Former Derry City team-mate Daniel Lafferty thrilled for James McClean

​Lafferty, who while at Derry played just behind McClean at left-back for close to two seasons, believes the Creggan man richly deserves to reach the amazing milestone and hopes it happens in Ireland’s UEFA Euro 2024 double header against Greece and Gibraltar.

“If and when James gets 100 caps, it will be unbelievable. In fact it’s sensational,” insisted Lafferty. “To get 100 caps for Ireland is no mean feat.

“He has only been involved in the international side since 2011, so to get 100 caps in 12 years is phenomenal. You might only get six or eight caps a year, so that shows the level that he has been at for that number of years.

“Again we go back to his professionalism but, to be honest, it’s all about him as a person having that ambition and drive each year. The fact he never turned down the opportunity to represent his country, to go away on trips that other senior players may not have, James consistently turns up.

“Whether he was injured or not, he always looked to try and get himself fit and I know how important it was for him to play for Ireland.”

The 34-year-old admits when he played with him over a decade ago he couldn’t have imagined the career McClean has earned for himself.

“The career he’s got for himself is nothing short of unbelievable,” admitted Lafferty, “Would you be lying if you said now that you could see he was destined to have the career he has, getting close to 100 caps for Ireland way back in 2011? Yes, you would be but it’s to his credit and nothing short of hard work, dedication, desire and ambition that he’s single-handedly got that career for himself.

“I couldn’t be happier for him to be honest. He’s an absolute legend of a fella and I’m very lucky to be able to call him a very good friend.”

Former Northern Ireland international Lafferty feels there are a lot more years in the Wigan Athletic man and McClean’s stats from last season’s Championship campaign backs that. He would also tell any young player, boy or girl, to look at what McClean has done if they harbour hopes of making a career in the game.

“James would be the first to tell you that growing up he wasn’t the most talented and stuff like that. But any young, aspiring footballer, boy or girl, looking to make a career in football then you need hard work and James epitomised that,” he said.

“Not just in Derry, but everywhere James has played, his fellow professionals in England have recognised how hard he works. I saw a lot of statistics at the end of the season and he was in the top 10 in the whole Championship and he was part of a team who got relegated. That’s a testament to him as a professional. His will to succeed individually when the team was struggling, just sums him up.

“His work ethic, desire and professionalism, always striving to get better, is unreal and there’s no sign of him slowing down.

“The way he conducts himself and the way he stays in condition, he could play until he’s 50 and I’m not even joking. If he keeps at it, he rarely gets injured, he plays through the pain barrier and stays in unbelievable shape. He’s a freak of nature to be honest.”