Stephen Ireland

**third policeman** · 31/03/2009, 2:59 PM

Originally Posted by Brendan 82

Another example of a journalist laying the blame for the situation at someone other than Stephen Ireland's door. This time it is Giles:

"I also know that if I was in Trapattoni's shoes, I would have taken steps to approach Stephen Ireland in private and on my own.
I would have gone that extra mile to see if a way could be found for the lad to sort out his issues with the international team.
But that didn't happen and a chance was perhaps lost."

What does he expect the management team to do? Ireland said he is happy not playing. Why is everyone such a moron about this?

I'm with Giles 100%. The fact is that Trapp has not made any one to one approaches to Ireland. Whatever you think of SI, it is surely a manager's responsibility to put the best team on the pitch to get the best results. It is surely also part of the person spec to be able to make players want to play for you. If Trapp had tried and failed fair enough, but the efforts by our management team have been minimal, like their approach to checking out players who were not part of the original inherited squad and happen to be playing outside the Premiership. There is a depressing complacency and fatalism about Trapp and co. I cannot see us qualifying and when he does leave, we will have missed a massive opportunity to develop and integrate our better younger players.

**Morbo** · 31/03/2009, 2:59 PM

Originally Posted by Brendan 82

Another example of a journalist laying the blame for the situation at someone other than Stephen Ireland's door. This time it is Giles:

"I also know that if I was in Trapattoni's shoes, I would have taken steps to approach Stephen Ireland in private and on my own.
I would have gone that extra mile to see if a way could be found for the lad to sort out his issues with the international team.
But that didn't happen and a chance was perhaps lost."

What does he expect the management team to do? Ireland said he is happy not playing. Why is everyone such a moron about this?

Unbelieveable isn't it, I'm disapointed in Giles. People want to believe that Ireland may still want to play for us and are grasping at straws, if you step back and look at the evidence so far from a neutral point of view then its pretty obvious that he just couldn't be arsed with internationals. I bet if he was English and had walked out on England nobody here would be making excuses for him and believe that he could be coaxed back.

**jmurphyc** · 31/03/2009, 3:03 PM

Originally Posted by third policeman

I'm with Giles 100%. The fact is that Trapp has not made any one to one approaches to Ireland. Whatever you think of SI, it is surely a manager's responsibility to put the best team on the pitch to get the best results. It is surely also part of the person spec to be able to make players want to play for you. If Trapp had tried and failed fair enough, but the efforts by our management team have been minimal, like their approach to checking out players who were not part of the original inherited squad and happen to be playing outside the Premiership. There is a depressing complacency and fatalism about Trapp and co. I cannot see us qualifying and when he does leave, we will have missed a massive opportunity to develop and integrate our better younger players.

The management team contacted him on numerous occasions last year. He clearly doesn't want to come back. Maybe certain managers could persuade him to come back, but it's unlikely. There's no way the Trap should be made culpable for this. Ireland was offered the chance to come back and turned it down.

**weldoninhio** · 31/03/2009, 4:28 PM

Originally Posted by jmurphyc

The management team contacted him on numerous occasions last year. He clearly doesn't want to come back. Maybe certain managers could persuade him to come back, but it's unlikely. There's no way the Trap should be made culpable for this. Ireland was offered the chance to come back and turned it down.

Did it not recently come to light that they met him once, said the door was open and left it to the player after that??

**Manblue** · 31/03/2009, 4:58 PM

Originally Posted by jmurphyc

The management team contacted him on numerous occasions last year. He clearly doesn't want to come back. Maybe certain managers could persuade him to come back, but it's unlikely. There's no way the Trap should be made culpable for this. Ireland was offered the chance to come back and turned it down.

Numerous approaches?? He met with Trap and brady once, this wasnt to long after the incident and it was probably fresh in his mind. Ireland appears quite shy and introverted in every interview he does, they met once and said the door is open this is through, imho he is probably nervous about coming back and needs some sort of coaxing, trap is being as stubborn as he is, why go to alot of his games and not approaching him,its not as if he needs to see Dunne/Given play?

**Jicked** · 31/03/2009, 5:08 PM

It was about nine months from when Ireland left and when Ireland played their first game under Trap, hardly a case of it being precisely after the event. When your national team's greatest ever player, and one of the most succesful coaches in the history of the game fly to your home to ask you to return to the country you walked out on and embarassed hugely, and say their door is always open to your return, I think you could hardly say Ireland had no reason to consider coming back.

And has it been numerous times? Well it's definitely been once, although Stephen Ireland still lied in the press the other week and said neither Brady nor Trap had contacted him.

**DmanDmythDledge** · 31/03/2009, 5:10 PM

Has Trap ever actually said to him out straight "I want you back in the squad" rather than the not overly-commital comment of get back to me if you want to be selected. That meeting was some time ago and from his comments in the media SI seems warm to possibly coming back soon. It seems to me that he is waiting to be asked back to the fold rather than be seen as the prodigal son who comes crawling back.

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing as such wrong with Trap's actions per se but he, like SI, is being stubborn, not wanting to be the one who will break his stance. So what if he has to make a bit more effort than he should have to but he should be making what the best decision would be for the team and squad as a whole, and not try to "save face".

There's two sides to everything- both parties have a part to blame imo- and somebody needs to lose the stubborness. But perhaps it should be the manager, as he is in the position of control.

**dr_peepee** · 31/03/2009, 5:21 PM

I don't blame Trapp or anyone in the set up whatsoever...

The strange thing is that after a very good goal scored at Eastlands when Ireland was interviewed after it on MOTD he said something like "It's a hi point in my career and I've had some very hi points in my career including playing for my country"... Didn't sound like someone who didn't want to play.

That said... He's a strange fish.... He's a good player and for me he's simply like any other good premiership player that's not available to us.

For all those attacking Trapp and Brady, at least they've clarified their stance on the issue. The Steven Ireland so readily defended by some has given nothing but vague non commital answers.

**jmurphyc** · 31/03/2009, 5:22 PM

Okay, so maybe not numerous times, but he's been asked once. The managers shouldn't have to beg him to come back. Once is enough. The ball was left in his court and so far he hasn't responded. I've yet to hear an interview directly from him in which he states that he'd like to rejoin the squad. Until that happens it's a non-story.

**The General** · 31/03/2009, 7:19 PM

If Stephen Ireland was to be brought back into the fold it would be interesting to see would trap actually play him considering the depressing defensive central midfield partnership he likes to employ. Decent players but wont create much which has been evident. Ireland is attack minded like Reid. Is that why trap isn't so pushed to bring him in?

Wat ye think?

**Stuttgart88** · 31/03/2009, 7:25 PM

Originally Posted by The General

If Stephen Ireland was to be brought back into the fold it would be interesting to see would trap actually play him considering the depressing defensive central midfield partnership he likes to employ. Decent players but wont create much which has been evident. Ireland is attack minded like Reid. Is that why trap isn't so pushed to bring him in?

Wat ye think?

I've felt all along the even if he were available he wouldn't necessarily start, but with Duff & McGeady out you've got to think that Trap would find a way to accomodate him.

**The General** · 31/03/2009, 7:28 PM

Ya fair point Stuttgart

**John83** · 31/03/2009, 7:28 PM

Sweet Jebus, is this thread still going?

Every other post is a badly spelled and hyper-aggressive paraphrasing of, "He clearly doesn't want to play for us, so why beg him?"

The other half of the posts mostly consist of empty cries of "Why hasn't Trappatoni done more to get him back? He should. I'd play him in centre mid. It'd be great."

I swear, I only click on this thread because I pretty much automatically open threads with that icon beside them that says I have posted in them.

**highlight100** · 31/03/2009, 11:45 PM

Stphen Ireland should make all the approaches if he want's to return,after all it was him who killed off two Grannies and a un-born child rather than play for the Boys In Green.

**richieos** · 01/04/2009, 12:07 AM

im wondering why this thread hasnt been closed yet, i dont see any other threads for players who no longer play for us

**Deckydee** · 01/04/2009, 6:55 AM

Originally Posted by richieos

im wondering why this thread hasnt been closed yet, i dont see any other threads for players who no longer play for us

Dido!

**The Fly** · 01/04/2009, 7:18 AM

Originally Posted by Deckydee

Dido!

............I thought she was a singer!

**bellavistaman** · 01/04/2009, 1:50 PM

Originally Posted by The General

If Stephen Ireland was to be brought back into the fold it would be interesting to see would trap actually play him considering the depressing defensive central midfield partnership he likes to employ. Decent players but wont create much which has been evident. Ireland is attack minded like Reid. Is that why trap isn't so pushed to bring him in?

Wat ye think?

Ya have to agree there General, dont think trap would play him, hes a world class manager, but in italian football, and i agree with dunphy and dolans columns in the star the past two weeks, enough hasnt been done to get this world class talent back, he's a delicate charachter and the way brady and trap speak about him its no wonder he doesnt want to come back. I think Trap is hoping he doesnt come back because he knows himself he wont play him and will only get twice the slack hes getting now for not playing reid. Its a fairly depressing time to be an irish supporter with the style of football traps employing but hopefully a result tonight will give us a taste of the good times that are hopefully to come.

Originally Posted by highlight100

Stphen Ireland should make all the approaches if he want's to return,after all it was him who killed off two Grannies and a un-born child rather than play for the Boys In Green.

An unborn child!! Your bang out of order there, what a load of bull**** to be putting on a national forum there, there is absolutely no evidence to say that Stpehens girlfriend didnt have a miscarraige, and that sort of sh!t your writing is sick. Is it any wonder he doesnt want to come back playing for us knowing there will clowns like you in the stand abusing him.

**DotTV** · 01/04/2009, 1:56 PM

I can't believe people think Trap hasn't done enough to get him back! The door is open for him. Does Dunphy, Dolan or anyone else not think of the potential disruption to the entire squad if the management team BEG one player to join up with the team. If he wants to play, he'll play.
Personally, I think Ireland should forget the "never say never" bull**** and either commit to this campaign or not.

**Scram** · 01/04/2009, 1:57 PM

Originally Posted by bellavistaman

Ya have to agree there General, dont think trap would play him, hes a world class manager, but in italian football, and i agree with dunphy and dolans columns in the star the past two weeks, enough hasnt been done to get this world class talent back, he's a delicate charachter and the way brady and trap speak about him its no wonder he doesnt want to come back. I think Trap is hoping he doesnt come back because he knows himself he wont play him and will only get twice the slack hes getting now for not playing reid. Its a fairly depressing time to be an irish supporter with the style of football traps employing but hopefully a result tonight will give us a taste of the good times that are hopefully to come.

An unborn child!! Your bang out of order there, what a load of bull**** to be putting on a national forum there, there is absolutely no evidence to say that Stpehens girlfriend didnt have a miscarraige, and that sort of sh!t your writing is sick. Is it any wonder he doesnt want to come back playing for us knowing there will clowns like you in the stand abusing him.

Whatever about mocking, that "unborn child" comment WAS way out of order, as you say.