Scott Burns has hinted at issues behind the scenes behind James McCarthy’s slow start to life at Celtic.
The former Everton midfielder signed on the same day as Joe Hart but has played a peripheral role in his three months at the club and is still waiting to complete his first full 90 minutes.
With Scott Brown, Ryan Christie and Olivier Ntcham leaving over the course of the summer fresh blood was badly needed in midfield but McCarthy was the only first team prospect that came in.
Fortunately Tom Rogic, Callum McGregor and David Turnbull have formed a very effective unit but with Rogic injured Nir Bitton has been the only option available to Ange Postecoglou.
McCarthy made a 15 minute appearance last night away to Ange Postecoglou with his situation discussed during the Record Celtic Podcast.
After 18 minutes Burns revealed:
What I would say about James McCarthy as well is that there is a lot going on behind the scenes that people…. Obviously he lost his Dad last year, that was a massive, massive blow to him as it would be to anyone.
That takes a bit of time to get over, he’s moved back up the road (after more than a decade in England), he needs to get over that and there is also a virus going about which has had an impact on him as well.
That’s had an impact as well, it all takes time these things. I think that once everything settles down, he gets back to playing regularly, training regularly, back to full fitness and getting game time then I think we will see the real James McCarthy that was doing well in the Premier League.
He probably won’t get back to the young player that he was at Hamilton Accies but I do still think that there’s genuinely a player in there in James McCarthy.
A lot of Celtic fans have written him off already but I just think that given time, with everything that is going on behind the scenes that people aren’t aware of. They’re just looking at James McCarthy the footballer and its not really working for him just now. I think, given time and all going well he could be a good player.