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James McClean is getting an around-the-clock, live-in minder to stop him going off the rails.

The Sunderland ace has landed himself in hot water on numerous occasions after social network outbursts.

He received death threats on Twitter from Nothern Ireland fans after declaring for the Republic of Ireland.

And he soured his ­relationship with manager Giovanni Trapattoni in a furious online rant having seen no action in Ireland’s 2-1 win in Kazakhstan.

Black Cats boss Martin O’Neill read him the riot act for his general conduct and now the former Derry City winger’s team-mate Eugene Ferry is being employed to keep him in check.

Ferry is the Irish club’s back-up goalkeeper and is quitting Derry to go live with McClean and his girlfriend.

McClean’s handlers urged him to employ Ferry to keep him out of trouble.

“He wasn’t really settling down and there was all that stuff in the media,” said Ferry. “His agent wanted him to settle down as he was going off the rails a wee bit.

“I was over in Sunderland yesterday and had a meeting with one of the club’s player liason officers and it went well.

“James agreed that it would help him settle down if one of his mates moved over and lived with him. I’ll keep him on the straight and narrow by getting him to keep his head and stop writing those stupid comments.”