Former Wrexham captain James McClean has been branded “the worst signing in Derry City’s history” by Roddy Collins in a fresh, headline-grabbing critique of the winger’s high-profile return to the Brandywell.
The comments arrive just weeks after McClean left Wrexham by mutual consent to rejoin his boyhood club on a multi-year deal.
Collins launches remarkable McClean criticism
Derry’s decision to bring McClean home has been one of the League of Ireland’s most eye-catching moves of the winter, with the 36-year-old returning after a lengthy spell across the water that included Premier League football and more than 100 caps for the Republic of Ireland.
However, former Derry boss Roddy Collins has offered a very different view of what McClean’s arrival means, questioning both the on-pitch value and the wider impact around the squad.
In a rant that has travelled quickly across Irish football media, Collins suggested McClean’s profile and influence could become a problem rather than a solution, painting a picture of a senior player whose presence becomes impossible to ignore, particularly if results turn.
“I think Derry have made the worst signing in their history in James McClean… James is a 100 mile per hour athlete with no football IQ. No football IQ, zero.”
Collins went further, arguing that age and the demands of his game could blunt what once made McClean so effective, with the implication that Derry are taking on the personality and the noise without getting the version of the player that previously thrived on pace and intensity.
McClean’s return, and why it matters
McClean’s move back to Derry was framed publicly as an emotional homecoming, with Wrexham also acknowledging his long-held desire to return. For Derry, it is the type of signing that immediately lifts attention and expectation, particularly at a club that expects to be in the title conversation.
From a football perspective, Derry are getting a proven, experienced wide player who has played at a far higher level than most in the division. Even in the latter stages of his career, he remains a relentless runner and a high-energy presence, and Derry will hope that translates into standards in training, intensity on matchdays, and a sharper edge in big moments.
The flip side, and it is the theme Collins leans into, is that a signing like this comes with a gravity of its own. A returning hometown star is not just another addition, he becomes a daily reference point for supporters, media, and teammates, and that can cut both ways depending on form, selection, and results.
For now, the story is simple: Derry have made a statement signing, and Collins has made sure the debate around it starts at full volume.