'He's a credit to Creggan and Derry!'

James McClean will captain the Republic of Ireland tonight as he makes Irish football history by winning his 100th cap for his country. 
Republic manager Stephen Kenny confirmed last night that McClean will wear the armband in the Euro 2024 Qualification game against Gibraltar at the Aviva Stadium. 
In doing so, McClean will become the fastest ever player to reach the century  for Ireland, achieving the feat in just 11 years and four months. He now joins Shelbourne manager Damien Duff in sixth place on the all-time appearance list for the Republic. 
Only Robbie Keane (146), Shay Given (134), John O’Shea (118), Kevin Kilbane (110), Steve Staunton (102) and Duff (100), currently stand above McClean at present, and he has long since surpassed the records set by Irish greats such as Niall Quinn, Paul McGrath, Packie Bonner, Ray Houghton and Frank Stapleton. 
McClean made his international debut on February 29, 2012, coming on in the 78th minute for Aiden McGeady in a friendly against the Czech Republic at the Aviva Stadium.  
McClean’s family will be in attendance at the Aviva to see  James reach the historic landmark and his brother Patrick admits it will be memorable moment for everyone. 
“We’re obviously incredibly proud of him,” he said. “We’ve seen first hand how hard he’s worked and every he’s given up and sacrificed to be where he is. To get his 100th cap for Ireland is going to be a special moment for everyone.
“Trying to get one cap is hard enough and it’s a credit for him to get 100 now. It’s unbelievable for anybody to get it, but for your brother to get it is something special.” 
McClean has come a long way since his early days at Trojans, before moving on to Institute, Derry City and then Sunderland in 2011, where his career in England began. Facing great controversy because of his refusal to wear a poppy, McClean has endured horrendous abuse on and of the pitch over the years. However, perception of the winger has changed somewhat in recent times, with the 34-year-old voted Wigan Athletic’s Player of the Year award for 2022/23, becoming only the fourth player in the club’s history to win it on more than one occasion. 
One of McClean’s biggest attributes throughout his professional career has been his fitness, but Patrick believes it takes more than just that to reach the levels his brother has. 
“I don’t think he gets enough credit for how good he actually is,” he continued. “Obviously, he’s known for how hard he works and how fit he is and how well he looks after himself. His skill and his drive just to be better is second to be none. 
“He’s very under-rated. If you look at the stats, he’s always up there, no atter what it is; crossing, goals, defending. He’s up there in every aspect of the game so he’s a credit to the family and he’s a credit to Creggan and Derry.
The Republic desperately need a win this evening after a poor performance in the 2-1 defeat to Greece at the weekend, but for the McClean family, any win will pale in significance to an achievement that will stand the test of time for a player who has come so far injust over a decade. 
“It started for him at Oakland Park and look what he’s gone on to do,” Patrick concluded. “The sky is the limit for everybody and he’s just set the example for that, I think.
“Hopefully there’s a good crowd there. When he was there making his first appearance he got a good reception, so hopefully it’s just as good this time. I don’t think the magnitude of what he has achieved will hit him or us until he’s actually retired. Once he actually stops playing and he looks back on it, he will realise, but at the minute, he’s just enjoying every second.”