So....Stephen Ireland......

OhNoYouDidn't · 13-02-2008 12:39PM

BaZmO* wrote: »

What??? No evidence? Are ya mad? He lied twice about his Granny dying and then a week later, while playing for his club side, pulled down his shorts to reveal his Superman underpants after scoring a goal. The guy is very talented but he obviously has a screw loose.

Funny how it's a person from Cork and a Man City fan defending his actions.

Exacly. We are suddenly supposed to start believeing a particular bit of the story.

If he pulled that stroke on away duty at Man City he would have been transfer listed immediatly.

masterK · 13-02-2008 12:43PM

I think Richards Dunnes comments about him after the awards sums him up. He said he wasn't too bothered about playing for Ireland and would rather have the few days off when Internationals are off.

Regardless of his ability surely we should have more pride in ourselves then begging somebody like that to play for his country.

darkman2 · 13-02-2008 12:57PM

Daily Mail:

City boss assures his troubled star Ireland that old pal Giovanni will help himBy COLIN YOUNG AND PHILIP QUINN -

Last updated at 09:24am on 13th February 2008

Sven Goran Eriksson has again urged Stephen Ireland to reconsider his international future as his old friend Giovanni Trapattoni takes control of the national team.

The Manchester City manager and the new Ireland boss are old adversaries from their days in Serie A and on the international arena and Eriksson is convinced he is exactly the right coach to welcome Ireland back into the national squad after a six-month absence.

Eriksson is keen to see Ireland play for his country again and has spent several hours with the Cork-born midfielder trying to persuade him to change his mind about his self-imposed international exile.

News of Trapattoni's imminent appointment has prompted him to raise the subject again. The Swede believes the Italian's experience and knowledge will benefit former Cobh Rambler Ireland, who has a chequered past with virtually every Ireland team he has been involved with.

That will be a welcome boost for Trapattoni as FAI chief executive John Delaney prepares to formally announce his appointment today after several hours of negotiations were successfully concluded with Trapattoni's business advisor last night.

There are also questions about the role of Sports Entertainment and Media Group (SEM) in the deal, with suggestions that Jerome Anderson, the company's chairman and chief executive, was the link between the FAI and Trapattoni.

Are we already seeing the positive effects?

~Rebel~ · 13-02-2008 01:09PM

BaZmO* wrote: »

What??? No evidence? Are ya mad? He lied twice about his Granny dying and then a week later, while playing for his club side, pulled down his shorts to reveal his Superman underpants after scoring a goal. The guy is very talented but he obviously has a screw loose.

Funny how it's a person from Cork and a Man City fan defending his actions.

yeah, thats not evidence that his girlfriend didn't have a miscarriage...in any way whatsoever...

On the cork thing, thats less then nought to do with it. Personally I don't like the guy, he seems pretty dim and immature, however what im saying is Thats not enough. He lied about the granny thing, stupid, yes. And it was immediately discovered. So on one hand we have him, his family, his girlfriend and her family all on tv and in papers being upset over it and we have tabloids who would have been all over this after GrannyGate searching for anything to hang him with. But they didn't find anything to disprove it. Thats enough for me, and i think its not cricket to start claiming they faked a miscarriage without any evidence to the contrary.

BaZmO* · 13-02-2008 01:42PM

What about pulling down his shorts then? Not really the behaviour of someone that has just gone through such a traumatising event is it?

PHB · 13-02-2008 01:46PM

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

Top class? Hmmmm.

Well he is the one in self imposed exile, so ball is in his court. If he wants to come back, he can advise the new manager he is available for selection again.

Until then, this is a pointless debate.

No, we can ask him to come back.

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Yeah, but if he comes back without the right attitude then his affect on the squad will not be 'top class'.

At the end of the day, using a personal grudge with an individual (Brian Kerr) as an excuse not to play for your country is an indication that his motivations for playing would not be national pride or the passion of giving something back to the Irish team and it's supporters. Therefore, we don't need him.

He is doing pretty well for City. He looks like he will be a top class midfielder. I don't give a **** what his reasons are for playing for Ireland, I couldn't care less. Once he plays to his fullest abilities for us I'm fine with that, even if its only to get more international exposure.

We desperately need him. We have no magic men in our team anymore. Duffers seems to have lost it. Keane needs people to work with him. Ireland is the only other player who really has that extra level that you need to qualify for major tournaments. We desperately need him.

Pigman II · 13-02-2008 01:49PM

My own theory on the shorts incident is as follows. It came so soon after he was in the press for wearing a wig that it was as a deliberate stunt on his part to deflect attention away from his bonce. Basically he was attempting (and reluctlantly willing) to be forever known as "the shorts guy" rather than "the wig guy".

Nice try but sorry Stevie, you failed.

~Rebel~ · 13-02-2008 01:58PM

BaZmO* wrote: »

What about pulling down his shorts then? Not really the behaviour of someone that has just gone through such a traumatising event is it?

I stand corrected, indisputable evidence that his girlfriend had a miscarriage. A stupid celebration for a goal - the act of a true fiend.

/sarcasm

Care to mention how nothing a bit more substantial was found despite every tabloid obviously looking for something? Grannygate was uncovered immediately yet not a peep for this one.

Xavi6 · 13-02-2008 02:01PM

BaZmO* wrote: »

What??? No evidence? Are ya mad? He lied twice about his Granny dying and then a week later, while playing for his club side, pulled down his shorts to reveal his Superman underpants after scoring a goal. The guy is very talented but he obviously has a screw loose.

Funny how it's a person from Cork and a Man City fan defending his actions.

Ah here there's no evidence to say the miscarriage never happened. Yes his lying was wrong and stupid but there was method in the madness. The Superman thing was just another one of those stupid celebrations. Nothing more, nothing less.

Me being a City fan really has nothing to do with it as I'm only looking at it from an Irish point of view. We need all the goo dplayers we can get and he is one of the best. Ideally I'd like a clean slate for him under Trap and let him do what he does best on the football pitch.

Mr Alan · 13-02-2008 02:04PM

Anyone who doubts his girlfriend is perfectly within their rights to do so, and need not provide any "proof" that she didnt have a miscarraige.

The only "proof" anyone has, is that that he is a liar and has no problem in lying in order to get out of international duty.

I seem to remember being totally villified at the time when i declared that i didnt believe it. At least now it seems more of an accepted viewpoint.

boy who cried wolf and all that.

reason 1 for leaving international setup-proven lie

reason 2 for leaving international setup-proven lie

reason 3 for leaving international setup- ?????? why would anyone believe watever he came up with?!

and then coupling this with his subsequent seemingly non existant interest in coming back into the international fold would lead me to believe he just couldnt be arsed.

~Rebel~ · 13-02-2008 02:24PM

Mr Alan wrote: »

Anyone who doubts his girlfriend is perfectly within their rights to do so, and need not provide any "proof" that she didnt have a miscarraige.

The only "proof" anyone has, is that that he is a liar and has no problem in lying in order to get out of international duty.

I seem to remember being totally villified at the time when i declared that i didnt believe it. At least now it seems more of an accepted viewpoint.

boy who cried wolf and all that.

reason 1 for leaving international setup-proven lie

reason 2 for leaving international setup-proven lie

reason 3 for leaving international setup- ?????? why would anyone believe watever he came up with?!

and then coupling this with his subsequent seemingly non existant interest in coming back into the international fold would lead me to believe he just couldnt be arsed.

No problem with people saying they dont believe it, but its not cricket to be stating it as fact that he lied and made up the miscarriage, like was done on the previous page. There is no evidence so its entirely opinion based.

LuckyLloyd · 13-02-2008 02:48PM

PHB wrote: »

He is doing pretty well for City. He looks like he will be a top class midfielder. I don't give a **** what his reasons are for playing for Ireland, I couldn't care less. Once he plays to his fullest abilities for us I'm fine with that, even if its only to get more international exposure.

We desperately need him. We have no magic men in our team anymore. Duffers seems to have lost it. Keane needs people to work with him. Ireland is the only other player who really has that extra level that you need to qualify for major tournaments. We desperately need him.

PHB, the idea that you can just turn up and maximise your abillity without actually caring about your team's cause is a little silly. At club level the motiviation will always be money; bonuses; potential for bigger club with bigger money and bigger bonuses. But I struggle to believe that someone can turn up for a national team with the wrong mindset and still phone it in to a decent level. If thjis kid who has ultimately done very little in football so far isn't really interested in Irish football; we don't really need him.

He's shown a bit of potential over a relatively small sample size in the premiership. Why is he suddenly made out to be the second coming?

darkman2 · 17-02-2008 02:05PM

The 'Granny Killer' is back

Ireland ready to make international return
Sunday, 17 February 2008 11:46
Republic of Ireland midfielder Stephen Ireland has confirmed that he wants to play for his country again and will make himself available for selection by new manager Gionvanni Trapattoni.

Ireland has not played for the Republic since his infamous withdrawal from the squad in September when he lied about the death of his two grandmothers.

However, the Manchester City player told The Star: 'I'm available for selection, very much available. We need someone like him (Trapattoni) hopefully to bring it out of us and get us playing.

Ireland revealed that his club manager Sven Goran Eriksson had a major influence on his decision to make himself available to Trapattoni.

'We Sven heard that he was announced, he said it was a great opportunity for me to go back now because he is a very good coach and I will learn a lot.

'This did have an effect on my decision to return. I trust Sven you know. Whatever he says is good advice and he means well.

'I think there is a lot of talent in the squad and we can actually qualify for the big tournaments.'

eirebhoy · 17-02-2008 02:05PM

"I'm available for selection, very much available. We need someone like him (Trapattoni) hopefully to bring it out of us and get us playing.

When Sven heard that he was announced, he said it was a great opportunity for me to go back now because he is a very good coach and I will learn a lot.

This did have an effect on my decision to return. I trust Sven you know. Whatever he says is good advice and he means well.

I think there is a lot of talent in the squad and we can actually qualify for the big tournaments."

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2008/0217/irelands.html

shane86 · 17-02-2008 02:35PM

Well, Im exiorah and delirah

Although over the last few years fate has told me to only believe things regarding Irish football when I see it. I suppose Serbia might be his return.

Any sections of the crowd who boo him should be machine gunned tbh. Mistakes were made, and I dont think it cost us qualification. Even if it did, we would have been out in round one with Stan in charge IMO.

Necronomicon · 17-02-2008 02:45PM

Excellent. He hasn't endeared himself to anyone in the past few months but let's put this to bed, because we can't afford to turn away a talent like his.

Xavi6 · 17-02-2008 04:41PM

Super news. Great to have him back

BaZmO* · 18-02-2008 01:09AM

Great news. He's done the right thing by saying he's available rather than waiting for Trapattoni to approach him. Although it'd be funny if Traps didn't want him!

But I somehow can't see that happening.

tetsujin1979 · 18-02-2008 02:51AM

BaZmO* wrote: »

Great news. He's done the right thing by saying he's available rather than waiting for Trapattoni to approach him. Although it'd be funny if Traps didn't want him! But I somehow can't see that happening.

Eriksson is supposed to have invited Trapattoni to the Citry - Everton game to watch Ireland and Dunne.

mayordenis · 18-02-2008 03:07AM

brilliant - top player - couldnt care less if he lies at every possible oppurtunity once he plays to standard he's capable of.

OhNoYouDidn't · 18-02-2008 10:35AM

mayordenis wrote: »

brilliant - top player - couldnt care less if he lies at every possible oppurtunity once he plays to standard he's capable of.

so to hell with team unity and discipline?

just out of interest, have you ever played football?

_blank_ · 18-02-2008 10:42AM

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

just out of interest, have you ever played football?

Be careful when he reads that. It's going to be a rant of epic proportions.

ziggy · 18-02-2008 01:56PM

This post has been deleted.

gosplan · 18-02-2008 02:07PM

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

so to hell with team unity and discipline?

just out of interest, have you ever played football?

I'd wager not under Stan.

I'm surprised that we didn't have loads of players trying to come up with reasons to spend their time off at home rather than having that idiot shout undecipherable instructions at them from the touchline.

:D

redspider · 18-02-2008 03:19PM

So, Stephen says he is available now ..... well, I dont think that makes the situation hunky-dory. Lets see what Trapattoni thinks of it all, I'm sure he'll be briefed by FAI staff. I'd say he (and Ly-am Brady, if on the staff) will have to have a quiet word with Stephen to figure out what went wrong, his absence, etc, and to make sure that it doesnt re-occur over something else. There's a good chance it will all be sorted out though, but you never know. I'll be looking at his next performance for Ireland whenever that will be with scrutiny however ...... lets see what happens,

Redspider

Boggles · 18-02-2008 03:29PM

ziggy wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Would this be the same midfielder who echoed the sentaments of every Irish football fan who did not think medicority was acceptable, the midfielder who dared to say that FAI were out of there debt and not a clue what they were doing, all this before the appointment of Stan the Man. It's thanks to people like this that we have an opportunity today not just to move Irish football forward but to try and repair the damage the FAI are responsible for.

Xavi6 · 18-02-2008 03:31PM

Boggles wrote: »

Would this be the same midfielder who echoed the sentaments of every Irish football fan who did not think medicority was acceptable, the midfielder who dared to say that FAI were out of there debt and not a clue what they were doing, all this before the appointment of Stan the Man. It's thanks to people like this that we have an opportunity today not just to move Irish football forward but to try and repair the damage the FAI are responsible for.

It's also thanks to people like this that we didn't progress further in a tournament we should have but as posted in another thread, it's been done plenty of times so let it go.

This thread is about Stephen Ireland.

Boggles · 18-02-2008 03:38PM

I actually think the 2 Reids would make the team before Ireland, that said he was good against United last week and is a goal scorer, would take the pressure off our forwards.

A manager like Trapatoni would start with a clean sheet for everyone, similar to Cappello, picking players on merit and not reputation.

ziggy · 18-02-2008 03:44PM

This post has been deleted.

_blank_ · 18-02-2008 04:39PM

Ooh, is there going to be a Keane debate?

Will I get the popcorn on?

So....Stephen Ireland......

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