Our academy is on a roll................I think. ...................................................................... THE reserve match report on Sunderlandâs website from December 8 last year contains a throwaway line that is a rather fine example of a backhanded compliment. A fine 6-3 win over Manchester Unitedâs second-string played out in front of 646 hardy souls was described as: âan excellent overall team display with James McClean prominent amongst the supporting cast.â With Ryan Noble scoring four goals and Titus Bramble managing 78 minutes of action, the performance of the Irishman who had yet to make his first-team debut was, understandably, not the main focus of a match watched by Martin OâNeill, less than a week after he became manager at the club. However, the lankly left winger McClean caught the eye of OâNeill on that blustery day despite being in his own words âterrible for the first 15 minutes because I was trying too hard to impress âand found himself on the bench for the very next match against Blackburn Rovers at the Stadium of Light. This is where he has spent his season up to that point, however, this time he was thrown on and played a huge role in what was a vital 2-1 win. It was a result that kick-started Sunderlandâs season, which had looked one that would be spent in a relegation fight. Who could have guessed where the boy from Derry would lead from that moment on? Certainly, nobody would have thought he would end up going to the European Championships this summer. However, Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has revealed McClean has a â90 to 99% chance of making his final squadâ partly because of his form and partly because an un-named senior Irish player has informed the Italian he wonât be available for the tournament in Poland and Ukraine. From Eppleton Colliery FCâs ground to facing World and European Champions Spain, Italy and on June 10 Croatia in Irelandâs first match in a major tournament since the 2002 World Cup in the Far East. But any standards this is a quite remarkable turnaround for McClean who arrived from Derry City on a £350,000 deal in the summer and was apparently âone of the futureâ according to the-then Sunderland manager Steve Bruce. And he didnât mean the immediate future. Trapattoni said: âIn my head, I know my 23 players. McClean has a 90 to 99% chance of going to Poland. Of the rest, I cannot say too much. Some may pick up an injury.â And the Italian added: âMcClean plays with a bit of luck. Sometimes he doesnât play so well, but gets the opportunity to score a goal and I know he scored again on Saturday (against Bolton in a 2-2 draw). I donât think about him because he is lucky, but because he wants to make the squad.â Trapattoni will announce his 23-man squad next Monday, which should also include John OâShea and Keiren Westwood. He has had a scout at every Sunderland game for the past six weeks; they could only have come back with good reports about McClean who on Saturday scored his sixth goal of the season, a rasping 25-yard free-kick. OâNeill will take huge pride and pleasure on the news his player will go to represent Ireland in the tournament. He lives for turning rough diamonds into gold carrot footballers. McClean has managed just 12 minutes of international football so far, as a substitute in a friendly against the Czech Republic. He earned seven caps with Northern Irelandâs under-21 side until he switched allegiances. However, before he even joined up with the national team squad in February for the first time, OâNeill said: âJames is more than capable of going to the European Championships. The Irish couldnât fail to be impressed by him.â How prophetic. Incidentally, Ryan Noble, the four-goal hero from that reserve game five month ago, is currently out on loan to Hartlepool. McClean hasnât done badly for a supporting cast member. Read More http://www.journallive.co.uk/safc/s...417&siteid=61634-name_page.html#ixzz1tfgwSXNn
With our lack of attack options would have liked Noble to have been given a run out in the first team.
