PieFacE Posted September 1, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted September 1, 2012 Did he not spend his first year here complaining bitterly that Birmingham was a crap city? “After 15 matches on the bench (at Villa), Houllier told me to stay at home. I trained during the week and on Fridays he told me, ‘no point you coming, you are not in the team’. “Yet I was the best player in training. It was my team that won in every session. One of the few times he played me, we drew 0-0 at Chelsea and I ended up man of the match. “Apparently that didn’t matter to him. I was stuck with being paid for doing nothing at all. I was left to myself. I had to pay out of my own pocket for medical treatment. Can you believe that?” And how did Ireland react at being told by Houllier that he should move to Birmingham to improve his first-team chances? Well, rather badly as it goes: “Houllier asked me to come and live in Birmingham because it was taking me 75 minutes to come to training, but there were 15 players in the same position as me. “Some came from London and took more than two hours, but he only asked me to move. “For a start, Birmingham is a crap city and I wasn’t going to make the effort, especially as I wasn’t playing. Might as well be in Manchester if I had to stay home on match days – though I don’t bear Houllier any grudges; it wasn’t him who chose me after all.” Oh :oops: Though, if he's telling the truth you can understand why he was pissed off. Anyway, he seems pretty focused over the past year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarpie Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I think Lambert is the manager who can get best out of him, Ireland probably just needs enough games under his belt to get his form back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterms Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I read Lambert's recent comments about Fancy Dans ...But the former Norwich boss does not want his charges to "think they have arrived" and wants them to remain focused on football rather than the material rewards available. Lambert said: "Some young players, not all, think if they play two or three Premier League games, they've arrived. "If somebody plays 600 or 500 games, yes, then I might think you have. "That's why I've got great admiration for people like Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs because every year they produce and produce and produce, whether they are getting £8 a week or £80,000 a week. "I don't like young players coming in and thinking they've arrived and it's up to me not to stand for that. "If you're driving a Skoda one day and the next day you're driving a Mercedes, that indicates to me there's something really wrong there. "If we can get that hunger in them and they keep it, fine." Lambert, who will be seeking Villa's first league win of the campaign at the Sports Direct Arena, added: "People can be motivated by different things, whether it's money or success. "But then you can get the other side of the coin where people have got too much money and they don't want to do it... and I couldn't help thinking of this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Czechlad Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Did he not spend his first year here complaining bitterly that Birmingham was a crap city? “After 15 matches on the bench (at Villa), Houllier told me to stay at home. I trained during the week and on Fridays he told me, ‘no point you coming, you are not in the team’. “Yet I was the best player in training. It was my team that won in every session. One of the few times he played me, we drew 0-0 at Chelsea and I ended up man of the match. “Apparently that didn’t matter to him. I was stuck with being paid for doing nothing at all. I was left to myself. I had to pay out of my own pocket for medical treatment. Can you believe that?” And how did Ireland react at being told by Houllier that he should move to Birmingham to improve his first-team chances? Well, rather badly as it goes: “Houllier asked me to come and live in Birmingham because it was taking me 75 minutes to come to training, but there were 15 players in the same position as me. “Some came from London and took more than two hours, but he only asked me to move. “For a start, Birmingham is a crap city and I wasn’t going to make the effort, especially as I wasn’t playing. Might as well be in Manchester if I had to stay home on match days – though I don’t bear Houllier any grudges; it wasn’t him who chose me after all.” Oh :oops: Though, if he's telling the truth you can understand why he was pissed off. Anyway, he seems pretty focused over the past year. It's one of the worst feelings as a footballer when you try your hardest and do what the manager tells you and yet you still dont get picked. It destroys your motivation and self-esteem. If this is all true, Ireland was treated like crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy_0'Neill Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Ireland was our only player last year who knew what he was doing with the ball before it arrived. For that reason, and his improved workrate, he deserved the player of the season. This year we also have Ahmadi who knows what he's doing, and now Benteke, from what I've seen. People talk about Ireland's £60k a week, but Gabby's on similar and I'm frankly happier that such an amount is going to Ireland than Gabby, who's becoming a liability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I simply cannot wait for the day Ireland is no longer a villa player. He epitomises all that's wrong in the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted September 1, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted September 1, 2012 I simply cannot wait for the day Ireland is no longer a villa player. He epitomises all that's wrong in the game. You keep saying this, but when questioned about it you never state reasons why. So what is it about him that makes footballers so evil? Or will you just ignore it again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mammoth10 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I simply cannot wait for the day Ireland is no longer a villa player. He epitomises all that's wrong in the game. Feel free to expand.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 He's taken the piss for 2 years on the pitch. How people think he "tries hard" is beyond me. And yes, he slagged the city off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterms Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 My concern (and it's not limited to him, many players could attract similar criticism) is that if you see someone who is very inconsistent and whose attitude is (reportedly) poor, but they are on very high wages, that's not a good position for the club, the supporters, other players, and kids starting to play the game. Rates of pay are simply insane, but that's a fault of footballers and agents collectively, not any one individual. But when someone is on stupid wages and still doesn't deliver and doesn't seem too fussed about it, it rankles. That's a criticism which could be levelled at him, I think fairly, from the accounts we read. What adds to the frustration is that he's so talented, and could have been so good. Let's hope he can salvage something from what could have been a great career, but which looks more like a few disconnected flashes of potential at a very high cost-per-flash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted September 1, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted September 1, 2012 He's taken the piss for 2 years on the pitch. How people think he "tries hard" is beyond me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCAM Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Well we've got him until at least January and if he has his way, a lot longer than that... Better deal with those issues in afraid. I'm happy with him. He has had his issues, but honestly, sheesa pipe aside, he's not really done much wrong for a while... Soz... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mammoth10 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 He's taken the piss for 2 years on the pitch. How people think he "tries hard" is beyond me. And yes, he slagged the city off. I have read he said Bham was shite once, in context with him being treated like shite he might have been a touch emotional. Onto important matters ie football, do you think he has not 'tried' hard? If so fair enough, he has hardly been given ample opportunity for 2 years on the pitch let alone have the chance to take the piss. There seem to be people who know people are 'not trying', 'taking the piss' etc A lot of what you say is beyond me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarpie Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 At least he haven't been caught causing trouble in nightclubs, spas and kicking windows in drunken stupor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted September 1, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted September 1, 2012 He's taken the piss for 2 years on the pitch. How people think he "tries hard" is beyond me. And yes, he slagged the city off. I have read he said Bham was shite once, in context with him being treated like shite he might have been a touch emotional. Onto important matters ie football, do you think he has not 'tried' hard? If so fair enough, he has hardly been given ample opportunity for 2 years on the pitch let alone have the chance to take the piss. There seem to be people who know people are 'not trying', 'taking the piss' etc A lot of what you say is beyond me. Exactly. How he "took the piss" on the pitch in his first year when Houllier didnt want him, and loaned him to Newcastle is quite remarkable really. Considering he didn't even get on the pitch. CI just has an agenda against him, I appreciate the fact that he was hardly spectacular last season, but one thing he did do was put a bloody good shift in whenever asked. The fact that morons like CI continue to state that he doesn't work hard just shows how clueless they are, 'cos that's pretty much the only thing Ireland successfully does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy_0'Neill Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 He's taken the piss for 2 years on the pitch. How people think he "tries hard" is beyond me. And yes, he slagged the city off. Under Houllier he got shat on, was kicked to Newcastle, and got pissed off so said a few things. I don't give a shit if he slagged Brum anyway. Last year he was good, putting a shift in as much as anyone, and was more creative than everyone. You just don't like HIM, it's nothing to do with his ability or performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 2 assists and 1 goal last season ?? Insomnia did more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 2 assists and 1 goal last season ?? Insomnia did more Ireland had 1 goal 3 assists last season. N'zogbia has 2 goals 4 assists. Am i wrong? Anyway, they didn't do bad considering we had 6+ defenders on the pitch for most games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanvilla_1994 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 He's taken the piss for 2 years on the pitch. How people think he "tries hard" is beyond me. And yes, he slagged the city off. Can understand people thinking he's pants but to say he doesn't work hard is complete bollocks. I'm sure he was the player that completed the most distance in most of our games last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BleedClaretAndBlue Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Confident Lambert will know exactly what to do with him. Irelands attitude seems alot more amicable now, he actually wants to be here now and we all know a settled, happier player is more likely to deliver than one in Irelands position over the past 2 years. Like PL has just said on why he never pursued Dempsey further, he wont have players who dont have desire to play for AVFC. And he's a big fan of Ireland so I cant forsee any problems. Read reports on him being v. professional in training too, wanting to impress. I personally think it will be a good season for SI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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