Stephen Ireland

[Crosby87]

He played well today. Big win for them. Would be nice to see him and Keane playing together while both were hot like today. Wonder if it will happen?

[sligoman]

Was at the Man City game, he absolutely ran the show. Perfect through balls. He'd do a great job if he played like that for Ireland. No doubting his ability but Ireland shouldn't go begging for him to come back, I still think he should apologise, that won't happen though.

[irishfan86]

A goal and 3 assists...jesus.

[musicinmouth]

Was at the Man City game, he absolutely ran the show. Perfect through balls. He'd do a great job if he played like that for Ireland. No doubting his ability but Ireland shouldn't go begging for him to come back, I still think he should apologise, that won't happen though.

yeah probably not, seeing as he already apologised...

[sligoman]

yeah probably not, seeing as he already apologised...Well sure the poll is pointless so:rolleyes:.

I mean an apology to the fans, afaik he never did. He disrespected his country and doesn't seem too bothered about it.

It was wrong and I sincerely apologise as I have caused a lot of problems for many people. I would like to apologise to my grandmothers and all my family. I have learnt a valuable lesson from this mess and hope those I have hurt will forgive me.

[Maroon 7]

A goal and 3 assists...jesus.

Was nearly a goal and 5 assists incredibly. Robinho and SWP both missed one on one chances with the keeper.

[Stuttgart88]

I saw his games recently and have to say he’s becoming the real deal: his passing, vision, touch, speed, stamina and football intelligence are absolute top class.

[eirebhoy]

His football brain is outstanding. At one stage yesterday he played a pass back to right full. The right full wasn't under pressure but played the first time pass back to Ireland who was under pressure. Ireland wouldn't have expected to receive the ball back so quickly but he had already picked out his next pass and played the first time pass forward to the right winger. All in a couple of seconds.

[musicinmouth]

I mean an apology to the fans, afaik he never did. He disrespected his country and doesn't seem too bothered about it.



"I am also sorry for causing Manchester City any embarrassment and apologise to the supporters of both Manchester City and Ireland for misleading them and the media.
"I love playing for my country and am grateful for the understanding Mr Staunton and the FAI have shown to me since I told them the truth.

[Greenforever]

"I am also sorry for causing Manchester City any embarrassment and apologise to the supporters of both Manchester City and Ireland for misleading them and the media.
"I love playing for my country and am grateful for the understanding Mr Staunton and the FAI have shown to me since I told them the truth.


Very touching but not very believeable, and as much as it would be great to have SI playing for us, I honestly believe he is likely to walk out again (if he ever does come back) and cause another Saipan type divide and do serious damage to our chances at a later date.

[Razors left peg]

Very touching but not very believeable, and as much as it would be great to have SI playing for us, I honestly believe he is likely to walk out again (if he ever does come back) and cause another Saipan type divide and do serious damage to our chances at a later date.

You're right, before we call up any player in future we should have everyone analyised by a psychiatrist to assess the chances that at some stage in the future he might possibly, maybe cause problems.
Come on for christ sake. Yes he has been an idiot in the past, but are u honestly saying that you have never made stupid mistakes in your late teens to early 20s?
If he does return to play for us I would have him back in a heartbeat and let what happens in the future happen.Yes he might cause problems in future or he might go on to score the goals that qualify us for major Championships.Personally Im think hes good enough that hes worth the risk. We are not overflowing with world class footballers and he is well on his way to being regarded in that light

[elroy]

Made the Goal team of the season so far.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1717/editorial/2008/12/30/1033137/premier-league-team-of-the-season-so-far

Described as

Stephen Ireland (Manchester City)
Put quite simply, he is one of, if not the best, player of the season thus far. He has pushed on and stepped his game up a further notch this season by producing some scintillating pass-and-move football, providing his goal-scoring team-mates with some on-a-plate assists, and has even netted some memorable strikes of his own. Has surely done enough to convince both the management and the owners, that he does not need replacing with a mega-money alternative. Is finding the target with worrying regularity for his opposition, and is one strike - and one game - short of recording a one in three record for the season.


Rory Delap made the reserve team. Ironic neither of them are on the Irish squad.

Couldnt really argue much with it in fairness, although i think Delap is having less of an influence for Stoke as the season goes on and as teams are learning how to counteract his throw ins......take away that and he is only an average player at best.

Wouldnt have Ronaldo in any team of the season so far (first or reserve)

[ken foree]

i'm a fan of s. ireland and want to see him return but the cynic in me wonders if his remarkable improvement is totally down to natural causes? almost hate to bring this up but i can't shake the feeling.

[SkStu]

weird theory... i mean he actually could be Superman!

[tricky_colour]

i'm a fan of s. ireland and want to see him return but the cynic in me wonders if his remarkable improvement is totally down to natural causes? almost hate to bring this up but i can't shake the feeling.

Well you can never rule out drug taking by any sportsman and their are plenty who have been caught before, including Olympic champions.
I suppose you could throw in odd behaviour and missing matches (where you might get tested??) but obviously that's just the wildest speculation.
Maybe Gerrard was on them when it got involved in some sort of affray?
All just wild speculation of course, there is no real evidence to support any of it.

[seanfhear]

weird theory... i mean he actually could be Superman!
No Superman is not follically challenged.

Maybe he sold his follicles to the devil to become a footballing genius.

[Stuttgart88]

If there's a drug that can give me Stephen Ireland's technique, vision and footballing brain I'll have some now.

[Colbert Report]

There's no drug in the wide world that will give you the football brain that God has gifted this lad with.

[FahyForever]

i'm a fan of s. ireland and want to see him return but the cynic in me wonders if his remarkable improvement is totally down to natural causes? almost hate to bring this up but i can't shake the feeling.


What a totally unfounded, utterly moronic statment.

[ken foree]

unfounded? well yea if stating the obvious was a pre-requisite for moronic efforts you'd have a pretty good pedigree yourself there mate. of course it's unfounded! it's a bloody hunch, as stated above, chr!st.

[Colbert Report]

unfounded? well yea if stating the obvious was a pre-requisite for moronic efforts you'd have a pretty good pedigree yourself there mate. of course it's unfounded! it's a bloody hunch, as stated above, chr!st.

Tell us then, what kind of drugs can you take that will give you the passing vision and forward thinking ability that Stephen Ireland has? Fitness is one thing. Ireland is certainly not slight but I highly doubt he's on any steroids.

[ken foree]

Tell us then, what kind of drugs can you take that will give you the passing vision and forward thinking ability that Stephen Ireland has? Fitness is one thing. Ireland is certainly not slight but I highly doubt he's on any steroids.

plenty of drugs improve mental acuity. move on, i shouldn't have brought it up.

[Colbert Report]

plenty of drugs improve mental acuity. move on, i shouldn't have brought it up.

What drugs specifically? Please name them.

[irishfan86]

What drugs specifically? Please name them.

The old coffee and cocaine combo does wonders for me, and I'd presume the same would be true for Stephen. :eek::D

[Colbert Report]

The old coffee and cocaine combo does wonders for me, and I'd presume the same would be true for Stephen. :eek::D

I assume football players are drug tested frequently? Didn't Rio Ferdinand get suspended for eight months for missing, not failing, a drug test? I thought the Premier League took that kind of thing quite seriously.

[irishfan86]

I assume football players are drug tested frequently? Didn't Rio Ferdinand get suspended for eight months for missing, not failing, a drug test? I thought the Premier League took that kind of thing quite seriously.

Yeah I was just joking around. Here is an article from a couple of months ago about Premier League drug testing policy. I personally think "reporting whereabouts" once a day is ridiculous and would fight that legally if I was a player:


England footballers and other Premier League players face a raft of extra drug tests under a new crackdown being planned by the sport's authorities, it was reported today.

According to The Sun, 30 of the top-flight's players will be checked five times a year in addition to existing post-match tests. The players will also be forced to provide details of their whereabouts for one hour every day, including end-of-season holidays.

The moves are part of efforts by sporting chiefs to bring football's anti-drugs controls and procedures more in line with sports like athletics and cycling. UK Sport and Football Association officials will meet in the next couple of months to draw up the players' register, according to the report.

Andy Parkinson, UK Sport's head of operations for a drug-free sport, said he was not setting out to make life difficult for footballers but trying to "protect their sport". He told the paper that athletics and cycling have both been badly tainted by doping scandals.

"The last thing we want is for football to be in that position where it doesn't focus enough - doesn't put controls in place - and suddenly finds itself a sport with a fantastic profile in a crisis," he said. "The identity of the players on the list will be decided by UK Sport and the FA. We'll take into account behaviour of athletes in the past, long-term injuries where maybe they disappeared to Eastern Europe for six months to get an injury sorted - or if they have had a doping violation."

Drug testers currently pick two players at random for a urine sample after every match.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/nov/11/premier-league-drug-tests

[amaccann]

Pretty ludicrous accusations, even by the standards of internet idiocy tbh; as it has already been mentioned, steroids to increase physical prowess is one thing, but to increase that nebulous of qualities, talent, is quite another thing. Some people watch too many movies :rolleyes:

[tricky_colour]

What drugs specifically? Please name them.

Im a genius down the pub after 6 pints :D

[Manblue]

well ye still might get chance to see how keane/Ireland combo works as it appears both Arsenal and now liverpool are interested in him.....

Good for him

[tricky_colour]

I can't see 'money bags' Man City selling their best player when they are looking to strengthen their squad.

[Ned Flanders]

No chance of Arsenal being able to afford, not the type of player they need right now anyway. Cant see them selling to Liverpool either.

[holidaysong]

I dont think City would sell Ireland for any money to be honest. And Ireland has said himself that he wants to be a 1 club player.

Such loyalty and commitment to his club is quite ironic..

[Lenny82]

Haven't seen the tabloids this morning but heard on the radio that some of the papers are running with the story that Ireland will be back in the squad for the Georgia game. Any truth in this?

[blobbyblob]

wlrfm had the same story

[Duggie]

heard this, a couple of months back i would have said no way, now i hope to hell he comes back. all is forgiven stevie !

[Greenbod]

Is this the article you're referring to? Stephen had more pressing concerns over Christmas than having to contemplate a return to international football.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/article2074902.ece

[galwayhoop]

Is this the article you're referring to? Stephen had more pressing concerns over Christmas than having to contemplate a return to international football.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/article2074902.ece

As Ian Holloway said....

" He's a complete fruitcake, that bloke, isn't he? We've got to be careful with him, he's after the old crazy mantle and he's going to win it hands down."

and theres a few more too.... (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ian_Holloway)

[paul_oshea]

"He is the oldest swinger in town but at this level he will add a touch of class."
- on veteran midfielder Teddy Sheringham.
"Toad of Toad Hall ?."
- on then Chelsea manager Avram Grant.

teddy sheringham is/was a midfielder, good aul wikipedia.

The toad quote is class though.

[gufct]

Front page of the Star exclusive he will be back for the Georgia Game.

[carloz]

Front page of the Star exclusive he will be back for the Georgia Game.

Today FM are reporting about this too. Excellent news if true

[Sligo Hornet]

I will welcome back Stephen Ireland (the player) with open arms!!:)

Stephen Ireland, the "man"........:mad:

[shakermaker1982]

I'm delighted to see him back. How many Irish players have set alight the PL this season? If true it will be very interesting to see how the Trap plays him.

[bwagner]

Fecking great news , lets get behind this young man and give him a chance. 4 goals in 6 games and all in world cup games ...Welcome home Steven. We need Carsley back now but also.

[NeilMcD]

Any quotes or confirmation on this.

[gufct]

Front page and page 51 of the Star!!!!!!!

[NeilMcD]

Yeah I am laid up at the moment so can't go out and buy a paper so just wondering is there any actual quotes. The Star s not the most reliable of papers.

[amaccann]

If true, I wonder what the crowd reaction will be like. Can't say I'm 100% happy about him returning, but I imagine there'll be those more incensed.

[Saint07]

I'm delighted to see him back. How many Irish players have set alight the PL this season? If true it will be very interesting to see how the Trap plays him.

I cant see how he'll fit into the sysem too attacking for central midfield.
Doubt Trap would change everything for him, but if he's in squad has to play as best Irish player going by form currently

[shakermaker1982]

I cant see how he'll fit into the sysem too attacking for central midfield.
Doubt Trap would change everything for him, but if he's in squad has to play as best Irish player going by form currently

I think he'd tuck Ireland in on the right hand side of midfield (drop McGeady in the process). He's played there for City so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Like you say I'd be surprised if he was put in a central position unless the Trap played him in the hole and dropped Doyle/Keane.

[elroy]

Yeah I am laid up at the moment so can't go out and buy a paper so just wondering is there any actual quotes. The Star s not the most reliable of papers.

Exactly, Id prefer to hear some official word on this before getting too excited. The Star isnt exactly concrete. We've heard some many reports about what SI said or his dad said etc etc......

It will be interesting to see if he releases a statement or if its a case of waiting until the next squad announcement for Trap to do it.


If true, I wonder what the crowd reaction will be like. Can't say I'm 100% happy about him returning, but I imagine there'll be those more incensed.

Not 100% happy about him returning but whats past is past, there was more uproar when Roy came back. As long as he puts in the effort and hopefully the performances for us then happy days. Irish football doesnt need the whole debacle we have had surrounding him the last year or so.