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Exclusive: Sheffield United’s David Carney Better Off In A-League – Lawrie McKinna
The Central Coast manager has spoken exclusively to Goal.com about David Carney's disastrous Norwich switch.
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Mar 8, 2009 4:18:35 AM
Central Coast Mariners manager Lawrie McKinna says Sheffield United’s David Carney would have been better off returning to the A-League.
The Socceroo found himself relegated to United’s reserve team by manager Kevin Blackwell this season and was in talks with the Central Coast Mariners about a January move back to Australia.
That would have enabled Carney to take part in the A-League club’s upcoming Asian Champions League campaign but the player and his agent instead decided on a loan move to Championship outfit Norwich City.
However, the left winger has struggled for first-team football at the relegation-threatened club, and has yet to start a league match under new manager Bryan Gunn.
Scottish coach McKinna (pictured), who is currently preparing his side for their Asian debut next week, believes Carney’s decision to stay in England might also damage his international career.
“It would have been great if he came back, his agent obviously thought differently and thought better move was to Norwich,” McKinna told Goal.com.
“It’s certainly not going to do his international chances any good.
“It would have been a good move to come here, but he and his agent fancied staying in England.”
He added, “We’ve been to China for two qualities games [to prepare for the ACL].
“He would have played in Indonesia and he would have played in Canberra [for Australia].
“It would have been good but players do what agents tell them and what they think is best.”
Home Comforts
The player retains a place in the squads of Australia manager Pim Verbeek, though the Dutchman has been outspoken about the standard of the A-League in the past.
The former South Korea boss famously said that simply training with European clubs was more beneficial than playing in Australia’s premier domestic competition, though it is not a view that McKinna applies to Carney’s situation.
He continued, “I would have thought that training and playing in the A-League in David’s circumstances would have been better.
“A lot of the time at Sheffield he was training with the reserve team, which is not as beneficial as playing with us and training with us.
“He was playing regularly under [Brian] Robson and then when Kevin Blackwell came in he didn’t fancy him; he wanted hard working, grafting players to compete and David didn’t fit that bill with him because he’s got a great left peg, is good at running at people but obviously didn’t work hard enough for him.”
Bundesliga Interest
Despite Carney’s lack of recent impact in the Championship, the Central Coast manager does not believe the former Everton junior made a mistake moving to England.
The 25-year-old has attracted the interest of several Bundesliga clubs, and McKinna believes Carney has the talent to make the grade whether he stays on the Blades' books or moves to the continent.
“I think he had the opportunity to go and any player who is given the chance to go to a big club like Sheffield would jump at it and many others would have taken the opportunity,” McKinna said.
“I think David made the right move at the time and who knows, if Robson had have stayed there he could have been starring.
“It definitely wasn’t a question of ability.
“I was over there last May and they were talking about transferring him to German Bundesliga clubs so he’s certainly good enough for the club; he’ll get his chance.”
Chris Paraskevas, Goal.com
The Socceroo found himself relegated to United’s reserve team by manager Kevin Blackwell this season and was in talks with the Central Coast Mariners about a January move back to Australia.
That would have enabled Carney to take part in the A-League club’s upcoming Asian Champions League campaign but the player and his agent instead decided on a loan move to Championship outfit Norwich City.
However, the left winger has struggled for first-team football at the relegation-threatened club, and has yet to start a league match under new manager Bryan Gunn.
Scottish coach McKinna (pictured), who is currently preparing his side for their Asian debut next week, believes Carney’s decision to stay in England might also damage his international career.
“It would have been great if he came back, his agent obviously thought differently and thought better move was to Norwich,” McKinna told Goal.com.
“It’s certainly not going to do his international chances any good.
“It would have been a good move to come here, but he and his agent fancied staying in England.”
He added, “We’ve been to China for two qualities games [to prepare for the ACL].
“He would have played in Indonesia and he would have played in Canberra [for Australia].
“It would have been good but players do what agents tell them and what they think is best.”
Home Comforts
The player retains a place in the squads of Australia manager Pim Verbeek, though the Dutchman has been outspoken about the standard of the A-League in the past.
The former South Korea boss famously said that simply training with European clubs was more beneficial than playing in Australia’s premier domestic competition, though it is not a view that McKinna applies to Carney’s situation.
He continued, “I would have thought that training and playing in the A-League in David’s circumstances would have been better.
“A lot of the time at Sheffield he was training with the reserve team, which is not as beneficial as playing with us and training with us.
“He was playing regularly under [Brian] Robson and then when Kevin Blackwell came in he didn’t fancy him; he wanted hard working, grafting players to compete and David didn’t fit that bill with him because he’s got a great left peg, is good at running at people but obviously didn’t work hard enough for him.”
Bundesliga Interest
Despite Carney’s lack of recent impact in the Championship, the Central Coast manager does not believe the former Everton junior made a mistake moving to England.
The 25-year-old has attracted the interest of several Bundesliga clubs, and McKinna believes Carney has the talent to make the grade whether he stays on the Blades' books or moves to the continent.
“I think he had the opportunity to go and any player who is given the chance to go to a big club like Sheffield would jump at it and many others would have taken the opportunity,” McKinna said.
“I think David made the right move at the time and who knows, if Robson had have stayed there he could have been starring.
“It definitely wasn’t a question of ability.
“I was over there last May and they were talking about transferring him to German Bundesliga clubs so he’s certainly good enough for the club; he’ll get his chance.”
Chris Paraskevas, Goal.com
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