Right then Maximus, where should I start?
YOU first made it clear Ireland needed a settling in period. To which I said he doesn't need a settling in period as he lives less than 100 miles away from his current employers and is still plying his trade in familiar surroundings. I used Arshavin as an example as to how good players (on similar wages to Ireland) can hit the ground running even IF they have come from a different country. YOU then used Bergkamp as an example of how they don't to which I countered that he HAD to leave another country to ply his trade in which case I would agree that he needed a settling in period. It has nothing to do with who you can use and who you can't.
Furthermore, to my knowledge, Ireland has been played in a far more advanced position that Petrov (the only exception being against Rapid at home when he was further back).
Successful teams?? We had just had our best season for ages (including 2 trips to Wembley). Is this not successful? Ireland even stated in his first season that he was looking forward to playing in one of the Prems strongest teams.