Ormeau wrote:
Alby39 wrote:
Ormeau wrote:
and he takes it on the chin.
Ormeau wrote:
Without wanting to open a can of worms - I hope any dislike of him isn’t related to his refusal to wear a poppy.
I don't expect him to wear a poppy, with his background. Also don't expect German players to do it - they tend to. The poppy stuff isn't so much my issue, it's the other stuff that come in and around the stuff that represents it and how he conducts himself, then shows surprise at how he's relieved by proud British people. He's a fuxking mongrel, and I'd be happy to see his leg snapped.
I’ll admit he certainly hasn’t conducted himself well at times but the level of abuse he has received is beyond probably anything you are fully aware of. I’m not taking social media trolls btw - I mean viable death threats against him and his family. Northern Ireland still has a lot of active paramilitary elements from the conflict days and unfortunately portions of society actively encourage a lot of community based hatred.
People won’t like McLean and they certainly don’t have to - but there is a lot more to him than it appears. He has done quite a lot of philanthropy in his home town community investing in schemes for homelessness, addiction and supporting people with disabilities. None of this ever gets any attention (possibly his choice) and to my mind it’s very commendable. He was also recently diagnosed as autistic and has spoken about how he always felt a bit different and didn’t know why.
As I said before a complex character from a complex place. I’ll shut up now and stop boring everyone.
Can only agree with this. I know people get bored of "lived experience" stuff but it really is true that you can only understand someone like McClean if you've walked a mile in their shoes.
My family is from Derry - Creggan in fact; my dad was born a few streets away from James, and was 19 in 1969 and 22 in 1972 giving him a front-row view of a lot of unpleasantness. He left in 72, which as Ormeau will know might glibly be described as a "very bad year" in Derry. This sort of family background provides, shall we say, a unique political education, and equating the Germans wearing poppies to suggesting someone from the Creggan must as well doesn't really scan. Poppies in Northern Ireland are also a contested symbol. It's James' choice and I understand why he makes that choice. James has made other, less wise choices too, and it is true that not everyone from where he lives would do what he has done. I understand and get why he has made people angry.
It is difficult to explain the whole background to my fellow Brits (for I am one!) without a lecture; and none of us want to live in the past either I'm sure. I also get that it is very boring, and I only ask that people are a little less hostile to James and consider how their comments would come across if he was from a different minority. You don't have to get him and you probably won't. You also don't have to like him and to be honest you shouldn't; he's one of the best players in this league now playing for a rival, a great signing with over 100 caps and still plenty left in the tank.
As Gers suggests we are all a product of our upbringing, which none of us got to choose - vive la difference.