Stephen Ireland

[Manblue]

As he has not indicated otherwise, Stephen Ireland seems happy for his Dad to talk to the press. Can't see how Stephen Hunt can be blamed for mentioning SI's dad.

If SI is having any thoughts about making himself available or talking to Trap why doesn't he come out and say so himself, after all he had plenty to say only a few weeks ago about not coming back.

Worth remembering what he actually said recently:
"I don't think there is a future there to be honest. It is unlikely I will go back. I am happy at the moment with my club and my family. It's a shame the way I left. It wasn't the right way to leave but even before that, I thought something was stirring up. It was a ticking time-bomb and I just didn't enjoy my time there. Sometimes, it is hard to say I'll never go back because anything can change and it's got nothing to do with the staff, the management or the players. But right now I'm just happy with my club."

It would be interesting to hear directly from SI rather than from his Dad what has changed from his pretty comprehensive and forthright comments of a few weeks ago for him to contemplate coming back now, if that is what he is thinking.

Nothings changed,his dads a loud mouth craving media attention,trap had the decency tocall and ask for a meeting credit too him, and ireland will here him out like before

[OwlsFan]

Yes the costumes worn by Orish fans is a much more pressing problem than whether stephen Ireland returns or not! The over-sized leprechaun hats, the green wigs and inflatable shamrocks are a national embarrassment. The blight is now affecting rugby games as well, who are these cringe inducing freaks??
I was watching the Irish U20 rugby team in Japan and there was a bunch of these nobs in the stands...we need to stop this now before the virus spreads any further.

Give me those contumes any day to the plonkers who come to games wearing no team colours at all.

[Superhoops]

Nothings changed,his dads a loud mouth craving media attention,trap had the decency tocall and ask for a meeting credit too him, and ireland will here him out like before

Thats more or less my view of it. Don't understand why people are slating Hunt for commenting on something that fans, journos, players and even Trap talks about regularly.

My only concern is that Trap, by asking for (yet another) meeting is getting to the stage where he looks like he is chasing after SI and is on the point of begging him to come back, while SI has not given one single indication that he wants to comeback and play. By doing so, Trap is moving from opening the door for SI to say he wants to play to appearing to becoming desperate for SI to return. If that is the case, IMHO, that would be a bad move and likely to p*ss off several of the players and many supporters.

[youngirish]

Nothings changed,his dads a loud mouth craving media attention,trap had the decency tocall and ask for a meeting credit too him, and ireland will here him out like before

So Manblue are you going to be back for the Australia game then or not? Please let us know so we can put this thread to sleep.

[Junior]

ireland will here him out like before

for fuxsake, Ireland will hear him out?

[irishfan86]

Can't believe some people think Trap will beg. The man didn't come to Ireland to make friends, he came to get us qualified, and he has 100% backing in that dressing room. If he feels Ireland will mess with that dynamic in that conversation, I don't think he'll take him back.

[Superhoops]

Can't believe some people think Trap will beg. The man didn't come to Ireland to make friends, he came to get us qualified, and he has 100% backing in that dressing room. If he feels Ireland will mess with that dynamic in that conversation, I don't think he'll take him back.

I would have thought Trap has made enough overtures already to give SI the opportunity to come forward with something positive without him having to make yet another approach and have another meeting/conversation. How many more times does Trap want to hear 'No' or 'I'm not ready' or even worse hear nothing at all without it seeming like he is almost begging?

Regardless of whether he comes back or not, this playing 'hard to get' by SI will do nothing for dressing room morale as I believe many will see it as a player being bigger and more important than the team. That can only be disruptive.

I'm fed up listening to people saying we need him back. If he does come back there is no guarantee he will fit seamlessly into the team. The current squad may not be spectacular and may have ridden their luck a few times, but they are still unbeaten in this campaign including having already played the top two seeds in the group away, all of which has been achieved without the presence of a certain SI.

[tricky_colour]

I would have thought Trap has made enough overtures already to give SI the opportunity to come forward with something positive without him having to make yet another approach and have another meeting/conversation. How many more times does Trap want to hear 'No' or 'I'm not ready' or even worse hear nothing at all without it seeming like he is almost begging?

Regardless of whether he comes back or not, this playing 'hard to get' by SI will do nothing for dressing room morale as I believe many will see it as a player being bigger and more important than the team. That can only be disruptive.

I'm fed up listening to people saying we need him back. If he does come back there is no guarantee he will fit seamlessly into the team. The current squad may not be spectacular and may have ridden their luck a few times, but they are still unbeaten in this campaign including having already played the top two seeds in the group away, all of which has been achieved without the presence of a certain SI.

I don't agree, I think Ireland's refusal to play helps motivate and bond the team, wouldn't it be great for them to go of to the world cup finals in South Africa and leave him back in 'sunny' Manchester!
Everytime Ireland say no it is an extra incentive for them to out and get the results they need.

[Manblue]

I don't agree, I think Ireland's refusal to play helps motivate and bond the team, wouldn't it be great for them to go of to the world cup finals in South Africa and leave him back in 'sunny' Manchester!
Everytime Ireland say no it is an extra incentive for them to out and get the results they need.

For the record he has never said no, only that he wasnt ready on one occasion, trap has only asked him once, and as he stated the reason he came to him again, is because even if ireland wanted to come back he knows he wud be to shy, not to beg him

Unfortunetly unlike his father i am not in a position to comment on what the outcome of the meeting will be.

[richieos]

is there any confirmation of this meeting or does it still go down as a rumour?

[FarBeag]

For the record he has never said no, only that he wasnt ready on one occasion, trap has only asked him once, and as he stated the reason he came to him again, is because even if ireland wanted to come back he knows he wud be to shy, not to beg him

Unfortunetly unlike his father i am not in a position to comment on what the outcome of the meeting will be.

Listen man. Have you got some sort of connection with SI? Its just that you are continually on the defence when someone writes something about him that you don't appear to like. You only seem to contribute to his thread and maintain that you know the amount of contact he has had with Trapp and what was said. Did you go to school with him or something? Maybe you are just a little grandiose and think you know him personally when in actual fact you know nothing about him.
Put us straight like a good young fellow!

[geysir]

The only benefit i see you offering regarding his repeated comments on the matter is that it embarrasses SI and thats good enough for you.

Embarrass SI? you are joking?
As I said I have no concern for him and am much more concerned with the Irish squad and their attempts to qualify.

Maybe im misunderstanding what you are trying to say but please for my sake, outline how Hunts willingness to give quotes to the media helps matters.

Help which matter? The mythical return of SI?
The situation is entirely Stephen Ireland's making. Any sensitivity in this matter is his making and it is certainly not the duty of everybody else to dance around SI´s perceived senstivities with platitudes. Hunt does not do platitudes but he does not have malicious sarcastic agenda, like someone else we all know.
The merest glance at this thread would demonstrate that the "sensitivities" of fans have been affected, even to the extreme. Hunt has expressed very normal opinions on the matter from a squad member's perspective. He has every right to answer direct questions on the matter and especially since he has been maligned and maligned on this thread as abusing Ireland with malice.
Hunt stated it is Trap's decision in the end if SI does come back, precedent supports Hunt's idea that the squad will get on with it (and so for that matter will the fans). That clarifies some doubts.
If, at this moment in time, it was an either or situation in the squad, I'd take Hunt 100 times out of a hundred.

[irishfan86]

For the record he has never said no, only that he wasnt ready on one occasion, trap has only asked him once, and as he stated the reason he came to him again, is because even if ireland wanted to come back he knows he wud be to shy, not to beg him

The pink land rover and the superman pants don't really shout out shyness Stephen.

Note that I am not against these things, and I'm all about having fun, but come on now.

You know what would be really fun though? Representing Ireland at a major tournament.

Don't wait for the meeting. Don't wait for Trap to come to you. Go and meet him. Spend your own money to fly to Italy, or wherever he is, and tell him that you want to represent Ireland on the world stage.

Because if you think the pink land rover and the superman pants got you attention, just wait until you've got over a billion people watching your every move on the football pitch against the likes of Brazil, Argentina, Spain, and Italy.

[tetsujin1979]

Debate on whether Ireland should be allowed back into the squad in today's Indo: http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...k-1773695.html

[ifk101]

Well considering how our qualifying campaign has gone so far, there really isn't any immediate or compelling reason to get SI back into the squad - especially with only 3 games left. If we cast our minds back to the friendly game against Norway, I thought we were excellent in the first half of that game. Even though we have done exceptionally well in getting the needed results since, I don't think we have reached that level of performance we showed in Norway. I think the main reason for this is the absence of Steven Reid from the team. If we are looking for players to make us better, we really should be looking at players that want to be there. Getting Steven Reid back into the team is far more important and vital to our qualification hopes than humouring an attention-seeking, spoilt brat. Let's forget the individual and focus on the team.

[DeLorean]

Yes the costumes worn by Orish fans is a much more pressing problem than whether stephen Ireland returns or not! The over-sized leprechaun hats, the green wigs and inflatable shamrocks are a national embarrassment.

Give me those contumes any day to the plonkers who come to games wearing no team colours at all.

I don't agree with either of ye. Why does anybody care what fellow supporters wear? "You're not dressed in green so you can't be a real fan", who cares, to each their own. Also if someone wants to dress as a Leprechaun how bad, it's just a laugh. Maybe you're just a bit insecure about how the world see's us Qwerty, lighten up.

[NeilMcD]

I think one should wear their colours at the game as it looks great to see a sea of green in the stand. However not going to lose sleep over it and each to their own. Have no problem with people who dress up either. All part of the banter really. No need to get precious about these things.

[Drumcondra 69er]

I don't agree with either of ye. Why does anybody care what fellow supporters wear? "You're not dressed in green so you can't be a real fan", who cares, to each their own. Also if someone wants to dress as a Leprechaun how bad, it's just a laugh. Maybe you're just a bit insecure about how the world see's us Qwerty, lighten up.

Roy and Eamon had a moan about it a few years back so a portion of our support now think it's beneath them.

Unless you're advertising Walkers crisps of course.....

[jbyrne]

Roy and Eamon had a moan about it a few years back so a portion of our support now think it's beneath them.

dunphy called us flag waving leapraucans at WC2002 but who cares really. however i have only heard roy speak very highly of Irish fans and said that atmospheres for games like portugal and holland at home in 2001 were better than most matches he experienced with utd

[Drumcondra 69er]

dunphy called us flag waving leapraucans at WC2002 but who cares really. however i have only heard roy speak very highly of Irish fans and said that atmospheres for games like portugal and holland at home in 2001 were better than most matches he experienced with utd

Not denying that although he didn't have much time for the old trafford atmosphere.

He did have a pop at the leprechaun costumes though which in fairness you'd see more of at away games and major championships rather then at home games.

I don't care one way or the other either, I've been known to don a leprechaun hat and Ireland flag in a cape style on away trips on occasion! Good for a laugh and a bit of colour, not to mention attention from the foreign lasses! But if someone doesn't wear colours that's their business.

Love the Dutch fans attitude to it when they play though, proper sea of orange, would love it if we could replicate that in green....