SOCCER: INTERNATIONAL NEWS:IT REMAINS to be seen whether his Wigan manager Roberto Martinez chooses to accept the fact even now but James McCarthy has insisted he stands by his decision to play for the Republic of Ireland and says he hopes to make his competitive debut for Giovanni Trapattoni's side in Saturday's European Championship qualifier against Macedonia.
“I appreciate the interest from Scotland but I do not want to go back on my word,” said the 20-year-old over the weekend following Martinez-fuelled speculation that he was still weighing up his international options.
“I am, and will remain, a Republic of Ireland player. I hope to play against Macedonia next weekend and that will put any talk of Scotland to bed once and for all. There can be no going back after that.”
The Glasgow-born midfielder, who declared for Ireland during his mid-teens in honour of his grandfather, is expected to join up with the Trapattoni’s squad in Dublin tomorrow and the Italian has said he hopes to have the opportunity to cap the player something that, unlike his appearance in a friendly last year against Brazil, would indeed put an end to any doubt regarding his future career at this level.
McCarthy certainly seems keen to have the issue resolved, with the player admitting he has been subjected to an uncomfortable level of attention in recent weeks because of the situation.
“It reached new levels, went too far really, when I withdrew from the Ireland squad to play Wales,” he says. “It was all above board. I was not long back in the Wigan team after three months out with an ankle injury and I was still taking things slowly as I didn’t want to risk anything. But this became a huge story and all the talk of me playing for Scotland resurfaced.
“My phone never stopped ringing. I’ve never received so many text messages and listened to so many voicemails. It was mental really and some people may have thought I was going to pledge myself to Scotland but that was never really on my mind.”
In the end, he says, he was glad to reassure the Ireland manager regarding his intentions. “Trapattoni flew across to England to see me and we met at a hotel. He wanted to look me in the eye and ask if I was happy and committed to Ireland. I told him I was happy and wanted to play for him. It was a good meeting. We were both satisfied at the end of it. Now, I want to help Ireland reach the Euro 2012 finals. I appreciate the interest from Scotland but don’t want to go back on my word.”
The only withdrawal from the Ireland squad over the weekend, meanwhile, was Blackburn’s Keith Andrews who has failed to recover from a groin strain. John O’Shea had already been ruled out but there is growing optimism about the fitness of Richard Dunne who is to join up with the squad and, even if he cannot train fully, looks increasingly likely to play.
Leon Best is more doubtful with a dead leg while Keith Fahey will arrive in with a slight hamstring problem but should be okay by the weekend.
