Stephen Ireland

[Greenbod]

Oh my god, OMFG, im watching the awards there stephen ireland didnt even finish in the top 3 for young player, im insulted. What has football become at all. Johnny Evans and agbonlahor ahead of him. Christ thats fairly bad tbf.

Hey it's hardly surprising.....three current internationals finished ahead of a mid-table club player...Wish all three were Irish!

[Manblue]

It looks like Stephen is not that popular with his fellow professionals as I would say that he has had the best season of the five nominees.


Prob true but the majority of the time the players dont even fill these forms out and the club rep is left to do it for all the players

[Superhoops]

Prob true but the majority of the time the players dont even fill these forms out and the club rep is left to do it for all the players

Not that popular with club reps either :D

[Colbert Report]

Prob true but the majority of the time the players dont even fill these forms out and the club rep is left to do it for all the players

How do you know this? Are you Stephen Ireland or one of his teammates or something?

[SkStu]

4/5 says its his granny. The first one he killed. ;)

[irishfan86]

Can anyone saying that Ireland should be in the team please tell me exactly where in the team you'd play him and who else you would pick as a consequence?

I'm not saying he should be in or out, just asking the appropriate question. It'd a bogus statement just to say "he should be playing". Only a twit couldn't see that it's not that simple.

I've said a few times above how I would fit him in, but it'd be interesting to see what others think.

Having him the squad is a no-brainer though.

Start him on the bench. Bring him on for one of the wingers, or even Robbie Keane's role if needed (I think this is where we'd see his best form).

If we were chasing a game I would consider dropping one of our central midfielders (Whelan/Andrews/Gibson) and let him drive from midfield.

[lionelhutz]

Can anyone saying that Ireland should be in the team please tell me exactly where in the team you'd play him and who else you would pick as a consequence?

I'm not saying he should be in or out, just asking the appropriate question. It'd a bogus statement just to say "he should be playing". Only a twit couldn't see that it's not that simple.

I've said a few times above how I would fit him in, but it'd be interesting to see what others think.

Having him the squad is a no-brainer though.

I'd definitely have him as a starter but in what position would depend on the opposition. For example, if he came back now for the remaining games I'd start him on the right against Bulgaria with the freedom thats given to McGeady. I think it'll be of the utmost importance to hold possession in Sofia and McGeady wouldn't be anywhere near as good at that as Ireland.

I'd play him in the same position against Cyprus for the above reasons but I'd put him in centre midfield for the home games against Italy and Montenegro. His workrate has improved immensely since he last played for Ireland and I think he'd excel in the middle in the home games cause the opposition won't be intent on attacking and Ireland could make the telling contribution to break them down.

If Stephen Reid is fit for the last three games, I'd play Reid and Andrews in the middle against Cyprus with Ireland on the right, and I'd play Reid and Ireland in the middle for the two home games. I think they would be an excellent combination.

[tetsujin1979]

from http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_city/s/1112195_ireland_a_real_superhero

Club skipper and erstwhile Republic of Ireland team-mate Dunne admits that he has stopped asking the 22-year-old when he might re-sign on for duty in the green of his country but is nonetheless glowing about Ireland's season of brilliance that is likely to eclipse all-comers in City fans' own player poll to be taken in the coming weeks.

[seanfhear]

Not that popular with club reps either :D
I suppose, how popular can a Granny Killer be !

[livehead1]

Was asked about his future with Ireland today and said "to be honest it doesn't look as if i'll ever go back". Seemed to indicate he just doesn't like international football.

[irishultra]

:(

why?

[gufct]

I think after that disgrace of an interview this morning no journalist should ever bother asking Trap again about that Manchester native!!!!!!!!!

[seanfhear]

Was asked about his future with Ireland today and said "to be honest it doesn't look as if i'll ever go back". Seemed to indicate he just doesn't like international football.
At least he has finally come clean and admitted definatively that he does not want to play for Ireland.

I am sure his granny will be relieved as she could have been marked for death again when Stephen needed to do another runner.

[Crosby87]

Does anyone have a link to that interview?

[DmanDmythDledge]

Does anyone have a link to that interview?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/football_focus/8041610.stm

[co. down green]

The contrast between Stephen manchester and real Irishmen like Kevin Doyle is huge.

Doyle was prepared to risk further injury, hide his knee problem and pump himself full of painkillers so he could play in the Bulgaria and Italy games.

Probably not a clever move by Doyle, but it showed his loyalty and passion for the Ireland team.

Then you think about that waste of space who plays for Man City!

Its better to have the Ireland midfield positions filled with players who have ambition & passion for the team than some guy who does not give a sh*t about his country.


http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/sport/readingfc/articles/2009/05/08/38219-coppell-wants-doyle-debt-repaid/

[Cosmo]

The contrast between Stephen manchester and real Irishmen like Kevin Doyle is huge.

Doyle was prepared to risk further injury, hide his knee problem and pump himself full of painkillers so he could play in the Bulgaria and Italy games.

Probably not a clever move by Doyle, but it showed his loyalty and passion for the Ireland team.

Then you think about that waste of space who plays for Man City!

Its better to have the Ireland midfield positions filled with players who have ambition & passion for the team than some guy who does not give a sh*t about his country.


http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/sport/readingfc/articles/2009/05/08/38219-coppell-wants-doyle-debt-repaid/


Dont see the big deal myself - hes not in the army!!

Only want players playing with us, that actually want to play for us!

If he doesnt want to play for ireland, thats his choice!! Hopefully thats closure now! Good luck to the lad!!

[irishultra]

tbh i think ireland comes across real well in interviews. seriously are we to be suprised that when a kid leaves the country at 15 that perhaps he might not be that interested in playing for his country by the time he reaches 22?

[Crosby87]

tbh i think ireland comes across real well in interviews. seriously are we to be suprised that when a kid leaves the country at 15 that perhaps he might not be that interested in playing for his country by the time he reaches 22?

Fair point, in your 1,000 post.
Plus he has more issues than Sports Illustrated. Everything taken into consideration, probably not that surprising........

[SUB of the day]

Just watched that interview again, all I feel is shame and embarrassment that I am a resident of this muppets home town.The only good thing to come out of it is the fact that he has closed the door himself, and we should be spared the fingerpointing from his apologists, blaming Trap the FAI various players etc.He doesn't want to play for Ireland.The silence from Bellavista is deafening.

[Razors left peg]

I always thought he would come back at some stage, its very disappointing that we are gonna miss out on a player as good as him but at least we have some very good talent emerging in central midfield so maybe we wont feel the loss too badly if the likes of McCarthy,Garvan and other fulfill their potential.
I think for any Irish fan its a decision the is impossible to understand when most of us would give anything to be good enough to get even 1 cap.

[Superhoops]

Just watched that interview again, all I feel is shame and embarrassment that I am a resident of this muppets home town.The only good thing to come out of it is the fact that he has closed the door himself, and we should be spared the fingerpointing from his apologists, blaming Trap the FAI various players etc.He doesn't want to play for Ireland.The silence from Bellavista is deafening.

The bottom line. We now have heard it from from his own mouth.

Mods, lets close this thread and move on.

[zenokelly]

The way he's playing today, he'd barely make it in the squad don't mind the team. Great to see:D

[seanfhear]

There should be a petition started to get Mr Ireland to change his name.

He is a disgrace to his country and back in the good/bad old days some one might have offed him for his treachery.

The treacherous one should be ostracised by Irish people of all shades and opinion. I curse the the hair follicles(or lack there of) on your baldy head Mr I could not give a fook about Ireland.

[strangeirish]

Just close this thread or move it to World Football please. I'm sick of seeing this muppet in the Ireland forum. He's made his call.

[richieos]

its now definatley time for this thread to be moved

[Colbert Report]

Keep the thread here, he's and Irish player playing football in England, no different from David Connolly.

[strangeirish]

Keep the thread here, he's and Irish player playing football in England, no different from David Connolly.
Barack O'Bama is more Irish than this tool:D

[tricky_colour]

Every time he tells a lie one of his hairs falls out.
Not much on top, not much inside.

[richieos]

Keep the thread here, he's and Irish player playing football in England, no different from David Connolly.

david connolly, for all his shortcomings, would probably walk to ireland if he was asked to play against italy or bulgaria, so yes there is a difference

[Colbert Report]

david connolly, for all his shortcomings, would probably walk to ireland if he was asked to play against italy or bulgaria, so yes there is a difference

Get a sense of humour buddy.

[shaneker]

seriously are we to be suprised that when a kid leaves the country at 15 that perhaps he might not be that interested in playing for his country by the time he reaches 22?

I left the country at 3 and moved to the same place as he did. Am I something special because I would still give anything to play for Ireland? I don't think so.

I wish people would stop making excuses for this liar (not libellous, a fact). I couldn't give a damn how talented he is - he has shown his country means nothing to him, and so deserves nothing from his country's fans in return.

[ifk101]

The main problem I have with SI is that he has, for whatever reason, been unwilling to give a definite answer on whether he wants to play or not. This has served to focus attention on Stephen Ireland and not on the team.

I also think it touches on arrogance that SI believes he can come back whenever he wants.

[NeilMcD]

I agree, if he did not want to play and said that ages ago fair enough but its the hamfisted way he has dealt with it and to be honest I hope he gets hamfisted by a Mexican pig.

[geysir]

In that BBC interview (skip the tripe banalities and go to the end of it), he appears to have backed a step or so away from blame, away from claiming Trap did not invite him back, away from that Trap did meet him in a hotel but no proper respect was shown, to stating that he did not enjoy being a part of the set up even before his bizarre departure from Bratislava.

Still a very confused lad, but somewhere in there, is a part recognition that it was down to himself to leave, down to himself not to return and the reasons for not returning predate Slovakia.
Which would bring you to the next (unasked) question, what was it about the set up that put him in such state of panic anxiety.
I'd say a large part of it we already know, from his earlier pompous attitudes to Kerr and the underage set up.

[Stuttgart88]

To be honest even if we went over & begged him back, there's no guaranteeing he won't just up sticks again next time he feels like it, unsettling everyone again and guaranteeing another year of media mania. Closure.

I think Trap is very focused on the relationship dynamics within the squad and if he feels that A. Reid, Stephen Ireland and others just aren't worth it, I'd support his opinion.

Just as an aside, I think a lot of the "punts" Trap took on some unfancied players are beginning to look a lot more justifiable based on club form, though I hope Sledge & Lawrence feature prominently soon.

[NeilMcD]

Yeah maybe he does know more about football that some of us on this board.

[dr_peepee]

He's a li'l bitch, is what he is....

Guarantee ye he'll be sniffing around for the play offs...

[jmurphyc]

Yeah maybe he does know more about football that some of us on this board.

I doubt that. He's won one European Cup in his whole career. His record is admirable, but some of us have won far more on Football Manager.

[ifk101]

Which would bring you to the next (unasked) question, what was it about the set up that put him in such state of panic anxiety.
I'd say a large part of it we already know, from his earlier pompous attitudes to Kerr and the underage set up.

I say it's to do with his club situation. Man City have probably love-bombed him too much in an attempt to protect their investment.

I think Ireland was expecting that the national set-up would also seek to buy his "loyalty" - so to speak. He realised quickly enough that he wasn't going to get any special treatment and invented granny-gate to get back to the pampered lifestyle he had grown accustomed to - pink cars, hair transplants and superman jocks etc etc.

[peadar1987]

For feck sake the boy only played 6 times for his country, under a completely different setup to the one we have now, he can't go and say he wasn't really enjoying it, and use that as an excuse.

He's in love with himself, unfortunately, and if he were to come back now, or at any point, without making an apology, he would be a dressing-room disruption on the same scale as Roy Keane

[richieos]

Get a sense of humour buddy.


you were making a joke?
......good one

[carloz]

The main problem I have with SI is that he has, for whatever reason, been unwilling to give a definite answer on whether he wants to play or not. This has served to focus attention on Stephen Ireland and not on the team.

I also think it touches on arrogance that SI believes he can come back whenever he wants.

I agree. plus the fact we have still not been given an exact reason as to why he decided to retire himself. The reasons for him not playing for us are still very unclear. Im losing more respect for the guy every passing month.

[geysir]

Considering where your levels of respect for him were 6 months ago, they must be down to way below zero by now.

[bellavistaman]

Just watched that interview again, all I feel is shame and embarrassment that I am a resident of this muppets home town.The only good thing to come out of it is the fact that he has closed the door himself, and we should be spared the fingerpointing from his apologists, blaming Trap the FAI various players etc.He doesn't want to play for Ireland.The silence from Bellavista is deafening.

Get over yourself lad, the silence from bella is deafening, two days i wasnt on it.

FTR i see nothing wrong with the interview hes said the same thing bout ireland that he always has done. Like others i think he comes across very well in interviews.

[SUB of the day]

You see nothing wrong with a player having no interest in playing for his country:rolleyes:

[bellavistaman]

You see nothing wrong with a player having no interest in playing for his country:rolleyes:

I do, but circumstances and all that.

[gufct]

What circumstances ???????????????

He couldnt give a flying f**k about his country let him go .

[bellavistaman]

As roy keane says nobody knows the circumstaqnces, i dont but i wouldnt be apart of the bandwagon of hating the lad, too much talent to not want him to play.

[Jicked]

As roy keane says nobody knows the circumstaqnces, i dont but i wouldnt be apart of the bandwagon of hating the lad, too much talent to not want him to play.
Yeah, completely unrelated to him being from Cobh I'm sure:rolleyes: