Stephen Ireland

[Newryrep]

Can this not be locked until something significant happens ?

It has got to the stage where we are embarassing ourselves as a country if we continue to pine after him, mention how well he is playing etc, mentioned at press conferences . when he doesnt want to play for us.

Its like the girlfriend who dumps you and you just dont accept it and hope she will change her mind and mention to your friends how well she is looking.

Doesnt change the fact that she has rejected you.

Your friends eventually tell you to get a ****** life.

He has rejected us can we not move on. ?*

*my opinion has shifted from
1.back after an apology
to
2.wouldnt have him anywhere near a green shirt.

[Neish]

Not sure if it been mentioned here yet(don't have time to search though 60+ pages)But what get me so much about the Stephen Ireland situation is the way everyone bitched and moaned for years about Roy Keane walking out, but Ireland seem not half as much the villan.

Yes Keane did leave at one of the worst time possible but he left as a matter of principal and he may of been wrong to walk out but the principal was right. Where as IMO Ireland couldn't be bothered playing because it doesn't really pay him to

[Morbo]

I don't buy the "he walked out on principle" argument, Keane often missed games for Ireland and played a few days later for MU and before he left 'on principle' he told McCarthy that wanted to go home for 'personal reasons' and concerns over his troublesome knee, can't believe so many people buy into Keanes excuse, don't want to start a whole new Saipan argument but it just bugs me when Keane is painted as an honourable man sticking to his principles. Yes I agree Stephen Ireland's actions were a lot more despicable but the reason I believe Keane was more vilified is because he walked out at a more crucial time and he was a more important player

[eirebhoy]

Can this not be locked until something significant happens ?

It has got to the stage where we are embarassing ourselves as a country if we continue to pine after him, mention how well he is playing etc, mentioned at press conferences . when he doesnt want to play for us.

He's Irish though and for me he'll always be representing Ireland while playing abroad.

[ken foree]

lock this thread?! are you mad. a man who fakes the death of his two grannies, professes a love for the saw movies, drives a jeep with pink rims, has fake hair implanted into his head, drops his shorts after a goal, refuses to play for ireland.. ok maybe you've convinced me, but i confess i find this character stephen ireland utterly compelling. you couldn't make it up. and what really p!sses me off is he's a fantastic player. godamn.

[gwhite]

Check this story out. He denies he ever mentioned that his Granny died. Interesting article...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...-Football.html

[co. down green]

I'm totally fed up with the whole Stephen Ireland saga.

The bottom line is, he does not want to play for Ireland. Trapatonni went and spoke to him, gave him the whole, new team, new management, new team unity speech, said he would be welcome back into the squad, and he replied by saying he did not wish to play for his country.

End of story, and i agree with what Brady said last week, “We’ve been to see the boy, we’ve asked him to come back. What do you want us to do? Go over every week?"

Move on.

[Dr. Ogba]

Check this story out. He denies he ever mentioned that his Granny died. Interesting article...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...-Football.html

good article to be fair....sounds like he might be growing up and copping himself on a bit...

[tetsujin1979]

Check this story out. He denies he ever mentioned that his Granny died. Interesting article...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...-Football.html

But I feel it is maybe time to say something because I'm getting a very bad press in Ireland, with hate mail being sent here to the training ground."

Who the hell would do something like that?? Idiots

[SUB of the day]

Its taken this much time to formulate this version, give me a break.The article was self indulgent garbage.The weasel is obviously now trying to shine a positive light on himself, in a fashion a 5 year old pr guru might advise.Nauseating!

[bellavistaman]

Its taken this much time to formulate this version, give me a break.The article was self indulgent garbage.The weasel is obviously now trying to shine a positive light on himself, in a fashion a 5 year old pr guru might advise.Nauseating!

Gorw up man anything the boy says will be snuffed at by the likes of you. We all havew our problems, imagine if the worst thing you went through was watched and publicised out to the world.

Agree with tetsujin, the ahte mail would only make me sick hearing it. Idiots ir right!!!

[Noelys Guitar]

I would like to see him back playing for Ireland. He is one of the best players in the Premiership.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Check this story out. He denies he ever mentioned that his Granny died. Interesting article...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...-Football.html

He never denied anything. The version of events he said are what was reported a year ago.

[co. down green]

I would like to see him back playing for Ireland. He is one of the best players in the Premiership.

I agree, but ultimately only Stephen Ireland can make that decision.

It's up to Stephen Ireland to declare his willingness and commitment to playing for Ireland.

My concern is that he will do it for his own reasons, rather than a commitment to the green shirt.

But perhaps i'm being unfair to Stephen.

This sums it up fro me:

With fine economy, the Manchester City man (Richard Dunne) spoke of the weariness he felt at constantly being asked about the possible return of a player who had, for his own reasons, quit the colours. Dunne didn't further muddy the water, he didn't speak of any disgust at the manner of Ireland's abdication, the lies that accompanied it, but he did raise the most pertinent point of all. What if Ireland built on their promising start in qualifying, what if they marched on South Africa 2010, what, quite, would the re-appearance of Stephen Ireland say to the foot soldiers who had made it happen?

It would declare that you could treat the whole process with contempt, you could luxuriate in the rewards and the celebrity of the Premiership without irksome diversions in places like Georgia and Cyprus, and then, if the mood took you, if a little career-enhancing glory might just be involved, you might just change your mind.

[SUB of the day]

Gorw up man anything the boy says will be snuffed at by the likes of you. We all havew our problems, imagine if the worst thing you went through was watched and publicised out to the world.

Agree with tetsujin, the ahte mail would only make me sick hearing it. Idiots ir right!!!

And being from Cobh doesn't colour your opinion at all.The man is a genuinely good player,we need him in our National team, but he doesn't give a toss for his country, which in my book makes him a langer.

[francesco_1]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...n-1549265.html

Grannygate was caused as a kneejerk reaction to an upset girlfriend and wanting to keep his privacy on the matter. He admits he was immature and at the age of 20 I think anyone would the slightest bit of decency should let it go.

More interestingly is what he does with the jerseys he gets at the end of matches, gets the player to sign them and auctions them for the hospice charity, also signalling his intention to have a similiar service in Cork. How many 22 year olds would be so thoughtful?

Though of more relevance is his increasing willingness to bring these things out in the air and talk about them, pleading with the public that mistakes were made that he regrets. Step 1 to making himself available I believe. If I was a betting man I'd say that he'll be available for our next match in Feburary, I think he's starting to lean that way.

I think trapp should lean half way catch him by the scruff of the neck and drag him back,as we head into the big matches he would be welcomed back by 95% of fans the other 5% will learn to love him again after he plays a major part in our games

[Morbo]

Jesus tap dancing christ not another Daddy Dick thread, seriously Ciaran your obsession with the guy is starting to freak me out, did this really deserve a new thread isn't there already 2 or 3 threads devoted to him?

[tricky_colour]

He's just scored for man city v arsenal

[bellavistaman]

And being from Cobh doesn't colour your opinion at all.The man is a genuinely good player,we need him in our National team, but he doesn't give a toss for his country, which in my book makes him a langer.

It does, prob eans i know more info on the lads career than others on here. Also watch him closely for years.

Superb player, a football genius with the ball at his feet.

[Noelys Guitar]

According to reports on the city board Ireland has been superb in the first half.