James McCarthy M free agent b.1990

**dr_peepee** · 16/05/2008, 9:43 AM

Originally Posted by co. down green

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** · 16/05/2008, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by 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.

Sums up my feelings on the matter.

**Kingdom** · 16/05/2008, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by superfrank

Sums up my feelings on the matter.

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

**eirebhoy** · 16/05/2008, 10:37 AM

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** · 16/05/2008, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by 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.

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** · 16/05/2008, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by 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.

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

**jmurphyc** · 16/05/2008, 12:23 PM

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** · 16/05/2008, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by Kingdom

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** · 16/05/2008, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by Bungle

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** · 16/05/2008, 1:49 PM

Originally Posted by Bungle

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.

**Docboy** · 16/05/2008, 3:33 PM

In fairness our best player of the laster 15 years, Keano, didn't head over to England until a few years later. It didn't seem to do him any harm.

Good to see a bit of patience, and perhaps, devotion in a young lad. He helped get them up and now wants to give the SPL a go with the rest of the team. One more year is not going to hurt his development. I'm very excited to see how this lad is going to develop. Fingers crossed all around.

**Bungle** · 16/05/2008, 4:53 PM

Originally Posted by dr_peepee

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.

brian glanville is a very famous english writer (think he writes in the sunday times and world soccer now). some would say he's past it, as he does tend to have a bit of the "things were better in my day" attitude.

I think Brady is the kind of guy who doesn't like to talk young players up and in fairness rightfully so.

At the time, i was convinced that if barrett didn't make it big for arsenal, he would at least be a very decent international play for us.

**Bungle** · 16/05/2008, 4:55 PM

Originally Posted by Kingdom

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.

there were some excellent taents in that u16 irish team, but I would say only Andy Reid had Barret's technical ability.

**Kingdom** · 16/05/2008, 4:55 PM

I know I played with/against a lot of them!

**cheifo** · 16/05/2008, 5:30 PM

Right decision IMO.He will be moving up a level at a young age and will get experience of playing in big stadiums like Parkhead and Ibrox.Next year he will only be 18 and can then consider moving to a higher level.

**Pike B** · 16/05/2008, 5:52 PM

Rubbish!!! If your good enough your old enough. If Barcelona or Liverpool come calling you go. This is all a bunch of cliched b.s.....

**brine3** · 17/05/2008, 11:48 AM

It's probably good for him at that age to stay near his family. Good decision, it will help keep him grounded.

**Plastic Paddy** · 17/05/2008, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by Pike B

Rubbish!!! If your good enough your old enough. If Barcelona or Liverpool come calling you go. This is all a bunch of cliched b.s.....

Were you being intentionally ironic when adding your last sentence?

PP

**jebus** · 18/05/2008, 12:19 PM

Very commendable of the guy to stay at Hamilton to help out, but personally I think he'd develop more as a player playing with Liverpool or Barca reserves. At Liverpool for example he'd be learning from a quality midfield that boasts one of the finest passers of the ball in the game (Alonso), a non nonsense midfield general (Mascherano), and a glory hogger (Gerrard), whilst also working with better coaches than Hamilton can offer. If in January he felt he needed a few first team games I'm sure Liverpool would send him down to the Championship on loan if they felt it was in his best interests.

Ideally Arsene Wenger would take him under his wing though

**Wangball** · 18/05/2008, 10:03 PM

I think he'd be better off with a move to Barca, especially when you take a look at their Squad and see how many of their first team players are graduates of their academy, the same can't really be said of Liverpool, Chelsea or even United anymore, as a Celtic supporter it pains me to say it but a move to Celtic probably wouldn't be the greatest idea either especially when one considers the grief McGeady got for declaring for us instead of Scotland