'League phase should be Derry City aim' - McClean

Returning Derry City star James McClean says that qualification for the league phase of a European competition for the first time should be one of the primary aims for the Brandywell club over the coming seasons.

The former Republic of Ireland international recently agreed to re-join the League of Ireland side on a multi-year deal after leaving Championship team Wrexham.

The 36-year-old previously played for the Candystripes from 2008 to 2011, before having spells in the Premier League with Sunderland, West Brom and Stoke City, as well as two stints with Wigan Athletic, with whom he won the League One title in 2022.

The versatile midfielder joined Wrexham while the club were in League Two in 2023 and has since helped them to successive promotions to get them into the Championship.

Derry have finished runners-up in the league in three of the past four seasons as they chase a first Premier Division title since 1997, and have seen rivals Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers advance to the league phase of the Uefa Conference League in recent years.

Their second place finish in the 2025 campaign will see them enter the Europa League at the first qualifying round stage this year, with two opportunities to progress on the continental stage, a defeat at any point seeing them drop to the Conference League.

"The challenge is to get into the league stages. It'll obviously be nice representing Derry in Europe but I don't count the qualifying as European games, only when you are in the group stage," McClean told BBC Sport NI.

"You've had Shels and Rovers in the group stages the last few years, which has been brilliant for the league, and now we want to do that ourselves.

"To play European group [league] stages here [with Derry at the Brandywell] would be really special."

McClean believes that elusive League of Ireland crown is within in Derry City's grasp if they have sufficient belief and handle pressure situations better.

"I don't think it's a lack of quality, just a lack of belief. The past two seasons they have put themselves in good positions but when push came to shove that's when they peeled off.

"You look at last season they finished really strongly but that was when the pressure was off. It's when the pressure is on you have to stand up and be counted.

"You look around the dressing room and there's plenty of quality. If we can combine that with belief then we give ourselves a great chance."

The 103-times capped international has been pleased with the reception he has received and wants to secure more game time on his return to his home club.

"The reaction has been good. There has been a lot of positive stuff but in the same sense it's all noise and you've got to do the business," added McClean.

"I feel as fit as I've ever been and I just want to play games wherever the manager sees fit to play me. Since he took over we've been in regular contact and I've had a good relationship with him.

"I want to play regularly and feel I wasn't really getting the minutes I needed."

McClean says he has pictured himself running out for Derry once again and he is keen for that image to become reality once again.

The club host Sligo Rovers in their first league fixture of the new campaign on 6 February.

"It's been going over and over in my mind. I'm looking forward to that, I've built it up in my head. "

"It's a long time since I've done that and now I'm just eager to get going."