James McClean has hit back at Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson after the manager suggested the left-back was considered for a return to the international setup
James McClean has categorically dismissed any chance of coming out of international retirement.
This comes after it emerged that Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson had mulled over recalling the 36 year old for two crucial upcoming matches due to a shortage of left-back options.
However, the Icelandic chief decided against the move, citing McClean’s restricted game time with Wrexham in the Championship.
Instead, Hallgrimsson has called up Kevin O’Toole, an uncapped defender from New York City, for Ireland’s crucial World Cup qualifying double-header at home to Portugal and away to Hungary.
The decision has sparked debate among some experts, including former Ireland international Keith Treacy, who maintained that McClean would have been a better squad choice, reports the Irish Mirror.
Explaining his reasoning, Hallgrimsson said: “He [McClean] was in our thoughts. It was just his playing time has been really limited. But he was in our minds. We talked about him, yes.”
McClean has now responded to the manager’s comments through an Instagram post, making it crystal clear that a return was never on the cards after his decision to hang up his international boots.
Addressing Hallgrimsson’s observations about his limited game time, he wrote: “Must be a new thing that ’cause it’s never been an issue before but anyways there is no need to talk about me because I ain’t available for selection as I am RETIRED…I retired. Good luck tonight and Sunday. Dare to do what many think is impossible and make a place in history for yourselves.”
McClean’s final outing for Ireland came in November 2023, when he featured in a friendly against New Zealand to mark his international send-off.
The former Premier League player amassed 103 caps for his nation, though he has recently been vocal in his disapproval of the national structure, reports the Mirror.
Only last month, McClean openly slammed Ireland’s Finn Azaz for his “embarrassing” conduct during a qualifier against Armenia, specifically his reaction to being headbutted, which saw an Armenian player sent off.
He believed Azaz’s response, where he dropped to the turf holding his face, was excessively theatrical. McClean joined Wrexham from Wigan Athletic in summer 2023 and played a part in the club’s remarkable back-to-back promotions from League Two and League One under Hollywood proprietors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
However, this campaign his opportunities have been limited with boss Phil Parkinson favouring summer acquisition Liberato Cacace in the left wing-back position.
McClean has recently confessed he’s no longer deriving the same enjoyment from football and has even contemplated making the switch to boxing, with preliminary discussions already underway regarding a potential career change.
Speaking on a podcast with Westlife’s Nicky Byrne, he disclosed: “I’ll be honest, I’ve really enjoyed it [at Wrexham] up until the last two or three months. It’s not been ideal, I’ve not been playing as much as I’d like, which is never a good thing.
“Before, I’d throw my toys out of the pram. Now, I just channel that frustration into the punch bag and it seems to blow off a bit of steam. You kind of feel better for it afterwards.”
Addressing the prospect of turning professional boxer, he added: “I do want to box. Misfits (boxing company) is opening up opportunities for a lot of people who aren’t professional boxers to give them the opportunity to step in and experience what it’s like to be a boxer.
“Absolutely, it’s something I want to do and there has been background chats about it, but I’m contracted at the moment. It’s definitely something I want to do in the near future. A lot of my training now is boxing training. I have a bigger passion now for boxing than I do for football.”
This revelation follows McClean’s admission that he hit a Cardiff supporter, which he insists was in self-defence, prior to a Wrexham match. He found himself in a scuffle with several Bluebirds fans before a Carabao Cup tie at the Racecourse Ground on 28 October.
McClean alleges that he was accosted and verbally attacked by four men as he exited his car in the players’ car park. North Wales Police have confirmed that they’ve not received any reports concerning the incident and are not conducting an investigation.
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