Stephen Ireland pulls out of squad

**Dodge** · 10/10/2007, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by citizenerased

whats this whole 'daddy dick' thing..must have missed that

Thats his bebo username

**Macy** · 10/10/2007, 10:47 AM

The kid obviously has problems, and if being close to his personal support network (councillors or whatever) helps him more than being away from that for 10 days so be it. McGrath is the most obvious example where supporters took a compasionate view of what was going on, and continue to do. Is it that people can more readily comprehend alcoholism rather than mental problems?

Real problem is the fact that Staunton named him in the squad in the first place if he knew he didn't want to come, and then created this storm around the player again. The cynic in me would suggest it's convenient that it shifts all talk about these games now being meaningless, his failure to call up certain players and now gives him an out if we get hammered.

I wish this would just stop so I'm not forced to defend a blue untc time and again!

**KildareRed** · 10/10/2007, 11:04 AM

He played for city the last few weeks so whats wrong with him. I suppose if I was getting 50000 a week i would just about be able to play for my club.

**kingdom hoop** · 10/10/2007, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by elroy

I think what annoys more than most is that the vast majority of us here would give anything to play five mins in the green jersey

I think that's an important point and helps explain a lot of the compassionless posts on this thread. Richie Sadlier had a good article in the Sindo this week, with the headline revealing the main point; Envious friends make it hard to admit that your love for the game is not what it used to be. Just because you would love to do something another person has rejected does not entitle you to lambast them, especially if you don't know their reasons for the decision. None of us know what, if anything, is going on in Ireland's mind so I for one won't be directing any ire towards him.

As more of an aside, two people quite close to me who had mental problems but were reasonably ok suffered breakdowns when they went on holidays - ie out of their familiar surroundings for an extended period. It may be the case that Ireland was advised against travelling for this reason.

**Macy** · 10/10/2007, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by KildareRed

He played for city the last few weeks so whats wrong with him.

At most 1 night away in their games since the last internationals - certainly not 10 nights away.

**cavan_fan** · 10/10/2007, 11:21 AM

Stephen Ireland is an average player in the team. On the plus side he scores goals but he does very little else. He is benefitting from playing in a good City side but that has little to do with him. Most impartial opinion is that it is largely down to a good defence and Elano/Petrov.

I dont mind him pulling out doe to psychological issues. However I am annoyed that he can still play regularly for his club. He doesnt seem to fear doing himself justice there. That combined with his under-age boycott and his behaviour last time (lying twice about dead granny's) says he is not all that committed.

That would be fine if he was McGrath (or even Richard Dunne). But I dont believe we should persist with him when he is not even a clear first team choice. We are in danger of becoming the Stephen Ireland show.

**Billsthoughts** · 10/10/2007, 11:26 AM

why has our national team become such a farce? why are players even having to make statements? could they not just have dropped him from the squad or had him pull out with a knock. Its become such a pathetic soap opera. Why does staunton feel the need for explanations like this when he couldnt be bothered explaining why this campaign is a complete write off already with 3 games remaining.

**Stuttgart88** · 10/10/2007, 11:33 AM

Wsan't Gerry McDermott hired to do PR?

This forum alone poses so many questions that need answering on an ongoing basis and yet confusion continues to reign at every opportunity. It's clear that one of the obvious Saipan lessons hasn't been learnt.

**Sonic** · 10/10/2007, 11:34 AM

Is this guy for real. Why would we give him abuse. We are not scum like England we can distinguish between family and the importance of an Ireland game. Id tell him either play in this game or you will never play for Ire again ya little twirp!!

**btid1** · 10/10/2007, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by Macy

At most 1 night away in their games since the last internationals - certainly not 10 nights away.

Well if this is the case then he could at least have the bottle to come out and say this rather than hiding behind lame excuses like he has done.

It's just one thing after another with this lad and my patience has run out with him and if he's not careful his former agents prediciton of his demise before he is 25 may come through!!

**Lim till i die** · 10/10/2007, 12:31 PM

You Ireland fans crack me up:

"You can't call him a disgrace, you don't know him"

Swiftly followed by:

"He obviously has personal issues"

He is a disgrace, a coward and a liar and he's is pi$$ing all over ye.

But shur the worse you treat some people the more they'll kiss your ar$e

Pathetic.

Only the Oirish public would tolerate such nonsense

Btw comparing the stupid, selfish little pr**k to McGrath is borderline sick IMO

**drinkfeckarse** · 10/10/2007, 1:07 PM

Originally Posted by cavan_fan

Stephen Ireland is an average player in the team. On the plus side he scores goals but he does very little else. He is benefitting from playing in a good City side but that has little to do with him. Most impartial opinion is that it is largely down to a good defence and Elano/Petrov.

I find this attitude slightly bemusing. I'm not suggesting he's a great player but he certainly has all the attributes to make him a vital player for us in years to come (if he chooses to come back).

I could understand that comment if he was 27 but he has only just turned 21 and has probaly not evn touched on his potential.

Lets look at the facts. He's 21 and can only get better. He has scored 4 goals in 6 internationals. By Sven's own admission he is an important member of a Man City team that is playing it's best football in years and occupying it's highest league position in years. Yet we slate him for being average??

God help any other young players coming through if they're not automatically one of the best players on the planet.

**as_i_say** · 10/10/2007, 1:09 PM

Well if anyone has even watched just the highlights on MOTD of his performances for city-he's been absolutely outstanding for them. And Ercisson would not have him near that team if he wasnt up for the job. The whole thing smacks of brutal man management from staunton and a lack of balls from Stephen Ireland.

Yes he lost a baby that is terrible but if it had really been affecting his work life theres no way he would be playing so well for city. I'm very disappointed, we really needed the little fu cker this week.

I also don't buy any cr@p about players in the ireland camp slagging him off-and i mean has the camp even had a session since he announced he was outta there? very annoyed

**Rambler1** · 10/10/2007, 1:11 PM

Originally Posted by tricky_colour

Seems to me like he doesn't want to play for Ireland. He didn't want to play under Kerr too did he? Better off without him anyway.

He didnt want to play under Kerr because Kerr brought him over from Manchester promising that he would be building team around him for the competition and then not playing him, dropping him out of squad completly, to play all his english boys and Dublin buddies and not only that the match was sold in Cobh on the basis that he would be playing, as there was at least a couple of thousand in his home town that night paid in to see him playing.We saw him playing all right with his bag over his shoulder outside the dressing room after getting shafted by Kerr....Get your facts right buddy before you judge people.

**Dodge** · 10/10/2007, 1:29 PM

Originally Posted by Rambler1

He didnt want to play under Kerr because Kerr brought him over from Manchester promising that he would be building team around him for the competition and then not playing him, dropping him out of squad completly, to play all his english boys and Dublin buddies and not only that the match was sold in Cobh on the basis that he would be playing, as there was at least a couple of thousand in his home town that night paid in to see him playing.We saw him playing all right with his bag over his shoulder outside the dressing room after getting shafted by Kerr....Get your facts right buddy before you judge people.

Jesus, talk about one sided. According to Kerr he made no such promises and Ireland walked out in a huff when he wasn't named as a starter...

Its clear now who was telling the truth...

**Scram** · 10/10/2007, 1:31 PM

Stephen Ireland, Roy Keane, Eddie O'Sullivan......spot the connection

**youngirish** · 10/10/2007, 1:32 PM

If Ireland has mental problems according to some of the muppets on here then why after half a dozen caps are they only causing such a serious problem now that he can't even force himself to show up for an International squad? Don't be so naive you plonkers isn't it far more likely that he's not showing up because:

a) He's afraid of any criticism he was likely to get from the fans after his last episode.
b) We are now definitely out of Euro2008 so he's probably not that bothered.
c) He was probably told he wouldn't be starting anyway and as per Kerr a few years ago has gone off into one of his tantrums.

His serious mental problems obviously haven't affected him at Manchester City in the slightest or in any of the previous international caps he's accumulated.

Ireland is a 100% plonker and the epitome of what's wrong with footballers in this day and age. He caused trouble at youth level and he's been causing trouble in his short career at senior level. Wake up and smell the sh*te including that wally from Cobh above and stop trying to ignore or explain away this obvious fact with pure speculative dribble.

Lucky he's pretty sh*te anyway or we'd be in trouble. We get overrun everytime he plays in the midfield. At least Stan the dunce will now be forced to start with A Reid.

P.S. Why do people from Cork all have to support each other even when it's clear one of them is in the wrong? Do they really think everyone else in Ireland has it in for them? As a Dub I can state that nobody in Dublin I ever met could care less about Cork so it continues to elude me as to where a large percentage of them got these chips on their shoulders from.

**The Good Son** · 10/10/2007, 1:54 PM

Originally Posted by youngirish

P.S. Why do people from Cork all have to support each other even when it's clear one of them is in the wrong?

Why do people from Dublin have to make sweeping generalisations?

**youngirish** · 10/10/2007, 1:57 PM

Originally Posted by The Good Son

Why do people from Dublin have to make sweeping generalisations?

Sorry that should read. Why do a large number of people from Cork.

**FarBeag** · 10/10/2007, 1:59 PM

Mental Illness or not,either way it look's like he has no interest in playing for his country.As far as I can recall he just appeared out of the blue a couple of seasons ago playing for Man City . Their fans appeared to rate him and regularly shouted '' Ireland for England'' during the games. Maybe this is what fcuked him up.

Its a shame because he is a good player with the potential to get better but i think it will be a long time before we see him in an Irish top again if ever.