James McClean M Wrexham b.1989

[elroy]

Thought there was a huge contrast between Coleman and McClean. Both energetic exciting players.

However, I was greatly impressed in the progress that Coleman has made. He has still retained the speed and enthuasiasm at which he attacks. But now most of what he does is very measured and productive.

McClean is like Coleman was a year or two ago. Full of enthuasiasm and energy and attacking threat but sometimes its not very measured, the enthuasiasm gets the better of him and he makes the wrong decisions, loses the ball etc.

He had a couple of good efforts last night but I thought overall his end product was not upto scratch. One of two poor set piece deliveries also mixed in with sublime crosses. In a word, inconsistent.

[peadar1987]

Some very interesting discussion in James' thread of late! But aren't opinions mere subjective statements of belief or interpretations of a personal perception of the truth/facts determined by one's perspectives and dependent on individual circumstances? They can't be right and wrong, by definition/nature (à la statements of fact, which will always have been true at some point); just different and diverse, surely, with all being as valid as the next? The words "right" and "wrong" bear no meaning when it comes to opinions. When an opinion is accurate, it is no longer an opinion, but a fact, no?

Philosophically-speaking, of course.

Of course, but that requires absolute knowledge to be possible. Without that, judging whether something is a fact or an opinion is, well, an opinion. (Quickly getting out of my depth philosophically here!)

[Predator]

I think it is clear from yesterday that James will not be on the wing when McGeady returns.

[czarner]

'Sunderland midfielder Meyler defends McClean's poppy decision': http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3908/...poppy-decision

Just read thescore.ie's version of this story and noticed a key difference:

“James is James. James is his own man and I respect his decision,” said the Leesider, who joined Steve Bruce’s Tiger’s last week.

“Obviously his friends and family were involved in the Bloody Sunday bombings and it’s understandable."

[Charlie Darwin]

Strange it's in the Journal and nowhere else. I wonder if he said and the other journalists just fact-checked it (knowing journalists, unlikely) or if this guy just had a bit of a blonde moment and inserted it.

[DannyInvincible]

Just read thescore.ie's version of this story and noticed a key difference:

“James is James. James is his own man and I respect his decision,” said the Leesider, who joined Steve Bruce’s Tiger’s last week.

“Obviously his friends and family were involved in the Bloody Sunday bombings and it’s understandable."

They did always say Widgery was a whitewash...

[DannyInvincible]

'O’Neill ready to drop McClean again': http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/spor...gain-1-5134305

MARTIN O’Neill says he will take James McClean out of the firing line every now and then if he feels it will help the Irish winger adapt to the challenges he is facing this season.

The Sunderland boss handed the former Derry City wide-man his first-team debut in his very first game in charge of the Black Cats, and McClean responded by transforming the game against Blackburn Rovers last December.

Since then, McClean has played virtually every game he has been available for under O’Neill.

But that has changed recently after a dip in form from the 23-year-old.

McClean was back in the starting line-up for the game at Everton last weekend and played well but in the previous two games – against Aston Villa in the league and Middlesbrough in the cup – he suffered the rare experience of starting the matches on the substitutes’ bench.

O’Neill says those decisions have all been taken in a bid to help the emerging talent through a difficult spell.

He told the Gazette: “I’ve still no doubt that James will come through an interesting time in his career and be absolutely fine.

“I think sometimes the substitutes’ bench is maybe my way of rotating.

“We don’t have the same facility to rotate as maybe some of the bigger clubs do.

“But sometimes, maybe just stepping out of it and having a look at it from the outside can refresh you and get you going again.

“I can’t even call it a rest because he has come on both games.”

O’Neill says that ideally, McClean would have several more breaks from the first team as he looks to develop his career in the most favourable conditions.

“There might have been a time or two towards the back end of last season where I might have thought taking him out, about giving him a break.

“But we didn’t really have the personnel to be able to afford to do that.

“I’m not saying that we are necessarily in that much better position as far as that goes this year.

“But the point I’m making is that, just for a little while, a chance to take a breather can help you come back refreshed.

“Over the course of the season though, I’ve got no doubt he’ll come through it. No doubt at all.

“We’ve just got to do everything we can as management and coaches to help smooth his way as much as possible.”

[Predator]

Doesn't start today, unsurprisingly.

Also, this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20386371

Police are investigating threats made against him on social media.

[dantheman]

Doesn't start today, unsurprisingly.

Also, this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20386371

Police are investigating threats made against him on social media.

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

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

[ArdeeBhoy]

He looks and sounds the usual contradictory (& paranoid) idiot.
Or plays it well.

[geysir]

Good subs appearance from McClean against Fulham. He had a composed, strong and intelligent presence, just what Sunderland needed to carry them over the line. And it's indeed a heavy job to carry Sunderland over the line these days. Played on the right side of midfield.
Should hit the top 5 of Trap's most watched DVD's from this weekend's games

[DannyInvincible]

James is safe now. In a rather surreal twist, Lachey has "withdrawn" his death threat: http://www.derryjournal.com/news/loc...robe-1-4497648

A former British soldier has withdrawn a death threat he made to Derry’s Sunderland footballer James McClean.

The threat was made by ex-British soldier and now Manchester doorman, Cody Lachey, via Twitter earlier this week.

McClean, 23, caused uproar last weekend when he opted out of wearing a club shirt specially embroidered with the Royal British Legion’s poppy.

Anti-terror police were made aware of threats after 29 year-old Lachey posted images of 5.6mm bullets on McClean’s timeline on Twitter.

“I wanted him dead,” said Lachey. “But there’s no threat from me to James McClean now, although I can’t be held responsible for what other people may do.”

Lachey, who describes himself on the social network site as a “6ft 3 ex army lad” tweeted one of his threats against McClean directly to Sinn Fein newspaper, An Phoblacht.

“@codylachey50: @An_Phoblacht: Poppy bullies’ death threats against James McClean! Too right he deserves to be shot dead + body dragged past the cenotaph!!”

Lachey also said: “I think he’s [McClean] a f***ing disgrace. I know I’ll end up in trouble and maybe in prison over this but I’m willing to go to court, that’s how strongly I feel.”

Lachey’s account has since been suspended.

McClean, who has since deleted his Twitter account, was subject to a tirade of offensive messages when he took the decision not to wear the specially designed shirt last Saturday.A spokesperson for McClean’s club Sunderland said: “We can confirm the police have informed us that they are investigating threats made on Twitter.”

Sinn Fein MLA for Foyle, Raymond McCartney, said any alleged threat should be examined thoroughly by the police.

“If any alleged threat has been made it should be withdrawn and thoroughly investigated by police.

“The right of people not to feel intimidated into wearing a poppy must be recognised. That includes professional footballers. James McLean’s personal choice in this regard should be respected.”

Bizarre stuff.

[DannyInvincible]

I didn't realise he was booed by Sunderland fans after entering the fold against Fulham: http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/new...es_poppy_boos/

A PREMIER League star at the centre of a Remembrance Day row was booed by his own supporters as he took to the field for the first time since the incident.

Northern Ireland-born James McClean received a Twitter death threat after refusing to wear a poppy on his Sunderland shirt during the team's game at Everton over the Remembrance Sunday weekend.

Today he was jeered by a sizeable section of Sunderland fans when he came on as a 70th minute substitute in his sides 3-1 win at Fulham.

Speaking after the match, Sunderland manager Martin ONeill said his player would not be put off by the booing, saying: "James will deal with it".

ONeill highlighted the case of TV presenter John Snow who declined to wear a poppy on air and added: "It's a free choice.

James has lived with a lot of things, and he's getting death threats now, which doesn't help."

[gastric]

I didn't realise he was booed by Sunderland fans after entering the fold against Fulham: http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/new...es_poppy_boos/

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.

[Colbert Report]

I think he needs to get out of dodge in January, and move to Europe.

I agree with him not wearing the poppy, I live in Canada and I choose not to wear one myself. 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.

[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....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/s...ts-214426.html