Mick banking on Byrne influence

JACK BYRNE has left Irish champions Shamrock Rovers for a relegation fight under Mick McCarthy in Cyprus. Irish international Byrne, 24, yesterday signed a two-and-a-half year deal with APOEL Nicosia and is set to make his debut today as McCarthy seeks to end a threegame losing streak. ‘Any player who comes into the club we want them to make a difference,’ said McCarthy, who is under growing scrutiny as APOEL slip towards the lower reaches of the Cypriot First Division. Following Saturday’s 2-0 home loss to bottom club Paralimni, McCarthy couldn’t conceal his dismay. ‘I’m embarrassed by our performance and shocked. What represents me, and APOEL, such as fight, quality, desire, determination, I didn’t see that.’ ‘I joined the biggest, best, club in Cyprus. I haven’t got the best team.’ McCarthy was hired to lead APOEL back into the top half of the table and push for Euro qualification but results have been poor after a decent start under the former Ireland manager. The last two defeats were to teams below APOEL in the table and they have slipped to 11th out of 14 teams, only five points above Paralimni. Former Rovers midfielder Byrne will be expected to land running and both create and deliver goals for a team that has failed to score in its past three games. Apoel said: ‘We welcome Jack Byrne to APOEL and hope he celebrates titles and European successes with the blue and yellow.’ Byrne won his first two Irish caps under McCarthy and he could be crucial to ensuring McCarthy avoids the fate of so many APOEL managers - he is the 27th appointment in the past 20 years. MANCHESTER City midfielder Tyler Toland has won the Utilita Player of the Month award for December at loan club Glasgow City. The 19-year-old Republic of Ireland international joined Glasgow City from Manchester City on a seasonlong loan deal in early October.