James McCarthy M free agent b.1990

**tetsujin1979** · 14/05/2009, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by OwenGoal

And McCarthy will go the way of the miller at Celtic, just to keep on topic.

Miller scored 3 goals in the Champions League against the Lithuanian, Belgian and French champions when he was with Celtic.

**paul_oshea** · 15/05/2009, 8:37 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

I studied Predicate Logic
A -> B = Not A OR B and all that
boring as hell, mind.

I did too, along with Languages and Computability. It is the most boring subject ever, you must think like a robot, I thought if I had autism or aspergers syndrome I might actually have been good at it.

**SilkCut** · 15/05/2009, 8:40 AM

Originally Posted by Brendan 82

Apart from Henrik Larsson; who was the last player to leave Celtic and continue on a path of genuine success and improvement...??? I cannot think of 1.

Paulo Di Canio, Mark Viduka, Pierre Van Hoojdiunk??

Agree with your point though, Strachan should not be allowed within 10 miles of McCarthy. McCarthy needs to go to Everton, Moyes will make him great.

**Drumcondra 69er** · 15/05/2009, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by OwenGoal

Syllogistic reasoning, modens ponens, modus tollens, I remember these things but have no idea what they mean. And McCarthy will go the way of the miller at Celtic, just to keep on topic.

What, get injured for the rest of his teens, have one superb season and then get a bosman and rot in the reserves of a top 4 EPL club??

**neutrino** · 15/05/2009, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by Drumcondra 69er

Fair points but the players of that age that Moyes has bought haven't really got much game time (Gosling for example). I think it'd be difficult for McCarthy to go back to reserve team football having been a first team regular since he was 16.

It's a different situation with MCCarthy given his age and with McGeady given the extra experience he has. I think McGeady should (and will) move on in the summer but don't think that need is as urgent with McCarthy yet.

Good point on the reserves there. Playing is the way to keep developing and if he got that at celtic then great, but I dont think they'd play him all the time either. So bit of a throw up I reckon.

Spot about McGeady. It's time for him to kick on now - it would be great to see him in the Premier League too playing for a decent team.

**Torn-Ado** · 15/05/2009, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by OwenGoal

Syllogistic reasoning, modens ponens, modus tollens, I remember these things but have no idea what they mean. And McCarthy will go the way of the miller at Celtic, just to keep on topic.

Liam Miller had his best days at Celtic, although short, which earned him a move to Man Utd. I can't see your point.

**Dodge** · 15/05/2009, 12:39 PM

If he goes to Celtic he's playing against the same player he played against when he was at Hamilton. You can swao the 4 games againt celtic for maybe 4 games in Champins League. Not a huge improvement for him, although he'd obviously be trining with better players, and you'd hope training was better too.

If he's too good for Celtic he'll move on anyway, if he isn't he can still make a nice little career for himself.

**dr_peepee** · 15/05/2009, 12:56 PM

I wouldn't be against a move to Celtic at all. It's still a step up. He may be playing against the same players. But he's playing in front of big passionate crowds with better players, whilst being drip fed European Football. If he stays injury free it's a safer bet for a steadier learning curve than a move down south were the learning curve could potentially be accelerated, but the odds are dramatically reduced, if you know what I mean.

I wouldn't underestimate the positives of staying close to home/family/friends for a couple of years either. The like of Fabregars truly are an exception

A three of four year contract to keep him there til his early 20's would be ideal, provided he he doesn't keep signing extensions and maintaining an inflated transfer value,

**paul_oshea** · 15/05/2009, 1:39 PM

lads if he is that good like ye were all professing then it doesnt matter where he goes to or when, he should be capable.

**shaneker** · 15/05/2009, 1:45 PM

Originally Posted by dr_peepee

I wouldn't underestimate the positives of staying close to home/family/friends for a couple of years either. The like of Fabregars truly are an exception

A three of four year contract to keep him there til his early 20's would be ideal, provided he he doesn't keep signing extensions and maintaining an inflated transfer value,

I'm convinced. I was certainly one of the 'get the hell out of the SPL' crowd, but the family thing is something I hadn't considered and its a big point. This lad seems mature as anything, seems to be fairly grounded and (based on what people say here, I've only ever seen highlights) he's gradually improved for several years in their company. Let that continue, instead of sending him to the teenage prima donna capital of the world where there would be much more temptation and less of a positive influence from his family. He can move to England (or maybe elsewhere, if he's incredibly lucky) when he's 20/21.

**Razors left peg** · 15/05/2009, 2:13 PM

As a Celtic fan I would be delighted to see him sign for Celtic. Whatever people think about the league Celtic are a massive club and the fans have expectations to win the league every season so that is a huge difference in pressure to what he faces at Hamilton.If he proves hes capable of that then he can move onto another big club in england or wherever afterwards.
I would prefer to see him go down that route than that of Aaron Ramsey, sitting in Arsenals reserves.

**tetsujin1979** · 15/05/2009, 3:19 PM

Originally Posted by dr_peepee

I wouldn't underestimate the positives of staying close to home/family/friends for a couple of years either. The like of Fabregars truly are an exception

true that, remember what happened to Reyes?

**Stuttgart88** · 15/05/2009, 3:37 PM

I agree with Dr_Peepee but don't think the Reyes comparison is accurate. McCarthy seems a smart level headed young kid, Reyes was from a desperately poor background and had none of the savvy or the support infrastructure that McCarthy would have.

I don't think the Ramsey route would be too bad for McCarthy. It's rare that these guys hang around beyond their sell by date and tend to end up at the appropraite level of football in due course. I don't think it'd be his best option though.

I think it's time he got used to being on a winning team, be it Celtic or a top Championship team. I'm not sure joining a struggling EPL team would do him much good - they never have the patience to develop players, though if the likes of Moyes or O'Neill were interested it'd be great, Moyes especially.

**eirebhoy** · 16/05/2009, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

If he goes to Celtic he's playing against the same player he played against when he was at Hamilton. You can swao the 4 games againt celtic for maybe 4 games in Champins League. Not a huge improvement for him, although he'd obviously be trining with better players, and you'd hope training was better too.

I actually think standard of teammate is more important than standard of opposition. I think Celtic's best players at league level are usually their best players at Champions league level.

You don't need to have great ability to close players down, mark players, pressurise them.

I think people look too much into standard of opposition. If a player joined Barcelona and start dictating their play in a team alongside Messi, Xavi and Iniesta he's a fantastic player no matter what the standard.

The most important thing for McCarthy is to join a team with really good players. Start thinking the way they think and see if you can play on their wavelength. I think Celtic have the midfield players to improve McCarthy's game.

**Colbert Report** · 16/05/2009, 10:14 PM

Scottish football is crap, I'd much rather see him playing in the Championship or even League 1 next season.

**NeilMcD** · 16/05/2009, 11:02 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I actually think standard of teammate is more important than standard of opposition. I think Celtic's best players at league level are usually their best players at Champions league level.

You don't need to have great ability to close players down, mark players, pressurise them.

I think people look too much into standard of opposition. If a player joined Barcelona and start dictating their play in a team alongside Messi, Xavi and Iniesta he's a fantastic player no matter what the standard.

The most important thing for McCarthy is to join a team with really good players. Start thinking the way they think and see if you can play on their wavelength. I think Celtic have the midfield players to improve McCarthy's game.

Part of your post is true but time and space have a huge amout to do with it. If you are given time and space you will look better. Also better players close down better as in their angles are better they cut out potential passes better etc.

**Maroon 7** · 17/05/2009, 2:11 AM

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

Scottish football is crap, I'd much rather see him playing in the Championship or even League 1 next season.

So you'd rather see him play with Yeovil (for example) in League 1 than Celtic in the SPL and in Europe?

**tricky_colour** · 17/05/2009, 2:57 AM

Originally Posted by Maroon 7

So you'd rather see him play with Yeovil (for example) in League 1 than Celtic in the SPL and in Europe?

There is not much difference in population of the two towns.

48k for Hamilton and 42K for Yeoville.

Also the average home attendance is pretty similar, so I think Colbert has a point. I guess the plus of the SPL is that they get to play a few 'big clubs'
( I could say thrashed by here but I won't

) but apart from that the standard must be pretty similar. So I don't think there is too much difference all in all. Leeds and Leicester play in League 1, as did Forest, and indeed Man City not that long ago. I suppose the main thing is that he is happy where he is playing.

**Colbert Report** · 17/05/2009, 4:30 PM

Yes, I would much rather him to play with Yeovil than Celtic. He won't get a game at Celtic, what is the point of him being on the bench all year there? He'd be better off going to Barcelona or Manchester United, both of whom are supposedly keeping tabs on him.

**eirebhoy** · 17/05/2009, 4:35 PM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Part of your post is true but time and space have a huge amout to do with it. If you are given time and space you will look better. Also better players close down better as in their angles are better they cut out potential passes better etc.

And you don't get much time and space on the ball playing for Celtic. I'd Serie A is easier in that sense.

and don't bite to Colbert Report. Nobody in their right mind would want a highly rated Irish player playing in league 1. Colbert Report likes to be a bit controversial.

Anyway, standard of teammate is a lot more important than standard of opposition imo.