James McClean claims the Government should stop attacking footballers and give more help to the NHS.
The Stoke winger is annoyed by Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s claim footballers should help the nation’s fight against coronavirus by taking a pay cut.
McClean secretly answered an online plea for protective equipment to donate gloves, face masks, visors, gowns and hand sanitisers to the hospital in his home city of Derry and says this should be Ministers’ priority.
“I was going through Facebook and saw a post asking for help,” said the Republic of Ireland international.
“I just typed into Google to see what I could get and was fortunate to find equipment.
“It’s not going to solve all the problems, but hopefully it can tide them over. It begs the question if I’m able to go online, why can’t the authorities supply enough equipment?
“It’s ridiculous. You’ve got Matt Hancock saying we should take a pay cut. No-one seems to like footballers.
“We’ve got livelihoods too and people might take this the wrong way, but we do work hard for our money.
“Think about what players pay towards the Government in tax. Football is a short career and we've got to look after our families once it’s over. I’ve seen players do great deeds from their own pocket.”
McClean also revealed he and his family have received death threats after he posted a picture on social media of him wearing a paramilitary balaclava, sitting in front of his kids with the caption ‘today’s school lesson - history’.
McClean, 30, who is from the Republican Bogside in Derry, has also caused controversy because of his refusal to wear a poppy and he was fined two weeks wages by Stoke for his poorly-judged gag.
“I’ve received things like ‘I hope your kids get coronavirus and die’ or ‘it would be a laugh if your house burned down with your kids inside’,” he said.
“There was someone online, who looked over 40, abusing my kids.
“Footballers are a free hit. It’s like it’s viewed as we earn this amount of money so we should just take it.”
