Ben Foster has named an ‘invaluable’ Wrexham player as the ‘hardest working’ he’s ever seen.
Foster will be remembered by Wrexham supporters for making that save against Notts County in the National League, but the goalkeeper enjoyed an illustrious career at the top of English football.
He spent three years at Manchester United between 2007 and 2010 and despite amassing just 20 appearances, he worked with some of the greatest ever Premier League players.
Foster was at Man United during a period when Cristiano Ronaldo was firing the Red Devils to league titles and the 2008 Champions League triumph over Chelsea.
Ronaldo is one of the best players to grace the beautiful game, but he’s also one of the most hard-working, so when the former goalkeeper missed his name out and instead picked a current Wrexham player, it was somewhat of a surprise.
Ben Foster names one Wrexham player as ‘hardest working’ he’s ever seen
Foster retired from football at the age of 40 in September last year following Wrexham’s 5-5 draw against Swindon Town.
The Englishman made 12 appearances on his return to the Reds, including four in League Two, as the veteran shot-stopper was replaced by Arthur Okonkwo.
Just before retiring from football altogether, James McClean joined permanently from Wigan Athletic in August, with Foster describing the Irishman as the ‘hardest working’ player he’s ever seen.
Speaking on FozCast, he said: “I think James McClean is the hardest working player I’ve ever come across in my life.
“The very first day he signed actually, I used to get in early, I used to get on the bike and I’d do my session on Zwift. And I got in there, probably an hour before the rest of the lads came in.
“But as I’m opening the gym door, I can hear ergo ski. It’s brutal – it’s the most brutal thing in the world – there’s two battle ropes running alongside it and he’s on this ergo ski, sweating his tree off.
“I’m just like ‘you alright mate’ and he just looks at me as if to say ‘not right now, I’m dying’. He gave me a thumbs up then carries on and he’s straight onto the battle rope. He’s doing a circuit at 8 in the morning and I’m like ‘you’re an absolute animal’.
“That is James McClean in a nutshell; he was like that everyday, and I mean, everyday.”
McClean is widely regarded as the fittest player in the Wrexham squad, despite being one of the oldest, which just explains why his performance levels are still so high.
It also isn’t the first time that McClean has received praise on his fitness levels, with manager Phil Parkinson paying a compliment to the 35-year-old’s mentality.
What Phil Parkinson said about James McClean
McClean played an ‘invaluable’ role in Parkinson’s promotion-winning squad, starring as a left wing-back and a central midfielder throughout the campaign.
The former Sunderland player is one of several at Wrexham who can play at a higher level, with the Irishman ready for the challenge of League One next term.
Parkinson has also lauded his impact off the pitch, claiming that his mentality and desire to win is infectious.
Speaking in January, he said: “He’s a very good player, I think his career tells everything you need to know, but the biggest thing with James is his mentality and his desire to win and be at his best every week and that can be infectious around the group.”
McClean sets the standard on the pitch, and as Foster said, his work off it makes him the perfect role model for any youngster aspiring to achieve what he’s done across his career.
After all, he does have 158 Premier League appearances to his name.
The post ‘Absolute animal’: Ben Foster says ‘invaluable’ Wrexham player is 'hardest working' he’s ever seen appeared first on The Wrexham Insider.
