Mighty Mac: James McCarthy

Rumoured to be on the way to one of the big Premier League clubs this summer, Ireland’s James McCarthy is an FA Cup winner with Wigan too.

A few months ago it was Liverpool. Two weeks ago it was Manchester United. This week it is Chelsea and Arsenal. We don’t know exactly how much truth there are in the James McCarthy transfer rumours but it looks increasingly likely that the Irish international won’t be at the DW next year no matter what happens the Latics over the final two games of the season.

Considering he cost them just £1.1milion in 2009, at least Wigan will have the consolation of a tidy profit and the benefit of utilising his considerable talents for four years if he does go. Before he made the move to the Premier League, McCarthy made his name at Hamilton in Scotland, where he made his first team debut at just 15. Almost instantly he became a first-team regular and Wigan won the race to snap up the then 18-year-old in July 2009.

Credit for his progress up to this point is not McCarthy’s alone. Naturally gifted with great touch and passing vision, he has improved immensely under the tutelage of Roberto Martinez. He has grown physically now too, a requirement in the midfield bear-pit, and his ability to win his own ball and start attacks is priceless in the modern game.

Born in Glasgow, his Donegal grandfather Paddy Coyle meant that McCarthy was eligible to play for Ireland and after the FAI inquired about his availability, an international career in green began in 2007, great news for Irish fans.

After being fast-tracked through the various underage levels McCarthy made his Ireland debut in a friendly against Brazil in 2010, though it would be over a year later that he would make his competitive debut, closing the door on speculation that he may switch back to play for Scotland.

Since then McCarthy has had his ups and down on the international scene, missing parts of the Carling Nations Cup in 2011 through injury and Euro 2012 due to an illness suffered by his father but his performances in the 2014 World Cup campaign have been outstanding, and he is surely an automatic first choice for Ireland now.

Incredibly, this week will see McCarthy play his 200^th league game, a huge tally for one so young, and McCarthy has started every league game for Wigan this season. And despite the Latics struggling, McCarthy has shone. His pass completion rate this season is a Barcelona-esque 87.7 per cent and his ability to pick a pass is a joy to watch. An FA Cup winners medal at Wembley at the weekend was a fantastic bonus too.

You can see why teams like Arsenal and Chelsea would love to have his combination of strength and skill around the middle so while we hope the youngster avoids the drop this season, an even bigger challenge awaits him next season we suspect. And we reckon he is more than up to it too.

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