LIKE THE REST of the country, James McClean is coming to the realisation that Ireland won’t be at next year’s World Cup finals this morning.
The West Brom winger wears his heart on his sleeve and his emotion was there for everyone to see during an post-match interview directly after the final whistle last night.
And McClean has now written a message to fans, in which he assures them that the players are hurting just as much, before having a pop at critics for “sticking the boot in”.
“Last night is going to hurt deep for a long, long time,” McClean said on Instagram. ”Nothing can change or make what happened last night right.
“Of course everyone is entitled to voice their opinion because it was simply not good enough from us on the night.
“We know that ourselves, but to stick the boot in and kick players and staff when they are down (players and staff that have been great servants to this country, players and staff that have qualified for a major tournament and were unlucky to be knocked out to a great team in the last 16, players and staff that were one game from making it to a World Cup, players and staff that would give anything for this great country!) with some over-the-top beyond football comments is bang out of order.
Hurting or not and trust me when I say this we hurt every bit as much as you do.
“I am proud and honoured to be a Irish man and to call everyone of these men fellow country men and team-mates! Like a said this will hurt deep, we have been written off so many times before and just like before we will bounce back!”
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