McClean celebrates his goal against Peterborough in the FA Cup

As well as changing their fortunes, Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill appears to have unearthed a gem in new star James McClean.

How fortunes can change in football. At the beginning of December things looked bleak for Sunderland football club. They were 17th in the table, one point above the relegation zone, and with no clear indication of where the next points were going to come from. Step forward Martin O’Neill.

Since O’Neill’s first official game in charge on December 11, the Black Cats have taken 16 points from a possible 24, including a famous last-minute victory against league leaders Manchester City. They now sit 10th in the table and have a fourth round FA Cup tie on Sunday against local rivals Middlesbrough - things are looking a lot healthier than they were seven weeks ago.

It is clear, then, that O’Neill has brought with him changes from the Steve Bruce era. One such change is the emergence of a bright young Northern Irishman named James McClean.

Having signed from Derry City in August 2011, McClean didn’t play a minute of Premier League football until the arrival of O’Neill. Since then, however, McClean has been involved in all but one of O’Neill’s games at the helm, impressing enough in his early substitute displays to warrant a first-team starting place in all of Sunderland’s top flight matches in 2012.

McClean’s form of late is symptomatic of Sunderland’s as a whole. A team who had looked anaemic under Bruce now seem re-invigorated, bringing an energy onto the pitch that had previously been lacking.

McClean himself is an excellent advocate of this energetic style. A young, pacey left winger, the Northern Irishman is unafraid of getting at defences and ruffling a few feathers, as shown with his two goals so far this year.

O’Neill’s Sunderland are not a team that are afraid to get forward. With Craig Gardner and Sebastien Larsson providing additional goal threats, as well as the emergence of Stephane Sessegnon as a player of real threat at the head of the team, McClean is able to play as a genuine wide player, hugging the touchline and taking on opposition full backs.

McClean sees his role as as a wide player fairly simply – “to beat the full back and get as many shots and crosses in as possible.”

The arrival on the scene of a talented, aggressive left winger may be exactly the sort of support Sessegnon needed to lead the line so impressively. Indeed, McClean has contributed two assists to accompany his two goals so far in 2012, marking an impressive first month proper to his senior career, and his direct methods are paying dividends.

The 22-year-old’s positive play and attacking mind-set have won him many plaudits over the last month, and seem to echo the O’Neill brand of energetic, aggressive football seen since his arrival on Wearside. The type of play that saw him beat Peterborough’s full back and smash a left footed strike against the crossbar in Sunderland’s FA Cup match earlier this month should see the winger keep his place in the starting line-up.

In August 2011, McClean chose to declare for the Republic, rather than his native Northern Ireland, taking advantage of the FIFA ruling which decreed that Irish players may choose which national side they represent – provided they do not have a senior cap for the other.

The young winger has recently re-iterated his desire to represent the Republic, despite manager Giovanni Trapattoni seemingly ruling out his selection for Euro 2012 in favour of the squad that earned them a place at the finals. If he continues to display the form he has done so far under manager O’Neill, a full international call-up is surely on the horizon.

Following his first substitute appearance under O’Neill, McClean said: “I’ll try to improve and if the manager calls me I want to repay his faith.”

McClean has since gone on to feature heavily in O’Neill’s plans. Having seemingly won one manager over to his talents, McClean may well be able to win over another in Trapattoni by advancing his brand of attacking wide play.

After all, fortunes change quickly in football, and McClean would appear to have a bright future ahead of him at the Stadium of Light, and on the international stage.