Stephen Ireland

[Colbert Report]

david connolly, for all his shortcomings, would probably walk to ireland if he was asked to play against italy or bulgaria, so yes there is a difference

Get a sense of humour buddy.

[shaneker]

seriously are we to be suprised that when a kid leaves the country at 15 that perhaps he might not be that interested in playing for his country by the time he reaches 22?

I left the country at 3 and moved to the same place as he did. Am I something special because I would still give anything to play for Ireland? I don't think so.

I wish people would stop making excuses for this liar (not libellous, a fact). I couldn't give a damn how talented he is - he has shown his country means nothing to him, and so deserves nothing from his country's fans in return.

[ifk101]

The main problem I have with SI is that he has, for whatever reason, been unwilling to give a definite answer on whether he wants to play or not. This has served to focus attention on Stephen Ireland and not on the team.

I also think it touches on arrogance that SI believes he can come back whenever he wants.

[NeilMcD]

I agree, if he did not want to play and said that ages ago fair enough but its the hamfisted way he has dealt with it and to be honest I hope he gets hamfisted by a Mexican pig.

[geysir]

In that BBC interview (skip the tripe banalities and go to the end of it), he appears to have backed a step or so away from blame, away from claiming Trap did not invite him back, away from that Trap did meet him in a hotel but no proper respect was shown, to stating that he did not enjoy being a part of the set up even before his bizarre departure from Bratislava.

Still a very confused lad, but somewhere in there, is a part recognition that it was down to himself to leave, down to himself not to return and the reasons for not returning predate Slovakia.
Which would bring you to the next (unasked) question, what was it about the set up that put him in such state of panic anxiety.
I'd say a large part of it we already know, from his earlier pompous attitudes to Kerr and the underage set up.

[Stuttgart88]

To be honest even if we went over & begged him back, there's no guaranteeing he won't just up sticks again next time he feels like it, unsettling everyone again and guaranteeing another year of media mania. Closure.

I think Trap is very focused on the relationship dynamics within the squad and if he feels that A. Reid, Stephen Ireland and others just aren't worth it, I'd support his opinion.

Just as an aside, I think a lot of the "punts" Trap took on some unfancied players are beginning to look a lot more justifiable based on club form, though I hope Sledge & Lawrence feature prominently soon.

[NeilMcD]

Yeah maybe he does know more about football that some of us on this board.

[dr_peepee]

He's a li'l bitch, is what he is....

Guarantee ye he'll be sniffing around for the play offs...

[jmurphyc]

Yeah maybe he does know more about football that some of us on this board.

I doubt that. He's won one European Cup in his whole career. His record is admirable, but some of us have won far more on Football Manager.

[ifk101]

Which would bring you to the next (unasked) question, what was it about the set up that put him in such state of panic anxiety.
I'd say a large part of it we already know, from his earlier pompous attitudes to Kerr and the underage set up.

I say it's to do with his club situation. Man City have probably love-bombed him too much in an attempt to protect their investment.

I think Ireland was expecting that the national set-up would also seek to buy his "loyalty" - so to speak. He realised quickly enough that he wasn't going to get any special treatment and invented granny-gate to get back to the pampered lifestyle he had grown accustomed to - pink cars, hair transplants and superman jocks etc etc.

[peadar1987]

For feck sake the boy only played 6 times for his country, under a completely different setup to the one we have now, he can't go and say he wasn't really enjoying it, and use that as an excuse.

He's in love with himself, unfortunately, and if he were to come back now, or at any point, without making an apology, he would be a dressing-room disruption on the same scale as Roy Keane

[richieos]

Get a sense of humour buddy.

you were making a joke?
......good one

[carloz]

The main problem I have with SI is that he has, for whatever reason, been unwilling to give a definite answer on whether he wants to play or not. This has served to focus attention on Stephen Ireland and not on the team.

I also think it touches on arrogance that SI believes he can come back whenever he wants.

I agree. plus the fact we have still not been given an exact reason as to why he decided to retire himself. The reasons for him not playing for us are still very unclear. Im losing more respect for the guy every passing month.

[geysir]

Considering where your levels of respect for him were 6 months ago, they must be down to way below zero by now.

[bellavistaman]

Just watched that interview again, all I feel is shame and embarrassment that I am a resident of this muppets home town.The only good thing to come out of it is the fact that he has closed the door himself, and we should be spared the fingerpointing from his apologists, blaming Trap the FAI various players etc.He doesn't want to play for Ireland.The silence from Bellavista is deafening.

Get over yourself lad, the silence from bella is deafening, two days i wasnt on it.

FTR i see nothing wrong with the interview hes said the same thing bout ireland that he always has done. Like others i think he comes across very well in interviews.

[SUB of the day]

You see nothing wrong with a player having no interest in playing for his country

[bellavistaman]

You see nothing wrong with a player having no interest in playing for his country

I do, but circumstances and all that.

[gufct]

What circumstances ???????????????

He couldnt give a flying f**k about his country let him go .

[bellavistaman]

As roy keane says nobody knows the circumstaqnces, i dont but i wouldnt be apart of the bandwagon of hating the lad, too much talent to not want him to play.

[Jicked]

As roy keane says nobody knows the circumstaqnces, i dont but i wouldnt be apart of the bandwagon of hating the lad, too much talent to not want him to play.

Yeah, completely unrelated to him being from Cobh I'm sure