Ireland's James McClean hits out at Gary Breen and Stephen Hunt

James McClean has hit out at ex-Ireland internationals, Gary Breen and Stephen Hunt, after they criticised new Ireland boss, Stephen Kenny, with Breen describing the former Derry boss as a ‘failure’ elsewhere except Dundalk.
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McClean took issue with a number of comments from Breen and Hunt who warned Kenny would be a relative unknown to some of the senior internationals within the Irish squad.

The 30-year-old said both Breen and Hunt - along with other former Irish internationals - were out of line with their comments following Sunday’s announcement of Kenny’s step up from the U21s to replace Mick McCarthy.

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“Everyone keeps talking about Dundalk but he (Kenny) has failed elsewhere and has still a lot to prove,” Breen said on ‘Off The Ball’ while Hunt, when questioned on Sky Sports News about ‘how senior players Seamus Coleman and James McClean would feel about McCarthy’s departure’, said senior players, would be worried with the new boss was coming in.

Strongly disagreeing, McClean said Breen and Hunt should carefully look at Kenny’s record before making any comments.

“I have seen a few comments from a few players, for example Gary Breen. I think Gary has spent too much time in England,” stated McClean.

“I’m pretty sure Gary doesn’t know much about the League of Ireland. The fact he said Stephen (Kenny) has failed everywhere other than Dundalk proves that point.

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“Gary doesn’t know the League of Ireland. If he did, he would know Stephen (Kenny) fully deserves this job and he hasn’t been a failure anywhere else.

Ireland winger James McClean.Ireland winger James McClean.
Ireland winger James McClean.

“I have also seen people like Stephen Hunt saying senior players are going to be worried and this and that, but Stephen Hunt’s international career didn’t really pull up many trees.

“Stephen is probably best known for his clash with Petr Cech, so for him to give his opinion on Stephen is a joke.”

The Stoke City winger stressed though that Kenny would not be bothered by any of the criticism.

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“I don’t think Stephen is going to be too worried about what Stephen Hunt has had to say because, like I said, he hasn’t pulled up a lot of trees throughout his international career.

Former Ireland international Gary Breen stated that Stephen Kenny was a failure everywhere else apart from Dundalk.Former Ireland international Gary Breen stated that Stephen Kenny was a failure everywhere else apart from Dundalk.
Former Ireland international Gary Breen stated that Stephen Kenny was a failure everywhere else apart from Dundalk.

“I’m sure it will be water off a duck’s back as far as Stephen Kenny is concerned.”

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