Stephen Ireland

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Originally Posted by Razors left peg

I dont think we have been chasing him all that hard,Trapattoni has met him once to ask him to come back and has now said that the 3 players have his phone number and its up to them to call him if they want to return, I dont think there is anything wrong with that.I also disagree with you that England didnt chase Shearer this hard.There were media campaigns to try to convince Shearer to change his mind, and it was the same with Paul Scholes.
Bottom line is that while we have some good players in midfield we dont have the same choice as France, England or other big countries so if we are to be sucessful we need as many options as possibly

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we mightnt have the players but we should have the pride in ourselves as a nation not to bow down to this surrender monkey's demands.

No player is bigger than his team, no man is bigger than his country.

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Originally Posted by SkStu

we mightnt have the players but we should have the pride in ourselves as a nation not to bow down to this surrender monkey's demands.

No player is bigger than his team, no man is bigger than his country.

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what demands exactly has he made??

I think Finnan will come back if he's guaranteed a starting place at right back, his natural position.

Call that traitorous or whatever you want, but at this stage of his career he probably (and rightly so) feels that he shouldn't be moved to accomodate the likes of O'Shea or Kelly at right back.

phrased poorly, i admit. But you should know what im getting at. He shouldnt have to be begged to play for his country. It should be an absolute honour like it was to numerous generations of Irish (born or blood) before him. He is a documented liar and a coward to boot.

I would have forgiven his lies if he had apologised and come back to the squad immediately. But the more this farce continues, the more p1ssed off i am at him and the harder it is to wish for his return.

I think it is time to put him behind us, whether we need him or not.

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Originally Posted by SkStu

phrased poorly, i admit. But you should know what im getting at. He shouldnt have to be begged to play for his country. It should be an absolute honour like it was to numerous generations of Irish (born or blood) before him. He is a documented liar and a coward to boot.

I would have forgiven his lies if he had apologised and come back to the squad immediately. But the more this farce continues, the more p1ssed off i am at him and the harder it is to wish for his return.

I think it is time to put him behind us, whether we need him or not.

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I do agree with you to a point,most of us here would do anything to even get to play 5 minutes for the national team and its impossible to understand why anybody in his position would simply refuse to play for us.Again I agree with you that the longer it goes on the harder it is to want him back in the squad but I for one am willing to wait to see if himself and the other lads come back into the squad for the next game.If at that point he still isnt willing to return than he should be totally forgotten about and not even mentioned on this forum

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Originally Posted by Razors left peg

I do agree with you to a point,most of us here would do anything to even get to play 5 minutes for the national team and its impossible to understand why anybody in his position would simply refuse to play for us.Again I agree with you that the longer it goes on the harder it is to want him back in the squad but I for one am willing to wait to see if himself and the other lads come back into the squad for the next game.If at that point he still isnt willing to return than he should be totally forgotten about and not even mentioned on this forum

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Why should we wait this long, he's had 9 months to make a statement, do our other players not deserve a bit better than putting up with his crap.

What kind of example is he giving to others, it's alright to turn up when it suits you.

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Originally Posted by Greenforever

Why should we wait this long, he's had 9 months to make a statement, do our other players not deserve a bit better than putting up with his crap.

What kind of example is he giving to others, it's alright to turn up when it suits you.

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I would wait that long because he obviously had issues with the last manager so when the new manager comes in he could change his mind. I would have liked to have seen him in the recent squad but end of season friendlies are not the best time to get all the players u want into squads so Im willing to wait to see what happens at the start of the season after he has had plenty of time over the summer to think about it..... and yes I know that he should need to think that long about it but I would still like to see him, Finnan and O'Brien return. I dont actually think he would get into my first choice team at the moment but its all about options

It's going to be interesting if Ireland stays at City next season, I wouldn't see him as being a player that Mark Hughes would realy like and Hughes certainly won't tolerate Ireland's 'quirkiness'. I wouldn't be surprised if Hughes cashes in on Sunderland offer if there will be one.

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Originally Posted by Qwerty

I wouldn't see him as being a player that Mark Hughes would realy like and Hughes certainly won't tolerate Ireland's 'quirkiness'. I wouldn't be surprised if Hughes cashes in on Sunderland offer if there will be one.

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I don't think Keane would put up with his "quirkiness" either.

International football is now fashionable again, thanks to the wonderful euro2008 tournament, after years of it being seen as an inferior product to club football. Do you think this will have an effect on Stephen Ireland's outlook?

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Originally Posted by eekers

International football is now fashionable again, thanks to the wonderful euro2008 tournament, after years of it being seen as an inferior product to club football. Do you think this will have an effect on Stephen Ireland's outlook?

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It will take more than three weeks of vintage football for him to mature!

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Originally Posted by eekers

Do you think this will have an effect on Stephen Ireland's outlook?

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hahahahaha oh wait you were serious, alow me to laugh even harder HAHAHAHAHA.
Seriously though I doubt Daddy Dick even watched the euros

He's bald now. No more dodgy hair to get bullied over. See the Mirror website.

He looks like this guy now
http://webservices.mymovies.name/Pho...c1bed3a391.jpg

From ER and a commercial where he rides a bike off a cliff

JP Manoux

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Originally Posted by passinginterest

He's bald now. No more dodgy hair to get bullied over. See the Mirror website.

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It's never going to grow back now:D:D

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Originally Posted by passinginterest

He's bald now. No more dodgy hair to get bullied over. See the Mirror website.

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The bottom picture remind me of Yellow ******* from Sin City...buhrootill feckin hed on him.

He looks like a penis now, Very poiny head on Daddy Dick in that pic

Maybe he was just running late for training, and being the eejit he is, he put his head on upside down!

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Originally Posted by Razors left peg

I do agree with you to a point,most of us here would do anything to even get to play 5 minutes for the national team and its impossible to understand why anybody in his position would simply refuse to play for us.Again I agree with you that the longer it goes on the harder it is to want him back in the squad but I for one am willing to wait to see if himself and the other lads come back into the squad for the next game.If at that point he still isnt willing to return than he should be totally forgotten about and not even mentioned on this forum

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Did you not say the same thing before the Serbia and Colombia games, and before the Brazil game?

Maybe you didn't but the point being loads of his "supporters" have done so and to be honest I find it insulting to the rest of the squad and the fans who spend a fortune travelling the world to support the team.

http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/3pm/2008/0...airy-pics.html

I like how the second comment on that news story is an attempt to start an argument about two players who had nothing to do with that article. Ahhhhh, the internet.

The Stephen Ireland story, let's face it, will make for an enjoyable tale when it finally ends & this latest twist is a beaut. I can see now why he prided himself having hair. That's one helluva pointy head!

With his new haircut his head more closey resembles the pen*s that we all know him to be.

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Originally Posted by youngirish

With his new haircut his head more closey resembles the pen*s that we all know him to be.

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grow up

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Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

grow up

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I am grown up in fact judging from the 1979 appendage to your name, which I'm guessing is your birthdate, I'm a bit older than you so here's a tip from one of your elders and betters try to develop a personality and sense of humour before you get any older it can really be beneficial to your life if you manage to pull yourself away from your computer.

anyway, back on topic for a minute:) He seems to have beefed up a fair bit or is that just the camera. I am hoping he has spent sometime in the gym over the last few weeks as this will be a benefit to him and should he return to us.

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Originally Posted by beautifulrock

should he return to us.

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if he was coming back we would know by now. we should move on

Very disappointed by a lot of the comments about Stephen Ireland in here. Sad to see how fickle and shallow some Irish fans have become. Must be all of that exposure to our friends across the water, because this sort of immature sh!te is something I for one would associate with that lot.

I for one hope he comes back, we're not a big enough footballing nation (tough for some to believe) to turn our noses up at decent talent like Ireland. Hopefully il Trap will sort things with him one way or another by the time the Qualifiers come about, and for the greater good, hopefully he will be back playing for us. And if he does play up again, he won't be picked. Simple.

Lol @ referring to England as "them across the water" reminds me of Apres match.
Anywho I find it funny you are more disappointed by peoples comments than by Daddy Dicks actions and obvious apathetic attitude when it comes to playing for his country

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Originally Posted by paulie_walnuts

Very disappointed by a lot of the comments about Stephen Ireland in here. Sad to see how fickle and shallow some Irish fans have become. Must be all of that exposure to our friends across the water, because this sort of immature sh!te is something I for one would associate with that lot.

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:rolleyes: I suppose it's "that lots" fault Stephen Ireland doesn't want to play for his country?

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Originally Posted by Morbo

Anywho I find it funny you are more disappointed by peoples comments than by Daddy Dicks actions and obvious apathetic attitude when it comes to playing for his country

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It does strike me as a little strange that so many people on this forum are so critical and abusive towards Stephen Ireland. In the not too distant past another Manchester-based player, with a similarly apathetic attitude to playing for Ireland, was treated like Jesus Christ himself when he returned to the squad. No question he was a much more experienced and influential player but there are similarities.

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Originally Posted by paulie_walnuts

Very disappointed by a lot of the comments about Stephen Ireland in here. Sad to see how fickle and shallow some Irish fans have become. Must be all of that exposure to our friends across the water, because this sort of immature sh!te is something I for one would associate with that lot.

I for one hope he comes back, we're not a big enough footballing nation (tough for some to believe) to turn our noses up at decent talent like Ireland. Hopefully il Trap will sort things with him one way or another by the time the Qualifiers come about, and for the greater good, hopefully he will be back playing for us. And if he does play up again, he won't be picked. Simple.

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Trap should go down on bended knee for SI and do whatever it takes to get him back on board, and even then if he is unfortunate enough to have his grandad's die on another away trip, we can charter another plane at my (fan's) expense.

If Trap was to hire the pink hummer seen around town to collect him from the airport he may feel more at home.

I fully agree with you we should grovel to the likes of SI at all times because he is a world class player who has won everything that's going and the rest of the squad are only needed to make up the numbers, and they know it's a greater honour to be in SI's company than to play for their country.

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Originally Posted by EastTerracer

It does strike me as a little strange that so many people on this forum are so critical and abusive towards Stephen Ireland. In the not too distant past another Manchester-based player, with a similarly apathetic attitude to playing for Ireland, was treated like Jesus Christ himself when he returned to the squad. No question he was a much more experienced and influential player but there are similarities.

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Not by me he was, I saw it as little more than a PR exercise, you have a point even before the whole Saipan incident Keane did pull out of a lot of Irish squads with questionable injuries and play a full 90 minutes for MU a few days later but people turned a blind eye to it because he was such a good player

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Originally Posted by Greenforever

Trap should go down on bended knee for SI and do whatever it takes to get him back on board, and even then if he is unfortunate enough to have his grandad's die on another away trip, we can charter another plane at my (fan's) expense.

If Trap was to hire the pink hummer seen around town to collect him from the airport he may feel more at home.

I fully agree with you we should grovel to the likes of SI at all times because he is a world class player who has won everything that's going and the rest of the squad are only needed to make up the numbers, and they know it's a greater honour to be in SI's company than to play for their country.

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I agree. Some of the attitudes on here regarding Stephen Ireland are absolutely ridiculous. You would think it was Maradona we were trying to convince to come back. These comments that pop up every now and then about him being by far our most talented player are obviously coming from people from Cobh or the man himself under an alias. Certainly not from any unbiased source that has watched him play a few times.

S Ireland is an average Premiership player, no more, no less. Yes he may improve as he's still young but until that's the case he shouldn't be let near the squad until he comes grovelling back and begs his teammates, managerial staff and fans for their forgiveness for his past sins. Even if he does drasticallly improve I'd be hesitant to let him back near the squad.

The day we're relying on the likes of Stephen Ireland, a whinging, overrated, lazy midfielder with a tendency to go missing in games and a shocking goals to game ratio for his club, to qualify for a major tournament is the day I paint the wheels of my new landrover pink and change my name by deed poll to Daddy Dick.

He's scored a fair few goals for us though;)

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Originally Posted by Morbo

Not by me he was, I saw it as little more than a PR exercise, you have a point even before the whole Saipan incident Keane did pull out of a lot of Irish squads with questionable injuries and play a full 90 minutes for MU a few days later but people turned a blind eye to it because he was such a good player

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Not to mention simply not showing up at the airport for a U.S. tour for which he was down to be captain.

But he played for the red team in Manchester so that's alright then.

reading this thread is like twisting chewing gum around one's finger.
i made a comment a while ago where i had read that stephen ireland was regarded as grossly immature and midly retarded.i guess the mildness/heaviness ratio is up for discussion now ?!
At no time was i trying to denigrate or even mock those of us who have a disability of any kind-physical or mental ,but simply to put the matter of stephen irelands general intelligence up as a marker of his behavouir.
he appears to be thick as **** . is that a more reasonable explanation ?
i have a work colleague who is a season ticket holder at eastlands and has been since colin bell was floating down the wing(so he tells me) .
he has stories about ireland being pretty much like most footballers in england. i.e lacking in the grey matter,but apprently little stevie is seen by his teammates as "not the full shilling" .

final point. i'm not entirely sure he has any allegiance to ireland as a country as i was informed he has spent a large part of his lfe away from this fair isle.
any i prefer stephen hunt in midfied anyways........
tally ho

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Originally Posted by placid casual

final point. i'm not entirely sure he has any allegiance to ireland as a country as i was informed he has spent a large part of his lfe away from this fair isle.
any i prefer stephen hunt in midfied anyways........
tally ho

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Give me Stephen or Andy Reid any day. Failing that I've high hopes for Garvan in central midfield in the near future. At least he appears to want to play for Ireland.

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Originally Posted by placid casual

reading this thread is like twisting chewing gum around one's finger.
i made a comment a while ago where i had read that stephen ireland was regarded as grossly immature and midly retarded.i guess the mildness/heaviness ratio is up for discussion now ?!
At no time was i trying to denigrate or even mock those of us who have a disability of any kind-physical or mental ,but simply to put the matter of stephen irelands general intelligence up as a marker of his behavouir.
he appears to be thick as **** . is that a more reasonable explanation ?
i have a work colleague who is a season ticket holder at eastlands and has been since colin bell was floating down the wing(so he tells me) .
he has stories about ireland being pretty much like most footballers in england. i.e lacking in the grey matter,but apprently little stevie is seen by his teammates as "not the full shilling" .

final point. i'm not entirely sure he has any allegiance to ireland as a country as i was informed he has spent a large part of his lfe away from this fair isle.
any i prefer stephen hunt in midfied anyways........
tally ho

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I dont know about stephen ireland but it is an often repeated myth that talented footballers are stupid when in fact most[not all] are inteligent and bright.Whether this is based on jealousy or not i do not know.You do get the odd idiot that is blessed with a natural talent but i bet that we would all enjoy being as stupid as david beckham.How stupid is he to have amassed the amount of money that he has from a silly football talent.Mind you there does seem to be a question over mr ireland.

Roy Keane was hardly hailed as a hero for coming back by all and sundry, half of us (myself included) never wanted him back and hardly cheered his name from the rooftops when he did return. But let's not get into that again

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Originally Posted by jebus

Roy Keane was hardly hailed as a hero for coming back by all and sundry, half of us (myself included) never wanted him back and hardly cheered his name from the rooftops when he did return. But let's not get into that again

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But do you not think that open the eyes of the FAI and they have moved forward and progressed from then?