Minder is McClean’s idea, says O’Neill
Derry City reserve goalkeeper Eugene Ferry is set to move to Wearside tasked with the job of keeping the Republic of Ireland winger on the straight and narrow.
McClean has enraged O’Neill with a series of controversial comments on Twitter but the former Celtic boss insists the idea of a minder came from the player rather than the club.
“It was his own idea, and agreed with by the club,’’ O’Neill said. ‘‘That’s all. I didn’t tell him to get a minder in. He had mentioned that there was someone going to come over. I’ve not got a problem with that and it’s not a big issue, he’s not five years of age although I’ve said to you he’s 23 going on it!’’
O’Neill believes his fellow Derry man is ‘‘a little bit homesick’’ but insisted the 23-year-old has not gone ‘‘off the rails’’.
“I just think he’s been a little bit homesick, that’s my thought. James might not go with that. Lots of things have happened to him and my annoyance with him was purely on the tweeting aspect more than anything else, especially some of the choice language and picking (Giovanni) Trapattoni’s team for him. I’ve never mentioned about James ‘going off the rails’. There’s a difference to telling James to be a bit sensible but I don’t’ think he’s gone off the rails or anything. My concern is him playing well for us. If he’s happy with someone living with him then fine.’’
McClean burst on to the Premier League scene last December but has struggled to replicate that form so far this season.
O’Neill feels McClean no longer carries the element of surprise he had last season but feels he will learn to cope.
“It’s a case of trying to find a bit of room for himself,’’ O’Neill explained. “All good wingers do suss it, to create space and see if there’s anything over the top. He’s had no apprenticeship at all and it takes a bit of time.
“If you’re being heavily marked, then you have to realise there should be space for someone else. Utilising that space when you don’t have the ball is very valuable.
“Of course he’s still going to be judged by what he does on the ball. He’s capable of coming right through this season and doing well.
“Did I think these things would happen to him? Of course, everyone of us thought let’s see what James does in his second season and it’s interesting. I think he’s got the capability to get over that. Absolutely.
“Teams and individual full-backs are paying him a lot more attention. Someone picks the ball up and goes past you one season, you’re going to make sure next time you deal with it. It’s how James deals with that.’’
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