David McGoldrick has revealed the role Mick McCarthy played in him joining Sheffield United.
McGoldrick was signed by the Blades in the summer of 2018 and scored 15 goals that season to help them get promoted from the Championship.
Yet this was after the striker was deemed surplus to requirements at Ipswich Town and released. As United went up to the Premier League, Ipswich were relegated.
That decision was made by newly appointed manager Paul Hurst. By October the Tractor Boys had sacked Hurst with the club rock bottom of the table.
Prior to that, McGoldrick had worked under McCarthy for five-and-a-half years at Portman Road.
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Some might have been surprised when Chris Wilder signed McGoldrick. After all, the 31-year-old had only scored six league goals the previous term and his stock was relatively low.
Yet McCarthy recommended the forward to Wilder.
“I played under Mick for six years at Ipswich. That’s a long time in football to play under one manager, and me and Mick never had one bust-up,” McGoldrick told the Irish News.
“He showed me respect when I had family issues and I showed him respect back. For him to give me a good reference to Chris is not something that surprised me really because that’s just the man he is.
“Him and Chris have got the same traits. Both Yorkshiremen, both working class and both just real good men. Before the football you can have a laugh and joke with them but when it’s time to get serious you don’t cross the line with either of them because you know you’ll get an earful. And that’s the best kind of manager for me, personally.”
McCarthy has shown further faith in McGoldrick since returning as Republic of Ireland manager. Dropped by Martin O’Neill, the forward was brought back into the national fold in March.