McCarthy: I want promotion

10:06am Friday 11th July 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Paddy McCarthy has set his sights on promotion to the Premiership this season as the Eagles get set for their first pre-season friendly tomorrow.

The central defender joined Palace from Charlton in June and was Neil Warnock's first signing of the summer, meeting his new team mates last week when they reported for pre-season training.

Having been impressed with the atmosphere around the training pitch McCarthy sees no reason why the Eagles cannot improve on last season's fifth-placed finish.

He said: "First and foremost I want to establish myself in the team. I want to get a good pre-season under my belt and hit the ground running in the first game against Watford.

"But I want to get promoted. I spoke to Neil when I first met him and just thought I want to come here, I want to progress with the club. The club wants to progress from the play-off position they achieved last year which was brilliant.

"I've settled in pretty quickly, they are a really good bunch of lads. Training's been difficult and we've put a lot of hard work in but I'm enjoying it, feeling fit and raring to go.

"Neil is very hands on. He has all the lads pulling in the same direction and they all enjoy coming in and working. It's probably one of the best camps I've worked with."

McCarthy played in both derbies against Palace last season and hopes to reverse the results, which saw the Addicks win twice.

"The atmosphere was terrific in both games," he said. "I came away on the winning side which was a great feeling and hopefully this year I will be able to reverse the score for Palace and we will be able to beat Charlton."

Palace play Bromley tomorrow but McCarthy has his sights set on the season opener against Watford on August 9.

He said: "Everything is geared towards that first game against Watford. If we pick up results along the way, brilliant, if not, I think performances and just matches under the lads belts and getting to know players around us and bedding into the side is the main thing for pre-season."