James McClean has taken a swipe at the media amid suggestions that manager Stephen Kenny’s fledgling reign could be over if his team fails to beat the Group A leaders in Dublin.
Asked about the effect of a difficult few days on the young players in Kenny’s squad, he said: “We have to just rally around them and tell them just to pay no attention because funnily enough, the media in Ireland is just as bad, if not worse, than the media in England. They kind of get a kick out of us not doing well.
“It’s a shame, really, but as senior players, we have been here a long time, we know how it works and the young players need to learn, so we just have to tell them, ‘You know what, it’s part and parcel of football, pay no attention’.
“People are fickle. As soon as we start winning games, then you’re the best in the world again.
“Like I say, we need to start winning games and when we do, the criticism goes away.”
Criticism
McClean admitted Ireland need to start winning games again if they are to avoid the criticism that has come their way in recent days.
Speaking as Ireland prepared for Tuesday night’s World Cup qualifier against Serbia having taken just a single point from their opening four fixtures, McClean said: “Look, it’s always difficult when you’re not winning games. I don’t want to use a cop-out and say it’s a transition period because I think that’s easy to cling on to. We need to start winning games.
“Look, you can say we have young players coming through and what not. Look, we’re here now, we need to stand up, every single one of us, and start being counted, and that comes by winning games.
“We have got another chance to do that on Tuesday and we have to just start winning games, it’s as simple as that.”
