If Giovanni Trapattoni is to be believed, James McClean is unlikely to make the Euro 2012 squad, but he mightn’t be eligible to play even if he is selected.
According to the Sunday Times this morning, the FAI are frantically trying to secure McClean’s eligibility to play for the Republic of Ireland as soon as possible, but could encounter difficulties from the Irish Football Association (IFA) due to the Sunderland winger’s past involvement with Northern Ireland.
The 22-year old has recently reaffirmed his commitment to the Republic of Ireland and is believed to have signed eligibility papers last week after being informed that he would be selected for Ireland’s friendly with the Czech Republic next month.
For that to occur, however, the FAI will need co-operation from their counterparts in the IFA, something that could prove tricky given the animosity caused by the flood of Northern Ireland-born players declaring for the Republic in recent times.
A similar case involving Daniel Kearns of Peterborough United took FIFA 10 months to process because of difficulties with the IFA and with FIFA confirming that they have yet to receive an application in McClean’s case, it is feared that it may be another lengthy process.
Any cock-up that would prevent McClean playing for the Republic would reflect very poorly on the yahoos over at the FAI, considering that McClean’s intentions to play for the Republic of Ireland have been known for some time, even if he has only risen to prominence in recent weeks.
As mentioned previously, the prospect of McClean making the Euro 2012 squad is a slim one even if Trap did go to see him play against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge yesterday, but if it was an administrative error that kept him out as opposed to a selection issue, it would leave a very, very bitter taste in the mouths of Irish supporters.
