Trap: Crowd favourite McClean must be patient

The biggest ovation in Craven Cottage on Tuesday night — bigger even than the cheers for Ireland’s four goals — came when James McClean was summoned from the bench just past the hour mark.

And Giovanni Trapattoni said yesterday that he had no problem with such a show of support for a player who created huge controversy with his inflammatory tweet after the narrow victory in Kazakhstan.

“The people wished to help him and I am happy about that,” said the manager. “I was the first to help him and give him confidence and trust. When I picked him for the Euros it was not because the media were writing about him. After the tweet, I understood that psychologically he was a little bit disappointed. But before the Oman game in the dressing room I told him he would play and to be ready. And I thought he played well in the last 20 minutes.”