O’NEILL IS 100% THE MAN TO LEAD US

JAMES Mcclean last night rounded on Martin O’neill’s critics when he declared: ‘He’s 100 per cent the right man for the Ireland job’.

Ireland boss O’neill, above, is facing growing criticism after a World Cup qualification campaign that ended with the embarrassing 5-1 home defeat to Denmark in the play-offs and then the 4-1 humiliation at the hands of Wales in the Nations League opener.

The pressure will rachet up further if Ireland fail to perform in their next two home Nations League games – against Denmark on Saturday and Wales on Tuesday.

Responding to a question about that pressure, Mcclean countered: ‘Speculation from who? You guys? Maybe you should write the truth in terms of his record, it’s pretty good to be honest.

“Sometimes when we’re not doing well you thrive on it a bit more. Maybe you should give the man the credit he deserves.

“He’s the right man for the job, 100 per cent.

“The last couple of games didn’t go well but look at us qualifying for the Euros and being one game away from the World Cup. So we had a good Euro 2016, they’re competitive games there.

Mcclean was asked if his message was O’neill should be backed to stay in the job, regardless of the outcome of the Nations League.

“We’ll have to wait and see in terms of qualification, but 100 per cent,” he insisted.

“The Nations League adds a bit more because there is something riding on it. But it’s another game, if we were playing Wales in a friendly we’d want to win that too, the same with Denmark.

“This time there are points at stake so of course it adds more spice to it.”