Big Mick prepared to go Dutch on Crowley
MICK McCARTHY may not get RTÉ in Bromley, but he tunes in to his Eredivisie alright and he’s been tracking Dan Crowley of Willem II who he will watch in person next Sunday against Ajax in the KNVB Dutch Cup final. The trip to Rotterdam’s Feyenoord Stadium indicates McCarthy’s willingness to integrate midfielder Crowley, 21, into the Republic of Ireland senior set-up.
McCarthy has liked what he’s seen of Crowley
on tape, his dribbling skills, eye for a pass, and a goal – he has seven in 37 appearances across all competitions for the Tilburg team this season.
Born in Coventry, Crowley came through at Arsenal and has played for Barnsley, Oxford and Go Ahead Eagles on loan before switching to the Netherlands. He has also played for both England and Ireland at underage level. Pointedly, he draped a tricolour on his shoulders after Willem II’s semifinal win over AZ Alkmaar.
Since Wes Hoolahan retired, the Irish midfield has lacked a creative hub and Crowley may be given the opportunity to audition for the role.
That could be as soon as the training camp in Portugal on May 21-28 if Crowley stands up to Champions League semi-finalists Ajax, and the necessary paperwork can be processed.
‘What can I do until I see him (Crowley)?’ asked McCarthy. ‘I’m not just bringing people along for the ride. I want to see him first.’
Will Keane, the Ipswich Town striker, has had his passport papers processed and could also be set for involvement in the trip to Quinta do Lago next month.
‘Will is playing now. I’m hoping he’s got his passport, I think he has,’ said McCarthy.
Keane, a twin brother of Everton and England defender Michael Keane, has been fit enough to figure for Ipswich in recent weeks, although he was powerless to prevent The Tractor Boys sliding out of the Championship after a 16-season stay.
For McCarthy, the relegation prompted mixed emotions as he spent five and a half years at the Suffolk club, steered them to three top-ten finishes, including the play-offs in 2015, and left them 12 months ago in the safety of 12th place.
‘I feel desperately sad for the players,’ he said. ‘Some are taking big, big pay cuts – 50 or 60 percent going down so I’m hearing. They were great those lads, the lads who played for me were fantastic, the staff, the club itself, too.
‘But I have to honest, some of the supporters who hounded me out for the last 18 months, I hope they enjoy their sexy football in League One.’
McCarthy is juggling with how best to fill the gap for his players between the end of the season – May 5 for the Championship players, May 12 for those in the Premier League – and the Euro 2020 doubleheader.
He has fitness programmes mapped out for each set of players but has been unable to arrange a game in Portugal, to his frustration.
As a back-stop, McCarthy’s men will play the Ireland U21s behind closed doors in Dublin on his return from the camp, and prior to Stephen Kenny’s crew heading for the Toulon Tournament where they play on June 3, 6 and 9.
McCarthy namechecked Nathan Collins, the Stoke City central defender, as a player on the radar of Kenny. Collins, who turns 19 next Tuesday, has broken into the Stoke first team this month. He is the son of Dave Collins and nephew of Eamonn Collins, both former professionals. ‘We looked at Nathan with Ipswich when we were up in Carton House. We didn’t sign him, probably for financial reasons, he’s now at Stoke. He’s now in the first team, he’s only 18. He’s another one we’re aware of.’ McCarthy is aware of the negative vibes swirling around the FAI but he made a point of popping into Abbotstown this week and offering support for the front-line staff. ‘I went in and took the Mickey,’ he said. ‘I was saying, “Who are you lads working for?” and then I whispered, “The FAI.” ‘Let me tell you, I’m a fully paid up member of the belligerent club, I think you all know that but there is a lot to be proud about at the moment, with the football.’ ‘Stephen (Kenny) had a great result with the 21s, the 17s, the 19s, the women’s teams, they’re all doing well. We (the seniors) won two games.’ McCarthy’s point to his fellow workers was that whatever else is going on, it shouldn’t ‘drag them down in how they feel’. ‘They should be proud of their jobs, and their parts in it,’ he said.