JAMES McCLEAN insists Martin OâNeillâs appointment has not altered his mission to make a mark on the Premier League. McClean has made clear strides since arriving in a £350,000 deal from Derry City during the summer, with the 22-year-old now a serious challenger for a first-team spot. The left winger is yet to make his Black Cats debut after being an unused substitute on eight occasions this season. But McClean impressed new boss Martin OâNeill in Thursdayâs reserve team win over Manchester United and is in contention to feature in tomorrowâs first-team clash with Blackburn Rovers. McClean realises every player has the chance to start afresh with the new Sunderland manager, but believes he has had to prove himself ever since making the significant leap from the Irish League. âIâve still got the same mindset as I had when I came over here,â McClean told the Echo. âI just wanted to play football and do well, no matter who was in charge, and get into the first team. âThatâs my aim and itâs not changed. I just want to keep on improving. âI feel my game has improved since I came here because youâre playing with top class players every day in training. âI think Iâve come on physically and Iâve got more awareness now. âItâs a different style of play in Ireland compared to here and I feel Iâve adapted well. âThe next step is to get the chance in the Premier League and hopefully when that comes, I can grab it with both hands.â McClean is not the only youngster challenging for a first-team opportunity, with second string team-mate Ryan Noble notching his third hat-trick in four games in the 6-3 victory over United. âRyanâs confidence is sky-high and it makes my job a lot easier as a winger,â added the former Northern Ireland U21 international. âI just put the ball in the box and it seems like heâs getting on the end of everything at the moment which makes both me and him look good. âHeâs got 11 goals in the last four games which is a phenomenal record at any level. Heâs doing really well and I hope he can keep it up. âFor the first 15 minutes the other night, everyone was a bit nervous in front of the new manager, including myself. âThen we settled down and to score six goals against Man United, shows thereâs good quality here. âHopefully a few of us can push on and get into the first team.â think he has earned the chance of a start now
Would love to see him and noble start tomorrow, but can't see Mon starting both unless Bendtner is out.
Bentner is out and im excited for the prospect providing we can give some supply , thats why i fancy him and Noble
i agree if he wasnt a footballer before therefore making the step into managment he whould be one of the best scouts
I think the time is fast approaching where we need to take risks - just like '77 when Arnott / Elliott / Rowell were thrown in. We need to grow from within 'cos nowt is going to be available in Jan. x
I agree. The thing is bobby these aren't kids we are talking about. They are young men, early twenties but I don't need to list every player under 20 who has made the grade by being given their chance. If they can't handle the pressure now why would it change in the future?
MR - definitely agree. The good thing for us is they are that little bit older. I think it would be a bold move, but, we need to think outside the box. MO'N will do the right thing. How crap will Bruce feel if our salvation is already at the club but he didn't have the bottle to try it? x
I think you have to have "some" sympathy for Bruce as well though. Noble out injured for awhile, comes back scores a hatrick against the mags (even though according to them it was their under 18s in defense) He chucks him in and he gets injured again after a rougher than normal challenge, and is out for months (with Bruces luck, that was very likely), but he keeps banging them in for the reserves. Whickam, he doesnt play him straight away, he gets lambasted from all quarters, he starts to play him, he goes down and is out for 6 weeks, sods law Ji flashes of decency, doesnt look fit enough though but still young. Mclean, not seen him in the reserves but has he had a game like he had against Man U before? setting up 2 and scoring 2 even Campbell, out injured, brought him back when he seemed ok got crocked again 1 or 2 weeks later (from memory its been awhile) Meyler see Campbell Gordon see Campbell Mig could have just been a broken nose, but oh no, it has to break his bleeding eye socket as well sods law. Personally I think he should have chucked Noble in, for more than 3 minutes anyway, 1st match give him 15 minutes, 2nd 30 minutes and then see where to take him from there. Mclean i am not sure about, not seen enough of him tbh. But **** it, hes gone, clean slate for everyone, lets see what MON has up his sleeve tomorrow, he may even play 4-6-0 but get a win with sess scoring 3, football is a funny old game.
If McClean and Noble are on form then get them in. MON does not exactly have a great record for bringing youngsters through. Bannan, Clark and Allbrighton only got a chance at Villa after MON left.
He give Cahill his chance fair enough he sold him after 1 season, he brought through Agbonlahor as well, Bannan went out on loan in MON`s last season, Clark did have Collins and Dunne ahead of him as well, but Bannan/Clark/Albrighton all got games under MON, it was just Houlier that give them more games, and everywhere i have read its "because of an injury crises they got a chance", so i dont think it was Houlier liking them better than MON, its was just needs must at the time.
Yes but Villa were 6th three years running not bottom 3 and didn't need to change a winning formula with a last throw of the dice and chucking in kids. We wouldn't have expected Bruce to drop Bent to play Noble would we? Should o neill really have dropped Downing, Young or Milner to give albrighton a game at the time?
