Kevin Kilbane has reopened the debate over James McCarthy's commitment to international football with some very forthright views about the Everton midfielder's priorities.
The former Everton and Sunderland winger turned full back was speaking to the Sun when he suggested that McCarthy needs to take a step back and reassess his priorities.
Kilbane has long been held up as one of the most committed players to have played for Ireland in recent years and, as if we didn't know it already, he confirmed that for him, Ireland always came first.
However, Kilbane like many Ireland fans has questioned whether that is the same for McCarthy. As Roy Keane suggested a number of months ago, Kilbane doesn't think McCarthy's injury record in the build up to international matches is entirely coincidental.
Invariably he will come off with ten minutes to go and that’s that.
Players being pulled out of international matches by their clubs is nothing new but Kilbane has challenged McCarthy to stand up to Martinez and Everton and prove that he actually wants to play for Ireland.
I think some players allow the decision to be made for them. It’s far too easy for a player to be dictated to by a physio. Sometimes you’ve got to take responsibility for yourself and show what it means for you to come and play.
Kilbane gave Robbie Keane and Shay Given as examples of the desire that needs to be shown when it comes to putting yourself forward for selection. Something which he was more than willing to do during his time in the Ireland set-up.
I’ve seen Robbie Keane, Shay Given, all the lads take injections for big games because that’s what it means to them. I had a row with the physio at Sunderland before the Iran play-off game in 2001. I had an ankle injury but I spoke to Peter Reid and that was it really.
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