Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy has urged Premier League managers to be careful when scouting players competing at the World Cup.
The former Republic of Ireland national team gaffer is well aware that managers from around England and Europe will be sending scouts to Brazil for the 2014 FIFA tournament in a bid to unearth some hidden gems from lesser known nations.
But McCarthy senses that is a recipe for disaster as he has seen some poor transfers occur after blinding World Cup performances.
"All the Premier League managers and scouts will be going out to Brazil or watching games on TV," said McCarthy.
"They won't be looking to pick up the top players from countries like Italy, Germany and France, they will be looking at other countries that are under the radar and they might see a player they like.
"The World Cup will have a bearing on how Premier League managers look at their squads for next season and it will also have a knock-on effect on who they might let go - either permanently or on loan.
"Some managers down the years have made monumental muck-ups in signing players after World Cups though.
"You see players playing for their country and sometimes they play way above what they normally do. Obviously they would have done well to get to that level and then they go and have a great World Cup.
"Then they come to England and you wonder what happens. That has happened to a lot of players. I don't think the World Cup is the best place to judge them."
