James McClean has hit out at Stephen Hunt and Gary Breen in a staunch defence of new Ireland boss Stephen Kenny.
Ex-Ireland internationals Hunt and Breen have voiced their concerns about Kenny who has graduated from being U21 boss to take over the senior job from Mick McCarthy.
Hunt questioned "how senior players Seamus Coleman and James McClean would feel about McCarthy’s departure", while Hunt said on Off The Ball: “Everyone keeps talking about Dundalk but he (Kenny) has failed elsewhere and has still a lot to prove."
But McClean, 30, has rowed behind Kenny and questioned the credentials of those who have criticised his appointment.
The Stoke winger said to The Derry Journal: “I have seen a few comments from a few players, for example Gary Breen. I think Gary has spent too much time in England.
“I’m pretty sure Gary doesn’t know much about the League of Ireland. The fact he said Stephen (Kenny) has failed everywhere other than Dundalk proves that point.
“Gary doesn’t know the League of Ireland. If he did, he would know Stephen (Kenny) fully deserves this job and he hasn’t been a failure anywhere else.
"I have also seen people like Stephen Hunt saying senior players are going to be worried and this and that, but Stephen Hunt’s international career didn’t really pull up many trees.
“Stephen is probably best known for his clash with Petr Cech, so for him to give his opinion on Stephen is a joke.”
McClean added that he didn't think Kenny, 48, would pay any heed to his detractors.
He said: “I don’t think Stephen is going to be too worried about what Stephen Hunt has had to say because, like I said, he hasn’t pulled up a lot of trees throughout his international career.
“I’m sure it will be water off a duck’s back as far as Stephen Kenny is concerned.”
