JAMES MCCLEAN HAS criticised Match of the Day for their coverage of West Brom’s 1-0 defeat to Huddersfield in the Premier League yesterday.
The Ireland midfielder chooses not to wear a poppy to mark Remembrance Sunday and as a result receives vile abuse from the stands.
McClean was a second-half substitute for the Baggies yesterday and put in a heavy challenge on Tom Ince – an incident which was highlighted by the BBC highlights programme last night.
But Match of the Day failed to show footage of fans throwing objects at him and the 28-year-old vented his frustrations on social media afterwards.
James McClean / Twitter
James McClean / Twitter / Twitter
He also branded the supporters who threw ‘bottles, coins and lighters’ at him as ‘cowards, not hard men.”
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Such a legend, love that man
The annual James McClean witch-hunt signals the start of Christmas shopping season.
I loved his tackle at the end hahaha
I’ve got to be honest…I find it hard to warm to McClean. Yeah he’s passionate about playing for his country but he comes from a family of Sinn Fein/IRA sympathisers. I’ve no doubt terrible things happened to his family and his city but it’s hard for most people down south to relate to that to be honest. And it’s not just his poppy stance. He regularly posts on Instagram taunting rangers supporters , praising Martin McGuiness etc…how do you expect british people to react
@Brian O’Loughlin:
While all that is true, still I understand why he doesn’t opt-in to the poppy shirt and I respect that. I donn’t feel overly comfortable wearing one (in his position I’d quite possibly cave to public pressure) and I’m from the south.
On the other hand, the meal he made over the anthem while on tour in the US was disrespectful and cringeworthy.
As you suggest, he doesn’t do himself any favours.
@Brian O’Loughlin: Your opinion is valid but when did you get to decide what’s “hard for most people down south to relate to”?
@Brian O’Loughlin: maybe if you were born in Derry to a Catholic family you would understand where he is coming from. Granted he doesn’t do himself any favours but it is nice to see a modern day footballer with a mind of his own and not just pandering to the masses. For that I respect him. He could make life a whole lot easier for himself if he did but choses to stand for what he believes in even if you or anyone else disagree.
@Brian O’Loughlin: He comes from a City that only 40 years ago the British Army murdered 14 innocent civil right marchers. Not only that but over the course of the troubles it has been proved that the British Army and the RUC colluded with Loyalists to murder innocent Catholics not only in Derry but in the whole six Counties and even in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. So why in Gods name would he want to wear a symbol associated so much with the British Army..
@Brian O’Loughlin: Don’t try and “speak for most people down South” please, thank you.
@David Garland: Refusing to wear a poppy is one thing. I’ve no issue with that and if that was all he did I doubt it would be that big a deal. However when you post RIP tributes to a former leader of a terrorist organisation that murdered hundreds of innocent people in the UK don’t be surprised if they don’t take too kindly to that particularly when you’re happy to take thousands of pounds every week which either directly or indirectly comes from the supporters
@Brian O’Loughlin: Let me correct your statement a little here Brian.
“it is hard for most MIDDLE CLASS people down south to relate to that”.
Spend a little time in working class areas & you will find that there are an awful lot of people who have very similar attitudes to McClean.
@Dave Murray: Dave, are you saying Sinn Fein are popular down South? If so why aren’t they topping the polls?
@Brian O’Loughlin: God, you’re ignorant. He’s an open supporter of a party with 23 seats in the Dail, oh the horror.
@Brian O’Loughlin: Brian u forget to mention that former leader of that “terrorist group” also spent all his life defending Catholics in the north who were systematically targeting by the British government and ruc to make every day living as difficult as possible and much more. Maybe u dOnt understand it because u didn’t experience it first hand, iv no doubt if u grew up in the north in the 70’s you’d have a different opinion
@Brian O’Loughlin: who’s most people down south Brian , i’m a Dub, and i don’t know anyone that does’nt support James mc Clean , maybe speak for yourself
@Brian O’Loughlin: u do realize the British government murdered innocent people in the north and yet they want people to wear poppies in respect of the soldiers that carried out those crimes.
@Paul Mallon: Exactly. Do you not get the irony? So McClean shouldn’t wear a poppy because of what it symbolises but it’s ok for him to post tributes to Ex IRA members who would have orchestrated bombings and killings in UK? Would you be happy for a league of Ireland player here say from the north or UK to turn his back when the national anthem was played or post tributes to Ian Paisley or loyalist terrorists?
@Brian O’Loughlin: hilarious that the IRA get called a terrorist group and yet the British Army are hero’s. Complete hypocrisy. McClean is dead right to stick by his beliefs and defy the poppy fascism stemming from sheer ignorance in the UK.
@Brian O’Loughlin: was it not a war in the north?
@Brian O’Loughlin: you are full of it. He stands for the anthem but will not wear a poppy. He got involved with rangers ‘fans’ in the past. He was young. He has avoided those issues recently.
He respects members of his community who defended it from real danger in the past who were instramental in the peace deal.You may not like it but I doubt you or your family have been scared of irish soldiers or guards and how they may collude against you as they pretend to be guardians. Stand for nothing and you fall for anything. I do not agree with him being so vocal at times but he is a braver man than I am
@Brian O’Loughlin: id be understanding of it. I wouldn’t expect a loyalist from the north to stand for the Irish national anthem which is why the poppy thing should be taken out of football. National anthems can be played for National teams but I think that’s where it should stop
@Brian O’Loughlin: You seem to Forget Bill Clinton gave the Eulogy at Martin McGuinness’s funeral. Where you on your high horse then saying an ex American President is showing support for a Terrorist Organisation’ As lots of people have already pointed out to you the PIRA were the only people defending Catholic areas back in the early 70′s when the Loyalists with the help of the local police were burning them out of their homes and shooting them in the streets..
@Gavin Healy: Every Irish person should hate the thought of wearing a poppy but you don’t feel overly comfortable wearing a poppy and you would wear one if you were in his position. Do you even know the conflicts of the soldiers the poppy commemorates?
@Brian O’Loughlin: Im from Dublin and I can relate to it, The fact you say that is exactly why in the South have a bad name up North for being ignorant to the troubles and living in a bubble. This man is modern day Republican and a credit to his country and people.
@Brian O’Loughlin: I’m embarrassed to be from the same country as you
@Gavin Healy: ” I don’t feel overly comfortably wearing one ” ? So why are you wearing it ? A poppy is to remember the great soldiers of Britain who pillaged and plundered our country for centuries……well done McLean
Oliver Cromwell alone must
Oliver Cromwell alone must
Not sure what happened there anyway Cromwell murdering 600,000 in this country alone is a damn fine reason to not be wearing the poppy. No mind the genocide of the potato famine and all the rest of the duplicity. The fact that McClean sticks to his guns should be a matter of pride, anyone who condemns it for gods sake just read a history book
@Brian O’Loughlin: how is it hard for people “down south” to relate to? It’s a couple of hours up the road
@Tom Gorey: I’m not wearing it and never have. I obviously phrased it clumsily.
@John Buckley: almost every Irish players (and media personality) in Britain do wear them. As most Irish people in general life to not ware them it is logical to assume that they cave in order to spare themselves from the witch-hunt that McClean is subjected to every hear.
I don’t wear one and never have, but if the price was to be treated with vitriol for a few weeks every year I am sure I’d consider doing what most Irish public figures in Britain do.
@Gavin Healy: so they, like you, support the murder of innocent people in Northern Ireland. Cowards.
@John Buckley: that’s just childish, immature nonsense.
@Gavin Healy: its not nonsense, its the truth. Your willingness to wear the poppy and your defence of Irish people that do wear it is a disgrace. At least they were brave people, similar to McClean, in Irelands history than ensured the Republic gained independence from Britain because we could not rely on the likes of you.
@John Buckley:
You’re just demonstrating your own lack of comprehension skills, nuance and maturity with that baffling comment.
@Gavin Healy: its quite simple, if you’re willing to wear the poppy you support British soldiers that murdered innocent Irish people. Type whatever crap you want but you support these murderers.
@John Buckley: Genius. Not sure how any of this relates to me or reality though.
The poppy fascism that takes place every year is pure propaganda. People should wear a poppy if they feel like it or not. It should not be forced on everyone that plays football for a living or appears on a tv show.
Imagine an Easter lily was pushed here by the media and military the same way every Easter. Would you like that? It’s a personal thing that should be commemorated in a personal way.
I’ve no time for the poppy but I defend anyone’s right to wear one or not to wear one.
You know James McClean isn’t the only Nationalist in the north who doesn’t wear a poppy. The reasons why they don’t wear one are not confined only to McClean either. I would also suggest that a large number of those people who don’t wear a poppy are not supporters of Sinn Fein and aren’t even Republican in their politics. It’s an historical thing stretching as far back as partition and the aftermath of the First World War. McClean is brave because he takes a stance in the lions den and he has every right to his reasoning behind this. English football though has hung him out to dry. The reaction to him is downright sectarian and as far as I can see he receives no support from his own professional organisation. He earns a good wage for what he does but what he does is play football, period.
@gus lennon: well said gus
@gus lennon: well said.
Sadly the flipside here is a lot of vitriolic unhinged Brit-bashing which is as bad as the Daily Mail witch-hunt against McClean.
Why does he need to show respect to a political identity where he is employed? I mean he is not a charity, the club (not the UK) are paying him for his services, he provides them for a fee. If they seem that to be a bad deal they are free to pay someone else and end the contract. What does political affiliation have to do with that transaction?
McClean just needs to wear the poppy, stop antagonising Rangers fans and respect the nation that is making him and his family a millionaire. (Responses won’t be read). Carry on.
@Whatshisname: pure ignorance.
@Whatshisname: bollicks he is paid for football skills
@Whatshisname: some arsehole you are
I can’t stand the pr!cks*
@laura Walsh
F*ck the Brits
@Seán O’Sullivan: I think we should all chip in a few euro and buy the ignorant f*$kers a few history books. Obviously not all English people, my partner is English, but a shocking number of them are ignorant as well as arrogant about the brutal and horrific role their army played in Irish history.
@Laura Walsh: I can’t at
@Seán O’Sullivan: wow just wow. And all the ignorant knuckle draggers that liked your moronic xenophobic post. Fu*ck you take your chip on your shoulder and stick up your ar$e moron. Imagine I said f*ck the Irish? Think most regular Irish people would be offended by that? The journal is thisshyte
@Laura Walsh: wow so MOST (obviously not all) English people are stupid your saying right? Not very good at history and are ignorant, wow it’s like saying all Irish people love Guinness spuds and have a drinking problem, obviously not all Irish people but… kinda of like I’m not a racist but…
Do you not think what people from outside Ireland think looking at these comments there is some clown saying Fk the Brits on a news article and he has got over 150 odd likes absolute sub species it’s 2017 FFS
They are pondlife.
The poppy is an emblem celebrating the very boys,Irish included,who gave McClean his freedom….hes just another thicko who cant grasp the fact
@Jaydee: The Poppy originated to ‘honour’ the ‘noble’ sacrifice of those that died in WW1. WW1 had nothing to do with freedom, it was all about the various imperial powers of Europe jockeying for position, and throwing a whole generation into a lethal meatgrinder. The death of those millions is a crime against humanity and should be remembered as such. The poppy also represents all the conflicts the British army has been involved in since, including Northern Ireland, and other such imperialist endeavours such as the war in Iraq..
Poppy should not be worn by players, end of story. It’s so cheap looking. Most regular British folks don’t bother with them anyway and it’s starts earlier every year, they wear them in October now.