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Published 08:48 28 Jun 2018 BST
Updated 19:28 21 Feb 2019 GMT
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There's no doubt where McClean loyalties currently lie, and it's clear from this story that his intention was always to play for the Republic.
Niall Quinn has revealed that a key part of the negotiations to take the player to Sunderland from Derry City in 2012 was to ensure McClean's registration switched from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland.
The former Republic of Ireland striker was on the Sunderland board when McClean joined the club in August 2011 for £350,000 and handled the club's negotiations for the player. Quin also made contact with the Football Association of Ireland to begin the process.
"We held negotiations in Castleknock, Dublin when I was back home to see the All Ireland Gaelic football semi-final in 2011," Quinn wrote in his column for our brothers over at JOE.ie in 2016.
"James' agent, Eamonn McLoughlin, was always a very likeable guy as agents go, easy to deal with. All through the deal there was one burning issue that Eamonn pushed for. He wanted me to call the FAI and tell them James wanted to switch from Northern Ireland to the Republic. We agreed a fee with further payments if James made the first team and another payment if James played for Ireland.
"I spoke to John Delaney at the FAI. I explained how we at Sunderland felt this lad had a decent chance and asked JD to consider securing him for Giovanni Trapattoni. John showed great faith too by starting the paperwork and he also invited James' parents to the next Irish game in Dublin. Meanwhile James had arrived in Sunderland."McClean has since played in two European Championships for the Republic of Ireland and has become a fan favourite.
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