James McCarthy not shy to lead Ireland from the front

James McCarthy has admitted that he would like to take a greater grip on international games but dismissed suggestion that he is being held back in some way by shyness as has sometimes been suggested.

"I don't think I'm shy to be honest," said the 23-year-old, who is set to shake off a problem with blisters to feature in Ireland's midfield in Georgia on Sunday.

“A lot of people have said that in the past about being shy and quiet and I think once you get labelled with something, it’s with you for a bit.

“I don’t know when it’s going to go away. It’s part and parcel of the game, you need to talk. And I talk enough. What else am I going to say? I’m not shy.

"Of course you are a bit when you come into the squad at first, but I've had 20-odd caps at this stage and I want to impose myself more on the pitch for Ireland.

“I’ve done well enough for my club and I want to take that into the internationals. But at times, international and club football is different.

“Obviously a lot of people think I don’t take the game by the scruff of the neck in the way that maybe I do back at the club. But it’s difficult at times; a lot of people are saying this and that. Any time I go on the pitch I give my all. Since my first cap, since day one.

“I’ll keep working hard and try and keep improving as a player. I’m no different to anyone else.”

His potential

His comments came after

John Giles

had suggested on Wednesday that he had yet to fulfil his potential due to an apparent reluctance to put himself at the centre of things by consistently looking for the ball from team-mates.

McCarthy seemed unsurprised by the suggestion but disagreed with the notion that he just might not be suited to the task of running the show.

That might be a tall order, as it happens, in a place where two of Europe's major powers struggled to overcome the hosts during the last campaign, but McCarthy is acutely aware of the challenge that awaits in Tbilisi and still believes that taking three points this weekend is a reasonable target.

"It's a massive game to be honest," he said. "You look at Georgia, Poland, Scotland and Germany; it's a strong group of teams there but we need to go to Georgia first and give it our best shot because we've seen good teams go there and slip up.

“We’ve watched a few clips. We’ve seen the France game. They drew 0-0 over there and Spain just beat them.

“We know it’s not going to be easy, it’s going to be tough over there. But we need to go there and try and put a show on.

‘Talking about’

“People are talking about how warm it is out there but we need to go there and try and get three points on the board. Germany and Scotland are going to have to be played soon so we need get three points on the board as soon as possible.”

On the face of it, recent results would not suggest any great cause for confidence, but McCarthy is unconcerned by the outcome of friendlies and feels that things have progressed well enough under the new manager despite the team having won only two of eight games.

“I think we’re gelling as a team,” he insisted. “The gaffer has come in, it’s a new squad, the gaffer is getting to know each and every one of us, but we’ve had a lot of injuries, a lot of niggles throughout the squad and it’s only now that he’s getting the best team on the pitch.”

If available for selection himself on Sunday, and he insists he will be, the midfielder is sure to be at the heart of the effort to secure the win.

“I’m fit,” he insisted. “I had a couple of blisters; I think it was more serious than a blister, but I’ve been doing a bit in the gym and I’m happy to be out training again.”