Sunderland boss reacts to international call-ups and hints at Preston recall for Chelsea loanee

McNair has not featured since the 3-3 draw with Middlesbrough due to a groin problem, the latest setback in a stop-start season for the young midfielder.

Northern Ireland face South Korea in Belfast during the international break and after watching him train this week, former Wales boss Coleman expects him to travel.

He said: “International football, I can’t stand it!

“Paddy is the one really. There’s nothing we can do to stop him. He’s trained well this week, hopefully he’ll play some part and if he comes through that then there’s nothing we can do.

“We can’t say we’re in a relegation fight and that we want to keep him, if he plays then it will be Ireland’s call.

“I hope he does go because it means he has come through his fitness battle and played a part for us.

“With these players, it’s what we always used to say at Wales, we’ve got to send the players back in the same condition as they arrived. That’s how you build trust and relationships.

“I don’t need to tell you how important they are to us.”

John O’Shea, meanwhile, is struggling for today’s game, having not trained most of the week.

Coleman said: “We’ll have to wait and see how John is, really. I didn’t think he would make it last Saturday, to be honest, but he had an injection and played through it.”