Yeah sorry that should be a given of any player that gets picked.
He lost the right to a send off or being selected when he signed for Wrexham, he should be grateful for what he got in the end. The main mistake Kenny made was selecting McClean in the first place, he should have been out of the squad once he dropped to league 2.
Of course not. For you can dislike the King, even hate him if you want. Hell, you can join in a bunch of players singing about how much you "hate the phucking King", if you like.
But that's not the point, is it? Rather in the hoohaa which followed, rather than staying silent, or muttering something bland or mildly conciliatory ("Sorry, I just got carried away in the heat of the moment, apologies if I offended anyone etc"), no our James was entirely unrepentent, doubling down effectively.
And that's the thing with him: It's. Always. One. Thing. After. Another.
Meanwhile, contrast that with his brother Patrick. He's been playing for Glentoran, in the heart of (Loyalist) East Belfast since 2019, where he established himself as a bit of a fans' favourite. Then about a year ago, he had some sort of personal crisis (drink-related?) and suddenly walked out on his contract in mid-season, to take up work on a building site in Dublin - he was done with football, he said, at the age of 26.
A few months later he got himself sorted, regretted what he'd done, apologised to the club, his fellow players and the fans, and asked to come back. And he's been accepted back, no hard feelings:
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/s...246876185.html
Now I don't suppose Patrick has any great affection for the King, either, unlike the club's fans! Then again, we don't know what he thinks, since he doesn't feel the need to tell everyone about this sort of crap all the time, nor (presumably) does he imagine that the rest of us want or need to hear it either.
Meaning that if James only had a fraction of the class of his brother, then he (James) would not be forever making headlines etc, to no good purpose whatever for himself, or anyone else.
Last edited by EalingGreen; 18/04/2024 at 10:19 PM.
In defence of Stephen Kenny...
(I didn't see myself saying that this year)
James gave terrific service to his country. He was the most committed player I've ever seen in an Irish jersey. But Stephen Kenny clearly prolonged his international career and gave him runs out off the bench to give him his 100th cap. McClean should probably have been dropped from the squad over a year before he retired. He wasn't able to get around the pitch in the way he used to and his game really relied on that.
The idea that he had any right to be considered from League 2 is mad. If he was planning a move to Wrexham he should have told Kenny as much and they could have made a big song and dance of his retirement at the Gibraltar game when he won his 100th cap. League 2 is no standard at all to be involved in international football. If it was Graham Coughlan would be part of the discussions to replace Kenny now. But he isn't.
McClean maybe should have had the armband vs New Zealand and had the chance to be subbed off on his own, but that's as far as there is any legitimacy to his complaints.
McClean has autism I believe. Obviously people with autism often see the world quite differently to people who don't have it. Wondering if that's at play here because his comments are miles off track, but might be explained to some extent by how his condition causes him to see the world (rather than just being a spoilt primadonna footballer which isn't something I'd have considered him to be up to now).
I don't see why autism is being brought into it, as if it's something that needs to be explained away.
His views are well known. If people were given the headline "Footballer ____(name)______ singing anti-monarchy songs", McClean would probably be the first footballer in the whole of UK football that comes to mind to fill that gap.
At this stage, he's probably just tired of the jaded outrage.
McClean in a Royal China shop = = Why are the royals and their supporters ( especially the supporters ) so sensitive anyway ? !
Supporters of royalty are very insecure ~ ~ Maybe worried about, naked emperors / naked royals ! !
I doubt he's the sharpest tool in the box.
Try thinking of it this way.
Suppose some 20 y.o. English fella emigrated to the Republic ten years ago, having left school at 16 with no particular qualifications etc, to take up a job that he happened to be particularly good at. And that job paid him very handsomely, so that he could enjoy a lifestyle infinitely more privileged than he might have expected had he stayed at home.
But as well as doing a good job for his employer etc, he's also forever publicly slagging off the institutions of the State, including "hating the phucking President".
You'd be ok with that, I assume?
It probably depends what those institutions did to/in the home city of the individual in question.
Ya reckon? I mean, it's an easy mistake to make eg to buy a Lamborghini before you'd even got your driving licence - I'm sure we've all done that at one time or another.
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/o.../39083960.html
Bookmarks