Soccer: Roberto Martinez has claimed the Republic of Ireland medical team is now "well, well aware" of James McCarthy's ankle injury, having been sent the medical report of the injury after a scan yesterday (Monday).
An FAI spokesman was unable to clarify this morning whether anyone at the association was contacted yesterday evening about the issue. However, though he did not name the player yesterday, Giovanni Trapattoni made clear the midfielder had not returned calls since his call-up on May 4th.
Martinez insists there is no suggestion of McCarthy having gone Awol, and that he needs a month-long rest after suffering the injury against Stoke at the weekend, meaning he will not only miss this week’s Carling Nations Cup games against Northern Ireland and Scotland, but also the Euro 2012 qualifier against Macedonia in Skopje on June 4th and the friendly against Italy in Liege three days later.
“He had a challenge in the game against Stoke with Jermaine Pennant, we had a scan and the scan revealed grade one ligament damage in his right ankle,” the Spaniard said this afternoon.
“We passed the report to the Republic of Ireland medical team and they are well, well aware. That is where James had an operation earlier this season and it is an area that is a bit of a concern.
“We have to work together to try and get him a speedy recovery but he is not available to play and he will need at least three or four weeks to recover.”
Martinez’s quotes, however, suggest the FAI was only informed yesterday, hours after McCarthy was due to join up with the squad in Dublin and not on Sunday when the injury occurred.
McCarthy played 90 minutes against Stoke on Sunday as Wigan ensured Premier League survival with a 1-0 away win.
The lack of communication from McCarthy or Wigan, coupled with the withdrawal of Celtic striker Anthony Stokes because of “tiredness”, clearly frustrated Trapattoni yesterday, when he named his team to face Northern Ireland at the Aviva Stadium.
“Young players have a fun job," he said. "It is not a job like the working man’s. It is not a difficult job. For me it is an 11-month holiday. I played 70 games every season - national, championship, Europe.
“It is unbelievable, so we must educate our players. We are lucky and we have to enjoy playing football. It is a fine life. It is a new generation. Sometimes there is more pressure now but players should understand how beautiful our job is.
“Injuries are injuries, but they should visit our doctor,” he added. “That is the rule. If they are asked by the national team they must go. If they are in hospital or they are dead, that is okay, but if there is an injury they should see our doctor.”
