Stop-start McCarthy prepared to wait his turn

FOR a player with such a promising future, James McCarthy has been haunted by his recent past with Ireland but the midfielder last night sought to leave all that behind by insisting his relationship with Giovanni Trapattoni is just fine and dandy.

It is more than 18 months since the Wigan Athletic player made his senior debut for the Republic of Ireland but it is a mark of his difficulties since then that he has made more of an impression on the international scene on those weeks when he has not been present.

Just two caps have been won since that bow against Brazil in London — an ineffectual start against Uruguay in the hole behind Shane Long and a cameo in a qualifier against Macedonia which under FIFA rules did at least end any lingering rumours of a switch back to Scotland.