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FOOTBALL

MCCARTHY TO HOLD TALKS WITH BURLEY

BURLEY: Big decision ahead for McCarthy

Wednesday October 8,2008

By Scott Burns

REPUBLIC of Ireland starlet James McCarthy has opened the door on a possible Scotland switch by agreeing to hold talks with national boss George Burley.

The 17-year-old Accies midfielder has already played for Ireland at youth levels up to under-21 but the SFA have moved to try and convince him to play for the country of his birth.

McCarthy has already pulled out of the Republic under-21 squad for their friendly with Lithuania next week with a slight groin strain picked up in the weekend defeat at Celtic.

The talented teenager, who qualifies for Ireland through his grandfather, has remained at New Douglas Park to get treatment and he will also use that time to make a decision on where his international future lies.

An SFA insider said: “We have made it clear that we want James McCarthy to play for Scotland and we are doing everything we can to make that happen.

“George Burley has identified James as a player with a big future and he wants it to be with Scotland.

“We have already been in contact with his club Hamilton and he has agreed to meet with George to discuss his situation.

“We are hoping that meeting will take place over the next couple of days so we can put our case forward and then give the boy time to make his decision.”

Express Sport revealed on Monday that Irish boss Giovanni Trapatoni wants to end the speculation over McCarthy’s future by capping him in next month’s friendly full friendly with Poland but Burley watched McCarthy for the first-time at Parkhead and has told his staff that he wants all the stops pulled out to get the youngster to play for Scotland.