Despite retirement announcement James McClean may still get call up for upcoming Euro qualifiers

James McClean talking with Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D Higgins ahead of the home qualifier against Gibraltar earlier this year

James McClean talking with Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D Higgins ahead of the home qualifier against Gibraltar earlier this year Credit: Conor Ryan (ETPhotos)

Macdara Ferris reports from the Aviva Stadium

Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny spoke warmly about James McClean on the day the player announced his international retirement but the Ireland boss noted the Wrexham player could still get a call up for the upcoming EURO 2024 qualifiers.

“It's not beyond the possibility that I could call him up to play after the weekend if there is an injury and I have to ask him to come back in and play,” said Kenny when speaking at his squad announcement in the Aviva Stadium on Thursday. “That is the reality sometimes when you name squads.

"James still has the opportunity of being involved in the squad at any time, and if we get a play-off in March, you couldn't rule him out,” said Kenny.

"James was obviously named in the provisional squad. I was in regular contact with James. Liam Scales is in very good form, playing with Celtic in the Champions League, playing a lot on the left side and also Ryan Manning has had good form for Southmpton recently.”

Reflecting on McClean’s career, one that Kenny has played a part in right from the beginning he said: "James has had a great career, a terrific career. I think young Irish players can learn a lot from how he approached his career. Ireland was always at forefront of his thought, it was the pinnacle for him.

"Always the most important thing was to play for his country. You had to respect that.

“From my point of view as a manager – obviously I managed him as a teenager, gave him his debut and then sold him to Sunderland. But people change in that period and obviously he’s a different personality.

"With the Irish team because he’s in his 30s by the time I take over the Ireland team, so he’s a different personality.”



Kenny admitted that McClean’s intensity in training forced the player into his starting team at times.

“But if there’s any grey areas about who might play in the team sometimes and decisions are not made and depending on who’s available, he’s so forceful in his training performances, sometimes he gets himself in the team by just his sheer intensity in his training in the sessions.

"It is hard to ignore him then.”

 

About Macdara Ferris

Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl … View Full Profile