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. :eek::eek:

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/soccer/the-great-debate-is-stephen-ireland-worth-taking-back-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.....

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/11/21/article-1088170-004054F400000258-844_468x569.jpg

[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....

[geysir]

I bumped into a posse of the (senior) Dutch fans at their hotel bar after their game in Iceland. We had a good long chat about all matters football. After some time I said, of course the Dutch master I respect most was Van Gaal. That was a conversation stopper, after what seemed an eternity one of them finally said - you must be Irish or mad.

[SkStu]

to which you replied "both", i assume... ;)

[geysir]

In certain circumstances, for survival purposes, it's usefull to encourage more than a bit of unpredictable mad doubt,

[onthenoodlesham]

so what happened then?

[Green Paddy]

Sunday Star were quoting Stephen Ireland yesterday in which he confirmed that he is meeting with Trapattoni in the next few weeks.

[Uncle_Joe]

Is it that time of month already? I didnt think we were due another "Ireland wants to come back!" non-story for at least another week??:confused:

[Superhoops]

Sunday Star were quoting Stephen Ireland yesterday in which he confirmed that he is meeting with Trapattoni in the next few weeks.
Must be the earliest he can fit Trap into his busy schedule what with Slane, holidays and all that :mad:

[Noelys Guitar]

Must be the earliest he can fit Trap into his busy schedule what with Slane, holidays and all that :mad:

Here is the article. Fairly vague stuff.
http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/ireland-ill-meet-trap-to-discuss-return-1783601.html

[Wolfie]

"Only last week, Ireland was photographed in a UK newspaper going through a tough training regime with a martial arts expert in Glossop, Derbyshire, as the Cobh man is keen to be fully fit for the start of the new season".


Take note Stephen Hunt.

A follically challenged man sporting Superman Pants may challenge you to a Martial Arts duel soon...........................

[tetsujin1979]

"Only last week, Ireland was photographed in a UK newspaper going through a tough training regime with a martial arts expert in Glossop, Derbyshire, as the Cobh man is keen to be fully fit for the start of the new season".
That's this article from the Manchester Evening News: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_city/s/1121765_city_star_ireland_in_training__pics

[Newryrep]

"Only last week, Ireland was photographed in a UK newspaper going through a tough training regime with a martial arts expert in Glossop, Derbyshire, as the Cobh man is keen to be fully fit for the start of the new season".


Take note Stephen Hunt.

A follically challenged man sporting Superman Pants may challenge you to a Martial Arts duel soon...........................

Probably hoping for an audition for a Kung Fu remake now that David Carradine has met his maker - he has the hairstyle

[Serb]

How many people here wouldn't want to do this to Stephen Ireland?

http://pmck.net/C_71_article_1121765_image_list_image_list_item_2_ image.jpg

[Noelys Guitar]

How many people here wouldn't want to do this to Stephen Ireland?

http://pmck.net/C_71_article_1121765_image_list_image_list_item_2_ image.jpg

Trap hires Ross Kemp to make Ireland come back shocker!

[as_i_say]

His trainer looks like a white, bald version of Stephen Reid!

[Superhoops]

Here is the article. Fairly vague stuff.
http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/ireland-ill-meet-trap-to-discuss-return-1783601.html

"I will be thinking about it over the summer"

"I spoke to Giovanni Trapattoni three weeks ago so we are going to meet up soon and see how it goes.

"But yeah, I am going to have a long, hard think about it. We'll see. I've had a good think about it already so we'll see what happens when I meet up with Trapattoni"

What is there to think about??? Doesn't sound like someone who has the desire to represent his country. :mad:

I hope Trapattoni has more dignity than to go cap in hand to this toe-rag. :mad:

[Fergie's Son]

Those quotes, if real, really puts his commitment in further doubt. I'd be very wary of bringing a player with this sort of attitude back into the fold.

[Razors left peg]

Trap hires Ross Kemp to make Ireland come back shocker!

:D:D quality

[Razors left peg]

If Andy Reid is serious about trying to make it back into the squad for the world cup then he could do worse than take a leaf out of Steven Irelands book. Whatever his attitude towards the Irish team you have to admire his dedication to working hard to make himself into as good a player as he can be. If Andy Reid went on a similar fitness program during the close season it could do wonders for him

[co. down green]

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x15/oneteaminireland/StephenIrelandreturns.jpg

[Wexford Delboy]

Classic!!:cool:

[Qwerty]

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.

I'm not in the least insecure about how the world sees Ireland, I've abroad for 10 years and I know everyone thinks we 're just great.

No, my objection perhaps is self-respect, to each his own but you wouldn't catch me at a football game in one. Nothing says class like a drunken leprechaun :rolleyes:

However I'll bet that whatever company started pushing these costumes probably isn't even based in Ireland. Anyhow. Whatever.

I do envy the Swedes those viking helmets though ...

[The Fly]

I do envy the Swedes those viking helmets though ...

Is that not the Norwegians?

[drummerboy]

Is that not the Norwegians?

Has to be the Danes

[jay1]

im not sure if my ears were playin tricks on me but i was in a cab a little while ago and i thought i heard on the radio that stephen ireland was unhappy about not being in the ireland squad v brazil.

anyone hear the same or am i just goin insane in my oldish age?

If I hear that name one more time. Honestly next People will be saying he's thinking of running for president or he has got a big Part in the next Star Wars movie. Come on if Stephen Ireland is the only answer to our Soccer teams problems then we really are in trouble.

:D

[Colbert Report]

He's the best player we have, hands down. If he returns to the fold, then we're much more likely to make it to the World Cup finals.

[Wolfie]

He's the best player we have, hands down. If he returns to the fold, then we're much more likely to make it to the World Cup finals.

Lets say Ireland returns and we qualify. We can in no way take either for granted at the moment, I know.

While bearing that in mind - If we qualify, with Stephen Ireland back in the fray - whats the odds on him p*ssing off during the World Cup Finals if relations are strained within the squad?

[Uncle_Joe]

He's the best player we have, hands down.

Absolute nonsense!

We can manage without SI and we have done so far. No doubt he is a good player and would add to the squad but we would miss Given, Keane and Dunne a lot more if any of them went awol for 2 years.

One good season for Manchester City (and that all it was folks!) does not make SI the second coming. He's not the Messiah he's a very naughty boy!

[aidz1]

If Andy Reid is serious about trying to make it back into the squad for the world cup then he could do worse than take a leaf out of Steven Irelands book. Whatever his attitude towards the Irish team you have to admire his dedication to working hard to make himself into as good a player as he can be. If Andy Reid went on a similar fitness program during the close season it could do wonders for him

perhaps Reid is doing the extra work, but he most likely didnt get a photograher and journalist to record it to show how commited he is.

[livehead1]

perhaps Reid is doing the extra work, but he most likely didnt get a photograher and journalist to record it to show how commited he is.

I'd say its more likely than not that he isn't; this is two summers in a row S.I. has taken on a massive workload over the summer to benefit him in time for the new season.

[Fitzy]

If I was a professional footballer and I'd seen how much Stephen Ireland had benefitted last season from his summer training sessions I would be on the phone to his personal trainer immediately. As much as I dislike the way that Ireland has refused to play for his country recently, you have to admire the extra work that he has put in to make himself a better player. In fact if I was Mark Hughes I'd be making his personal trainer an offer he couldn't refuse to train the rest of his underachieving squad throughout the summer.