James McClean M Wrexham b.1989

[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.

[Wolfman]

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.

Isn't his surname originally from Sligo anyway? He strikes me as more than a little confused.

[SolitudeRed]

This Cody fellah proves that James McClean has a point in not wearing a Poppy I suppose! The universalist approach that seems to be in vogue amongst many Unionists and now increasingly in Britain it seems, that all British soldiers both serving and former are heroes and morally right is clearly not the case if this clown is anything to go by and I am sure there are a fair few others like him! yet anyone who has any reservations about wearing a poppy are in the wrong but apparently this guy is someone we should all be paying respect to

Also the Feeney outburst isn't surprising although it is a little disappointing to hear a professional footballer come off with this especially an NI one at a time when they are trying to improve their image. There are probably many who agree with what he has said and to me that is indicative of the fact that although there is a form of peace here that doesn't mean there is any greater level of tolerance of the opposing view and I personally don't think there ever will be as the conflicting ideas over nationality were the very raison d'etre of NI and have been the defining characteristic of it for pretty much all of its existence, added to this is the fact that the current political settlement has institutionalised the sectarian divide.

[Sullivinho]

The universalist approach that seems to be in vogue amongst many Unionists and now increasingly in Britain it seems, that all British soldiers both serving and former are heroes and morally right is clearly not the case if this clown is anything to go by and I am sure there are a fair few others like him! yet anyone who has any reservations about wearing a poppy are in the wrong but apparently this guy is someone we should all be paying respect to

Indeed. The fact this so-called incident has widely been reported as McClean 'refusing' to wear a poppy is, to quote Predator, disturbing. The use of the word implies the existence of some unquestionable obligation to do so in the first place. I've even seen it framed as McClean insolently breaking rank, oblivious to the arrogance of the implied assumption that he was conscripted into that groupthink to begin with.

[dantheman]

Warren "Mini Ibrox" Feeney:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/f...feeney-1012325

[tetsujin1979]

Jon Snow (who refuses to wear the poppy on air) in solidarity with McClean: https://twitter.com/jonsnowC4/status/270540827242164224

Solidarity >James McClean Sunderland footballer, 23, victim of death threats 4 not wearing Poppy. They died that we might be free to choose!

[Sullivinho]

Warren "Mini Ibrox" Feeney:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/f...feeney-1012325

The wind-ups begin three words into that headline.

[gastric]

Contributors on here are aware of James' background and beliefs. The reality is that the vast majority of people in Britain don't know or care about his politics. To them, it is insulting behaviour, considering Britain is where he makes his living. We can talk about freedom of expression and the like, but Irish politics will always bring out the worst in extremists. Also, fans of opposition teams never forget controversial behaviour, so he is bound to cop it for the foreseeable future. While I sympathise with his stance and his bravery, I still wonder if he might regret it in the long term.

[DannyInvincible]

Also the Feeney outburst isn't surprising although it is a little disappointing to hear a professional footballer come off with this especially an NI one at a time when they are trying to improve their image.

It's odd that he doesn't appear to see the inherent contradiction in his stance. International team-mates of his regularly "snub" (to use his terminology) the British national anthem before each NI game by opting out of joining in or bowing their heads or whatever primarily due to their backgrounds. In my mind, such gestures can be equated to McClean's opting out of wearing a poppy; they are personal decisions made based on cultural factors and need not be seen as positively hostile, but rather can be seen as simply passive. Either Feeney has a problem with all such so-called "anti-British" gestures and has kept quiet about it or he is fine with his team-mates' choice to opt out of singing an anthem that induces discomfort and has no cultural relevance to them, in which case, he should hop right back off that anti-McClean bandwagon onto which he somehow found his nosy way.

Here's one, SkStu; do you think NI players from nationalist backgrounds should toe the line and join in with the pre-game revelry because the majority of their team-mates and fans in the stand might be doing so?

[DannyInvincible]

Contributors on here are aware of James' background and beliefs. The reality is that the vast majority of people in Britain don't know or care about his politics. To them, it is insulting behaviour, considering Britain is where he makes his living. We can talk about freedom of expression and the like, but Irish politics will always bring out the worst in extremists. Also, fans of opposition teams never forget controversial behaviour, so he is bound to cop it for the foreseeable future. While I sympathise with his stance and his bravery, I still wonder if he might regret it in the long term.

Are you implying that James stance was an instance of Irish politics bringing out the worst in an extremist? :/

It was a no-win situation for James given he'd have been shunned in his home community had he opted to wear one.

[gastric]

Are you implying that James stance was an instance of Irish politics bringing out the worst in an extremist? :/

It was a no-win situation for James given he'd have been shunned in his home community had he opted to wear one.

Granted it is a no win situation. The question is could it have been handled better? Is he being advised properly? TBH, I don't feel he is getting the guidance he clearly needs and this could have been handled better by the club considering they must have realised there could be fallout.

In terms of my mentioning of extremists I was referring to the fact that, for some, such 'Anti British' behaviour must be met by threats of violence which isn't a first for James.