Jamie McCarthy

[youngirish]

Liverpool apparently have had a bid accepted in the meantime for him. There's a huge amount of interest in the lad so he'll be able to take his pick. Reading would surely have a chance considering the lack of "stars" in their team and how well they've done promoting young talent.

Again I'd suggest he's far better staying where he is as he's at least playing regular first team football. He won't get a look in at Liverpool for years (if ever) and it's too early to tell at 16 whether he'll turn out to be a decent top level player or not.

[drinkfeckarse]

Again I'd suggest he's far better staying where he is as he's at least playing regular first team football. He won't get a look in at Liverpool for years (if ever) and it's too early to tell at 16 whether he'll turn out to be a decent top level player or not.

You have a point but there's also the other side of the coin where you can say he'll benefit from top level coaching and top level facilities at a top side. Something he WONT get at Hamilton.

As a Liverpool supporter I'd obviously like to see him going there but as an Irish supporter I think a move to a club like Reading would be more beneficial to us and him.

[Dr. Ogba]

Again I'd suggest he's far better staying where he is as he's at least playing regular first team football. He won't get a look in at Liverpool for years (if ever) and it's too early to tell at 16 whether he'll turn out to be a decent top level player or not.

I think at this stage there's so much interest in the lad it seems inevitable that he's going to move in the transfer window. Would be delighted to see him go to Reading as it seems the kind of place that would keep his feet firmly on the ground whereas he would probably get delusions of grandour at Pool as well as eventually losing out in the starting lineup to some random mediocre Spaniard....

[galwayhoop]

yeah liverpool is a bit of a joke at the moment. so many players of medium standard that it is very hard to pick a strongest 11. add that to the squad size and the rotation policy of the manager .. bad move for a young fella, definately think reading is better move.

[citizenerased]

reading deffo way to go

[Superhoops]

McCarthy named today in Ireland's U-17 squad for the two home games against Italy in Dublin on 23rd and 25th January.

Squad;
Kieron Thorp (Crystal Palace)
Kevin O’Brien (Cobh Ramblers)
Gareth Matthews (Norwich City)
Mark Nolan (Glasgow Celtic)
David Joyce (Birmingham City)
Laurence Gaughan (Liverpool)
Paul Honohan (Wilton, Cork)
Conor Kavanagh (Blackburn Rovers)
Kurtis Byrne (Norwich City)
Conor McCormack (Manchester United)
James O’Brien (Birmingham City)
James McCarthy (Hamilton Academicals)
Eric Foley (Glasgow Celtic)
Shane O’Connor (Liverpool)
Michael Collins (Liverpool)
Ian Daly (Manchester City)
Craig Duggan (Kilreen, Cork)
Sean Scannell (Crystal Palace)

[eirebhoy]

He's talking to Rangers and Celtic this week according to the BBC. I found this post on a Celtic forum encouraging:

My flat mate is an Accies fan and said that it’s only in the last few games they have seen his real potential. He said that he seems to have a much quicker footballing brain than the rest of the team, one touch passing, one two’s etc, but the rest of the team can’t keep up, and the passes go astray. He also seems to have his head screwed on, saying that he wanted to stay with a smaller club to build his first team experience rather than go to a big club and disappear off the seen!

A football brain is something you can't coach so it's great to see it in someone so young. We can all get ahead of ourselves when someone shows all the skill in the world but has no intelligience whatsoever. Get him and his family to Barca.

[republicofwhite]

Disaster if he goes to Rangers. Scotland can have him then! Reading will be a great move, could be a first team regular at 18. Or Barca should suffice either way!

[FootballsKing]

Not a chance he would go to Rangers after declaring for Ireland
, not a chance in hell

[galwayhoop]

yeah can't see that happening. as a lad born in scotland the fact he has declared for ireland would tend to shown his strong sense of irishness. if both celtic and rangers are in for him then he is only going to paradise. him joining the dark side would be like barry ferguson moving to celtic!

[Irish_Praha]

According to the Daily Record:

"Chelsea have joined Liverpool, Reading, Rangers and Celtic in the chase for Hamilton wonderkid James McCarthy."

I really hope he has more than a good football brain and some good/honest advisors who don't just go for the best financial deal.

[galwayhoop]

he appears to. it has been said in the papers over the last few days he will finish season with hammie. altho € and £ are many chairmen's bedfellows! definately hope the decision is made purely on footballing terms.

[kingdom hoop]

as a lad born in scotland the fact he has declared for ireland would tend to shown his strong sense of irishness.

his wikipedia profile says that he has declared for ireland as a result of a promise to his dying grandfather on his deathbed. fair play to the grandfather

[republicofwhite]

It makes no sense to join Liverpool and Chelsea. Why would you be bothered? Simple equation is to the get to a first team asap at a decent club and your laughing. I was extremely disappointed when I heard that Conor Clifford fella went to Chelsea. I have a feeling McCarthy will make a wise decision, and wont be too distracted by the bright lights. Here's hoping. Think Reading would be the best move, especially if Steve Coppell is there for another few years.

[galwayhoop]

yeah chelsea and liverpool have a very poor record of bring players through the youth system of late. with chelsea i can only think of john terry and at liverpool probable only that lad warnock. i know steve g. and carragher came through but they were established before the current regime. there may be more players but the point is that very few come through the ranks compared to the players who are bought in.

reading or celtic (prob. at bit biased on this one) seem the best options for me.

[galwayhoop]

It makes no sense to join Liverpool and Chelsea.

no sense at all. apart from the distance between liverpool and london it would be far too much to ask anybody to train and play for 2 clubs at the same time - no matter how talanted they are!

[kingdom hoop]

no sense at all. apart from the distance between liverpool and london it would be far too much to ask anybody to train and play for 2 clubs at the same time - no matter how talanted they are!

money would be good though

[republicofwhite]

Yes! Glad to have a post that makes concrete sense and everybody can unanimously agree on!

[youngirish]

Chelski are in for him also. Didn't read all the posts so dunno if this was mentioned. He should keep well away from them and Liverpool if he wants to have a decent career.

[republicofwhite]

The only youths that I can remember breaking through to the first team set up in recent years have been Terry, Jody Morris, Jon Harley! Correct me if I'm wrong but can't see too much logic in being part of the Chelsea youth set up!