James McClean Refuses to Answer Questions From 'Cowardly Weasel' Reporter
Former Wrexham captain James McClean has stated that he refuses to answer questions from one journalist following his move to League of Ireland Premier Division side Derry City.
McClean, who was born in Derry, left Wrexham to move to his hometown club last month.
Though Derry is in Northern Ireland, the club play in the Republic of Ireland pyramid, having left the Northern Irish system during the height of 'The Troubles' in 1972.
McClean made his debut for his new club on Saturday, helping Derry to a 1-0 win over Shamrock Rovers in the President's Cup final.
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But after the match, the 36-year-old refused to conduct press duties in the press room - which he says was due to journalist Paul Rowan being present.
McClean did, however, conduct media with local Derry outlets.
In an Instagram story update, McClean accused Rowan of going 'out of his way' in an attempt to get him and then Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill banned for comments made after an international match in 2017.
He then called him a 'slimey, touting, cowardly weasel'.
"Let me clear this up, because people love posting news without the facts behind it," McClean wrote.
"I refused to do press while Paul Rowan was in the room, I had a few choice words understandably so towards him.
"Back story, after Austria game in 2017 at the Aviva [Stadium, Republic of Ireland's main home ground], he went out of his way to try to get myself and Martin O'Neill banned for post-match comments.
"The man in my book is a slimey touting (grass, snitch) cowardly weasel for doing that. End off (sic)."
McClean and O'Neill had both criticised Spanish referee David Fernandez Borbalan's performance during Ireland's World Cup qualifier against Austria, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
O'Neill said the official was 'poor', while McClean claimed he was 'Austria's 12th man'. Both were given a reprimand by FIFA.
After the comments, Rowan had reported in The Sunday Times that FIFA had launched an investigation.
Rowan is The Sunday Times' Irish football correspondent, and has extensively covered McClean's return to Derry.
He has not directly commented on McClean's claims, though did note in his coverage of Derry's President's Cup win over Shamrock Rovers that the Republic of Ireland winger 'refused to answer questions because of the presence there of a certain journalist with whom he has a long-running dispute'.
Topics: Wrexham, Football, Republic of Ireland
Ryan Smart