James McClean Criticises Fellow Irish Players Who Put Club Before Patriotism

The cut and thrust of the domestic season may have come to a close but that does not mean that things are any less quiet as of late, especially when Republic of Ireland international James McClean is involved. With the West Brom Winger or should that be whinger once again making headlines for off the pitch reasons.

The 28 year old is in line to win his 50^th cap for the Republic when they face Mexico at the MetLife Stadium in the early hours of Friday morning U.K time and with that in mind, McClean has picked the perfect time to voice his displeasure at those who are perceived to have picked club before country.

The former Sunderland player is not one to mince his words and in this instance he is no different with our favourite partisan non poppy wearer being quoted as saying “Without singling too many players out, there have been players in the past who pulled out of games with injuries, but always seem to be fit for their club side on the Saturday”

It does raise a fair point perhaps as to how players can miraculously be injured by the time international duty rears its somewhat ugly head and McClean did not mince his words as he went to on add “It annoys me very much, I am not going to lie. How can you be unfit for a game in midweek, but you are fit for the game on Saturday?

He may be something of a divisive figure on the pitch but if there’s one thing he does not shy from it’s a good quote. Actually that should be two things he does not shy from, a quote and a decent bust up. He was in a bust up at The Hawthorns back in 2015 when he had and Sunderland’s Danny Graham did not see eye to eye after the game.

That’s not the first flash point that McClean has had in front of the Baggies faithful as he played a large part in a 20 man brawl last December when Tony Pulis’s side played host to Watford. Who else but McClean would light the blue touch paper after he stamped on Roberto Pererya, a move that would spark ugly scenes and I don’t just mean watching West Brom.

If you were to say McClean is shy and retiring then that could not be further from the truth, when the Brexit result was revealed last June. He took no time at all in stating that Ireland should once again be unified and displayed a now deleted tweet saying “Reignition of the flames of reunification #BorderPoll #UnitedIreland”

People’s opinion on McClean is certainly divisive and a lot of bad comes before the good but he does have the ability to make headlines for the right reasons. Back in March, he took the time to play against Derry’s Down Syndrome team after they were struggling for any opposition.

I’m sure this won’t be the last time we hear a McClean rant to ruffle some feathers

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