McCarthy in the England Squad!

[genome]

Just announced on SSN. Awesome!

[LoyalRoyalFan]

First player from the academy to be called up to England as well!

Credit to everyone involved in his development, from the academy staff to Sal Bibbo, McDermott and Adkins.

Congratulations Alex!

[genome]

BBC:

BREAKING NEWS
England squad to play Republic of Ireland and Brazil:

Goalkeepers: Ben Foster, Joe Hart, Alex McCarthy; Defenders Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Phil Jagielka, Glen Johnson, Phil Jones, Joleon Lescott, Kyle Walker; Midfielders: Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverley, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott; Forwards: Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney, Daniel Sturridge, Danny Welbeck

[Alexander Litvinenko]

Perfect - that'll give all the players from the bigger clubs the chance to spend some time with him telling him how much more money they earn and how much bigger and better everything is at their club.

It worked for Nicky Shorey, why wouldn't it work for Alex McCarthy?

[RoyalSheep]

Fully deserves it with his performances as well. Extremely happy for him, although can't see this call up making it any easier to keep him!

[No Fixed Abode]

Just pulled out the squad with a bad back.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

Not before time and well deserved.

[SPARTA]

That'll add a few million to his already increasing price tag.

Hopefully we can keep him for next season at least!

[P!ssed Off]

That has to be one of Reading's results of the season.
Congratulations.

[West Stand Man]

I love the idea that being brought into the England squad now makes him more visible to PL scouts, as if they hadn't identified him before!

[mumbo-jumbo]

Do you think this will make it harder to keep him next season, or perhaps a little easier?

Yes, he may have his head turned by the glamour and riches of the other squad members OR

He may see that he can nurture his embryonic England career in a Reading shirt, as our no 1 and with the clubs' full backing, and further experience will only strengthen his cause in the long term.

He seems destined for great things. How best to achieve it.

[P!ssed Off]

Do you think this will make it harder to keep him next season, or perhaps a little easier?

Yes, he may have his head turned by the glamour and riches of the other squad members OR

He may see that he can nurture his embryonic England career in a Reading shirt, as our no 1 and with the clubs' full backing, and further experience will only strengthen his cause in the long term.

He seems destined for great things. How best to achieve it.

If the Anton revolution is built on improving the facilities and the academy (which hopefully it is) then surely we will not sell our first every academy player to get called up by England.
Keep McCarthy, he's not only a great player, but an inspiration to the academy as well as an incentive for players to join Reading next season; they'll know that we mean business.

[Alexander Litvinenko]

The mentality of players is that they have the confidence and self-belief to think they're ready for any challenge thrown at them, and that if they get a chance they'll succeed at it - they'd not have got this far without that mindset and ambition.

They are also always aware that they might suffer a career-ending injury tomorrow - so why would they wait.

I heard Kevin Doyle talk about this, when he was asked about Sidwell leaving to "sit on the bench at Chelsea." he said that Steve believed that he'd get a chance to prove himself and then it was down to him to show what he could do.

He also said that every footballer dreads the idea of looking back on their career and thinking "I wonder what would have happened if I'd accepted that offer to move to a big club when I was younger....."

It really pains me to say it, but I just can't see any way Alex McCarthy will be a Reading player next season. The only good thing is that the England call-up should bump up the price a little bit more and hopefully there'll be a bidding war we can take advantage of.

[LoyalRoyalFan]

In the Evening Post today, Adkins said McCarthy isn't for sale at 'any price'.

What I like to hear!

[Alexander Litvinenko]

The reality is that if a player has decided he wants to leave then there's no way you can really keep them.

Of course, you can hold them to their contract - but you can't expect them to play, and so what you end up doing in practice is paying a player good money to see out their contract and then go for nothing, whilst also fermenting discontent amongst the whole dressing room.

[P!ssed Off]

The mentality of players is that they have the confidence and self-belief to think they're ready for any challenge thrown at them, and that if they get a chance they'll succeed at it - they'd not have got this far without that mindset and ambition.

They are also always aware that they might suffer a career-ending injury tomorrow - so why would they wait.

I heard Kevin Doyle talk about this, when he was asked about Sidwell leaving to "sit on the bench at Chelsea." he said that Steve believed that he'd get a chance to prove himself and then it was down to him to show what he could do.

He also said that every footballer dreads the idea of looking back on their career and thinking "I wonder what would have happened if I'd accepted that offer to move to a big club when I was younger....."

It really pains me to say it, but I just can't see any way Alex McCarthy will be a Reading player next season. The only good thing is that the England call-up should bump up the price a little bit more and hopefully there'll be a bidding war we can take advantage of.

Luckily, with keepers it's a bit different. Sidwell knew he wasn't gonna be initially 1st choice but was probably confident that he'd get enough chances off the bench to be able to force himself in to the 1st team.

If a keeper goes to a club and is the 2nd choice keeper, then whilst they might be confident in their ability to succeed if given a chance, they really cannot be confident that will receive that chance at all. Some 1st team keepers play 100+ games consecutively, it doesn't matter how confident the 2nd choice keeper is, they're still not getting a game.

[soggy biscuit]

In the Evening Post today, Adkins said McCarthy isn't for sale at 'any price'.

What I like to hear!

What else is he supposed to say?

[Stuka]

I fear you are right Alexander, but I wish McCarthy all the best and feel good for him about the call-up.

[boycey]

I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you across the country.
Alex,Alex McCarthy.

[P!ssed Off]

The reality is that if a player has decided he wants to leave then there's no way you can really keep them.

Of course, you can hold them to their contract - but you can't expect them to play, and so what you end up doing in practice is paying a player good money to see out their contract and then go for nothing, whilst also fermenting discontent amongst the whole dressing room.

Well that's not the reality though is it.
It didn't work when Tevez or Rooney tried to force a move; if they're not big enough to get their own way, then a player who's only played 12 Premier League games really doesn't have any power.