What was Kenny Shiels thinking?
James McClean has been biting his lip for exactly a month now but he has hit back furiously at Derry City’s manager with a stinging rebuke.
Shiels had a wild pop at international football and branded Ireland as “England reserves”. It wasn’t like he was misquoted either, this was a measured swipe.
“International football’s not what it used to be,” the Candy Stripes boss said in the Independent.
“There’s no pride in it anymore because you could have a pint of Guinness and play for Ireland. There are Italians and Scottish people playing for Ireland.
“International football doesn’t interest me one bit, not one bit. When you look at the people who can go and play. The Republic of Ireland are England reserves and Northern Ireland are England’s reserves’ reserves. It’s diabolical. I’ve no time for it all.”
And this just after the summer. A summer that brought all corners of the island to France for a celebration of sport and the pride that goes with it. A summer that saw both the north and the Republic emerge from the qualification groups, their respective Euro 2016 groups and reach the top 16 of the whole continent.
It was a summer that inspired the island and relight a fire that has been slowly threatening to die for a while.
But then those comments. Mistimed, misjudged, and a misrepresentation of what boys like James McClean would do for their countries.
So the Derry man hit back. Although the West Brom winger’s brother is currently playing at the Brandywell under Shiels, it didn’t stop McClean launching a scathing attack on the manager in a sharp piece in the Derry Journal.
“What right or what credentials does Kenny Shiels hold to make such ridiculous comments on international football?” McClean said.
“For me, playing in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin in front of thousands of people and wearing that green jersey means so much to me and my team-mates.
“He said Italians and Scottish people play for Ireland, but so do players such as David Forde, Seamus Coleman, Wes Hoolohan, Stephen Ward, Daryl Murphy and myself, players who graduated through local League of Ireland football.
“Talk is cheap, but every local player harbours an ambition to play at the highest level possible. I think Kenny Shiels has done himself no favours with these insulting outbursts regarding international football.
“I’ve noticed that he likes to make the headlines with some silly interviews before and after games, but I’m not prepared to let him belittle the strides Irish players have made in their careers by going on to represent their country.”
And his comments have gone down an absolute treat.
Good man James McClean 👏👏https://t.co/C4FecgPION
— Phelim Warren (@Freewheeler12) October 25, 2016
Well said the Derry man 💪
James McClean is a class act.https://t.co/0ha8QfNL3i— Phil Mac Giolla Bháin (@Pmacgiollabhain) October 25, 2016
@DM8883 @JOEdotie
Maith thú James McClean. Obvious that you and others still take great pride in playing for your country— Bricriu (@Bricriu2) October 25, 2016
Whatever you think of the standard of international football – however annoyed you get that it might get in the way of your own work – do not attempt to detract from the work that people have done to get there and how much it means to them. And, please, don’t pretend like it’s not important for the whole country.
You only have to look at Lille in June or Dublin last October to feel the power football holds in Ireland and to see the dreams it can build.
Thank you, James McClean. If we could trust one man to get that across, you were always going to be it.
Colm Parkinson chats to Kerry GAA legend, and author, Kieran Donaghy in a special edition of The GAA Hour. Listen below or subscribe on iTunes
