Stephen Ireland

**DeLorean** · 02/04/2014, 2:51 PM

If ever there were two opposites! (although the Scots might not agree!)

I never realised all 202 pages are actually since SI's exile! Presume there must be another thread somewhere.

**Stuttgart88** · 02/04/2014, 2:55 PM

His last appearance for us predated the internet

**TheOneWhoKnocks** · 02/04/2014, 5:47 PM

Originally Posted by DeLorean

Yeah it's beyond ridiculous the fuss that's made over a 27 year old with 6 caps and a pretty much non-existent club career between Man City and recently. His biggest achievement to date has been racking up 202 pages on foot.ie.

He did win Player of the Year at Villa (I know) and his performances at Stoke have garnered praise. He has also scored more goals over 6 games than Whelan has over 50 so International football clearly suited him. He would easily be our seventh highest scorer by now if he never upped and left.

**DeLorean** · 02/04/2014, 9:21 PM

I still think 202 pages on Foot.ie is better.

**Stuttgart88** · 02/04/2014, 9:35 PM

Very good. But as someone famous once said, if you've got standards, lower them. I'd have him back be a use he's a good player. We need good players to get better.

**mark12345** · 02/04/2014, 9:43 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Very good. But as someone famous once said, if you've got standards, lower them. I'd have him back be a use he's a good player. We need good players to get better.

I agree. SI has his warped way of thinking and so be it. But when you see the likes of Cyprus, Slovakia and Lithuania killing us with a thousand passes at the Aviva, then I would take Stephen Ireland, Steven Tyler or even Stephen King if it would fix the problem.

**Crosby87** · 02/04/2014, 10:29 PM

Stephen Hawking could possibly be the manager.

**Stuttgart88** · 03/04/2014, 7:03 AM

Originally Posted by mark12345

I agree. SI has his warped way of thinking and so be it. But when you see the likes of Cyprus, Slovakia and Lithuania killing us with a thousand passes at the Aviva, then I would take Stephen Ireland, Steven Tyler or even Stephen King if it would fix the problem.

Eh, Stephen Ireland played in Cyprus. Look what happened then! Point taken though, despite me having no recollection of playing Cyprus or Lithuania at the Aviva

**DeLorean** · 03/04/2014, 8:08 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Very good. But as someone famous once said, if you've got standards, lower them. I'd have him back be a use he's a good player. We need good players to get better.

Yeah, I'm just not overly concerned one way or the other. If he comes back, fine. He if comes back and plays well, better still. He's just not worth all the attention (to which I have contributed).

**Greenbod** · 03/04/2014, 9:43 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Very good. But as someone famous once said, if you've got standards, lower them. I'd have him back be a use he's a good player. We need good players to get better.

I really hope he doesn't come back.

If he does make himself available for selection and O'Neill picks him, I'll support that. What I hate is that he seems to be "courted" to return. He should just be left alone until he announces he's available. At that point it's up to the manager to pick or drop him just like everyone else. But I hope it doesn't happen. He's shown too much disrespect to team, fans and country.

**Stuttgart88** · 04/04/2014, 6:06 PM

Sky Sports News about to interview him shortly in what they say is an extraordinary interview or something hyperbolic.
I can't watch it though, I' e had to head out. They just interviewed Stewart Thompson(?) of Dundee United. I think he's the most eloquent footballer I've ever heard. He's doing a law degree while playing pro footy. Not many do that. Maybe Ireland is about to reveal he has just started learning his times tables.

**Crosby87** · 04/04/2014, 6:18 PM

He's discovered a cure for baldness.

**back of the net** · 04/04/2014, 6:47 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Sky Sports News about to interview him shortly in what they say is an extraordinary interview or something hyperbolic.
I can't watch it though, I' e had to head out. They just interviewed Stewart Thompson(?) of Dundee United. I think he's the most eloquent footballer I've ever heard. He's doing a law degree while playing pro footy. Not many do that. Maybe Ireland is about to reveal he has just started learning his times tables.

Just saw it.......basically said , there is alot of pressure on o neill and roy to pick him and that really it comes down to a conversation he has to have with them, but that he feels thst conversation will happen pretty soon. He said he also gets alot of pressure from his immediate family to go back and that is one of the many reasons why it maybe wud be good for him to go back to the international fold.

**Charlie Darwin** · 04/04/2014, 6:49 PM

I fear Sky may have over-hyped that one slightly. Or was it Stutts?

**back of the net** · 04/04/2014, 6:51 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I fear Sky may have over-hyped that one slightly. Or was it Stutts?

Nope Stutts was on the ball - it was all Sky and their sports news presenter

**CraftyToePoke** · 04/04/2014, 6:55 PM

Id like that conversation to be along the lines of 'Stephen, we rate you massively, we want you back, no strings. If you do we will back you publicly and privately and on the playing side of if, although no one is a guaranteed starter, we think enough of you creatively that we will, in certain types of game, largely, set the side up around you, you can have your prime in green and become a hero, a key asset in a side we believe will qualify for a couple of major finals and the past will be forgotten by all, let us know by the end of the day please'

If he starts any carry on after that make it clear what was offered, very publicly and nip his crap firmly in the bud. And no harm adding that by the time MONROY are done in this role he will be an international irrelevance anyway, so no point in anyone giving any further coverage to his international career.

**Greenbod** · 04/04/2014, 8:36 PM

Originally Posted by CraftyToePoke

Id like that conversation to be along the lines of 'Stephen, we rate you massively, we want you back, no strings. If you do we will back you publicly and privately and on the playing side of if, although no one is a guaranteed starter, we think enough of you creatively that we will, in certain types of game, largely, set the side up around you, you can have your prime in green and become a hero, a key asset in a side we believe will qualify for a couple of major finals and the past will be forgotten by all, let us know by the end of the day please'

......conversation should be initiated by Stephen....eh, I'd like to be considered for selection again. To which the reply should be along the lines of "Ok..don't call us, we'll call you"

**geysir** · 04/04/2014, 9:16 PM

I hope CTP was just being ..... surreal.

**Crosby87** · 04/04/2014, 9:40 PM

Can I ask a serious question I have? Are they (MOL and Roy) going to ask him to comeback or not? Like, who is instigating this.

**CraftyToePoke** · 05/04/2014, 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by Crosby87

Can I ask a serious question I have? Are they (MOL and Roy) going to ask him to comeback or not? Like, who is instigating this.

Broken down to lay mans terms Crosby, my dear fellow, its little akin to the mating ritual of the red assed baboon, with Stephen presently presenting. Teasingly. Does he want it, or just the attention ? Who knows. MonRoy can now either display and risk rejection, or ignore, and if they chose this, none of us will ever really know what was in young Ireland's heart.

But the dance has begun, of that I assure you.