Pressure is on McCarthy with Dutch keeper possible
John McCarthy’s story could get overlooked in an Inter Miami locker room full of higher-profile headline grabbers, but as the team heads into its second season, the unassuming goalkeeper from Philadelphia is one of the most important players on the roster.
New coach Phil Neville has repeatedly said his most pressing concern is defense and conceding fewer goals, so McCarthy will be under pressure to help make sure that happens.
He took over the starting job late last season after captain Luis Robles fractured his arm, leading to his retirement. McCarthy went 4-3-1 with 19 saves and allowed 1.25 goals per game, which was admirable. However, the season ended on a sour note after a 3-0 drubbing by fellow expansion team Nashville SC in their playoff opener.
Major roster changes followed at other positions, but McCarthy, 28, returned as the expected starter with the younger Drake Callender and Dylan Castanheira as backups.
Callender, 23, is a promis
ing keeper who was recently called to the U.S. Under-23 national team. He also happens to be a talented poet. Castanheira, 25, is a Columbia graduate who last season played for Inter Miami’s USL team, Fort Lauderdale CF.
Another veteran keeper could be joining at some point this season.
Reports from the Dutch media last week said 30year-old Feyenoord goalkeeper Nick Marsman is finalizing a deal to join Inter Miami and a league source confirmed talks are ongoing. But Marsman likely would not be available until July. So, for now, the job belongs to McCarthy.
“We’ve been in discussions with some goalkeepers,” said Inter Miami sporting director Chris Henderson. “We’re happy with John, Drake and Dylan. The competition is good there. We always talk about wanting to make competition at every position. That’s not only going to make us better in games but in training every day. Goalkeeper is another position where we want to have competition. We have looked into that.”
McCarthy says he is motivated by the challenge and more than willing to put in the work. He is a blue-collar guy who spent three years as a volunteer assistant coach for the LaSalle University men’s and women’s soccer teams after starring there as a player.
Soccer is in his blood. His father, John, Sr., was a standing soccer player at LaSalle in the 1970s and went on to be elected mayor of Cinnaminson, a New Jersey township just outside Philadelphia. His younger brother, Pat, also played at LaSalle as a midfielder.
McCarthy toiled in relative obscurity with the Ocean City Nor’easterners, Reading United and Rochester Rhinos before getting his first MLS job with the Philadelphia Union, where he started one season and then played on loan with Union’s USL club Bethlehem Steel FC.
Finally, he will begin an MLS season as a starter, and McCarthy said he has improved his game under the direction of Neville, who insists his keepers have nimble feet.
Under the new regime, goalkeepers head to training 30 minutes before the rest of the team to focus on net work and are then required to participate in possession and tactical drills with the rest of the squad.
“Phil wants us in every drill they do,” McCarthy said. “Whether it’s a finishing activity, or a possession-based thing he wants us involved as much as possible because he wants us to have confidence in our footwork on game days.
“I’ll be the first to say it, my feet are not the strongest part of my game, and I know that. There’s always room for improvement. Nowadays across the world goalkeepers are more involved with their feet to build a play or relieve pressure, so it’s nice to get involved more and feel yourself gaining confi