Stephen Ireland

**Greenforever** · 28/04/2008, 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by bellavistaman

if the way people talk on here everybody should be screaming for as many caps why did nobody bar kilbane go to usa, because he loves playing for ireland means the world to him

jesus even we didnt go the the states, but were in aarhus & will be in fullham

**Reality Bites** · 29/04/2008, 1:01 PM

For anyone to say with don't need Ireland, just take a look at his goal against Fulham on saturday again, without doubt the most naturally talented player in the Squad, I would think the whole stephen ireland issue will be fielded at Traps conference this coming Thursdays

**BigmanCas** · 29/04/2008, 3:03 PM

Originally Posted by Reality Bites

For anyone to say with don't need Ireland, just take a look at his goal against Fulham on saturday again, without doubt the most naturally talented player in the Squad, I would think the whole stephen ireland issue will be fielded at Traps conference this coming Thursdays

Goal or not on sat. he will not make Trapps first XI. He will have watched the videos of Nicosia and Bratislava and concluded that he is not ready for international football. All well and good getting the odd goal now and then but defensively he is a non entity. Sadly International footballers need to be good defenders. Stephan take a wee break.

**John83** · 29/04/2008, 3:09 PM

Originally Posted by BigmanCas

Goal or not on sat. he will not make Trapps first XI. He will have watched the videos of Nicosia and Bratislava and concluded that he is not ready for international football. All well and good getting the odd goal now and then but defensively he is a non entity. Sadly International footballers need to be good defenders. Stephan take a wee break.

As an Italian, he may be a bit more inclined to try some system with two midfielders behind Ireland in a attacking role. That said, our wingers are a sight better than our centre mids at the moment, so maybe not.

**Reality Bites** · 29/04/2008, 3:54 PM

Originally Posted by BigmanCas

Goal or not on sat. he will not make Trapps first XI. He will have watched the videos of Nicosia and Bratislava and concluded that he is not ready for international football. All well and good getting the odd goal now and then but defensively he is a non entity. Sadly International footballers need to be good defenders. Stephan take a wee break.

Boulderdash, who would you have in Midfield ahead of Stephen Ireland! he is . I would Suggest a five man midfield with Stephen Ireland in an advanced role, like gerrard sometimes plays with liverpool supporting torre i.e Andy Reid (left) Stephen Reid(mid) - Carsley (mid) Mcgeady (right)
in the hole (Stephen Ireland)
up front (R Keane).

For me doyle and duff just haven't done it this season and should be on the bench.

**jmurphyc** · 29/04/2008, 4:28 PM

Originally Posted by Reality Bites

Boulderdash, who would you have in Midfield ahead of Stephen Ireland! he is . I would Suggest a five man midfield with Stephen Ireland in an advanced role, like gerrard sometimes plays with liverpool supporting torre i.e Andy Reid (left) Stephen Reid(mid) - Carsley (mid) Mcgeady (right)
in the hole (Stephen Ireland)
up front (R Keane).

For me doyle and duff just haven't done it this season and should be on the bench.

IMO it's insanity to put our best central midfielder (Andy Reid) out on the wings. He'll lose a lot of his impact by being out there. Andy Reid is essential in the centre (provided he's fit) and I seriously doubt that Trapattoni will play him on the wings. There's probably about 10 other Irish players I'd want to stick out there before trying Reid there. The role doesn't do him justice.

**mypost** · 29/04/2008, 5:25 PM

Originally Posted by lucanhoop87

mental issues me hole, he's simply doesnt want to play for his country, the whole point is what mypost was saying that he wants to meet up with trap to see if he'll be bothered to play, he feels no pride in his country no sense of patriotism, its those traits that make him a traitor nothing to do with his mental state

This prima donna wants to meet "Il Gaffa" on his terms, not the other way around. That alone should be enough to give Trap the hint that he has no commitment to his country.

If he wants to play for us, then it's quite simple. Turn up, shut up, and play without quibble, like everyone else will.

**Superhoops** · 29/04/2008, 6:21 PM

Originally Posted by Reality Bites

....I would Suggest a five man midfield with Stephen Ireland in an advanced role, like gerrard sometimes plays with liverpool supporting torre i.e Andy Reid (left) Stephen Reid(mid) - Carsley (mid) Mcgeady (right) in the hole (Stephen Ireland) up front (R Keane).......

Our best midfielder banished to the wing to accommodate 'vision in pink' with one player up front. That's going to get us loads of goals

**Greenforever** · 29/04/2008, 7:43 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

This prima donna wants to meet "Il Gaffa" on his terms, not the other way around. That alone should be enough to give Trap the hint that he has no commitment to his country.

If he wants to play for us, then it's quite simple. Turn up, shut up, and play without quibble, like everyone else will.

Could't put it better, agree completely, and hopefully we will not have to put up with SI's crap attitude much longer.

**kingdom hoop** · 30/04/2008, 8:50 AM

Originally Posted by mypost

If he wants to play for us, then it's quite simple. Turn up, shut up, and play without quibble, like everyone else will.

Don't you think it's a good idea for the manager to know what his problem is before the squad meets up?

We want to be fully focussed on football, so if he doesn't want to play then better to discover that now so as not to cast a shadow over the May meet-up by him unexpectedly withdrawing or not showing up.

**RogerMilla** · 30/04/2008, 2:51 PM

if stephen ireland was bullied in the squad that is unacceptable.
if he wasnt , well he should have been !

**jmurphyc** · 30/04/2008, 3:04 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

If he wants to play for us, then it's quite simple. Turn up, shut up, and play without quibble, like everyone else will.

I don't think Ireland has acted particularly professionally since he left the squad, but then again I don't know all of the facts. Let's just assume that he was bullied (because we have no idea what went on in the camp) and he just turns up to the next squad without saying a word about the incident. If the event happens again (and to more than one player) then there could be a lot more problems than just the Stephen Ireland conundrum for Trapattoni. It would be completely unprofessional of Trapattoni not to address the issue of bullying if it did happen during the Easterrn European games.

**Greenforever** · 30/04/2008, 3:23 PM

Originally Posted by Reality Bites

For anyone to say with don't need Ireland, just take a look at his goal against Fulham on saturday again, without doubt the most naturally talented player in the Squad, I would think the whole stephen ireland issue will be fielded at Traps conference this coming Thursdays

And one player doesnt make a team but can break a team!

Can you not see the negative effect he has on the rest of the squad with his childish tantrums and pink alloys

**BigmanCas** · 30/04/2008, 4:06 PM

Originally Posted by Greenforever

And one player doesnt make a team but can break a team!

Can you not see the negative effect he has on the rest of the squad with his childish tantrums and pink alloys

His attitude stinks. His past performances in a green shirt have been abysmal - Nicosia and Bratislava in particular. Whether he got a screamer or not at the weekend should not come into it. Waken up and see the guy for who he really is - if he doesn't fancy it - forget about him. Erickkson took him off after 56 mins - he could have been that good at the weekend.

**tetsujin1979** · 30/04/2008, 4:11 PM

Originally Posted by BigmanCas

His attitude stinks. His past performances in a green shirt have been abysmal - Nicosia and Bratislava in particular. Whether he got a screamer or not at the weekend should not come into it. Waken up and see the guy for who he really is - if he doesn't fancy it - forget about him. Erickkson took him off after 56 mins - he could have been that good at the weekend.

Geovanni came on for Ireland, and most reports I've seen that losing Ireland was what cost City the game, Geovanni did nothing.

**jmurphyc** · 30/04/2008, 4:19 PM

Originally Posted by BigmanCas

His attitude stinks. His past performances in a green shirt have been abysmal - Nicosia and Bratislava in particular.

I'm not a masive fan of the guy (outside of football) from what I've seen of him. He seems like the classic modern day footballer. However, whilst he has been so-so if an Ireland shirt so far, to say he has been abysmal is taking it too far. He was abysmal in those two games, but in the other qualification games he has been pretty decent. He was MOTM against San Marion IMO (granted it was a woeful team performance). In that game he ws the only player trying to make things happen and he was also very good against Slovakia at CP from what I remember, and was good against Wales once he was moved inside. I think he has to improve a lot to stake a claim for a regular starting spot but whilst some perfomances have been abysmal, they haven't been overall.

**eirebhoy** · 01/05/2008, 7:34 AM

I see Niko Kranjcar is linked with Arsenal this week. I think himself and Ireland are on a similar level. Kranjcar got abuse from the Croatia fans for a long time because his performances weren't up to scratch and they thought he was getting picked because his father was the coach.

**geysir** · 01/05/2008, 10:09 AM

Well, if his performances weren't up to scratch and his father was the coach combined with fans abusive mob mentality, it all makes perfect sense.

**lionelhutz** · 01/05/2008, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Geovanni came on for Ireland, and most reports I've seen that losing Ireland was what cost City the game, Geovanni did nothing.

I was at the game. Ireland was invisible after his goal. Him coming off had absolutely nothing to do with City's implosion - the attitude of the whole City team (Ireland included) was awful after they went 2-0 up

**Stuttgart88** · 03/05/2008, 2:06 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I see Niko Kranjcar is linked with Arsenal this week. I think himself and Ireland are on a similar level. Kranjcar got abuse from the Croatia fans for a long time because his performances weren't up to scratch and they thought he was getting picked because his father was the coach.

Is Krancjar not a much bigger player than Ireland? I know I keep harping on about size but it counts!