James McClean: Potential Northern Ireland play-off final 'more exciting' but Bosnia 'less hassle'

McClean is enjoying a resurgence of form under Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill at Stoke, with talk of a possible all-Ireland Euros qualifier so far confined to some good-natured joshing.

James McClean says that while the possibility of the Republic facing Northern Ireland in Belfast in a decisive Euro 2020 play-off would be “the more exciting option”, the alternative of playing Bosnia away would mean “less hassle” for his family in the build-up.

Ultimately, the Derry-born Stoke City winger, who was capped at U21 level for the North, says it doesn’t really matter to him what play-off route the Republic take so long as they beat Slovakia and then the winners of Northern Ireland v Bosnia to qualify for the summer finals which will see tournament games hosted in Dublin for the first time.