Republic of Ireland winger Aiden McGeady has warned rising star James McClean that he won't give up his Euro 2012 place without a fight.
McClean is widely regarded as a the future of Irish football after a superb second half of the season with Sunderland catapulted him into Giovanni Trapattoni's squad for the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.
The Derry-born 23-year-old has already achieved cult hero status in the Republic after he turned his back on Northern Ireland, who he had played for at youth level, in favour of representing Trapattoni's team in a politically-charged move that enraged the north.
And now McClean is desperate to use Saturday's friendly against Bosnia at Lansdowne Road to underline his credentials for a starting spot in Trapattoni's Euro 2012 line-up.
However, McClean has only one senior cap to his name after making his debut against the Czech Republic in a friendly in February and he faces stiff opposition for the two wide berths.
Spartak Moscow's McGeady and Fulham's Damien Duff have been Trapattoni's first-choice wide-men throughout his four years at the helm, and McGeady is adamant neither is going to stand aside and let the new boy cash in on all their hard work.
"Myself and Duff didn't play in most of the games to go: 'Ah, no problem. Listen, you just take my place on the wing for the Euros'," former Celtic star McGeady said.
"That's football for you. You are always going to have competition and players are going to be coming up and playing well at club level and getting thrust into the limelight.
"But I suppose it's my job to maintain a performance where I can be playing every game, and it's his job to try to catch the manager's eye and fight myself or fight Duff for a place. That's the way football is."
McClean's remarkable rise in the 12 months since he joined Sunderland from Irish club Derry City has convinced Trapattoni he can be a potential game-changer at the Euros.
McGeady acknowledges his team-mate's huge potential, but understandably believes the quality he and Duff can supply will be essential in a tough Euro 2012 group featuring Spain, Italy and Croatia.
"It's another player who has been playing well in the Premier League coming into the squad and obviously wanting to fight for a starting place," McGeady said.
"Competition is always going to be healthy in any team at club or international level.
"He's been doing really well and obviously, there as been a lot of hype, but to be fair, it was the same with Seamus Coleman last year as well."
Trapattoni's first-choice goalkeeper Shay Given is set to miss the Bosnia match as he recovers from a knee injury.
Aston Villa star Given, 36, has been given the green light to resume training next week after visiting a knee specialist in London, but Trapattoni is unlikely to risk one of his key players in a friendly with the Euros just three weeks away.
"I think he wishes to play, but if he plays and he then has a problem..." Trapattoni said. "Our Euros begins in Poland, not in Dublin or in Hungary (Ireland's next friendly opponents)."
Given's place is likely to be taken by Sunderland's Keiren Westwood, who has eight senior caps to his name.
Paul McShane, who was initially among a stand-by list of five players when the party for Euro 2012 was named, seems certain to play against the Bosnians with Richard Dunne, John O'Shea and Sean St Ledger all struggling for fitness.
Darren O'Dea, Stephen Kelly and McShane are also likely to deputise for the walking wounded.
Source: AFP
