearance which was shocking.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Introduced as a #10 after 60 minutes for Rogic. Playing in the hole for Céltic as attacking mid

[Stuttgart88]

Celtic's defence was one very big hole. They attacked v well, btw, Leverkeusen's keeper was superb. Mad game.

[zero]

I've written him off in terms of the national side. I hope he has a good end to his career at Celtic.

[seanfhear]

I've written him off in terms of the national side. I hope he has a good end to his career at Celtic.
Tis kind of bizarre that he has not retired from international football with his injury record and his lack of being able to turn up for international squads ! I don’t suppose anyone would say a lot if he did.

[Bielsa´s irish]

played the last 20 for Celtic good impact he made on the team

[tetsujin1979]

He played 12 minutes, and they conceded after he came on

[Bielsa´s irish]

He played 12 minutes, and they conceded after he came on

well but that was Mikey Johnstone mistake, in fairness good old James played 18 minutes. Scales played it too

[geysir]

He played 12 minutes, and they conceded after he came on

A completly irrelevant statistic. Does that inform anybody about his cameo? about his 18 minutes on the pitch? How about his 70m cross field pass, direct to the the toe of his fellow player? James looked fine out there in that company, albeit for 18 or so minutes. Fitness is his issue not his ability.

[texidub]

Is his head right though? He's had so many opportunities in a long career and yet hasn't really produced anything special on a consistent basis at a decent level. Was ecited about him early in his career and yet now looking back, it seems to be a case of glamorized mediocrity. Oh well.

[third policeman]

Is his head right though? He's had so many opportunities in a long career and yet hasn't really produced anything special on a consistent basis at a decent level. Was ecited about him early in his career and yet now looking back, it seems to be a case of glamorized mediocrity. Oh well.

He had a really good spell at Everton before his injury, but never fulfilled the early hype. He didn’t seem to be able to impose himself on a game and be a dominating influence and the injuries certainly had a physical and possibly a psychological impact.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Well Trap stated that he was shy, very taciturn fellow. Too serious to play football when he compared young McCarthy with Platini and Riviera. He even wore the number 10 shirt in some games under Trap. Maybe he was so matured and down to earth r
That italian Trap confused shy taciturn with being an.old head in a young body

[sadloserkid]

He's had a decent career at a good level. Something akin to Mark Kinsella or Matt Holland? It's probably not fair to judge him against the superclubs he was linked with in the media at 16.

[Supreme feet]

Judging him against other Irish midfielders of the last fifteen years or so: not as good a passer as the likes of Andy Reid or Hoolahan; not as aggressive as Carsley or Meyler; not as much of a goal/assist threat as Hendrick/Andrews (at their best). Better than the likes of Paul Green, Arter and Hourihane, and more effective/committed than Darron Gibson. Better passer than Glenn Whelan. Nowhere near as good as peak Steven Reid. Probably deserves to get into the squad as backup to Cullen, and should challenge for the #6 shirt if he stays injury-free and regains some of his Everton form. Which is a big 'if'.

[Diggs246]

Judging him against other Irish midfielders of the last fifteen years or so: not as good a passer as the likes of Andy Reid or Hoolahan; not as aggressive as Carsley or Meyler; not as much of a goal/assist threat as Hendrick/Andrews (at their best). Better than the likes of Paul Green, Arter and Hourihane, and more effective/committed than Darron Gibson. Better passer than Glenn Whelan. Nowhere near as good as peak Steven Reid. Probably deserves to get into the squad as backup to Cullen, and should challenge for the #6 shirt if he stays injury-free and regains some of his Everton form. Which is a big 'if'.

If we are judging players at their peak, he was better then all of those players,... but his peak was short lived with his injury's

[Stuttgart88]

Well Trap stated that he was shy, very taciturn fellow. Too serious to play football when he compared young McCarthy with Platini and Riviera. He even wore the number 10 shirt in some games under Trap. Maybe he was so matured and down to earth r
That italian Trap confused shy taciturn with being an.old head in a young bodyHe never said anything about him being taciturn. It seemed clear to me he was talking about his footballing personality as a (then) young player, not whether he'd be great craic on a stag weekend. Trap felt he was a bit too passive/reactive and needed to be more assertive in that role.

[seanfhear]

He never said anything about him being taciturn. It seemed clear to me he was talking about his footballing personality as a (then) young player, not whether he'd be great craic on a stag weekend. Trap felt he was a bit too passive/reactive and needed to be more assertive in that role.
Yeah ~ I never heard Trap big-ing up Andy Reid’s off field personality ! !

[Colbert Report]

He's had a decent career at a good level. Something akin to Mark Kinsella or Matt Holland? It's probably not fair to judge him against the superclubs he was linked with in the media at 16.

Premier League appearances:

James McCarthy 272
Matt Holland 202
Mark Kinsella 107

James McCarthy made 272 Premier League appearances despite suffering so many horrific injuries, and he's not yet thirty-one years old!

[Supreme feet]

I don't want to be picking on McCarthy. I was annoyed when Trap kept picking Paul Green ahead of him back in the day. He did very well for Everton, and was probably unfortunate to be stuck with Glenn Whelan as a midfield partner, instead of being picked at #6 alongside a more dynamic midfielder. He did well against Germany and Italy in 2015/6 when Whelan was dropped/suspended.

But even before his injuries, he was hugely underwhelming as an international player, imo. I never expected him to be another elite-level Roy Keane-type presence. I did expect him to have a similar impact in his position to the likes of Coleman, Dunne, Hoolahan, Doyle or Walters in their positions; not elite, but effective, and an asset at international level against teams like Scotland, Poland, Serbia, Austria, etc. With his club pedigree, he should have been noticeably more aggressive, authoritative, dominant, and a better passer than the collection of journeymen, cloggers, invisible men and crocks we've been plugging that midfield gap with over the last fifteen years. I wanted him to do for us what Steven Davis and Joe Allen have done for NI and Wales; what Steven Reid was doing in 2008 before he got injured. Unfortunately, it's never really happened.

Cullen's performance against Portugal - the breaking up of play, aggression, quick forward passing off both feet, eagerness to receive the ball - was exactly what I would have wanted to see from McCarthy at his peak.

[Bielsa´s irish]

Premier League appearances:

James McCarthy 272
Matt Holland 202
Mark Kinsella 107

James McCarthy made 272 Premier League appearances despite suffering so many horrific injuries, and he's not yet thirty-one years old!


Salomon Rondon opens up on 'horrible' Everton deadline day and real effect of James McCarthy tackle - Liverpool Echo (https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/salomon-rondon-opens-up-horrible-21544369)

[Bielsa´s irish]

Mirá cómo le quedó la pierna a Messi después del patadón brutal que le metieron contra Venezuela - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m_Jvn3QHP0)

[Bielsa´s irish]

What a pass!!! What a player!!! What a victory!!! Kudos James. Or Jimbo!! He did a Román Riquelme no see pass like a playmaker

[Stuttgart88]

Likely replacement for Cullen when/if he is serving a NL suspension? I'd like to see Kilkenny given a go at some point.

[tetsujin1979]

This is what Kenny had to say about him after the 1-1 draw in Bulgaria: https://www.the42.ie/james-mccarthy-4-5196523-Sep2020/
I thought he had said that he wanted to build his team around McCarthy, and he's said something similar about Egan, but I can't find that quote

[Diggs246]

This is what Kenny had to say about him after the 1-1 draw in Bulgaria: https://www.the42.ie/james-mccarthy-4-5196523-Sep2020/
I thought he had said that he wanted to build his team around McCarthy, and he's said something similar about Egan, but I can't find that quote

He did say that in a tv interview that he wanted to build a team around McCarthy and that he was a once in a generation player

Its a real shame about his injuries etc.