He has provisionally agreed a £54,000 a week pay rise with City. He'll be earning £80,000 a week from next season probably.
He could probably buy 2 pink Land Rovers a week now.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...y-new-contract
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He has provisionally agreed a £54,000 a week pay rise with City. He'll be earning £80,000 a week from next season probably.
He could probably buy 2 pink Land Rovers a week now.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...y-new-contract
didnt roy say he wouldnt be back but then returned. i wouldnt rule out anything at this stage. however, he is making it harder and harder all the time and id say its a return before the august friendly or not at all for this campaign at leastQuote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Everyones "never say never" is different.
Keane had a royal bust up of all bust ups with the manager.
No similarity with SI´s situation at all.
Anyway my point was that his use of the words "never say never" is not in the remotest way, evidence now that he cares at all about playing for his country, at present or in the foreseeable future, as some claim it is.
In his own words, he has retired now and for the foreseeable future, but
apparently this thread on SI is hanging on the decaying strands of his 'never say never' words.
"Any one got some super glue to keep this des kelly in position?
http://dynimg.rte.ie/0001f4c210dr.jpg
Voted city's player of the year today-no surprise there. Nice pouty pic of him here too.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2009/0521/irelands.html
Trap contacted SI last week to congragulate him on his good season. Wonder what the responce (if any) was. Trap is a clever man so I wonder what made him contact Ireland last week? SI must have given some indication (probably through Richard Dunne or Given)that he is willing to return. And return on Trap's terms.
How are you privy to such information good sir?Quote:
Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar
Quote:
Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar
Not true at all. I haven't heard or seen hide nor hair from Trap in ages.:DQuote:
Originally Posted by youngirish
From todays Irish Examiner YoungIrish and it was mentioned on Radio5 last night.Quote:
Originally Posted by youngirish
Meanwhile, Trapattoni has effectively confirmed that he sent end of season greetings to Stephen Ireland recently. In a clear sign that the manager is determined to keep the door open to the absentee Manchester City player, the Italian reportedly contacted him to congratulate him on his fine season and being named his club’s player of the year.
Read more: http://www.examiner.ie/sport/trap-ke...xzz0HdCNAIV2&C
The "voices" told me he contacted you Strange Irish! According to Radio 5 S.Ireland has been back in contact with Trap and is "close" to coming back. I am not sure what "close" means in Stephen Ireland's case.Quote:
Originally Posted by strangeirish
From todays Irish Times
Reports from back home that Trapattoni had been in touch over the last week or so with Stephen Ireland were all but confirmed by the Italian who, while pointedly naming Steven Reid rather than the Manchester City midfielder, said that he occasionally calls or sends text messages to absent players but that nothing much should be read into it. In Ireland’s case, it appears he congratulated the 22-year-old on a good season and his young player of the year award, while reminding him the door remains open if and when he decides to end his international exile.
Nice to have such a gentleman and diplomat as Trap in charge.
THe Times also alludes to this
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...248174858.html
It sounds like the press dragging up the usual nonsense again. No doubt to be followed by more calls that the Management aren't doing enough, and should have personnaly visited young Ireland with some flowers and a card signed by the whole team wishing him well.Quote:
Reports from back home that Trapattoni had been in touch over the last week or so with Stephen Ireland were all but confirmed by the Italian who, while pointedly naming Steven Reid rather than the Manchester City midfielder, said that he occasionally calls or sends text messages to absent players but that nothing much should be read into it. In Ireland’s case, it appears he congratulated the 22-year-old on a good season and his young player of the year award, while reminding him the door remains open if and when he decides to end his international exile.
But the press fishing for a story, does not take away from Trap's measured and composed response as opposed for example to an exasperated condemning rant from Givens.
Agree. Trap as well as having class is a pragmatist.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Clever from Trap but imo even if SI wanted to return i dont think he should be selected until after this campaign. I think his return might do more harm than good.
There's only three games left after tonight. If we get a result tonight and he returns to the fold what does that do for what little credibility he has left as a person.Quote:
Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar
Is it too late for him to come back without doing more harm than good??
It was also reported at the time that he sent a text to him at Christmas to wish him the best of luck.Quote:
Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar
Hard to know. I'd prefer to have him there at ant stage to be honest. Wouldn't be too worried about the feelings of Whelan/Andrews/etc. if it gave us a better chance. Would be extremely doubtful that he'd return this campaign anyway as it would be a harder for himself, a fresh start for a new qualification campaign would be the easiest.Quote:
Originally Posted by dr_peepee
He probably replaced the recieve when he heard his voice ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar
Quote:
Originally Posted by elroy
Agreed no point in upsetting the team spirit.
If we could get Ireland back in for the start of next season it would be great. We need to try everything to get him to come back.
If he wants to come back, fine. No one should be bending over backwards for the little **** though. Likewise i don't think he needs to be apologising to anyone. Just come back, play, move on.
i would not let him in back until we finish with this world cup campaignQuote:
Originally Posted by bobloblaw
I'd be alright with it if he came back in for the rest of the campaign. Though i'm probably only saying that as i've very little hope of us doing any half decent side over two legs should we make second.Quote:
Originally Posted by swinfordfc
they is some poor enough sides in second place in some group but france, russia and bosnia h i would like to avoid ..... :DQuote:
Originally Posted by bobloblaw
Just out of blind idle almost 4 o'clock in the morning drunkeness, where would you have played young Ireland against Bulgaria tonight, and how would his contribution have affected the outcome of the game positively or negatively?
That's the big question. For me it'd have been at the expense of one of the wide men, giving him the responsibility to collect from Whelan & Andrews and distrubute to the front 2 or the remaining wide man. It'd put more pressure on the full backs and maybe give opposition full backs more freedom to attack, but it'd also keep the opposition defense honest as he can exploit & attack space well.
Although given how out of the game I felt Keane was last night maybe Folan upfront supported by SI from deeper?
I think Ireland's return would necessitate a complete revamp of our system.
Maybe something like (note my fully fit lineup!):
-------------Given------------
Finnan--Sledge--Dunne---O'Shea
Duff--------S.Reid--------Hunt
-------Keane----Ireland-------
------------Folan-------------
If Trap was adamant on keeping his system, then I think Ireland would perform best in Keane's current role.
Trapp sends the bald midget a text wishing him a happy birthday and it's back to same old ifs and buts etc etc - the stuff of fantasy and wishful thinking. Nothing new here.
4am, drunk and Tets still finds time to log on to foot.ie! Dedication.
I imagine the Trap would have played Ireland on the right if available (Duff would switch to the left) but we'd have been very narrow on that side because I imagine he'd try and drift into the centre of the field when given the chance. If S Reid was available then I'd pair Ireland with him in the centre of midfield and let Reid sweep up.
I'd still have him back in a heart beat but I'm the forgiving kind.
Ye are right trap is a clever man!!! he had no intention of trying to get him before this game hence why he left it so close to the game to call, because ireland would disrupt his system which worked quite well last night, but does want him for the last 3 games for his creativity against two of the weaker teams for fear we fail to break them done with whelan and andrews in midfield like nearly happened before
don't need people like him in a squad.
never want to see him or any1 with his attitude in an Irish jersey again.
his Ireland career is dead to me, it is dead to Richard dunne as well
Prob wudnt be if he wore a celtic jersey though id say
I agree, he would devalue the jersey if he wore it. Please God give us a couple of decent midfielders out of McCann, McCarthy, Gibson, O'Toole and Garvan so the absence of Stephen Ireland is no longer such an issue.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mcgeady46
what the hell is that rubbish about?Quote:
Originally Posted by Manblue
I think his absence is making him a cult fugure, the longer he is out of the team the better he becomes.Quote:
Originally Posted by youngirish
the stephen Ireland topic is just easy cannon fodder for lazy hacks who don't have the imagination to think about anything else to write about!
As far as i see it, whilst it would be an honour for 99.9% of the pop to wear the jersey, he doesnt have the same affection for it, he doesnt want to play. It is the media mainly and trap who keep bringing it up not himQuote:
Originally Posted by Mcgeady46
The sad thing is he'll regret it when his career ends and he looks back and realises he could have played at the highest level in football namely the World Cup but chose not to. In 50 years tme no matter how great a player you are during your career for Manchester City nobody other than die hard city supporters will remember you. If you play and perform well in a couple of World Cups then that's a different story. Even the great George Best is barely known outside Ireland and Britain in comparison to the likes of Maradona, Puskas, Pele, Eusebio and Cryuff. He arguably has or will have the talent to be one of the top performers in a world cup with a half decent team behind him considering he frequently overshadows the likes of Robinho on a weekly basis.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manblue
Unfortunately I think he's too stupid at present to realise this.
This is a very valid point but surely one which has been pointed out to him so he most feel very strongly about it (not playing that is)Quote:
Originally Posted by youngirish
Probably but it's sad our most talented players always seem to be the most difficult in some way. I was talking to some English lads yesterday when watching the match and they claimed that the Stephen Ireland, Roy Keane situations would never happen with English players as the media and fans for both their club and International team would crucify them where as ours seem to look for excuses for them and try to accomodate them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manblue
I think the English possibly have the correct attitude on this one.
Good players like Scholes have called it quits though, not too much fanfare followed.