James McClean M Wrexham b.1989

[DannyInvincible]

And nutters like the above mentioned and opposition fans will remember this next year and continue to harrass him. He really is becoming as controversial as S Ireland is, but in a very different way. He needs Ferry to guide him properly, but from what has been said here, maybe he's picked the wrong person to help him.

Ah, c'mon. You can't hold him responsible for a lunatic thug sending him a death threat and a bunch of thick football supporters howling abuse at him. As for Eugene Ferry guiding him "properly", what do you mean? What could Ferry have done to prevent this? I very much doubt Ferry would have encouraged him to wear a poppy, if that's what you mean, but then, Martin O'Neill/Sunderland didn't force him to wear one either. In fact, they have been very clear that they are behind him; that James was entirely in the right as it was a free choice he was entitled to make. He didn't refuse to wear something he was expected to, as the UK media portrayal keeps informing us through a misrepresented optic; he simply chose not to wear one. The subtle distinction in wording is important.

However, if you're playing football in a country and you're a public figure, I can understand why those people have every right to expect you to honour their war dead, regardless of whether they understand or care to understand why you have refused to wear the poppy.

They don't have every right. They have absolutely no right to expect anything of him. To be honest, you sound like an apologist for fascistic mob populism.

[ArdeeBhoy]

http://www.balls.ie/football/guy-who-sent-james-mcclean-death-threats-has-his-twitter-account-suspended/#sthash.nfm5vDbZ.dpbs

[Predator]

Talk of James bringing it upon himself is disturbing. It is a dangerous assertion that merely absolves the idiots that abused him of responsibility for their actions.

[johnnyc]

Talk of James bringing it upon himself is disturbing. It is a dangerous assertion that merely absolves the idiots that abused him of responsibility for their actions.

This.

I don't think James has done himself any favours with some of his shenanigans in the past, but he's perfectly entitled to opt out of wearing a poppy.

[IsMiseSean]

A few quotes from the North's world class superstar Warren Feeney here.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/oneill-backs-mcclean-as-police-investigate-death-threats-214426.html

[DannyInvincible]

It’s a pity because he’s obviously a talented player. At the same time, it makes me glad he elected to play for the Republic and not us... [McClean’s decision] was an anti-British gesture, yet here he is making a very good living from playing in the Premier League in Britain. His action was a snub to the memory of brave men and women, his club and its fans who pay his wages.

Bit of a weird piece, that. It's none of Feeney's business as to why James didn't don a poppy, but, in his attempt to stir the pot further and jump to daft conclusions, the idiot clearly doesn't get it.

i) McClean made no gesture. He opted out of making one after being put in a very uncomfortable situation by whoever had the bright idea of bringing such a political issue into the footballing domain.

ii) There was nothing anti-British about his non-wearing of a poppy. Lots of people throughout Britain didn't wear a poppy the other weekend for a whole multitude of personal reasons. Such reasons are not necessarily anti-British. It is presumed that James opted not to wear one because of the British Army's history in his home city; that's not necessarily anti-British either. Is taking issue with certain actions of the British Army to be viewed as anti-British now?

iii) It is evident that Feeney sees the NI team as embodying his British identity.

iv) James' club didn't see it as a snub to them and came out in support of his free choice. As for the Sunderland fans, it's none of their business either. Why should it be viewed as a snub to them anyway? What has the symbolism of the poppy got to do with them?

I suppose Feeney wears his poppy all year round...

[The Fly]

A few quotes from the North's world class superstar Warren Feeney here.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/s...ts-214426.html

Enjoy the rest of your time at the bottom of League 2 Warren.

[geysir]

iii) It is evident that Feeney sees the NI team as embodying his British identity.

It's pretty obvious that the NI team embodies a British identity but what I thought was noteworthy about Warren Feeney's (whoever he is) quote, is that in his opinion the NI team is a comfortable place for pro-British and a cold place for what he perceives to be anti-British. And it would appear that if you don't wear that pro-British symbol you are regarded as anti-British and insulting.

[DannyInvincible]

It's pretty obvious that the NI team embodies a British identity but what I thought was noteworthy about Warren Feeney's (whoever he is) quote, is that in his opinion the NI team is a comfortable place for pro-British and a cold place for what he perceives to be anti-British. And it would appear that if you don't wear that pro-British symbol you are regarded as anti-British and insulting.

That might have been to what I was alluding, y'know...

[Not Brazil]

It's pretty obvious that the NI team embodies a British identity but what I thought was noteworthy about Warren Feeney's (whoever he is) quote, is that in his opinion the NI team is a comfortable place for pro-British and a cold place for what he perceives to be anti-British

I think the peace demonstrates that Feeney believes not wearing the Poppy on the Sunderland shirt was an "anti British gesture" by McClean.

Warren has played for Northern Ireland with many players over the years who would not identify themselves as "British" - he did so without issue on their identity.

[paul_oshea]

He did so without issue of their identity. Good little lad there, keep your beliefs to yerself and just get on with it and we will all be happy. Conform to that and everyone is happy

[geysir]

As long as the croppy lies down, Warren has no issue.

All credit to Warren then, who stoically managed to keep a lid on his more extreme fascist opinions during all his time with the NI squad.

[tricky_colour]

Threats made by Cody Lachey, he's in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6V-d5K8KeE

Interesting that he supports those who rioted against the state he fought for.

I mean basically he is saying the society that now exists in Britain was not worth fighting for, so one wonders why he wears a poppy himself because I doubt many of those who fought did so for such a divided and unequal society.

He needs to ask himself exactly what those soldiers were fighting for.

[DannyInvincible]

Warren has played for Northern Ireland with many players over the years who would not identify themselves as "British" - he did so without issue on their identity.

It's well-known that Warren's a loyal lad to the British cause and when the British national anthem reverberates around Windsor Park before matches, he's there - eyes closed - belting it out with gusto, loud and proud. (Good man yourself, Warren!) Which is a lucky thing really, for if, God forbid, he were ever to let himself be distracted by some of his unruly Catholic team-mates standing down the line beside him, I fear all hell would break loose as he might have noticed their regular snubbing of his national anthem! And worse, on top of that, we'd probably have to suffer another moronic newspaper piece from the plonker.

[Sullivinho]

Talk of James bringing it upon himself is disturbing. It is a dangerous assertion that merely absolves the idiots that abused him of responsibility for their actions.

Bang on.

Jon Snow couldn't have coined a more applicable term.