Stephen Ireland

[ifk101]

Ah I'd say he would alright, and I'm no fan of Stephen Manchester. Prolly on the right side seeing how Duff is always crocked. It would be between Hunt and McGeady for the left spot. Just speculation on my part but I reckon he would be somewhere in the first 11

Trapattoni has set the team up to play with two wingers. Stephen Ireland isn't a winger. He can play on the right side of midfield but he's still not a winger. Also think we need somebody of Steven Reid's "strength" in the middle to partner Glenn Whelan. Whelan's job is to sit in front of the back 4 - I can't see Ireland filling this role so Whelan starts ahead of Ireland. Stephen Ireland's potential place in the team is as a replacement for Steven Reid. I wouldn't take a fit Steven Reid out of the team for Stephen Ireland.

If we played a 4-5-1 formation, I'd pick him in the team. But, as I see it, he wouldn't start with the formation we currently play.

[third policeman]

Common sense and diplomacy. Examples please and please highlight what more the FAI need to do here that they haven't already done.

Well what have they done? A conversation with Trap?


He doesn't need to apologise because he's a better footballer than our other options?

Agree. He is actually is under no obligation to play for us, and an apology would be a futile gesture only serving to appease a section of opinion on this site.

Has mediation not already taken place? Or do you know something that nobody else knows.

What do you know? There is no evidence that anything has been done beyond the Trap conversation. I cannot say for certain what has or has not been done, but I strongly suspect given the FAI's track record and the prevailing culture in professional soccer that whatever efforts have been made have been inept and insensitive.

Give examples of where Brady and Trap, the FAI and everybody else have not tried to coax, mediate or whatever you wish to call, Stephen Ireland back into the Irish fold.

I really think it's up to you to give examples of the efforts that you allege have been made. My suspicions about the lack of effort are supported by the lack of evidence.

It's a closed book. MOVE ON!

Most of the people on this site suggest its a "closed book", because they want Ireland to endure the punishment of permanent exile and exclusion. But far from "moving on" you are the very people who have contributed 90% of the comments to this thread. I think that our management do have a responsibility to carry on seeking a resolution of the Ireland situation, because their ultimate responsibility is to get the best results for the team. That means getting the best out of our players and getting our best players out onto the pitch. Ireland's decision is clearly not totally whimsical and irrational. It is the result of things that happened to him and that have affected him. Maybe personnel management issues are way beyond the competence and experience of football coaches so other professional skills should be deployed.

[ifk101]

Most of the people on thi ......

What exactly do the FAI need to do here that hasn't already been done?

[FahyForever]

If Stephen Ireland made it clear he wants to play for Ireland and is willing to give it 100%, I'm sure Trap would welcome him back.

However I don't think he would make our starting 11 - esp. with the way Trapattoni has organised how we play. So tbh he can stay in Manchester and save the FAI from chartering a private jet in his honour.

,


Whatever your opinions on the man, his past and his character ( and I think he´s a pillock) there is no doubt that he´s THE in-form Irish player of the moment. He has been exceptional recently (particularly in the Portsmouth game) and if everything was honky dory off the field and all this controversy had not occured Trap would be building the team around him. I think he would be a huge benefit to the squad. I have no idea if that will ever happen though....

[ken foree]

What exactly do the FAI need to do here that hasn't already been done?

get him back in the squad.

[Dodge]

Most of the people on this site suggest its a "closed book", because they want Ireland to endure the punishment of permanent exile and exclusion

Thats simply not true. The vast, vast majority of people who post and the majority of those who vioted in the above poll want him to play for Ireland.

Its a closed book because he has repeatedly refused to do so.

If he wants to play for his country, he will. The only person stopping Stephen Ireland from playing for his country is Stephen Ireland.

[Brendan 82]

Trapattoni has set the team up to play with two wingers. Stephen Ireland isn't a winger. He can play on the right side of midfield but he's still not a winger. Also think we need somebody of Steven Reid's "strength" in the middle to partner Glenn Whelan. Whelan's job is to sit in front of the back 4 - I can't see Ireland filling this role so Whelan starts ahead of Ireland. Stephen Ireland's potential place in the team is as a replacement for Steven Reid. I wouldn't take a fit Steven Reid out of the team for Stephen Ireland.

If we played a 4-5-1 formation, I'd pick him in the team. But, as I see it, he wouldn't start with the formation we currently play.

Thats true he likes to use wingers in the current system but he has played Keogh out there and has suggested that his time on the right of midfield is not over. So going on that, and considering how well Ireland is playing, I think he would be in the first 11. Again, just my opinion

Ireland is too lightweight to play in either Reid or Whelan's position, and I think Trapp will stick with the 442 as long as it is our best system. So I suppose its a toss-up really.

[Colbert Report]

He's certainly not Claude Makelele, so he's out in that Steven Reid/ Glenn Whelan role in front of the centre backs we've been playing with so far. If Duff can't play then stick Ireland on the left wing instead of Hunt, or even the right wing instead of McGeady and let McGeady play left wing. Failing that, I would prefer him as a striker sub for Doyle or Keane over the likes of Shane Long or Noel Hunt. He's an amazing player, currently our best consistent performer in the Premiership where almost all of our players play, and we can't justify leaving him out because he "doesn't fit into a 4-2-2-2 formation.


That said, we have to convince him to come back into the squad in order for this to have anything to do with anything.

[eirebhoy]

Its a closed book because he has repeatedly refused to do so.

Its a closed book because he has repeatedly refused to do so.

He did say when he was being handed his FAI young player of the year award that he hopes to back playing for us at some time in the future. He does want to play for us but he's probably not patriotic enough to go through the terrible awkwardness of meeting up with the squad again. Jesus I don't even do family do's because I can't bare to talk to my aunties and uncles after so long. Seriously though, he told the Irish squad he had to leave Slovakia because his granny had died. I wouldn't want to have to face them after that either.

Come to think of it, I remember a few years ago I got offered a job working in the offices of a famous bookmakers. I had worked in one of their shops a few years back and left on bad terms. Basically I left by text message telling them I had lost a load of money gambling and was too embarassed to call up. A lot of that was true. I got the job but they still had to check my references. They contacted my old district manager who told them how I left the job previously. I got a call back that evening telling me that they would have to withdraw the offer. I was distraught after telling so many people I had gotten the job I really wanted. I sent a very long email to the girl in HR explaining why I left my last job. I also had to try and explain why I had a gambling problem at the time so one of my close family members who had died at the time was brought up in the email.

The following day I got a call back, she apologies for having to withdraw the offer without knowing fully what happened. She told me she showed the email to a couple of the main guys in the department I'd be working in and they were happy to take me on. Anyway, she offered me the job again to which I accepted over the phone. A couple of hours of thinking how embarrassing the email was and I actually rang back telling them I couldn't take the job and I took another job I was offered. That was how hard it was for me to face those guys after sending such an email.

Anyway, there's a piece of my life. I just think it's too easy to say he doesn't want to play for us.

[Dodge]

I just think it's too easy to say he doesn't want to play for us.

But unlike you, everyone pretty much knows his story so its not like he has to explain himself.

Get into the squad, get a bit of slagging from the lads and get on with it.

[stiffler]

That said, we have to convince him to come back into the squad in order for this to have anything to do with anything.

I think at this stage the balls in Stephen's court.

[eirebhoy]

But unlike you, everyone pretty much knows his story so its not like he has to explain himself.

Not really. I wouldn't have had any explaining to do if I took the job. I was just too embarrassed to go for it. There was a lot in the email btw.

[Collyontour]

Bottom line is we will have a better chance of qualifying with him back, regardless of the circumstances.

[geysir]

Not really. I wouldn't have had any explaining to do if I took the job. I was just too embarrassed to go for it. There was a lot in the email btw.

His other behaviour doesn't support the embarrassed angle, like.

[Noelys Guitar]

It might take a face to face with Trap to sort this out. Ireland has got rid of the 'Irish jig' and seems to be enjoying his football with City. He would have buried that chance that McGeady missed against Montenegro. Then again McGeady turns up. Its a tricky one.

[geysir]

Another tete a tete with Trap?

[Irish_Praha]

The big question is if he will be included in the Irland squad in FIFA 09 and how much will his score of 72% have increased from FIFA 08?

[Colbert Report]

The big question is if he will be included in the Irland squad in FIFA 09 and how much will his score of 72% have increased from FIFA 08?

I couldn't agree more. I'm hoping Richard Dunne will be up from his score of 78. Duff was rated at only 75 in 08, even though he's been injured he surely is at least worth an 80.

Glen Whelan was not even in the game last time!

Keogh must go up from 68. No Ian Harte in 08 either, I hope he appears as a free agent.

Fifa 07 was awesome when Irish prospect Terry Dixon was the youngest player in the game and worth 2.8 million pounds right from the start!

Do you have any idea where I can get updated rosters for these games online? PS2 version. I've looked on the EA site but I'm unable to find it.

Ireland should be rated at least 84 with large growth potential.

[Reality Bites]

Bottom line is we will have a better chance of qualifying with him back, regardless of the circumstances.

Exactly

[NeilMcD]

Exactly

I think people underestimate team morale and team togetherness. What happens when you have one rotten apple in a barrel full of apples.