JAMES MCCLEAN ADMITS he hasn’t ‘been the easiest’ player for managers to deal with during his nascent Premier League career but the Ireland international insists he’s matured a lot.
The Derry native has earned a reputation for finding himself at the centre of controversy since his move cross-channel to Sunderland.
He was warned off Twitter by former Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill after several online incidents and was the target of some fans’ boos for refusing to wear a poppy last November. But McClean told reporters in Dublin yesterday, in the build-up to Friday’s World Cup qualifier against the Faroe Islands, that he’s grown up in the last 12 months.
“I’m still the same lad as I was in Derry and I think that kind of went against me,” the former Candystripes winger said, “but I’m going to continue to just be me and what comes with it comes with it.
“I’ve learned to not say too much. Both Martin O’Neill and the manager [Giovanni Trapattoni] had a word with me in the past. I feel a bit bad now because I haven’t been the easiest to work with but I’ve taken that on board. I’ve matured a bit in the last few months and hopefully I’ll continue to.”
Ireland face the Faroes in the final Brazil 2014 qualifier of the season, before they face world and European champions Spain in New York next week.
“We’re on a good run at the minute, I think we’re five unbeaten,” says McClean. “We’re playing with a lot of confidence and that obviously helps as well. Come Friday hopefully we can push on and score a few more goals. The main thing obviously is getting three points.
“It’s been an indifferent season at club level for me and hopefully I’ve left that behind me now and I can push on here with the Ireland squad. You get a bit of confidence from the few assists so hopefully I get called upon again and I can do a job.”
The aforementioned Martin O’Neill didn’t last what was a turbulent season with Sunderland, of course, and was ultimately replaced by firebrand Paulo di Canio in the Stadium of Light bench. The Italian has wasted no time in imposing his strict regime on the Black Cats and has not held back in criticising players, including McClean. The Ireland man insists he’ll take any transfer talk as it comes over the coming weeks, however.
“It’s been difficult for a lot of reasons that have been well publicised,” he says. “That’s in the past now and I’ll hopefully come back fitter and stronger for next season and push on. What happens over the summer happens, I’ll just keep my head down. I wanna push on and do the best for me personally. Whatever comes of it comes of it.”
