James McClean wants Ireland’s Euro 2016 campaign to inspire the next generation and hopes the tournament can provide a boost to the League of Ireland.
Martin O’Neill’s men reached the last 16 in France, beating Italy along the way, before a 2-1 loss to the hosts ended their run.
The campaign certainly eased the painful memories of Euro 2012 where Ireland suffered three losses in Poland.
Previous to that it had been ten years since the Boys in Green made an impact at a major tournament, that being the 2002 World Cup where they reached the second round.
While ex-Shamrock Rovers boss Pat Fenlon said that previous exploits on the international stage failed to draw crowds to domestic games, ex-Derry City man McClean hopes that it can give the league a lift.
James McClean wants Euro run to help the League of Ireland @SoccRepublic #rtesoccer https://t.co/i1Ik9qI0Srhttps://t.co/oSGcwekeQ3
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) July 5, 2016
“I think over the last few years, hand on heart, if you want the God honest truth, the league hasn’t been great, in terms of attendance and things like that,” WBA winger McClean told RTÉ’s Soccer Republic.
“Hopefully the Euros have got that exciting feelgood factor back into the football in Ireland and we can get more in the grounds, and the FAI can do more as well and get this league back as it was a few years ago
“Derry has always been a hotbed for football talent and now we are continuing it on.
“Hopefully we can inspire more younger ones to look up to us now after the Euro exploits and go on to achieve what we’ve achieved or even further again so fingers crossed.”
