James McCarthy M free agent b.1990

[Torn-Ado]

Scotland underage manager wants McCarthy to change allegiance: http://www.sundayherald.com/sport/shfootball/display.var.1961744.0.starks_mccarthy_mission.php

In the words of Father Damien:

Tell him to Feck off then.

[Stuttgart88]

Send Tuff Paddy over to sort them out.

[boovidge]

McCarthy to turn down Scotland again


"Teenage prodigy James McCarthy is set to maintain his Republic of Ireland commitment and will not be swayed by any further attempts to persuade him to pledge allegiance to Scotland."

http://www.setantasports.com/en/Sport/News/Football/2008/01/15/International-McCarthy-agent/?facets/sport-space/football/great-britain-locale/

[kingdomkerry]

Cap him against Brazil

[tetsujin1979]

Good lad Jamie.

[eirebhoy]

“I think James and his family feel a lot of gratitude towards the Irish people since he made the decision to represent the Republic at youth level”

He's probably surprised at how well he's treated here tbh.

[Bondvillain]

Cant fault the Scots for trying.

I'd be disappointed in the FAI if they didnt go the full distance, right to the bitter end, to ensure that someone half decent who was born here played for us too.

It's hard not to acknowledge that the Scots were hard done by. I know I'd initially be bloody annoyed if a talented prodigy born in Ireland who played for an Irish team suddenly declared for Scotland or Wales...

[shaneker]

Hows this lad getting on? I see he only came on as a sub for Hamilton this weekend, anyone know the story with him?

[tetsujin1979]

Don't think it's anything more than him being rested. He's still only 17 and Hamilton are 4 points clear at the top of the table.
No point in him getting burned out.

[eirebhoy]

He was also injured recently.

[dr_peepee]

Cant fault the Scots for trying.

I'd be disappointed in the FAI if they didnt go the full distance, right to the bitter end, to ensure that someone half decent who was born here played for us too.

It's hard not to acknowledge that the Scots were hard done by. I know I'd initially be bloody annoyed if a talented prodigy born in Ireland who played for an Irish team suddenly declared for Scotland or Wales...


Yeah!! Even when they're not born here, like that dude in Holland, MaGuire is it?.. It riles me up...

But like that, I understand when other countries do their best to prevent it.... 'Cept the North!!

[Colbert Report]

Any update on him? I saw he came on in the 74th minute on the weekend.

[tetsujin1979]

Bayern and Real Madrid interested in James: http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/real-and-bayern-join-hunt-for-wonderkid-mccarthy-1320227.html

[geysir]

With Tuff Paddy as his PRO, I am not surprised at the high profile interest.

[shakermaker1982]

is this lad that good? Is he the answer to our prayers?!

[paul_oshea]

what prayers?!

[BigmanCas]

“I think James and his family feel a lot of gratitude towards the Irish people since he made the decision to represent the Republic at youth level”

He's probably surprised at how well he's treated here tbh.

Sadly I can't say the same about AMcG

[shakermaker1982]

what prayers?!

I pray for WC Qualification :D

[Razors left peg]

McCarthy got the only goal of the game today for Hamilton

[Carrigaline]

McCarthy got the only goal of the game today for Hamilton
I know it's only the Scottish First Division.

But, to be one of the best players on the park at that level, at that age makes him a frighteningly good prospect.

[tetsujin1979]

Chelsea watch McCarthy again this weekend: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football-news/scottish-football/scottish-football-league/2008/04/18/chelsea-to-scout-hamilton-starlet-james-mccarthy-again-during-title-showdown-86908-20386600/

[tetsujin1979]

Jamie says he'll decide on his future at the end of the season: http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/headlines/display.var.2209687.0.Eye_on_the_prize.php

McCarthy said: "I went to Liverpool for a trial, but I wasn't ready. I'll see at the end of the season what the club and I want to do. I'm enjoying myself at Hamilton, but, if the right deal comes along, we'll need to talk about it. I'm doing really well and, hopefully, I'll keep it going. I play my own game and just get on with it."

[co. down green]

Mccarthy seems to have maturity beyond his age and he's right to take his time and let his game progress.

However, it would be difficult for him to reject the lure of a contract in the Premiership, if the right offer comes along during the summer

[Qwerty]

As Hamilton were promoted to the SPL today I can see him staying on for another year, although Hamilton could cut a deal and sell him but have him loaned back for a year. He has 1 year left on his contract.

[dr_peepee]

I think they'll need money and experience to compete, so they'll cash in on him now!! Just my opinion.... I don't wanna see him at Chelsea though. Somewhere like Villa or Everton I think would be a better environment for now..

[Dr. Ogba]

I think they'll need money and experience to compete, so they'll cash in on him now!! Just my opinion.... I don't wanna see him at Chelsea though. Somewhere like Villa or Everton I think would be a better environment for now..

yeah would be a much better decision to play for a prem club where he'll have a chance of first team action from the off. Chelsea or Liverpool could be a graveyard for him...

[ramsfan]

Republic of Ireland youth international star James McCarthy will knock back a move to either Liverpool or Chelsea in order to help Hamilton Academical’s Scottish Premier League campaign next season.

McCarthy, 17, starred in the Accies’ promotion to the Scottish top flight in the season just ended.

He has been monitored by a host of clubs, with Liverpool the most persistent suitors and Chelsea and Barcelona also said to be interested.

But a report in Thursday’s Irish Independent claims that the Glasgow-born midfield starlet will spend sign a new contract at Hamilton this week


is he really as good as people make out personally i have never seen him play so cant judge?

[tetsujin1979]

Saw him last year for the U-19's against Portugal, he certainly stood out in our midfield, but actual competitive games, as opposed to reserve matches, will do that to you.

[Plastic Paddy]

A fine player. Let's hope he sees sense, chooses the stay-at-home option and signs for Celtic at the end of next season. ;)

:ball: PP

[shakermaker1982]

right move IMO at this stage of his career.

[Colbert Report]

This is an almost unheard of situation. I've never seen him play but I've been keeping tabs on him since he was first mentioned on here over a year ago. From the sounds of it, he's a good enough player to play at any club he wants - Barcelona and Chelsea don't come calling unless you're an amazing player, as we all know. I'd rather him in the youth teams than in the SPL, due to the crazy tackles we all know exist in Scotland as opposed to Spain. Why is he doing this? The only thing I can think of is that he wants to wait until he turns eighteen so that Hamilton can get more money for him maybe. I read earlier that the most they'd get for him now was 100,000 pounds Sterling but surely that can't be right when you see the likes of Arsenal buying up young players from Brazil and Argentina for millions. Maybe he is caught up in the whole promotion to the SPL thing and really feels as though he's part of a team and doesn't want to let his mates down? It all seems bizarre - cash in now lad, and take the money. One knee or ankle injury and you'll be the way of young Terry Dixon.

On a side note, if he doesn't make it with one of the big boys I'd love to see him playing week in, week out for Celtic or Sunderland. Here's hoping he's as good as he sounds.

[SkStu]

well CR, i honestly think it speaks volumes of the lads attitude and commitment to a cause. I have more respect for this decision than to take the money and spend a few more years playing meaningless reserve/youth footie.

Good on the lad.

[Colbert Report]

I agree wholeheartedly. It certainly is refreshing. All I'm saying is that from the sounds of it he's good enough already to be playing at a much higher level. If someone like Liverpool signed he wouldn't be getting a game but they would probably loan him out to the likes of Wolves or Leeds. Personally I think this is a much higher level than the SPL. Maybe I'm getting too far ahead of myself, I don't want to be building this guy up as the next Roy Keane, but he certainly seems like our brightest prospect at this point, doesn't he?

[Emmet]

Moving clubs (and countries) didn't do Fabregas any harm so there's no guarentee a move to a 'big' club would be bad for him. Really it depends on the lad's attitude and whether or not he can stay injury-free. At 17 there is still a long way to go before he can say he's made it!

[jmurphyc]

Moving clubs (and countries) didn't do Fabregas any harm so there's no guarentee a move to a 'big' club would be bad for him. Really it depends on the lad's attitude and whether or not he can stay injury-free. At 17 there is still a long way to go before he can say he's made it!

But that's one case out of thousands. There might not be any harm in him moving to a big side, and the better coaching may help him, but I think he's giving himself more of a chance by playing first team football in an environment that he's used to. If he feels he's ready in a year or two then he can always move on provided he can keep up a good performance level.

[Colbert Report]

But that's one case out of thousands. There might not be any harm in him moving to a big side, and the better coaching may help him, but I think he's giving himself more of a chance by playing first team football in an environment that he's used to. If he feels he's ready in a year or two then he can always move on provided he can keep up a good performance level.

A year or two? In today's game, you're a bust if you haven't made it by nineteen. Doyle and Hunt are the exceptions that prove the rule!

[Razors left peg]

A year or two? In today's game, you're a bust if you haven't made it by nineteen. Doyle and Hunt are the exceptions that prove the rule!

Drogba didnt make it until he was about 26

[Emmet]

But that's one case out of thousands. There might not be any harm in him moving to a big side, and the better coaching may help him, but I think he's giving himself more of a chance by playing first team football in an environment that he's used to. If he feels he's ready in a year or two then he can always move on provided he can keep up a good performance level.I agree with that - I'm not saying staying put will necessarily harm him, just that moving to a big club won't necessarily either. I've never seen the guy - if he is good enough (and stays injury-free etc) then he'll end up at a big club eventually. Not wanting to disrespect anyone or their team, I feel that would involve him leaving Scotland.

[co. down green]

I agree with that - I'm not saying staying put will necessarily harm him, just that moving to a big club won't necessarily either. I've never seen the guy - if he is good enough (and stays injury-free etc) then he'll end up at a big club eventually. Not wanting to disrespect anyone or their team, I feel that would involve him leaving Scotland.

At seventeen, i would rather see the lad spend another season at Accies were he is guaranteed first team football, then weigh up the situation.

He seems like a very level headed young man but the lure of a big money contract could be hard to resist

[Kingdom]

I think he's making the right decision. He would most certainly not be in the first team squad at Liverpool next season and definitely not be in the Barca squad either. I haven't seen the guy play, I've just heard the rumours on here and the reports from the various Irish and Hamilton games that have been posted here.
In a sense he's taking it one step at a time, the Spl will be another level up and if he takes that in his stride we can genuinely be excited.

On another note, it pays to be patient with the national team. Since 02 the core of our midfield has been performing below par, yet only a few years later, we have what appears to be real quality on the cusp of a breakthrough, with Garvan and young McCarthy. Indeed the future may be alright.

[dr_peepee]

At seventeen, i would rather see the lad spend another season at Accies were he is guaranteed first team football, then weigh up the situation.


I dunno.. Playing a large number of games in a relegation battle in a tough league can be counter productive too.. In a stange way I'd probbly have recomended he stay with Hamilton had they not been promoted, the same as I felt about Garvan for the last couple of years. But I think he's got all he's gonna get from the Club at this stage.

I also wonder how much credence to give to these "links".... Just the cynic in me!!

[superfrank]

I think he's making the right decision. He would most certainly not be in the first team squad at Liverpool next season and definitely not be in the Barca squad either. I haven't seen the guy play, I've just heard the rumours on here and the reports from the various Irish and Hamilton games that have been posted here.
In a sense he's taking it one step at a time, the Spl will be another level up and if he takes that in his stride we can genuinely be excited.
Sums up my feelings on the matter.

[Kingdom]

Sums up my feelings on the matter.

Yahoo! I am so smart I am so smart S-M-R-T! I mean S-M... :D

[eirebhoy]

I was reading about Conor Clifford. At Chelsea he watches Essien, Ballack and Lampard in every game and has to take down notes of what they did well and didn't do well. That's obviously going to improve his game a lot in terms of intelligence and then they'd have top class technical training and the like. I hope McCarthy doesn't miss out too much by staying at Hamilton. Scottish football is a brainless game at the best of times.

[Kingdom]

I was reading about Conor Clifford. At Chelsea he watches Essien, Ballack and Lampard in every game and has to take down notes of what they did well and didn't do well. That's obviously going to improve his game a lot in terms of intelligence and then they'd have top class technical training and the like. I hope McCarthy doesn't miss out too much by staying at Hamilton. Scottish football is a brainless game at the best of times.

I can see the logic of that, but Barrett is as good an example of the converse of that as you're going to get. Promising youth, went to Arsenal at a time when they were just starting to prosper and it didn't work out too well for him.
The Spl could be a shock to the system to him, in terms of agression, not having as much possession and whatnot. He is still a kid though, there's still plenty of time for him to join the big guns in a season or two.

[Manblue]

This is an almost unheard of situation. I've never seen him play but I've been keeping tabs on him since he was first mentioned on here over a year ago. From the sounds of it, he's a good enough player to play at any club he wants - Barcelona and Chelsea don't come calling unless you're an amazing player, as we all know. I'd rather him in the youth teams than in the SPL, due to the crazy tackles we all know exist in Scotland as opposed to Spain. Why is he doing this? The only thing I can think of is that he wants to wait until he turns eighteen so that Hamilton can get more money for him maybe. I read earlier that the most they'd get for him now was 100,000 pounds Sterling but surely that can't be right when you see the likes of Arsenal buying up young players from Brazil and Argentina for millions. Maybe he is caught up in the whole promotion to the SPL thing and really feels as though he's part of a team and doesn't want to let his mates down? It all seems bizarre - cash in now lad, and take the money. One knee or ankle injury and you'll be the way of young Terry Dixon.

On a side note, if he doesn't make it with one of the big boys I'd love to see him playing week in, week out for Celtic or Sunderland. Here's hoping he's as good as he sounds.

Hope he does well and fulfills his potential but sunderland have enough irish rejects thank you.

[jmurphyc]

The interesting thing about McCarthy staying at Hamilton for another year (as someone else mentioned) is that it will mean that he may have to deal with aggressive players of limited ability. If he is to become a "great" talent then he will undoubtedly have to move on to a bigger league eventually where he'll get better coaching and be able to learn from class players, but at his age I think it will be a good learning experience for him to be pressured off the ball and having to deal with tough tackling. It could make him tougher mentally (and physically) and help him a lot when he does move on and is trying to break in to a team with experienced players. Plus he'll be far more experienced than the players his age who will also be trying to get their foot in the door.

[Bungle]

I can see the logic of that, but Barrett is as good an example of the converse of that as you're going to get. Promising youth, went to Arsenal at a time when they were just starting to prosper and it didn't work out too well for him.
The Spl could be a shock to the system to him, in terms of agression, not having as much possession and whatnot. He is still a kid though, there's still plenty of time for him to join the big guns in a season or two.

to be honest, barrett would have probably made it at arsenal, if he had not had career threatening injuries. He was breaking into their first team at 17/18 and I recall Brian Glanville saying he was the most talented young player in britain by far, before the 2nd leg of an fa youth cup final game, where he captained arsenal to victory.

[Kingdom]

to be honest, barrett would have probably made it at arsenal, if he had not had career threatening injuries. He was breaking into their first team at 17/18 and I recall Brian Glanville saying he was the most talented young player in britain by far, before the 2nd leg of an fa youth cup final game, where he captained arsenal to victory.

It was never going to happen. I used to like Brian Glanville. Not so keen on him now though. And to say he was the most talented player in Britain is funny. He wasn't the most talented within his age group in nationally. still it was a shame he didn't stay in the top leagues. He was a nice lad growing up.

[dr_peepee]

to be honest, barrett would have probably made it at arsenal, if he had not had career threatening injuries. He was breaking into their first team at 17/18 and I recall Brian Glanville saying he was the most talented young player in britain by far, before the 2nd leg of an fa youth cup final game, where he captained arsenal to victory.


I dunno who Brian Glanville is?? But Liam Brady would be as familiar with him as anybody, and when Barrett scored for us against Finland, and everyone was raving about is potential, Brady contribution was significan by what he didn't say. From then on I never believed Barret was gonna make it.