EVERTON MANAGER ROBERTO Martinez has dismissed speculation linking James McCarthy with a transfer away from Goodison Park, calling the 23-year-old ‘one of the best midfielders in the league.’
McCarthy moved to Everton in 2013 for a reported fee of £13 million from Wigan Athletic, and Martinez believes he will honour his contract at Everton, despite interest from other clubs.
“He’s got a very, very, very long contract so I don’t know where the talk is coming from,” Martinez admitted. ”
As you know, James McCarthy arrived at the club 18 months ago so his contract is a long, long term deal, and the ambition of everyone is to see him at Everton for many years.”
The 24-time Republic of Ireland international has been a regular in Martinez’s starting XI since moving to Everton, with Martinez singling him out as one of the Premier League’s brightest talents.
“For me, James McCarthy is one of the best midfielders in the league,” said the 41-year-old.
“I don’t get surprised if other teams send good footballing compliments but his future is clearly at Everton and it is an exciting one.”
Ahead of their Capital One Cup game away to Swansea City, Martinez has confirmed that Seamus Coleman will play no part, whilst Darron Gibson is in line to make his first start in 11 months after returning from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Fair play to McCarthy, absolute credit to himself. Hope he has a long club and international career ahead.
Martinez is a great man manager in fairness.
What’s great is that McCarthy has excelled doing the no-nonsense unspectacular stuff in the holding role for Everton. Barry and Barkley get the plaudits (as did Deloufeu last season) but McCarthy is the cog that they all turn on, because he can be guaranteed to do what Everton need him to do. Intercept, sit, Intercept, recycle, cover full backs, track deep runners, intercept, recycle and so on. He’s very much in the mould of Roy Keane post World Cup 2002 when Keane’s game changed dramatically.
What’s annoying is that he has an international manager that doesn’t recognise the best way to get the best from James for both Ireland and the player himself. Take the recent Georgia game. If he wanted a midfielder to play advanced, then he should have played either Hoolahan or McGeady, not McCarthy. F*ck he could have even played Stephen Quinn a bit further up and let Mac sit beside Whelan. If O’Neill expects this to work in the future, it’s going to be really annoying time to watch the Irish team.
James was outstanding against Wolfsburg last week, and was the clear man of the match. Everton would not have won the game, was he not playing. This comes from a Liverpool “fan” for what it’s worth.
Yea I agree Paul, I think McCarthy is exactly the kind of player Liverpool badly need, Gerard just can’t give enough protection to the back 4.
i have said it before that he plays a lot like roy keane, spoils the play for the other team and lays it off for his own team. he does the simple things right. he has to be in the holding role for ireland if we want to qualify.
I didn’t want to say it, but yes, a lot of Liverpools ills would be solved with McCarthy or one of his ilk, replacing Gerrard. McCarthy is no mug when he breaks forward either, again as he proved at least 5 times against Wolfsburg for example.
He’s great for Everton, but rubbish for Ireland.
He hasn’t been played in his best position for Ireland yet. He should be played in front of the back four. Last time he was playing more forward.