Stephen Ireland

**as_i_say** · 14/04/2009, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by dr_peepee

It should be moved... I click on to this thread every so often cos I think it's breaking news abut representing us again, and it's the same old ******. It should be moved until he has some relavence to a campaign again... May aswell contribute to a thread on Kevin Nolan or Paul Scholes as this chump... They could have played for us but chose not to.

Paul Scholes could have played for us? Do elaborate!

**Den Perry** · 14/04/2009, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by Ciaran

Quit acting like he owes you a damn thing. He's got his own reasons, possibly due to a bad experience with other players last time, possibly due to not wanting to leave his Man City camp. I hope to hell he plays again because the guys a prodigy but if he doesn't I'll still fondly remember him for having one of the best goals to games ratios for us of all time, we'd have finished below everyone bar San Marino last campaign if it wasn't for him, "scum of the earth" is hardly a fair judgment for a guy who has done that.

I agree Ciaran. I reckon he hates some of the players(Stephen Hunt wrote an absolutely ridiculous piece about him a while ago), but maybe doesn't want to say to much publicly in case he wants to come back...In addition he might be worried about getting booed by some of the clowns who booed Keane a few years back?Lets face it, there are a few muppets following Ireland.

Somebody stated earlier that he may do a job for us like Ray Houghton did....personally I think Ireland has far more technical ability than Houghton, and if he came back the team would eventually be built around him and Robbie Keane

**Dodge** · 14/04/2009, 11:47 AM

Just nominated for PFA young POTY in England

**Den Perry** · 14/04/2009, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by Emmet7

Not only is the ball in Stephen Ireland's court, but there are many many balls in Stephen Ireland's court, all sent there by the Irish management team. The more you go after Stephen Ireland, the more he resists, so it's best just to ignore him and let him come back if he wants to.

The issue is out of the Irish managements hands, its now in Stephen Irelands hands...but really its all time we forgot about Stephen Ireland coming back to play for us...the door is always open, he had his chance and he has turned it down...his loss not ours.

Give me an honest hard working committed Whelan, Gibson, etc any day to a player who couldn't be bothered.

what a stupid statement.
would you love a team full of committed whelans and mcshanes?

**Dodge** · 14/04/2009, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by Den Perry

would you love a team full of committed whelans and mcshanes?

Why wouldn't you?

**Scram** · 14/04/2009, 11:59 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Emmet7
Not only is the ball in Stephen Ireland's court, but there are many many balls in Stephen Ireland's court, all sent there by the Irish management team. The more you go after Stephen Ireland, the more he resists, so it's best just to ignore him and let him come back if he wants to.

The issue is out of the Irish managements hands, its now in Stephen Irelands hands...but really its all time we forgot about Stephen Ireland coming back to play for us...the door is always open, he had his chance and he has turned it down...his loss not ours.

Give me an honest hard working committed Whelan, Gibson, etc any day to a player who couldn't be bothered.

Originally Posted by Den Perry

what a stupid statement.
would you love a team full of committed whelans and mcshanes?

Probably just as stupid a question...... "Would you want a team of players who couldn't be bothered" ?!

**OneRedArmy** · 14/04/2009, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by Den Perry

what a stupid statement.
would you love a team full of committed whelans and mcshanes?

Every day of the week and twice on a Sunday.

International football is about representing your country, no room for mercenaries or primadonnas.

**osarusan** · 14/04/2009, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

International football is about representing your country, no room for mercenaries or primadonnas.

Unless they are very very good.

**Stuttgart88** · 14/04/2009, 1:07 PM

Originally Posted by Den Perry

Somebody stated earlier that he may do a job for us like Ray Houghton did....personally I think Ireland has far more technical ability than Houghton, and if he came back the team would eventually be built around him and Robbie Keane

That was probably me. What I meant was that Houghton was a natural central midfielder who played a particular role for us to great effect on RHM a lot of the time, not as a winger but as a creative & industrious player playing wide. This is where I could see Ireland playing a role for us - I think I said "with proper instruction" -, or in support of a front 2. But not as a central midfielder in Trap's 4-4-2 because we have no ball winners anywhere else on the pitch.

Ireland's individual form has been superb yet City have been a soft touch. Two Ireland goals, two 3-1 defeats in the last week alone. Not unlike away to Cyprus.

This isn't a redundant debate as such, it's really to highlight that in my opinion this story is not the be all and end all of the Irish team. If we was available where would he be picked and why, and what impact would that have on the balance of the team - that's the pertinent issue in my mind.

**Superhoops** · 14/04/2009, 2:07 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

.....If he was available where would he be picked and why, and what impact would that have on the balance of the team - that's the pertinent issue in my mind.

He isn't available and until he is any such debate is futile.

**eirebhoy** · 14/04/2009, 5:32 PM

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

The one thing he isn't doing is representing Ireland, unless by Ireland you mean himself.

The idea that a player who refuses to represent his country is somehow doing it indirectly through playing for a foreign club is, frankly, mindboggling...

Ken Doherty was representing Ireland, just because he's Irish. Simple as that. The German's watching S.Ireland score against Hamburg see him as an Irish player. I like to see the Irish succeed.

**Superhoops** · 14/04/2009, 6:53 PM

Originally Posted by Ciaran

You don't need to be a participant of the national governing bodies selected team to be representing your country.

I am quite happy to represent my country but I cannot bring myself to participate in representing my country. Yeah, right

I dont know who is the biggest gobsh**e, you or SI? Perhaps you are one and the same

**geysir** · 14/04/2009, 7:09 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Ken Doherty was representing Ireland, just because he's Irish. Simple as that. The German's watching S.Ireland score against Hamburg see him as an Irish player. I like to see the Irish succeed.

I totally share ORA�s bemusement.

You are taking the name of Ken in vain, God bless his nerves.
KD has never shirked from representing his country and steely led Ireland to the gut wrenching final match in World cup and European cup finals.

You have the mentality of a juvenile reading the sport pages looking out for the placings of the Irish performances in bold type

Whether you are fascinated (roy of the rovers style) or not with the exploits of this idiot is irrelevant, why don't you follow his representations in World Football forum and show some respect for this forum where the national team issues are discussed, where players, managers, games - past /present /future are discussed?

**NeilMcD** · 14/04/2009, 7:45 PM

Ken Doherty never refused to play for Ireland. However lads it does not matter which forum its in.

**Stuttgart88** · 14/04/2009, 8:46 PM

Do Westlife represent Ireland?

**NeilMcD** · 14/04/2009, 8:49 PM

No but Celine Dion represents Switzerland.

**tiktok** · 14/04/2009, 9:11 PM

Originally Posted by Ciaran

He's both a past and potential future player, he's still a kid and that needs to be considered. He will grow up, he will mature and he will address this issue. There's a lot more to be said about Stephen and Ireland so the time for distancing himself from Ireland discussion is certainly not here and hopefully never will be.

He's still a kid? That's quite the receeding hairline he has for a child..
I'll grant you he's not very bright and terribly immature, but at 22 he's a grown man.
He'll be 40 and people will still be making excuses for him.

**eirebhoy** · 14/04/2009, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

I totally share ORA�s bemusement.

You are taking the name of Ken in vain, God bless his nerves.
KD has never shirked from representing his country and steely led Ireland to the gut wrenching final match in World cup and European cup finals.

You have the mentality of a juvenile reading the sport pages looking out for the placings of the Irish performances in bold type

Whether you are fascinated (roy of the rovers style) or not with the exploits of this idiot is irrelevant, why don't you follow his representations in World Football forum and show some respect for this forum where the national team issues are discussed, where players, managers, games - past /present /future are discussed?

Any ex-Ireland international can be discussed in this forum.

Although, Stephen Ireland will be play for Ireland again.

btw, A Dutch or Chinese person see Ken Doherty, Shay Given and Stephen Ireland as Irish. That really is all that matters. If I was watching Stephen Ireland score in a champions league final in some foreign pub I'd certainly feel some delight inside me that these people are watching an Irishman. Of course I'd love to see him playing for us but we can't change the fact he's Irish. I can't stand Bono but I still want Americans to like him. I don't know I just call that feeling patriotism.

Actually, if Stephen Ireland did score in a champions league final I think we can be sure he'd be the talk of Cobh and they'd be all very proud of him. I'd have similar feelings but that's because he's Irish. He doesn't play for us but Doherty didn't play for Ireland either when he was winning a world championship.

/edit, just to re-iterate that the first sentence is why this thread is in this forum. The rest of the post is just my ramblings trying to figure out why I feel the way I do. And I think if you dislike Ireland so much you can be thankful that all discussion on him is kept in the one thread. If this thread wasn't here we'd have a new one every week.

**geysir** · 15/04/2009, 10:28 AM

Does it not make the slightest difference to the Ireland forum when a player turns his back for the umteenth time on representing his country, throughout his entire football career from Kerr to Trap?
Ken D. represented his country and competed as an individual, Ken's green halo doesn't have the turncoat stench of a Stephen Ireland about it.

**Scram** · 15/04/2009, 12:01 PM

Stephen is up for PFA young footballer of the season in England, can't see why he wouldn't get this, fantastic season despite the failure of many around him.