Pearce says keeper still has chance at lower level

Stuart Pearce still believes that young goalkeeper Alex McCarthy would still have a chance in the England set up, even if he is playing in the Championship.

The 23-year old was called up to the England senior side last week by Roy Hodgson and deservedly so, after some fine performances in recent weeks. This, as expected, has linked McCarthy with a move away from the relegated Royals, but Pearce believes that it would not hurt the keepers progress at international level, by playing in the Championship.

Quoted by Sporting Life, the England under 21 boss said: ‘I just think he needs to be playing. If he is playing Roy will look at him. You hear some people talking about how players from fashionable clubs only get the opportunity at international level, but he has proven that idea wrong.’

‘If you are playing well enough you will get the opportunity no matter where you are. He is in the England squad now so that tells you something straight away – he wouldn’t be in the England squad if Roy didn’t trust him. He has been around the Under 21 squad in the past and he was very unfortunate to miss out on the Olympic squad.’

I suppose if Jack Butland is going to be noticed playing in the Championship and Fraser Forster in the SPL, then McCarthy definitely has a chance in the second division. Even if he was playing in the Premier League though, the likes of Hart, Foster and Ruddy would be picked ahead of him anyway. One step at a time Alex!

Wiki page: Alex McCarthy