James McClean has welcomed a special exemption he's been granted to enhance his safety, but has insisted he didn't ask for it.
The English Football League decided on Monday night that McClean will be permitted to exit the pitch via the shortest route to the tunnel, deviating from the standard protocol which dictates players should leave the field at the nearest touchline or goal line.
This amendment comes in light of the Wrexham player frequently being the target of abuse from opposing fans, and the change aims to safeguard his safety during matches.
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"It's not something I've asked for, so it was quite a shock to see it, to be honest," McClean shared with talkSPORT.
"I didn't know about it. A couple of weeks ago, the manager called me after the Birmingham incident and said that they were looking into doing something.
"Yesterday, when it broke, I saw it like everyone else. But it's definitely welcome because it's not just for me.
"The club and the manager deserve credit for this; they've seen what happened at Birmingham and they took action."
McClean has previously stated that he endures "more abuse than any other player in England".
He faced jeers while walking around the edge of the pitch at Birmingham City in September, where an object was hurled at him from the stands.
McClean slammed the rule requiring players to leave the pitch at the nearest point and has labelled it a "very stupid rule". He highlighted the potential dangers it poses for players, particularly in away games.
Speaking out about the realities faced by players, he said: "You're putting yourself in a situation where players have to walk around the outside the pitch, and especially, players playing away.
"Football fans, you can get idiots and it's very hard to control thousands of idiots if you're a steward or police if people want to shout abuse."
The experienced winger, who has been a feature in English football since his move from Derry City to Sunderland in 2011, stated: "Not everybody can be controlled and it just takes away the element of anything stupid happening really. Common sense has prevailed, let's say."
McClean made it clear that his first priority on the field is self-protection, saying: "At the end of the day, I'm there to do a job. And if in any way where I feel under pressure or threatened, I'm going to act upon it myself."
He further declared his readiness to take matters into his own hands should his safety be compromised: "I'm protecting myself first and foremost. And whatever happens after that happens. I'll make no apologies for that because I'm there to play football.
"No one else has the right to be on the pitch and especially if I feel my safety is endangered, then I'm going to act upon it and that shouldn't ever be the case."
Meanwhile, the former Republic of Ireland star is also perplexed as to why his well-known position on wearing the poppy continues to spark debate every November.
McClean has vented his frustration with the media's fixation, declaring: "We're still talking about this 12 years on. Give it a rest, no one cares."
He added: "You ask someone from Birmingham, you ask someone from Canary Wharf or Brighton would they wear a symbol that honours Ireland's patriotic dead?
"Of course they wouldn't because they would see it as disrespectful. So why am I expected to wear something?
"If I wore something that symbolised the British army, then it would be disrespectful for the people in my hometown.
"It's very simple in that regard. So I just can't get my head around how it's made out to be such a big deal year in year out."
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English (United States) ·