JAMES McCLEAN HAS hit back at the vile abusers who have trolled him on social media.
In an interview with Sky Sports, McClean detailed some of the content he has had to read online. “I have read things like ‘I hope your kids get coronavirus and die’ or ‘It would be a laugh if your house burned down with your kids inside’.
“There was someone online, who looked over 40, abusing my kids. Of course (it’s upsetting). Footballers are a free hit. It’s like it’s viewed as we earn this amount of money so we should just take it.”
McClean was recently the subject of more attention when he posed for a picture wearing a balaclava, saying he was about to conduct a ‘history lesson’. His club, Stoke City, subsequently fined him two weeks wages. “If I sat here,” McClean said, “and said I don’t regret things I’d be lying but I can take a lot of abuse and can’t have fun back?
“It was supposed to be light-hearted joke but I can understand why it didn’t go down well. People think I did a history lesson like that but I didn’t actually do it.”
One thing he did do recently was put his hand in his pocket to buy medical equipment – inlcuding 400 pairs of gloves and 100 face masks – for staff at Derry’s Altnagelvin hospital.
“I was going through Facebook and saw a post asking for help,” said McClean. “I just typed into Google to see what I could get and was fortunate to find equipment.
“It’s not going to solve all the problems but hopefully it can tide them over. It begs the question if I’m able to go online why can’t the authorities supply enough equipment?”
Instead the authorities have challenged footballers to take a pay-cut, a plea led by UK health secretary, Matt Hancock.
“You’ve got Matt Hancock saying we should take a pay cut,” said McClean. “It is ridiculous. No one seems to like footballers.
“We’ve got livelihoods too and people might take this the wrong way but we do work hard for our money.
“Think about what players pay towards government tax. Football is a short career and we’ve got to look after our families once it’s over. I’ve seen players do great deeds from their own pocket. I’m a Derry boy.
“We weren’t blessed with a lot of money growing up so if I see someone struggling I take the position I’m in seriously. I like to help people less fortunate as much as I can. I’ve been in a position that I’ve been less fortunate.”
Genuinely not having a go, but why not just stay off it, away from it and completely avoid social media. People will always oppose strong opinions and equally strong opposition to those opinions.
@blindside: I think its because he is trying to stay relevant.
@blindside: even if he didn’t have a profile online the abuse would still be there. Obviously he didn’t help himself last week, but every November he gets more than anyone’s share of abuse
@Adrian Carroll: Wrong. Players these days are isolated and they need it. Mich like us now.
@Louis Jacob: *much
@Adrian Carroll: clown
I’m sure he gets fairly bad insults from social media and during matches but certainly don’t help himself wearing balaclavas putting it up on social media either
The abuse he gets from his fellow countrymen is nearly every bit as bad as bad as what he gets across the water. The fella is the first one to put his hand in his pocket whenever there is fundraising for anything, he can never be found wanting for effort each and every time he pulls on a green jersey. While he may have made a mistake last week it in no way justifies the abuse he gets.
@Mel Roberts: my god for once I agree with u
@Mel Roberts: It was a badly misjudged joke on his part. Naive and Stupid. But there’s no doubt he receives way worse online than his joke last week.
Priceless asking McClean to take a cut Even though he’s donated a lot of money in the last month not to mention other causes in the last few years.McCleans not on the same money as the lads at the very top,he won’t be getting that money when he retires and what he does earn now will be taxed heavily.Yes he can live comfortably now but he’s not obliged to take a cut,he’s doing his bit in this crisis.
Let’s be honest here the abuse is vile and wrong but he puts out stuff like last week that brings it on ,I’m not justifying what the trolls have said to him but he should know by now what will be said to him , I have a serious problem with his ability on the pitch and he makes me angry but I dont wish harm on him , ya he gives it 100% every time he plays in green but that’s just him running about like a headless chicken , unfortunately he will still make the squad at the moment but let’s call a spade a spade here , he has in no way lived up to the hype from the start of his career and now never will
If the stories of his donations in the past few weeks are true then fair play to him he is doing more than the owners of alot of clubs and should be commended
OMG , when you are in a massive hole, ffs stop digging.
He is a media gift that just keeps giving.
Has he shit for brains or what. Has he no advisors or does he just not listen to friends or family.
Just play football and shut up trying to justify your stupid actions of posting yourself in a balaclava .
rich people try to buy their way into our hearts with their donations or cover their badness,in any case it should be done and it’s tax efficient for him.
Now he is using reverse psychology that he is the victim and totally innocent.
I suppose through time he will lead us to the ‘ it has effected my family and they are receiving treatment as a result ‘ bit to buy him some sympathy or his sister will LEAK what a good boy he is putting someone up for Christmas .
Don’t make me laugh
Your going to reap just what your sow!
Sticks and stones