Martin O'Neill wants to bring James McClean to Nottingham Forest - reports
New Nottingham Forest manager Martin O'Neill is reported to be keen on bringing one of his former players with him to his new club.
O'Neill became the new Forest manager last week, returning to the club where he had success as a player - winning two European Cups.
Media reports suggest the former Ireland boss is keen to bring Stoke winger James McClean to Nottingham.
Football Insider reports that O'Neill wants some new additions to his new squad and the 29-year-old may fit the bill.
McClean only signed for Stoke last summer in a £5m deal, but has yet to start a game under The Potters new boss Nathan Jones.
O'Neill and McClean know each other well, with the 66-year-old giving the winger his debut in English football while at Sunderland.
McClean was also a mainstay in the Ireland team in the five years O'Neill was manager.
O'Neill made his return to The City Ground on Saturday but his side fell to a 1-0 defeat against Bristol City.
Speaking after the game, O'Neill told nottinghamforest.co.uk:
"I thought that the team were tentative in the first half, maybe that was to be expected. Maybe they were just over anxious and trying to impress a new manager, whatever it was.
"I thought we were on the back foot for most of the first half and I thought Bristol City controlled that part of the game."
On returning to the club for his first match, O'Neill added that he loved being back at Forest.
"It has been a bit surreal in the last couple of days; there has almost been no time to breathe. I came in, saw the players on Tuesday, then Thursday and yesterday.
"I was nervously excited by it all and maybe now, despite the defeat, it is an opportunity to take stock of everything and take it on from there.
In terms of the atmosphere and the reception I got, I was obviously honoured.
O'Neill added last week that he would like his former assistant at Ireland Roy Keane to join him in Nottingham.
The Derry native said he "would dearly like" for Keane - another former Forest player - to join his coaching staff.
"He has a couple of things to really mull over and I would really like him to come to the football club if he could," O'Neill said last Friday.
"We’ve had discussions. There is a spot open for him. I hope that will happen, it may not.
“He was a great asset to me at Ireland, we had some really great days. He was tough to handle, no doubt at all, but you know that with him. It’s what makes him special.”
