Source: FOOTYMAD
McCourt taking things in his stride
Paddy McCourt has no intention of allowing the pressure to get to him and is keen to be avilable for both club and country Paddy McCourt accepts there is intense pressure on and off the field as a Celtic player - and if he still wants to play for Northern Ireland. Strathclyde Police are carrying out an investigation after a package containing bullets addressed to McCourt at Celtic Park was discovered by Royal Mail workers in the east end of Glasgow on Tuesday. Bullets which were addressed to Niall McGinn and Neil Lennon were detected by postal workers in Mallusk, County Antrim last week. All three packages were posted in Northern Ireland. The winger, who joined Celtic from Derry City in June 2008, has established himself in the first team this season, making 18 appearances and scoring five goals. McCourt said it took time for him to settle in Glasgow, in part due to injuries, but he is determined not to allow the pressure of playing for Celtic to get to him. He added: "It took me a good year and a half before I felt ready to play. There's been a lot of players to have played for Celtic that found it tough, playing for such a big club. But when you set out playing football as a young lad, you want to go to the top of your game and so far getting to Celtic's been the top of mine. Once you get there, there's no point in letting it get to you. You just have to try and get on with it and just enjoy it as best you can." His manager Lennon knows what the pressure is like playing for club and country and retired from international football in 2002 after receiving death threats. However, McCourt has no intention of quitting internationals football and remains available to Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington. McCourt, who made his international debut against Spain in April 2002 and has won four caps, said: "I've always said I wanted to play for Northern Ireland. Sometimes I'm in the squad, sometimes I'm not. That's the manager's decision. Hopefully the more games I play here, the more I'll be in his mind." Worthington said he would be speaking to both McCourt and McGinn. Worthington said: "It is disappointing when these things happen but the players have my full support and encouragement. Hopefully everyone can see sense, behave themselves and focus on sport. I will speak to them to see where they are at but I don't foresee any problems."
