'Hurt' James McClean stands over criticism of Irish teammates

McClean says he has received messages of support – but not from his Irish teammates

The Ireland winger says he has even considered early retirement as a result of the abuse and threats he has received. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

James McClean has said that while he “likes every single one of them”, he stands over his criticism of his Republic of Ireland team-mates for their reluctance to show support for him in the face of the discrimination he has experienced.

Earlier this week in a Facebook post, the Derryman sought to contrast football’s currently high-profile response to racism with its comparative silence on the sectarian abuse to which he has been subjected during his career in England.