James McClean M Wrexham b.1989

[Roberto]

They were going toe to toe with them though, and causing them the occasional problem. I thought the substitution of McManaman was made with the view of seeing the game out, but kind of backfired when there was forty minutes left to play after Arsenal's equaliser. Fair enough if he was injured though.

When I saw Caldwell stepping up I couldn't help thinking "what a gobsh!te". Probably Wigan's least technical player just wanting to show off his cojones! Maybe I'm wronging the man and he's actually an excellent penalty taker in practice or they were stuck for volunteers.



Interesting words about Nick Powell, I didn't realise that might be the perception.

Wigan fan's on Nick Powell!

http://www.cockneylatic.co.uk/forum/5-cockney-latic-main-forum/114235-nick-powell

Rossler was asked did they practice penalties and he replied 'I'm German, we don't need to!' However he has since added they will be practising them in case they get to the play off.

[Charlie Darwin]

It seems they were saving him to take the crucial fifth that never came.
That's a bizarre strategy.

[DeLorean]

Ronaldo never got to take one against Spain in the Euros either due to saving himself for the fifth, presumably to grab the glory. He's missed a couple in shoot-outs over the years anyway.

[bennocelt]

They are a limited Championship side, you hardly expected them to go toe to toe with Arsenal? I thought Rosler set them up very well and they defended excellently. I think most Wigan fans were worried when Caldwell come on and mystified when he stood up to take first penalty. Seemingly McMannaman took a knock which is why he came off. McClean still has a role to play in their last 5 games. I would have brought Maloney on instead of Powell who is a lazy selfish git with an inflated ego.

Tut tut, must have looked at a very different game to me:rolleyes:
Arsenal were no great shakes, their forwards were awful, and many times Wigan were 3 on 3, 2 on 2 but decided to play the ball back rather then go for the jugular. Both teams were pish.

[Charlie Darwin]

Ronaldo never got to take one against Spain in the Euros either due to saving himself for the fifth, presumably to grab the glory. He's missed a couple in shoot-outs over the years anyway.
I was thinking of that, yeah. Didn't understand it at the time, still don't. There is some value to keeping your best penalty taker until last (there is data that suggests the most important penalties are the first, second and fifth) but it kind of defeats the point if you send Gary Caldwell up first

[DannyInvincible]

That's a bizarre strategy.

The fifth, if it comes, will always be a real pressure-kick, but I do agree it is a risky strategy bordering on foolish.

[BonnieShels]

Statistics have shown that sending out your your best taker first is the way to go.

[Charlie Darwin]

Scores to bring Wigan back to within a goal at home to Blackburn. They'll just about scrape fifth the way things are going, which will be a lot better a draw than sixth.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

McClean with brilliant endeavour and cross to set up Wigan's go-ahead goal against QPR.

[CraftyToePoke]

Booked for a blatant dive they say. Got sheepishly to his feet, the rascal.

[back of the net]

Booked for a blatant dive they say. Got sheepishly to his feet, the rascal.


it was a shocking dive

[BonnieShels]

McClean with brilliant endeavour and cross to set up Wigan's go-ahead goal against QPR.

Go ahead goal? You watching your soccer on NBC?

[Charlie Darwin]

Go ahead goal? You watching your soccer on NBC?
Lay off TOWK, man. He showed great hustle to give us that update.

[tricky_colour]

How many players would not dive if they thought it would get them promotion to the Premiership?
Not many.

[Charlie Darwin]

I'd be more concerned with the fact he had an open goal and all he had to do was side-foot it in with his right, but instead he went with his left and hit the post.

[Stuttgart88]

He did well for the first part, that move was all about him. His touch was a bit heavy and I thought he keeper was favourite to block the shot but his instincts betrayed him for the loose ball. Using his left was just wrong.

He seemed to be playing centrally, or like a table footballer, playing all along that line. He skinned Dunne well one time in the second half and throughout the game his pace and energy were impressive. But he lacks a bit of finesse that's for sure. I do think Rossler would have been better off playing him wide though as Wigan just couldn't get the ball to stick in the final third and they struggled to use the ball well at all in the second half.

[Roberto]

In fairness to McClean he may have his limitations but he always works his socks off. The fact he played centrally highlights Wigan's problem all season i.e. they don't have a decent striker. QPR have Austin, Doyle, Zamora and Johnson and Wigan have Marc Antoine Fortune who couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo. With the squad QPR have they should have ****ed the Championship.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Except that these days Doyle makes McClean look like a goal-scoring machine...though tbf, ask most QPR fans and it's all about Austin's goals, none of their other forwards seem too capable?

Plus Doyler's lost his mojo and don't see him getting it back anytime soon. Wolves should have taken that £4 million...

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Doyle barely even plays up front these days though. He is still very valuable for Ireland as nobody can hold the ball up like him or Long and none of the other strikers - playing for the same place - are capable of scoring goals either, although Stokes simply hasn't been given a chance.

Walters just showed his ineptitude whilst playing up front for Stoke this weekend, missing a couple of sitters - one with his head - despite supposedly being good in the air.

[Stuttgart88]

I agree that Doyle still has a valuable role to play for Ireland but I was concerned by how much sharper and more effective Zamora looked when he came on.

[Charlie Darwin]

He did well for the first part, that move was all about him. His touch was a bit heavy and I thought he keeper was favourite to block the shot but his instincts betrayed him for the loose ball. Using his left was just wrong.

He seemed to be playing centrally, or like a table footballer, playing all along that line. He skinned Dunne well one time in the second half and throughout the game his pace and energy were impressive. But he lacks a bit of finesse that's for sure. I do think Rossler would have been better off playing him wide though as Wigan just couldn't get the ball to stick in the final third and they struggled to use the ball well at all in the second half.
Wigan had no fit strikers available so they were forced to play somebody up front, and McClean seemed the best option physically. I think Waghorn pushed up and McClean dropped off for extra time.

[as_i_say]

Booked for a blatant dive they say. Got sheepishly to his feet, the rascal.

I didn't see anything too sheepish about it. Green berated him rightly and was responded to by McClean by a f*ck off. How dare you berate me for diving etc. Would have been nice had Green gone back for more-would like to have seen McClean get a slap. fkn divers

[Fixer82]

Doyle barely even plays up front these days though. He is still very valuable for Ireland as nobody can hold the ball up like him or Long and none of the other strikers - playing for the same place - are capable of scoring goals either, although Stokes simply hasn't been given a chance.

Walters just showed his ineptitude whilst playing up front for Stoke this weekend, missing a couple of sitters - one with his head - despite supposedly being good in the air.

Little harsh on Walters i feel. He's scored a few premier elague goals which doesn't just happen by accident.
He has done well for us when played up front. Austria at home comes to mind

[DannyInvincible]

Video of the dive here:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wujDF1BKFV4

I've seen worse.

[Predator]

The thing is, he probably could have scored had he stayed on his feet. Stupid dive on many counts.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Ah, you Doire boys...

[CraftyToePoke]

The thing is, he probably could have scored had he stayed on his feet. Stupid dive on many counts.

Hadn't seen it till just now, was listening on radio, but yeah, stay standing up and score was the smart move there.

[tetsujin1979]

so...this happened earlier
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bni0cMnIIAAf50n.jpg

[Charlie Darwin]

so...this happened earlier
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bni0cMnIIAAf50n.jpg
You'll need to start making more brash and ill-advised statements to keep him interested :)

[tricky_colour]

Very poor dive, he went down way to early, something else he needs to work hard on in training.

[Metrostars]

Very poor dive, he went down way to early, something else he needs to work hard on in training.

An oldie but goodie:

wcCw9RHI5mc

[tricky_colour]

An oldie but goodie:

wcCw9RHI5mc


Ha ha excellent, James need get similar training, they are pretty dammed good!! I reckon I'd give a penalty on most of em!! :)

[gastric]

Mentioned on ybig that Rod Collins Jnr smacked young James when he turned up at Derry City training after he made derogatory comments on twitter. If true, will he ever learn?

[DannyInvincible]

Roddy's son or James? There certainly wasn't anything in James' tweet to justify a punch.


Collins sacked by @derrycityfc was inevitable, poor signings, negative tactics/team selection e.g his son dear me, ego was bigger than club


I give my opinions right or wrong least there honest, now some people will never like me for that and i will continue to never give a toss ????

[Stuttgart88]

Unless either son is a grammar or punctuation fascist.

[tricky_colour]

his comments seem pretty reasonable

[Charlie Darwin]

Assuming the only derogatory comments James made were on Twitter.

[gastric]

his comments seem pretty reasonable

Roddy Collins didn't appreciate them! I will say it again, when will McClean learn that he has a propensity to cause offence with his tweets?

http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3942/ireland/2014/05/21/4831468/derry-city-departure-still-raw-admits-roddy-collins

[tricky_colour]

Roddy Collins didn't appreciate them! I will say it again, when will McClean learn that he has a propensity to cause offence with his tweets?

http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3942/ireland/2014/05/21/4831468/derry-city-departure-still-raw-admits-roddy-collins

Look I don't know the in and outs of Derry City and I had never heard of Roddy Collins until now, however he was the manager of Derry City
which presumably McClean supports so he is going to have his opinions on the clubs and the going on there same as we have our opinions
about players and managers on here.
I think if you are a football manager or player you have to expect a bit of stick form the fans, it's part of the game.
Also if you are a manger you should avoid having your son playing for you IMO.

Granted James could have been a bit more tactful in his choice of words, as could Prince Charles with his comments about Putin :)

Problem is when your team is not doing well tact tends to go out the window. And in a way he brought it on himself by having his
son play for the club he managed, that does kind of make it a family thing. It's fine when things are going well, but when they are
not, well it's gonna create problems of one sort or another.

Anyhow he knows everyone won't agree with his opinions and he does not care, so he is already of the offence he
might cause so the 'when will he learn' is/was sometime in the past.

What you should be saying is when will he learn it is not always a great idea to cause offence if you can avoid it.

I don't know what the answer to that one is however I suspect it is never!!

It's a storm in a tea cup anyway. The manager made it worse by drawing attention to it.

Perhaps they both should get get a decent PR man, me perhaps?

Mind you I'm not cheap, nor indeed, very good.

[DannyInvincible]

Roddy Collins didn't appreciate them! I will say it again, when will McClean learn that he has a propensity to cause offence with his tweets?

What is to be learned exactly? Of course, Roddy (and his son) wouldn't appreciate the comments, but so what? They were critical but I wouldn't really call them derogatory. Nobody has the right not to be offended. James can tweet what he likes so long as it's within the parameters of the law and his employers are OK with such activity. Roddy's son was the one who was out-of-line here; not James. Unless something else went on when they met at the Brandywell, but I haven't heard that James resorted to anything of a physical nature.

[DannyInvincible]

I had never heard of Roddy Collins until now

This surprises me. Roddy's such a loudmouth, sometimes I can still hear him blaring even when I turn the volume off!

[DannyInvincible]

More juice: http://balls.ie/football/james-mcclean-roddy-collins-spat-taken-turn-violent/


Outspoken Ireland winger James McClean has called former Derry City manager Roddy Collins “pathetic” and spoke of how he was involved in a training-ground altercation last Wednesday with his son, Roddy Jr.

Collins’ tenure as Derry City manager ended on May 11 (http://balls.ie/football/roddy-collins-foul-mouthed-final-interview-derry-city-boss/) after he was sacked due to the club’s disastrous start to the League of Ireland season – a run of games that Collins himself said he would not have paid to watch. His exit provoked Twitter comment from former Derry City player James McClean (http://balls.ie/football/james-mcclean-critical-of-roddy-collins-on-twitter/), who described the sacking as “inevitable” and that Collins had an “ego bigger than the club”. He also criticised Collins’ son, Roddy Jr, who is a defender at City.

Collins was sacked after 12 games in charge at the Brandywell, during which time his side won just two games. He has since claimed that McClean’s tweets have led to his children experiencing schoolyard bullying, forcing the Dubliner to take them out of school.

Speaking on Off the Ball on Newstalk, Collins said:


I don’t use Twitter, but it (McClean’s comment) was brought to my attention by my kids – who took some abuse in the school yard over it because he has a high profile, so I had to take them out of school.

It was very difficult last week because the kids were extremely upset and when they are annoyed, I am doubly so. They are my priority.

McClean expressed his disbelief at Collins’ comments, claiming that he had been made a “scapegoat” . He said:


Roddy Collins, Sr has said in the newspapers that my Twitter comments have caused his children to be bullied and he had to take them out of school.

How, in any way, could my football opinion cause that? I didn’t attack his personal life – so how could my opinion of him as a football manager cause that?

I’m sure there’s a lot of people in the past who don’t rate him as a manager either but I never attacked his personal life in any way and I would never do that to anybody. So I thought that was a bit pathetic to be honest.

He wanted to use me as a scapegoat. He’s come in and he’s messed up the job and paid for it in the end.

According to the Derry Journal, McClean spoke of an alleged altercation with Roddy Collins Junior when the Irish international stopped by at a Derry City training session last Wednesday. It is alleged that the younger Collins confronted McClean about his Twitter comments and a “minor scuffle” ensued. McClean also said that Collins Jr “wouldn’t get a game in an astro league”, which surely added to the Collins’ indignation.


I was driving past (Brandywell) and called in to see the lads and was chatting to them before training and obviously he (Roddy Collins Jr.) wanted to get whatever he wanted off his chest.

I said my piece on Twitter and, at the end of the day, I stand by my opinions.

If he can’t take criticism then he’s in the wrong game. He confronted me about it and I told him the same thing. I told him that was my opinion and he got a bit excited. It was over before it started and there wasn’t a big deal made of it. I don’t have a personal vendetta against Roddy Collins senior or junior, but I gave my view based on a football opinion and I stand by it.

I don’t rate either of them and they probably don’t rate me. I don’t want negative publicity and I don’t see what I’ve done wrong.

I told him I don’t rate him as a player – which I don’t. And he took that bad but it was over within 30 seconds.

“Over before it started”, then “over within 30 seconds?” A lot can happen in a 30-second altercation. Either way, McClean’s response is quite measured, even if his decision to stop by the Brandywell was always going to court a hostile reaction from Collins. The Wigan winger is not the only well-known figure to have publicly criticised Roddy’s reign - Brian Kerr was fairly forthright in his appraisal of the Cabra man’s time in the Northwest (http://balls.ie/football/brian-kerr-let-rip-roddy-collins-shambolic-reign-last-night/).

McClean is in Martin O’Neill’s squad for the game against Turkey on Sunday afternoon.

When will thon Kerr youngf'la learn?!

[gastric]

What is to be learned exactly? Of course, Roddy (and his son) wouldn't appreciate the comments, but so what? They were critical but I wouldn't really call them derogatory. Nobody has the right not to be offended. James can tweet what he likes so long as it's within the parameters of the law and his employers are OK with such activity. Roddy's son was the one who was out-of-line here; not James. Unless something else went on when they met at the Brandywell, but I haven't heard that James resorted to anything of a physical nature.

Danny, let's agree to disagree. If you take this in isolation, yes I accept your point. However, when you take into consideration the number of earlier issues including death threats and police intervention, and now an assault, you have to question his use of social media. If this was my child I would be telling him to cop himself on as whether he likes it or not, he is high profile and is an easy target for extremists and the media.

[tricky_colour]

In football people are going to have opinions, some people think a player is the bees knees others will
say he is garbage, I am sure McClean was not the only one to have expressed none too complimentary
comments about the manager and his son, when a team is not doing well that is bound to happen.
We see that all the time, take Steve McClaren, a joke at Forest and now a hero at Derby.
People should take them with a pinch of salt and get on with it.
As for the kids being bullied at school that is an issue for the school to sort out IMO, blaming
McClean is a bit ridiculous.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Important to remember all of this is seemingly based on this:

"Collins sacked by @derrycityfc was inevitable, poor signings, negative tactics/team selection e.g his son dear me, ego was bigger than club"

A physical altercation, accusations of inspiring schoolyard bullies, for that. God knows Collins will always have a victim complex, but this is ridiculous. McClean said nothing that was even vaguely out of order.

[bennocelt]

And as a Derry city fan he is entitled to his opinion, not like Roddy never dishes it out

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/leftfield/james-mcclean-has-lyrics-from-phil-coulter-classic-the-town-i-loved-so-well-tattooed-on-his-leg-30415911.html

The devil finds work for idle hands.

[Charlie Darwin]

You really should have prefaced that link with "Don't bother clicking, nothing of value here"

[liamoo11]

You really should have prefaced that link with "Don't bother clicking, nothing of value here"

dead right Charles mcclean doing himself no favours there with the ladies that package is small enough to fit in my letterbox

[mark12345]

dead right Charles mcclean doing himself no favours there with the ladies that package is small enough to fit in my letterbox

James McClean - he might not know it yet, but he will be Ireland's future left back, for years to come