Winger’s Wigan move a ‘backwards step’

Niall Quinn has said James McClean has “big questions to ask himself” and needs to concentrate on his football, as he described the winger’s move to Wigan Athletic as a “backwards step”.

Quinn was Sunderland chairman when McClean signed for the club in August 2011 for just under e400,000 and remains in contact with the 24-year-old. Despite that, the Sky Sports pundit had strong words for McClean at the broadcaster’s new season launch. The winger’s form has badly dipped since initially catching the eye so impressively towards the end of the 2011-12 season, and he has also got himself involved in a series of controversies through his Twitter account. Quinn feels it is time for McClean to focus on his career.

“I wouldn’t have predicted it a year ago and maybe just over a year and a half ago when he burst on the scene,” Quinn said of the move.

“Delighted for Derry, delighted that part of the deal helps his old club. I think it can only be seen on paper as a backwards step but you know something, he’s going to play European football this year, he’s going to play a lot of Championship games.

“He has the opportunity to help his club, who I think are in the top three or four in that league in position to go back up and I think there’s the possibility of a World Cup at the end of it.

“So I think if he puts his head down and puts his Twitter thing away for a year and concentrates on his football and what can happen at the end of the year, he could be back in the Premier League. But you know something and I text him and stay in touch with him, you know that’s not guaranteed and he’s got some big questions to ask himself now and he’s got to deliver.”

At the same launch, Gary Neville had much more positive words for his fellow right-back and McClean’s international team-mate, Seamus Coleman.

“I was damn impressed with him for Ireland against England. He had a fantastic game that night at Wembley, unfortunately! I think he’s a good kid, I speak to my brother a lot obviously and he covered Phil for two or three years at Everton, sat in front of him so I mean Phil’s got a lot of time for him. He’s an honest kid, an attacking full-back, similar to [Leighton] Baines on the other side in that they both like to run forward.

“But I think there’s another good kid at Everton called John Stones and he’ll be put him under big pressure. But Coleman I think either works from right-back or right side of midfield and that could be a little bit of a downfall for him if he doesn’t settle into one position. But I think he’s a good kid from what I can gather, works hard and I was impressed with him for the Republic of Ireland against England. I thought he did really well in that match.”

*Sky kicks off its biggest ever Premier League season with live coverage of Swansea v Man Utd on Sky Sports 1, Sky 2 and Pick TV on 17 August