James McClean M Wrexham b.1989

[CSAD]

I am not overly impressed with your ( or Kenny's ) loyalty to a player that always gave his best / always turned up, if at all possible / which was pretty much always / always showed Kenny a lot of respect before Kenny didn't handle the parting of ways well ~ ~ It would not be unusual for a manager to finish a campaign with pretty much the same players that went through a campaign unless some one pretty exceptional turned up / or at least a marked improvement ~ ~ Kenny did not handle the end of James McClean's Ireland playing career well ~ ~ Then, Kenny did Not handle a lot of things well, while he was the Ireland manager ~ ~ This is just another mess-up by Kenny ~ One of very very many.

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.

[CSAD]

If we had any decent left backs he'd have been gone a lot sooner. International callups aren't an entitlement, the likes of him and Shane Long would do well to remember that.

There's 3 in the u21s that should be ahead of him, never mind the ones at senior level.

[Eminence Grise]

Has said he'll come out of retirement if the next manager wants him to

Well that explains why the FAI have been dragging their heels with the new appointment. To rework an old line from Yes, Minister, it's not lethargy, it's strategy.

[EalingGreen]

It's not compulsory to, love / even like, the King / Monarchy ~ Is it ? !

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.

[seanfhear]

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.

Why don't you just ignore James McClean ~ ~ As I say if somebody dislikes, the King / the Monarchy, they are under no compunction to remain quite about that ~ ~ Free speech / Free thought / Freedom.

[EalingGreen]

Why don't you just ignore James McClean ~ ~ As I say if somebody dislikes, the King / the Monarchy, they are under no compunction to remain quite about that ~ ~ Free speech / Free thought / Freedom.

That's the whole point - you can't ignore him, he's forever going off on one.

Meanwhile, if these two can shake hands, maybe it's time for JMcC to stfu for a bit.

[backstothewall]

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.

[seanfhear]

That's the whole point - you can't ignore him, he's forever going off on one.

Meanwhile, if these two can shake hands, maybe it's time for JMcC to stfu for a bit.

It's very easy to ignore James McClean, if you choose to do so ~ ~ The question is, Why do you choose not to ignore James McClean ?

[SkStu]

It's very easy to ignore James McClean, if you choose to do so ~ ~ The question is, Why do you choose not to ignore James McClean ?

James McClean talks in ALL CAPS!!!

[seanfhear]

James McClean talks in ALL CAPS!!!

He does have more than 100 caps !

[Eirambler]

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).

[osarusan]

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.

[seanfhear]

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 ! !

[Eirambler]

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.

There's a logic to his dislike of the British establishment though, whether you agree with it or not. Whereas his views on how his relegation from the Irish squad was handled are just bonkers.

[Diggs246]

I doubt he's the sharpest tool in the box.