Season › 2017-18 › News McCarthy ruled out of Ireland qualifier Lyndon Lloyd Monday, 6 November, 2017 18comments | Jump to most recent James McCarthy won't be selected by the Republic of Ireland for their World Cup playoff against Denmark due to his latest injury. The 26-year-old finally returned to the first-team last month after battling a knee injury sustained in pre-season but was promptly sidelined again by a hamstring strain. McCarthy has been plagued by soft-tissue problems for the past three seasons and his availability has been a source of tension between Ireland and Everton, with the club accusing the former's manager, Martin O'Neill, in the past of rushing the midfielder back into action before he was ready. Reader Comments (18) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Kelvin Thomas 1 Posted 06/11/2017 at 18:49:49 Not a lot been made of our injuries this year.Add a fully fit Coleman, Funes Mori, McCarthy, Barkley and Bolasie and you have a much stronger side. Arguably every one of them could be regular starters. Frank Wade 2 Posted 06/11/2017 at 19:26:29 Looking up his Wikipedia entry, McCarthy made his full debut for Hamilton just before his 16th birthday in November 2006 and played 95 games for them before moving to Wigan at 18 in July 2009. He has serious miles on his clock and should be no surprise that he is struggling with injuries now. Even Roy Keane should understand or is that stretching it a bit. We could have done with his high energy pressing this season. Paul Holmes 3 Posted 06/11/2017 at 19:50:23 how can oap gareth barry never miss a game and youngster McCarthy always injured ?.Whatever Barry was doing to look after himself,McCarthy should have done the same as they played together for ages.The old dog did not reveal his secrets to longevity to the youngsters at finch farm exept hair dye !. James Flynn 4 Posted 06/11/2017 at 20:04:05 Looking at his record, by the time he came to Everton, at 22, he had around 250 games played as a professional (leagues, cups, national side).A hard-playing young man whose legs are shot. Brian Williams 5 Posted 06/11/2017 at 20:17:20 Every player is different physiologically. Unfortunately McCarthy's physiology is that of a bleedin' pink 'n white. Steve Ferns 6 Posted 06/11/2017 at 20:26:54 He never had any injury problems until that first layoff and he's been pretty much injured ever since. If only we hadn't rushed him back.I know some here don't like him, but McCarthy (2014 vintage) was superb. Christy Ring 7 Posted 06/11/2017 at 20:36:32 The first season for us, he was superb, and covered every blade of grass. In his 2nd season, he had a few minor injuries, but against Wolfsburg, a game he was doubtful for, Martinez started him, and he pulled up after 35min's with a hamstring problem, instead of replacing him, he was sent back on, and after doing more damage, was replaced. That's when it all started. Of course Martinez sacked our physio back then, because he was an expert, on soft tissue injuries. Neil Wood 8 Posted 06/11/2017 at 21:06:55 When fit he's one of the best in the Premier League. Problem is, he's never fit! Mike Gaynes 9 Posted 07/11/2017 at 04:40:33 Oh, please, Neil... he was never "one of the best in the Premier League." At his best he was a good player with a fantastic engine, but let's not get carried away with the rose-coloured memories. Frank and James are right... he just played too many games when he was too young for his body to handle it, and his managers didn't take proper care of a kid with great potential. Justin Doone 11 Posted 07/11/2017 at 10:47:30 Shock horror. Do you think if Koeman was still manager, he'd have played just to antagonise? Christy (#7) – very true. Martinez had a nice media image but was a prick who never learnt! Mike (#9) – I agree. McCarthy was an athlete but very disappointing in his distribution and overall contribution. I think Gana is a much better player with just as good an engine.He's the kind of player lesser teams sometimes need to run and close down but overall another waste of big money for Everton. He seemed more of an attacking midfielder for Wigan scoring a few good goals but I think Cleverley was too. Not their fault, simply not good enough to play that position at a top-half team. Good to see Duffy made it. He's the kind of defender Everton have needed these last few years. Someone who can defend and doesn't get bullied at every set piece. I actually think he could make a return if Dyche or Sam get the job (hopefully niether). Classy Mancini everyday for me. Anyway here's hoping magic McGeady and Co can get through to the World Cup. Hopefully Northern Ireland to get there too. Dave Abrahams 12 Posted 07/11/2017 at 13:43:48 Mike (9), it is all about opinion's,of how good a player is, I'm biased in favour of McCarthy, but you might agree Mike that fully fit McCarthy would be a huge asset to the present Everton team. Paul Wyndham 14 Posted 07/11/2017 at 19:32:17 Never a fan, he offers very little going forward, goes missing in too many games and is always looking for the easy option leading to backwards and sideways passes which lose us any forward momentum, he just aggravates large sections of our support. Not a patch on Lee Carsley. Liam Reilly 15 Posted 08/11/2017 at 08:39:49 McCarthy was never the box to box midfielder that was suggested by Martinez when he bought him.He's a good player with a great engine and pressing game, but he needs to be complimented by a more forward thinking player beside him.What he does do,he does well and we could do with some of that now. Mike Gaynes 16 Posted 08/11/2017 at 16:02:13 Dave #12, no argument. I'm biased in favor of him too. I just thought that "best in the Prem" was a pretty wild overstatement.I'd love to see him back in the lineup regularly, but I just don't think it's gonna happen. When you're 26 and your hamstrings are twanging "I Surrender Dear", it doesn't bode well for the future. Dave Abrahams 17 Posted 08/11/2017 at 18:40:15 Mike. (16), fair enough Mike, as Insaid previously we all have our opinions of different players, for instance Paul (14) thinks Lee Carsley was a lot better than McCarthy while I couldn't stand Carsley, one man's meat is another man's poison, makes the world go round. Des Farren 18 Posted 08/11/2017 at 20:34:23 Dave..Could not agree with you more! I also noticed a reference to Carsley whom I have always regarded as an extremely limited player.My own view would be that his talents would be nowhere near McCarthy's who I consider a very good player. Also agree however, that talent is in the eye of the beholder. Mick Davies 19 Posted 08/11/2017 at 22:17:39 There is one type of player I have always respected in my half century of supporting the Blues, and that is one who leaves everything on the pitch, irrespective of ability. The likes of Ball, Lyons and Cahill spring to mind, and I am happy to include McCarthy in this group: it is probably the reason he's almost finished at 26, after being allowed to play the game he loves when selfish managers should have been protecting him.I'm surprised O'Neill and his Neanderthal sidekick haven't resorted to sending him out on crutches Don Alexander 20 Posted 08/11/2017 at 22:48:22 Mick Davies (#19) I share your sentiments. Hell, I even respected the limited ability of Pembo (no fault of his by the way) because he ran his tripe out in every game but if we're ever going to succeed we need to find what's currently missing; professional players making a committed effort in every game with consummate skill. 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