Trap keeps tabs on McClean

GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI will fly from Dublin to London today to see Irish football’s latest headline-grabbing discovery in action.

The Ireland manager will be at Stamford Bridge to watch James McClean, the former Derry City man who has made a splash in the Premiership since breaking into Sunderland’s first team.

Trapattoni said yesterday the Irish management team have been monitoring the player for some time but, while impressed with what McClean has shown them to date, the Italian was at pains to point out that any newcomer will have a job on his hands to dislodge established squad members ahead of the Euro finals next summer.