Trapattoni wants McCarthy for Ireland

GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI is lending his weight to the Irish side of the rope in the tug of war with Scotland over midfield starlet James McCarthy.

And it could mean that the 17-year- old will be fast-tracked into the senior squad to copper-fasten his Irish credentials.

Fears that the Hamilton player might be secured by his native Scotland were raised when he pulled out of Ireland’s U-21 friendly against Lithuania next week.