James McClean hits back at critics after defeat to Denmark

Winger James McClean has hit back at criticism of the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup play-off humiliation at the hands of Denmark.

The Republic headed into Tuesday night’s second leg with high hopes of building on a hard-fought 0-0 draw in Copenhagen on Saturday to book a trip to Russia next summer.

However, despite taking the lead, they eventually went down 5-1 at the Aviva Stadium as Danish star Christian Eriksen helped himself to a hat-trick.

Last night is going to hurt deep for a long long time, nothing can change or make what happend 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 have been great servants to this country, players and staff that have qualified for a major tournament and was unlucky to be knocked out to a great team in the last 16, players and staff that was 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 a 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 of so many times before an just like before we will bounce back! 🇮🇪

A post shared by Jimmymac_11 (@jimmymac_11) on Nov 15, 2017 at 2:55am PST

McClean was devastated at the result but, in a post on his Instagram account, defended both the players and manager Martin O’Neill and his staff, who took the nation to the Euro 2016 finals where they lost to hosts France in the last 16.

McClean was one of Ireland’s better players during the campaign, scoring four
of their 13 goals including winners in both Austria and Wales.