James McClean M Wrexham b.1989

[DeLorean]

Great stuff again from McClean - http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-39441215

[DannyInvincible]

McClean has kept his place in the West Brom starting line-up as they play away to Manchester United this afternoon. It's 0-0 at half-time.

It looks like Matt Phillips suffered a setback during his hamstring injury recovery: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/west-brom-boss-tony-pulis-12807580

I'm not sure when Phillips will be back and ready for action - it seems Pulis had been hoping he'd be fit for today - but McClean will very likely start each game in his absence and can hopefully hold on to the starting berth when Phillips eventually returns, especially in light of his good form.

[DeLorean]

He was substituted early in the second half despite playing well, massive shift as usual and made a potential match saving tackle on Mkhitaryan just before he went off.

[OwlsFan]

He was substituted early in the second half despite playing well, massive shift as usual and made a potential match saving tackle on Mkhitaryan just before he went off.

Hope he wasn't injured or did he just run out of steam ?

[DeLorean]

Didn't look injured, didn't look like he had ran out of steam either but that was probably the thinking alright. Pulis was probably conscious of the fact that he had played two games for us as well.

[DannyInvincible]

With Matt Phillips being match-fit again, it'll be interesting to see if McClean retains his starting place today for West Brom at home to Southampton despite his recent good form. I hope he does, although I see that the Guardian are predicting Phillips will start instead of him: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/07/west-bromwich-albion-southampton-match-preview

[DannyInvincible]

James back on the bench today. Matt Phillips takes his place. Disappointing.

[DannyInvincible]

A great story here on Derry's Down Syndrome Oxford Bulls team who seemed to be having difficulty finding opponents to play against until a helpful intervention by James McClean: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-39551971


A team of footballers with Down's Syndrome is to play its first competitive match after a video plea featuring a Republic of Ireland player [James McClean].

...

A video with Mr McClean went viral; the team have been inundated with offers.

Delighted manager Kevin Morrison said the response had been so good the team could play every week for two years.

"Our first competitive match will now take place in Sion Mills on 24 April," said Mr Morrison.

[Stuttgart88]

Doing it once is amazing but doing it again since DeLorean posted similar 7 posts ago is beyond the call of duty.

[DeLorean]

Ha... in Danny's defence, I think there's been a wee (as James himself might say) update on proceedings.

Funnily enough, I can't remember what social media outlet it was but McClean posted a picture of himself and the young players at the time. Somebody responded with something along the lines of "the British media won't be reporting that though, will they James?", to which McClean agreed. I had posted the link above from the BBC website and they seem to be following the good news story with interest. The Belfast Telegraph had also reported it, so no need for the cynical paranoia Jimmy. :)

I do love the way McClean realises what a privileged position he is in though and how he relishes transforming people's lives with such gestures.

[DannyInvincible]

Funnily enough, I can't remember what social media outlet it was but McClean posted a picture of himself and the young players at the time.

Instagram appears to be his preferred social media platform these days. He still uses Facebook too.


I do love the way McClean realises what a privileged position he is in though and how he relishes transforming people's lives with such gestures.

He has always remained grounded and very much in tune with his roots and community. It's a great quality, and one that is becoming increasingly rare amongst modern players given the huge sums of money in the game now and the detached lives players lead.

[DeLorean]

Instagram appears to be his preferred social media platform these days. He still uses Facebook too.

I assumed it was Instagram as that's where I came across the unfortunate 'dump truck' comment, but I don't see it there now. Can't even find his official Facebook page so doubt it was there.

'Congrats' on your 10,000th post btw :)

[DannyInvincible]

I assumed it was Instagram as that's where I came across the unfortunate 'dump truck' comment, but I don't see it there now. Can't even find his official Facebook page so doubt it was there.

It seems Kevin Morrison, the team's manager, put the video out via his Facebook actually: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.morrison.948/posts/10212949528392060


'Congrats' on your 10,000th post btw :)

Cheers, Del. I dread to think how long the line would come to if I printed each post out and lined them up one after the other! :hypnotized:

[geysir]

Cheers, Del. I dread to think how long the line would come to if I printed each post out and lined them up one after the other! :hypnotized:
Well, if you trimmed out all the newspaper article quoted content from your posts, the length of that line would be considerably shortened :)

(shortened, being a relative term of course)

[DannyInvincible]

James enjoys a bit of boxing too: http://www.derryjournal.com/sport/watch-derry-s-james-mcclean-steps-into-boxing-ring-with-world-title-contender-langford-1-7920915


The West Brom and Ireland midfielder, a big boxing fan, stepped into the ring to spar with Birmingham fighter Langford ahead of his WBO interim world middleweight championship bout against Avtandil Khurtsidze at Leicester Arena this weekend.

[DannyInvincible]

The Oxford Bulls Down's syndrome team played their first game last night against the Sion Sonics from Sion Mills: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-39703053


The Oxford Bulls took on Sion Sonics on Monday night - another local team featuring players with Down's syndrome.

The friendly game - Oxford Bulls' first - was organised after the team featured in a video with winger James McClean that went viral.

Manger Kevin Morrison said it was "a night to remember".

[DeLorean]

Interview with McClean on Football Focus tomorrow. Sounds interesting.

https://twitter.com/mrdanwalker/status/857999819629101056

[thischarmingman]

On 5 Live right now giving a good account of himself.

[DannyInvincible]

Do you know if the interview on 5 Live features the same audio as the interview on Football Focus? I'll get a chance to watch Football Focus later on iPlayer here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08pljkc), but I'm wondering is the former worth checking out as well?

[DannyInvincible]

Still no sign of today's episode of Football Focus on iPlayer, but here are a few articles on the interview, which seems to have gone down very well generally.

'James McClean reveals two sickening incidents that led to Sunderland departure as fans sing his praises for powerful interview': http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/james-mcclean-reveals-two-sickening-incidents-that-led-to-sunderland-departure-as-fans-sing-his-praises-for-powerful-interview-35665519.html


I was coming back from one of the last games of the season, and like I usually do, I always take my home jersey home, because you never know who needs one or will ask for one. I gave it to a kid outside the stadium, and his father took it off him and threw it back at me. And then, on the way home, my car was stopped at traffic lights. So my car's here, and there's another car there [beside him]. The guy rolled down the window, and he spat at me, and drove off.

My missus was in the car with me, and she was pregnant at the time. I was thinking, 'I'm about to bring a baby into the world, I don't need all this hassle'. I went to see Paolo [Di Canio] the next day, and said 'look, I think it's time I moved on', and I explained the situation.

'James McClean reveals death threats over Republic decision': http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/0429/871352-mcclean-death-threats/


West Brom midfielder James McClean revealed he has received death threats – and insists he is not anti-British.

...

"I've had a lot of death threats which started when I declared myself for the Republic. I played for Northern Ireland for the youth system - I never hid from the fact that I took advantage of that system to better myself but I never had aspirations to play for Northern Ireland. I was getting death threats for declaring for my country."

I'd also completely forgotten he nearly signed for New York Red Bulls back in 2015. Thank God that never transpired!

[DannyInvincible]

Video of the full interview here: https://vid.me/u93v

[DannyInvincible]

James started tonight for West Brom at home against Chelsea (live on Sky Sports 1). It's half-time at the minute and the score remains 0-0.

James has been doing OK; he maybe could have passed the ball off slightly better during two separate West Brom counter-attacks as he brought the ball forward into space but his passes - one straight at his team-mate rather than into the space in front of him and the other with not enough weight - unfortunately slowed things up a bit when West Brom could have really threatened the Chelsea goal.

He has also fouled the nippy Victor Moses twice as Moses has tried to skip around him out wide and so he needs to be careful on the defensive front. He received a booking for the first foul but got away with the second.

Chelsea fans, whose club will win the league tonight with a win, haven't been letting impending glory distract them, of course, and have instead been focused on chanting, "F*ck the IRA, f*ck the IRA, f*ck the IRA"... :rolleyes:

Edit: James was subbed off on 58 minutes (with the score still at 0-0) and replaced by Chadli.

[DeLorean]

James has been doing OK; he maybe could have passed the ball off slightly better during two separate West Brom counter-attacks

Yeah, no maybe about it I'm afraid. Really lacks a bit of quality in those kind of situations to complement his pace and endeavor.

[DannyInvincible]

Judging by Roy Keane's words (which may well have been delivered with a hint of jest), it seems James insisted on heading to the US with the squad in spite of the fact he may not see game-time: http://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/roy-keane-puzzled-james-mccleans-10501754


James has not played loads of games over the last month or two. He seems to love being involved and feels there’s a benefit to him in going to America. What he doesn’t know yet is he probably won’t get a game over there!

Whilst Roy was very complimentary of James' commitment, he did also suggest James needs to start more regularly for his club in order to improve, for which Roy believes there is still room:


James has never let us down. What goes on at club level, listen, we don’t dip into the clubs’ business. It’s no concern of ours. But James has matured nicely over the last year or two and has started adding a few important goals to his game. But James McClean still has a long way to go. There’s plenty of [room for] improvement. He’s very passionate about playing for Ireland and very enthusiastic but we also hope that James will improve as a player. And he’ll improve a lot more when he’s playing regularly in the Premiership. He’s probably not quite at that stage yet for one reason or another.

[DannyInvincible]

James takes the "How well do you know James McClean?" quiz:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKvCR1r03eo

[DannyInvincible]

An interesting take on James' comments about unnamed players not being fit for some Ireland games but then playing for their clubs at the weekend: http://www.the42.ie/ireland-mexico-talking-points-3418889-Jun2017/


But whether it is wise to sacrifice yourself in this manner and play in crucial matches despite not being 100% is certainly questionable in many cases. The debate is brought up and elaborated upon in an interesting fashion within the pages of Roy Keane’s autobiography, The Second Half. Keane recalls his frustration at Ruud van Nistelrooy ruling himself out of a 2004 FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal: “I was, like, it’s the Cup semi-final for ****’s sake. He said: ‘Well I’ve only got one body, I’ve got to look after it.’”

The individuals that McClean was criticising could come back with a similar quip and his assistant boss might agree with them. “I was thinking he was the fool, but I think now that I probably was,” Keane later said of the Van Nistelrooy debate. “I played, and my hamstring was ****ing killing me. I think I actually had a torn hamstring. Ruud ended up playing in Spain till he was 39, and he still looks 21. And I thought he was the idiot.” Keane subsequently added: “What we see as heroic, I think now is probably weakness.”

[tetsujin1979]

Some facts and figures from James McClean 50 Caps, and the other members of the 50 Cap Club: http://irish-abroad.appspot.com/Blog?id=6548501725204119369

[DannyInvincible]

James' interview with Tony O'Donogue after his goal helped with the win over Uruguay: http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/international-soccer-extras-30003423/10734753/

[DannyInvincible]

The Derry public have voted for James' image to appear on Translink's Foyle "Bus of Legends" alongside images of Phil Coulter and Roma Downey: http://www.derryjournal.com/news/three-local-legends-to-feature-on-new-derry-bus-1-7993260

Translink operate the local bus service.


I was completely overwhelmed with pride when I was told I was chosen by the people of my home town to receive this honour. I am so proud of where I come from and I truly believe Derry is the best place in the world. I am delighted to be considered in the same company as Roma Downey and Phil Coulter who I have great admiration for.


As a kid growing up in Derry, one of the most common insults was ‘You have a face like the back of a bus’. Little did I think that one day my face would be on a bus! 


I am genuinely thrilled and grateful that my own people have voted for me as a legend and I’m happy to be sharing the honour with a Hollywood star and a soccer hero. Does this mean that I get to travel on the bus for free?

[SwanVsDalton]

I am genuinely thrilled and grateful that my own people have voted for me as a legend and I’m happy to be sharing the honour with a Hollywood star and a soccer hero. Does this mean that I get to travel on the bus for free?

Derry should whip the accolade off this sell out for letting slip he's never used his free bus pass.

[DannyInvincible]

James was back in Derry on Thursday to endorse and vote for Sinn Féin's Elisha McCallion in her successful Westminster election campaign: http://www.derryjournal.com/news/politics/video-james-mcclean-home-to-vote-1-8000301

[Colbert Report]

McClean was on "The Irishman Abroad" podcast released today and mentioned that he was all set to sign for the NY Red Bulls when Tony Pulis came in for him. Was this widely known back when it happened?

[Charlie Darwin]

It was widely known he was talking to NYRB and expected he'd sign for them. It was only a few months ago that McClean confirmed he was all but signed until Pulis came in.

[Olé Olé]

Really enjoyed that podcast. Such an interesting character. Speaks really well about Coleman's injury and Ryan McBride's death. Moves onto speak about family and enjoyed the part where he states he's a huge Celtic fan and could score a hat-trick at Ibrox and it wouldn't come close to the feeling of having a child. Also states the he's delighted his son has taken to football... at one and a half!

Good flowing interview and well worth a listen. It's so paradoxical how well he speaks and how thoughtful he is in interviews like this compared to some of his silly outbursts on social media. I noted that he answers every question without a split second's hesitance.

[DeLorean]

Came on early in the second half as West Brom lost to Leicester on penalties in the 'Premier League Asia Cup'. McClean's successful penalty is at 1:35.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4JG_7B53u0

[OwlsFan]

Apparently there is some new format in the penalty shoot outs - didn't see it but I did hear Jonny Evans saying that we was trying to explain the format to James but he just didn't get it :)

[seanfhear]

In fairness its complicated and its just as well players are in team colours because otherwise no one would know the score.........

[DeLorean]

Apparently there is some new format in the penalty shoot outs - didn't see it but I did hear Jonny Evans saying that we was trying to explain the format to James but he just didn't get it :)

It's pretty straightforward, just like a tie break in tennis except you don't have to win by two. It was trialled in the UEFA U-17 tournament (http://foot.ie/threads/216400-2017-UEFA-Under-17-Championships?p=1918618&viewfull=1#post1918618) a few months back.

[geysir]

It's pretty straightforward, just like a tie break in tennis except you don't have to win by two. It was trialled in the UEFA U-17 tournament (http://foot.ie/threads/216400-2017-UEFA-Under-17-Championships?p=1918618&viewfull=1#post1918618) a few months back.
What's a tie break in tennis?

You wouldn't get far in the teaching profession in Derry :)

[KrisLetang]

Knee seems ok after limping off.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/james-mcclean-knee-injury-is-only-a-bruised-bone-1.3172623

[tricky_colour]

I wonder how Steven Hunt's knee is after Petr Cech bruised it?

[Colbert Report]

I wonder how Steven Hunt's knee is after Petr Cech bruised it?

Oooooo, controversial.

[Olé Olé]

James McClean makes £3,000 donation to young child battling eye cancer http://the42.ie/3577967

Honestly like. The man is an utter legend.

[DannyInvincible]

I love McClean - his heart, tenacity and passion - but I think Kevin Kilbane articulated (https://www.balls.ie/football/kevin-kilbane-james-mcclean-373077) very well the problem with him last night; he was trying too hard to do everything he could for the team instead of just focusing on what he is individually good at.


I don't think he has that selfishness within him. Everything he does is wanting to improve himself and the side...

He was just that desperate to have an impact on the game. It was more for his team... The decisions at times, particularly shooting on his right foot.

...

James McClean wanted to have an influence too deep...

Somebody on that pitch, particularly [Cyrus] Christie or Shane Duffy should have said, "Get away from me! Get off my toes."

Because James is desperate to impress and wants to have an influence on the game - not for selfish reasons - he should have been told by one of the other players in that team last night to take the responsibility in getting up the pitch.

Do not do that job. You don't need to. You're too good in other places to be doing that job.

James will miss the Moldova game on account of picking up a yellow last night, but I'd rather he missed Moldova than Wales. The other players who are also on yellows going into the Moldova game just better make sure they don't pick up any silly bookings this time.

[SwanVsDalton]

I love McClean - his heart, tenacity and passion - but I think Kevin Kilbane articulated (https://www.balls.ie/football/kevin-kilbane-james-mcclean-373077) very well the problem with him last night; he was trying too hard to do everything he could for the team instead of just focusing on what he is individually good at.



James will miss the Moldova game on account of picking up a yellow last night, but I'd rather he missed Moldova than Wales. The other players who are also on yellows going into the Moldova game just better make sure they don't pick up any silly bookings this time.

Spot on from Zinedine K.

James is one of our most senior players and has been to two major tournaments. I figure he felt it was up to him to offer the leadership that was lacking, but that's not his game and never will be.

James is a missile but he needs others on the pitch to aim him in the right direction.

[seanfhear]

James was Playing Quarter Back .....I suppose he couldn't see anyone else stepping up....

Maybe he was right...........What you gonna do.............

[DannyInvincible]

An article by an American writer, Henry Bushnell (https://twitter.com/HenryBushnell), drawing comparisons and contrasts between James McClean and Colin Kaepernick along with some academic opinion as to why most other athletes in Britain tend to keep their heads down and "stick to sport", unlike many of their American counterparts who are more prepared to raise their heads above the parapet and make political statements that go against the grain: https://sports.yahoo.com/british-soccer-stick-football-hasnt-colin-kaepernick-james-mcclean-002555519.html


...

But James McClean is not the Irish Colin Kaepernick, even if he staged an anthem protest of his own (http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/james-mcclean-turns-his-back-for-national-anthem-igniting-calls-for-him-to-quit-english-football-31388031.html) in 2015. Kaepernick incited a movement, one that continues across the NFL today. He inspired others to follow his lead. Five years after McClean’s initial statement, he remains an isolated insurgent in a desert of obedience, and the exception to an unwritten British sporting rule: “We’re not supposed to have an opinion on these things,” an anonymous Premier League player said (http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/american-athletes-play-political-game-in-a-way-we-rarely-see-on-our-shores-a7350981.html) of political expression last year. Indeed, in the U.K., “stick to sports” almost invariably carries the day.

...

John Kelly (http://www.ed.ac.uk/profile/john-kelly), a sociology of sport professor at the University of Edinburgh, has noticed a parallel trend: More and more, Great Britain is starting to follow the United States’ lead in promoting patriotism and the military alongside sport. “God Save the Queen” isn’t played before Premier League or rugby league matches, but, Kelly says, “the British military have been much more prominent at sporting events;” veterans are now routinely honored at games; and the proliferation of the poppy has extended to sport. This is all part of what Kelly calls the incorporation by proxy of sport. “The official representation [of a symbol] is often presented as non-political, when it ultimately is political,” Kelly explains. “And even if you don’t agree with it, it’s very difficult, when you’re an athlete, to opt out of that without doing it publicly. If you don’t do it publicly, you’re assumed to support it. So you’re left in a double bind. You’ve got little choice. You either allow yourself to be presented and interpreted as supporting [the cause], or you speak out very publicly. And when you do that, you risk being symbolically annihilated, as Kaepernick and James McClean have.” Those athletes have both withstood that backlash. The difference is how their protests developed. Kaepernick’s, a call to attention of police brutality toward racial minorities in America, has spread (https://sports.yahoo.com/st-louis-area-youth-football-team-kneels-anthem-125303557.html); McClean’s hasn’t. Part of the deviation can be explained by obvious differences in the causes at the hearts of their respective protests. But part of it must be explained by the belief that sports and politics shouldn’t mesh, and the ferocity with which that concept is defended in the UK. After McClean sent out what some saw as an incendiary, politically charged tweet in 2013, a member of British parliament, Gregory Campbell, offered an ironic example. “Three simple words should suffice: stick to football,” the politician said of McClean (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/sunderland/9897283/Sunderland-ban-winger-James-McClean-from-Twitter-after-tweet-about-IRA-song.html). “If he doesn’t heed this then a final three words should be given: pack your bags.”

...

That sports-and-politics-don’t-mix myth is problematic because it’s a paradox, one that ties back to Kaepernick. “It’s OK to delegitimize sportspeople from being political because you want to make them marketable,” Kelly says. “But it’s actually very revealing that it’s not seen as a danger to marketing them to get them to support the American military, and the American flag.” Or the British military. Or the British anthem. Or the poppy. “So let’s just not pretend sport and politics don’t mix,” Kelly says. “Of course they do. Let’s actually have some proper, mature discussion and be open about it. But that doesn’t seem to happen. That’s the nature of power.”

[Olé Olé]

Interesting stuff. Never heard that quote from Gregory Campbell. Pretty ignorant statements. The double bind brushed over by him in a quest to pander to some of the knuckle-dragging votership. "Pack your bags", in particular has echoes of some of the yes to Brexit contingent's notions.

[Olé Olé]

And when he urges McClean to pack his bags, is Campbell referring to McClean leaving England? Or what Campbell would deem to be the United Kingdom? In which case, McClean shouldn't be allowed return to the Creggan and rather should rot with us in the Republic...

[Olé Olé]

Sorry for multiple posts but when he tells James to stick to football, I assume he wants him to leave to the politics to idiots like him? Freedom of speech is a terrible thing to an oppressor so what does that make Campbell?