James McClean says he cannot "understand or accept" how he has been treated by Derry City amid an ongoing contract dispute with the club.

In a statement released on the Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland (PFAI) website, the former Republic of Ireland international describes attempts by the League of Ireland club to terminate his contract as "incomprehensible" and says he will decide himself when is the right time to retire.

The 37-year-old insists he is still fit and available to play "when called upon" despite being left out of the squad by interim manager Mark Connolly.

McClean, who said the past few months have been "one of the most difficult periods of my life", did apologise for some "misjudged" actions on his part over recent months, adding that "his frustrations should have remained in-house".

He returned to his hometown club from Wrexham in the close-season in January but has not been included in a match-day squad since the Candystripes' Uefa Conference League defeat by Rijeka in early July.

Reports have indicated in recent months that Derry attempted to terminate McClean's contract because of persistent injuries, a matter alluded to in Tuesday's statement by the PFAI.

The statement says that Derry had attempted to invoke Section 18 of the Standard Players Contract, which permits them to terminate a contract with six months' notice when a player is deemed to have a "permanent incapacity", as confirmed by an independent physician.

"For any club to feel it is OK to attempt to terminate a player's contract without any due process or just cause is incomprehensible, and it sets a dangerous precedent for every player in this league," said McClean.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "McClean hits out at 'incomprehensible' Derry treatment" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Player Ratings metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Soccer2026 LiveWire Editorial Desk. Readers following "McClean hits out at 'incomprehensible' Derry treatment" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.