James McClean has hit out at former Ireland manager Stephen Kenny, saying his “disrespectful” response to his move to Wrexham led directly to his international retirement.
McClean signed with Wrexham prior to the current season, joining the League Two outfit after a season in which he was named Wigan Athletic’s player of the year.
There were some eyebrows raised after McClean’s decision, as he dropped down two divisions after a standout campaign in the Championship.
At the time, McClean was an active Ireland international but as he revealed in an interview with the Irish Examiner, the reaction from Kenny led to his international retirement in October.
“He couldn’t get off the phone quick enough,” McClean said of Kenny. “That spoke of what he thought about the move. I don’t think he was on board. Ultimately, I would say that was a major factor in my decision to step away from Ireland. Sometimes when you make a decision, you are made to walk the plank. I felt that if I don’t walk away now, I may never get the opportunity to say goodbye on my terms.
“I thought it was very disrespectful. I had offers to stay in the Championship but at my age I wanted to do something that would excite and be a challenge. Wrexham had a project and it’s a successful one. Nobody forced me to make the move but I’m glad I did and there’s a sense of justification.”
The 34-year-old has been a fixture for Wrexham this season, as the Red Dragons clinched promotion to League One with a win over Forest Green Rovers over the weekend.
The Irish federation confirmed in November that it would not be renewing Kenny’s contract after the team failed to qualify for Euro 2024.
With McClean’s former Ireland teammate John O’Shea now coaching the team, he did leave open the possibility of an international return.
“It’s not something I’ll be campaigning for but if the call ever comes to play for your country, it’s a hard one to turn down,” McClean said.
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