James McClean M Wrexham b.1989

[tetsujin1979]

I think Pheed could be worse if it takes off

[Humpy Gussy]

No problem with McClean's politics. Well entitled to express his political persuasion. However, it does seem that he is trying for, or at least tempting a reaction. It is unnecessary and reaffirms his immaturity and lack of nouse. Nothing wrong with it, strictly speaking, but in his particular case, unnecessary.

[OwlsFan]

Didn't see the game but I notice he got a 4 rating in the Daily Telegraph (his play, not his tweets).

[Stuttgart88]

I saw about 30-40 mins. 4 is a bit harsh but he is very direct and very predictable. He lacked a trick, it's all about knocking the ball past the oppenent and catching up with it quicker than the opponent. He almost always goes outside his man. Still, Tony Galvin did this to great effect and Kevin Kilbane was all about this too. Sometimes he'd cut back in and would feed a central midfielder. Just when everyone was convinced he only had a left foot he had a decent right footed volley from 25 yards.

I think he's limited in what he can provide but I also think he'd be well suited to a wide left role for Ireland where work rate and tempo have been lacking a lot lately.

On Saturday I thought Pilkington had a bit more finesse about him, although similar in style.

[Manblue]

Watched the game and thought he was very poor. Probably would of given him a 5, mainly for two reasons, a good cross the keeper spilled, although no one was there to tap it in, secondly, a decent effort in the last minute that could of nicked the win.

Outside of this he was quite poor. Gave away a lot of free kicks, very sloppy in possession and general play lacked creativity. Rose behind him made a mistake for the goal but was quite strong in the second half. Twice I saw McClean drag a player into the space Rose was running into. It was so silly. He could of stood his ground and the player would of had to stick with him but he took him and Rose out of the game.

Sunderland really lack able replacements on the bench so I would say his position is safe for a while regardless of performance.

[Charlie Darwin]

I saw about 30-40 mins. 4 is a bit harsh but he is very direct and very predictable. He lacked a trick, it's all about knocking the ball past the oppenent and catching up with it quicker than the opponent. He almost always goes outside his man.
Martin O'Neill highlighted this over the summer actually and seemed to intimate he'd like to try McClean on the right. I guess the arrival of Johnson kind of scuppered that.

[BonnieShels]

"From Free Derry". Unnecessary, particularly given his past online 'difficulties'.

I read that as Free From Derry...

[Murfinator]

Watched the game and thought he was very poor. Probably would of given him a 5, mainly for two reasons, a good cross the keeper spilled, although no one was there to tap it in, secondly, a decent effort in the last minute that could of nicked the win.

Outside of this he was quite poor. Gave away a lot of free kicks, very sloppy in possession and general play lacked creativity. Rose behind him made a mistake for the goal but was quite strong in the second half. Twice I saw McClean drag a player into the space Rose was running into. It was so silly. He could of stood his ground and the player would of had to stick with him but he took him and Rose out of the game.

Sunderland really lack able replacements on the bench so I would say his position is safe for a while regardless of performance.

McClean is finished IMO, very limited player who everybody has figured out by this stage. He's struggling badly and showing an inability to adapt his game.

[Charlie Darwin]

He's finished. Amazing.

[Sullivinho]

63 pages. He had a good run.

[Charlie Darwin]

Mods, lock the thread. He's finished.

[SkStu]

My thoughts and prayers are with James at this difficult time.

[tetsujin1979]

64 pages, just running out the clock here

[the bear]

Thanks for everything James, can't believe your gone so soon.

Hard news to take in the immediate aftermath of David Connolly's retirement.

[harry crumb]

We are with you James

Regular meetings with Crowe, Jason Byrne, Coyle, Joe Lapira, Joe Gamble to help you cope with this terrible disease.

[SwanVsDalton]

There'll be a candle-lit vigil in St Eugene's Cathedral tomorrow night, with many Derry fans making their way from the Brandywell in a show of support to our stricken James.

Let's hope for a miracle. He needs one.

[paul_oshea]

Murfinator is an ill-informed wum, but he has a point. I think skstu as well has mentioned this in the past, expect second season syndrome. Coleman has proved he is a good player after he suffered the ill-fated disease ( along with injuries ) but he has responded well this season thus far.

It will be interesting to see how McClean does after this season. As so far he has suffered from second season syndrome - but its still early days. I think he will be found out though. Perhaps he can become a good left-back!!!

[EAFC_rdfl]

he promised so much

[tricky_colour]

Our thoughts and ex-players are with you.

[geysir]

It will be interesting to see how McClean does after this season. As so far he has suffered from second season syndrome -
That confirms that McClean is finished, he can't get a game for Sunderland.
MON has dropped him from the first team, 'to the bench and beyond'.

[gastric]

Between Tricky's Barcalona thread and the amount of replies he received, plus the sarcasm oozing here, it just goes to show what a slow news week it's been!

[gastric]

Eugene Ferry to move in with James to keep him in check according to RTE!

[Serb]

Eugene Ferry to move in with James to keep him in check according to RTE!

The lad is 23 ffs.

"Ah now James, remember, we said no Twitter after 8pm. It's bed time for you. Get your jammies on and I'll be up in 10 minutes to read you a story".

[Lionel Ritchie]

I seem to recall Jimmy Five Bellies was supposed to provide some similar function for Paul Gascoigne. That worked out well and fine.

[liamoo11]

it must b a windup. what the hell can mccleans missus be thinking

[geysir]

She's thinking ... Robert Brady.

[Grafter]

Did I miss something??? Has he done something bonkers in last month apart from Twitter stuff? His form isn't spectacular you could say that about alot of Sunderland players???

[horton]

He must be really off the walls if Eugene Ferry is gonna be his mentor:confused:

[Predator]

This is embarrassing for the lad.

Can you imagine what he'd be like if he did drink?

[the bear]

I seem to recall Jimmy Five Bellies was supposed to provide some similar function for Paul Gascoigne. That worked out well and fine.

Thats like asking Balotelli to mind your bangers for you in the run up to Haloween

[paul_oshea]

He should be concentrating on his game only and nothing else, especially now there is a lull/dip in his performances.

[Charlie Darwin]

Has his game dipped or is he just playing in an uninspired team? Sunderland's modus operandi is basically to defend in numbers and then give it to Fletcher.

[SwanVsDalton]

McClean and Ferry are BFF's - McClean took him to the Euros and all over. I think there's a measure of mild homesickness involved as well (not to mention a big possibility of Eugene speaking with his tongue firmly in cheek).

[Charlie Darwin]

McClean and Ferry are BFF's - McClean took him to the Euros and all over. I think there's a measure of mild homesickness involved as well (not to mention a big possibility of Eugene speaking with his tongue firmly in cheek).
4 Lyfe?

[paul_oshea]

4Ever is greater than 4life, in death - as in life...

[SwanVsDalton]

4eva, 4lyfe, 4keeps - 4defs.

[tetsujin1979]

4reals?

[the bear]

This is a low point even on a James McClean thread

[ArdeeBhoy]

I was going to say FFS.

[DannyInvincible]

I was going to say FFS.

4FS, surely?

[brine3]

He's in the papers having a whinge again about Euro 2012. Let's see, he's a left-winger. Did he expect to be playing ahead of Duff?

He's starting to remind me of Stephen Ireland.

[DannyInvincible]

Any quotes?

[dong]

http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2012/1027/1224325814764.html

[ArdeeBhoy]

He's in the papers having a whinge again about Euro 2012. Let's see, he's a left-winger. Did he expect to be playing ahead of Duff?

He could certainly have been used more...

[geysir]

He has set an impossibly high standard for himself, not on a football level but to "prove the Ireland manager wrong".

[SkStu]

He really needs to just shut up and apply himself for a season or so. He's a player with potential who needs to work really hard to deliver on it so his best bet is to keep quiet and knuckle down...

[DannyInvincible]

He really needs to just shut up and apply himself for a season or so. He's a player with potential who needs to work really hard to deliver on it so his best bet is to keep quiet and knuckle down...

To be fair to him, that's pretty much what he admitted himself:


The whole Ireland thing is out in the public. It's really knocked my confidence. I thought I had a good season but I still couldn't get in the team. There's no point sitting here and sulking about it. I just have to work hard, prove people wrong and that's the attitude I have to take.

[dong]

Yes but while having another moan about it in the same breath. Footballers these days are expert at this type of thing. Take Micah Richards recent whingefest:

‘It’s something we have not worked on a lot. That’s twice we have gone to a back five and conceded but the manager likes it. If we want to do well with it we are going to have to work on it.’

[DannyInvincible]

Footballers possessing opinions isn't something new. A football-saturated media dedicated to providing conveyor belt news is what ensures that their opinions are now presented on a much greater scale for public critique than they might have been in previous times. McClean didn't publish the comments himself and was probably designated with press duties before Sunderland's last game, or perhaps he was asked in a press conference or by a Northern Echo reporter with special access to the club's players.

[SkStu]

To be fair to him, that's pretty much what he admitted himself:

Yeah, so he needs to now stop talking about doing it and actually shut up and apply himself.