McCarthy announces successful surgery on his broken leg

Everton midfielder James McCarthy is beginning the long road to recovery from a very painful and traumatic injury in the best of spirits, with the best wishes of thousands of football fans with him.

And he’ll have no one better than his Toffees and Republic of Ireland teammate Seamus Coleman beside him every step of the way, with the fullback himself over 300 days removed from his own horribly similar leg break.

In a post to his Instagram yesterday, McCarthy thanked everyone involved in his surgery which he said went off well -

“Just a quick message to say that my operation went well, thanks to all the staff involved! and a big thanks to all my family, friends and Olivia Also cheers for all the messages, I appreciate it”

Coleman, who was in attendance at the game on Saturday as well as McCarthy’s parents, went straight down the tunnel to be with his teammate after he was stretchered off, but deflected any attention off his own situation.

“There wasn’t anything that came flooding back to me, or flashbacks, I was just devastated for my best friend in football. It is a big shock for him and a big shock for his family.

“It is probably going to give me the motivation to be as good as I can possibly be to show James that there is a way back from it.

“Every day I go out, every week I go out, I am going to play the best I can so that he sees there is a way back.

“That is my motivation now. I have seen him and he will be back there is no doubt about that.

“I will be there for him, if I can play as best as I can then he can see me on a Saturday on Match of the Day setting up goals, scoring goals, that is the perfect motivation for him.

“My interviews have probably changed a little bit since his injury because that is now my sole motivation for him.”

Here’s wishing both players at different stages of their rehabilitation all the very best as they seek to return to fitness and pull on the royal blue once again.