McCarthy in the frame for Ireland qualifier

Gibson was fit, for once, played for his country and went for a ball awkwardly and did his cruciate. Absolutely no fault can be applied to the Irish manager. FIFA rules applied, so Everton were NOT out of pocket for his wages.

Don't know what incident you refer to with Coleman.

If McCarthy plays and has a recurrence of his groin injury, the Irish FA will have to pay his wages. If he picks up an unrelated injury, FIFA will pick up the tab. In my opinion, he shouldn't be considered for this match after his operation, even if he thinks he is over it, as he is not match fit.

I'm sick of the same old conversations on ToffeeWeb every time the International week comes around.

If he's fit let him play and get some much needed game time, just like Coleman did the last time.

Frank, I'm not bothered about the wages, but I am bothered if he comes back too soon and we are without him because of it. With Gueye going to the ACN we will need him back to his best. It should be down to the medical staff.

I don't think he should've traveled at all but FIFA set the rules.

But the other side of the coin is: if Barry is fit, both he and Gana will start against Man City so where will McCarthy get any match fitness?

So, in this case, probably worth taking the chance.

The point about the wages was made in answer to a previous post and several others in the past quoting the Gibson injury, who seemed to think that Everton have to pay players who get injured on International duty.

We will need him fit in January as you say.

Coleman played against Serbia, was shaken enough, but got some game time, which helped him fit in for next club game and he's been fine since. So there are 'potential' positives. What they call a risk/reward hole in golf?

His injury record has been poor for quite a while now. Remember many of us moaning about Martinez's so called Physio knowledge, bringing him back too early from hammy strains?

We really will need him soon, so I am hoping he just gets 15 mins at the end.

The most important feedback is indeed from the player. McCarthy is hardly going to risk another spell on the sidelines, or even risk his football career for a qualifier group match, is he. It's not a World Cup Final we're looking at.

Barry @ 4

Because he's Roy Keane... magic player that never held anything back and tells it like it is – still. Love it when he's asked a stupid question!

His injury record the last 2 seasons has not been good... suggesting that relying on the player's opinion is not the best course of action.

It will be interesting to see how long he lasts.

Hope he plays. If anything happens to Barry or Gana, he needs to be able to answer the call. It's in everybody's interest that he plays and is match ready. Good luck to him and the Irish team.

Great stuff, Seamus!

Interestingly, he says that Koeman is allowing that to happen in a way that Martinez's systems did not over his last two seasons. We need to see much more of it.

I mean it's natural enough I suppose for a manager, looking for crosses for his big lumpy forwards, to think "Ooh look, a tricky Spanish / Belgian / Congolese winger, he'll do me."

However, Coleman never looks better than when he has the entire right side of the pitch to himself.

When he's looked ineffective and somewhat 'confused' (to me) is when there is a winger ahead of him kind of... um... getting in his way.

I remember on quite a few occasions last season, Coleman and Deulofeu almost occupying the same space. f I'd been Seamus, I'd have been thinking "Why don't you piss off up by the corner-flag and let me have a run at them." And if I'd been Deulofeu, I'd have been thinking "I'm here now, you get back and let me do my thing."

I have no real solution but if there's a winger playing with Seamus, there needs imo to be more of a plan (?) than I've seen so far.

The lad has weak hamstrings. Not good.