PompeyVillan Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I think McLeish is a canny man motivator. He showed that at Birmingham, that team really played their hearts out for him. They were shit but they really tried for him. I think he deserves some credit for Ireland's upsurge in form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted January 15, 2012 Moderator Share Posted January 15, 2012 If ever there was a player that needs to be loved to perform then its Stephen Ireland, sadly I see little evidence to suggest McLeish is that kind of manager, Houllier certainly wasn't. It would have been interesting to see O'Neill manage him and even more interesting to see what Redknapp would get out of him. One thing is for certain we will be a far better side with an on song Stephen Ireland than without him. I think the evidence suggests that someone has got him playing well again - whoever that someone is, they desrve congratulations. Personally, I think you're right about Houllier, but surely McLeish deserves some credit for getting to the situation where Ireland has gone from being an unwanted reject to the best player in the team in recent games? Yes some. I still don't think I've seen anything from McLeish either here or in his previous managerial career to suggest he is the type of manager I'm talking about. He doesn't appear and I do say appear, to be a arm around the shoulder kind of manager. He doesn't seem the kind of player to blow smoke up someone's arse until they believe what they are told like O'Neill, he doesn't seem the sort to fill a player with supreme confidence like Redknapp does. Does McLeish deserve some credit? Yes I guess he does but I'm unsure how much and what credit he gets for this isn't enough to put him in credit overall or not with me anyway. But yes he deserves some I didn't say otherwise. All I said was he isn't, from what I can see an O'Neill or Redknapp type of man manager. What McLeish has done is give Ireland a decent and prolonged chance in the side which I think it could be argued he hasn't really previously been given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteStan Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 I think McLeish is a canny man motivator. He showed that at Birmingham, that team really played their hearts out for him. They were shit but they really tried for him. I think he deserves some credit for IrelandCouldn't agree more PompeyVillan. What a contrast with Houllier's treatment of Stephen. Give Alex some credit. You never know they both might come good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hercs23 Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 saw in the sunday mirror today that reports are mark hughes will now try and bring ireland to QPR after failing with a bid for pienar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaAlex Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 saw in the sunday mirror today that reports are mark hughes will now try and bring ireland to QPR after failing with a bid for pienar Lazy journalism but I'd sell him given the wages he's on if there was ever a bid. Sad state of affairs but he's our highest earner, and not reliable enough to be that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBM Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 harsh reality, id prefer to sell petrov than ireland its nothing against petrov, as hes a great player for us, but age isnt on his side, if we sold petrov, then wed have ireland and gardner as our 2 attacking centre mid options, if we sold ireland, and with not many seasons left in petrov, we will end up with only gardner, and considering we have no money to buy anyone else, its kinda shooting ourselfs in the foot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morpheus Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 saw in the sunday mirror today that reports are mark hughes will now try and bring ireland to QPR after failing with a bid for pienar Lazy journalism but I'd sell him given the wages he's on if there was ever a bid. Sad state of affairs but he's our highest earner, and not reliable enough to be that. Its also in 'The Daily Star Sunday' stating that since Hughes had 'enjoyed a superb working relationship with the temperamental Irishman' that QPR are planning a 5m swoop for Ireland. At 5m i'd sell him, get rid of his wages and play Keane in his position with robbie coaching Bannan on how best to play just in behind Bent so when Keane's loan period expires, Bannan will be ready to take over. I'd then enquire about Park at Man U with 5m to put towards his fee if he was available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_c Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 He has been much improved recently. However in our current sad state, how many new players could we pay with his wages? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 However in our current sad state, how many new players could we pay with his wages? Probably two but both with a fraction of his ability. We ever want to be a good side again then we need to keep hold of our best players and Ireland is now showing himself to be one of those. Of course now we seem quite content with selling our best players, either not replacing them or replacing them with inferior quality, and continuing to go backwards then I assume he will be sold if an offer in excess of 7 mill comes in for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_c Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Sorry, I was thinking like we might have a decent scouting system. My bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted January 15, 2012 Author Share Posted January 15, 2012 Ireland strikes me that he will not be consistent in this period of half decent form. I fully expect him to slide back to direness soon. So for me while his stock is as high as it has been in the last 2 years and we have some chance of recouping at least half of his value when we bought him I would flog him to QPR if they are indeed interested in him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 QPR rumour is just lazy journalism same way Sunderland were linked with Collins and Petrov and Villa were linked with Dann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macca_UTV Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Ireland strikes me that he will not be consistent in this period of half decent form. I fully expect him to slide back to direness soon. So for me while his stock is as high as it has been in the last 2 years and we have some chance of recouping at least half of his value when we bought him I would flog him to QPR if they are indeed interested in him[/quote Such a poor comment "i expect him to slide back to direness soon" I think this is his longest run in the team since his been here and his playing well. Before he was in out of the team and couldn't get any form. The lads playing well and us as fans still have to put the boot in!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 We will never get the very best out of Ireland, for the simple reason that he is far technically superior to anyone else in the team, with the exception of maybe Barry Bannan. Great player, but unfortunatly we have no-one who can read his game, read his runs or read where he is going to slot passes through. He is a top player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laivasse Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 He's put in consistently good/great performances over the last few games, since he came back into the first team. Although this is too narrow a time frame to be basing any projections on, I think it's too pessimistic to be saying he'll start to perform terribly any time soon. IMO the only thing that's changed is that he's been given a solid run of games in which he was lucky enough to pull out a confident performance in his first one. It looks as if we could have the beginnings of a great attacking understanding between Zog and Ireland, or Ireland and Bent, if the other two can find some consistency and we find a set up that accommodates them all. However, nobody seems to remember some of the excellent link up play he pulled off with Downing last season when brought on for 10 minute spells as a sub. If those movements had produced goals, which frankly they should have done, we might have seen this 'revival' a lot sooner. Granted, his first team performances were nothing to write home about, but at that time there were worse offenders who kept their place when Ireland didn't. Whenever this was brought up on here, the response would be 'yes but £60k/week...!' Well, unfortunately that's what Citeh castoffs cost... That's what football has become. Not his fault. Anyway, some people think he looks like a different player, but I just think he looks like a more confident, better-treated version of the same player. He may well disappear back into his shell at some point, but I reckon it would take something to trigger that - like an inexplicable drop, or a tiff with the manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strangeways Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Mark Hughes is trying to poach ireland and i for one believe he will be playing for them come february, we will definatly sell when they make an official approach we need to bring the wage bill down. We are now a selling club.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 If QPR come knocking I'd bite their hands off 68k a week off the wage bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 We are now a selling club.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super-Villan Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I'd be sad to see Ireland go. Been our best player for a few games now, and you have to think how much better he could be with the same run of games under a manager who wanted to attack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingysilvers Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 It's depressing that fans feel they need to be thinking as club accountants these days rather than just being concerned about happenings on the pitch. I can entirely see why people from a financial stand point want to get rid but at the same time this guy is our best shot at creating some chances, forming a relationship with Bent and stopping us from sliding down the table. While there are high hopes for Bannan as an attacking midfielder I know who I'd prefer on the pitch for us and who I think would strike more fear into the opposition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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