McCarthy gets the big call

AS an attacking midfielder, James McCarthy is not unlike Stephen Ireland and could give Giovanni Trapattoni the chance to experiment tactically.

That was the message from the Ireland manager yesterday as, to nobody’s surprise, the Wigan Athletic youngster was given his first senior squad call-up for the March 2 friendly against Brazil in London.

Arguing that it’s the quality of the players available which would allow him to change his system, Trapattoni likened McCarthy to the Manchester City man and hinted that he could play him in the ‘number 10’ position behind a striker.

“McCarthy can play right, left and he can play behind the striker.,” said the Italian in Dublin yesterday.

“I’d like to ask him which position he likes. We need to look at his quality and personality. Sure, he has talent. (Gianni) Rivera and (Allesandro) Mazzola, they became very great with experience. They had great quality but it’s important how the personality develops. McCarthy is fast and confident. He could be important for us.”

Admitting that “there was a danger” that McCarthy could have declared for Scotland, Trapattoni declined to be drawn into specifics about other dual-eligibility targets on Ireland’s radar, though his description of one player as “very, very good” was interpreted as a reference to Jamie O’Hara, the Spurs midfielder currently on loan at Portsmouth.

“There are others too but there is documentation to prepare,” said the manager. “They are playing with their clubs in England and if we mention names, then it appears in the press and other countries will become aware of our interest.”

Greg Cunningham of Manchester City and Marc Wilson of Portsmouth are the other new faces in the squad to face Brazil. Trapattoni said that Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini had supplied encouraging reports about 19 year old Cunningham, the Galwegian left-back who has played just 45 minutes of senior football for his club. And the Ireland manager also spoke highly about 22-year-old defender Wilson who, although born in Belfast and capped at under-age level for Northern Ireland, switched to the Republic for whom he has won caps at U-21 level.

Coincidentally, it was also announced yesterday that Everton’s Shane Duffy has withdrawn from the Northern Ireland squad for a forthcoming friendly against Albania after deciding to change his allegiance to the Republic of Ireland.

Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington believes there could be flaws in a system that allows players who have come through the age groups with one nation to represent another country at senior level.

“There is a loophole where a player can walk away after a lot of time and investment has gone in. Until it resolved, that’s where we are. Shane has represented Northern Ireland all the way through from a very early age to the Under-21s.

“I am a big admirer of Shane. I like him as a player and a lot of work has gone in with different coaches. I am disappointed with the situation as he is going to be a very good player.”

Duffy decided about three months ago he wanted to play for the Republic but Worthington said he and Everton manager David Moyes managed to persuade him to stay put. However, Duffy, who has made two Europa League appearances for Everton this season, had another rethink.

Republic of Ireland squad v Brazil, March 2 (club and caps in brackets)

Given (Man City, 102), Westwood (Coventry, 3), Murphy (Scunthorpe, 1); Dunne (Aston Villa, 58), S Kelly (Fulham, 15), Kilbane (Hull, 102), K Foley (Wolves, 2), St Ledger (Preston, 9), McShane (Hull, 19), M Wilson (Portsmouth, 0), G Cunningham (Man City, 0); McGeady (Celtic, 31), Duff (Fulham, 80), Gibson (Man Utd, 8), Whelan (Stoke, 17), Andrews (Blackburn, 12), S Hunt (Hull, 25), Lawrence (Stoke, 5), J McCarthy (Wigan, 0); Doyle (Wolves, 32), R Keane (Tottenham, 96), Long (Reading, 11), Best (Newcastle, 6).