PaulC Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Yes totally agree as when you take into account the share of the transfer fee and wages, it has meant we sold our biggest asset at the time James Milner for nothing. Terrible business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 This "no desire to win" thing is complete bollocks though. When I've watched Ireland on the pitch he's put in just as much effort as some other players, and in a few games a lot more effort than other players (Specially under McLeish), His effort and desire has never been in question for me, it's just that when he's on the pitch nothing really happens for him. He needs a system to be built with him and a certain type of player to play with him. We just don't have that and Lambert clearly doesn't rate him for whatever reason. (which is fair enough). I used to think that too. Remember Wigan at home last season? Ireland was a disgrace that day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted July 29, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted July 29, 2013 This "no desire to win" thing is complete bollocks though. When I've watched Ireland on the pitch he's put in just as much effort as some other players, and in a few games a lot more effort than other players (Specially under McLeish), His effort and desire has never been in question for me, it's just that when he's on the pitch nothing really happens for him. He needs a system to be built with him and a certain type of player to play with him. We just don't have that and Lambert clearly doesn't rate him for whatever reason. (which is fair enough). I used to think that too. Remember Wigan at home last season? Ireland was a disgrace that day. I actually completely missed that game through illness. From what I was told, everyone was awful that day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimzk5 Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 This "no desire to win" thing is complete bollocks though. When I've watched Ireland on the pitch he's put in just as much effort as some other players, and in a few games a lot more effort than other players (Specially under McLeish), His effort and desire has never been in question for me, it's just that when he's on the pitch nothing really happens for him. He needs a system to be built with him and a certain type of player to play with him. We just don't have that and Lambert clearly doesn't rate him for whatever reason. (which is fair enough). I used to think that too. Remember Wigan at home last season? Ireland was a disgrace that day. I actually completely missed that game through illness. From what I was told, everyone was awful that day. That match was an embarrassing display from every player in claret and blue that day. 1 nil down after 2 minutes, other than Holman hitting the bar we didn't create a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciggiesnbeer Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 This "no desire to win" thing is complete bollocks though. When I've watched Ireland on the pitch he's put in just as much effort as some other players, and in a few games a lot more effort than other players (Specially under McLeish), His effort and desire has never been in question for me, it's just that when he's on the pitch nothing really happens for him. He needs a system to be built with him and a certain type of player to play with him. We just don't have that and Lambert clearly doesn't rate him for whatever reason. (which is fair enough). I used to think that too. Remember Wigan at home last season? Ireland was a disgrace that day. I had tried to block that game from my memory. Dear god that was a low point in a few weeks of low points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillanousOne Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 This "no desire to win" thing is complete bollocks though. When I've watched Ireland on the pitch he's put in just as much effort as some other players, and in a few games a lot more effort than other players (Specially under McLeish), His effort and desire has never been in question for me, it's just that when he's on the pitch nothing really happens for him. He needs a system to be built with him and a certain type of player to play with him. We just don't have that and Lambert clearly doesn't rate him for whatever reason. (which is fair enough). I used to think that too. Remember Wigan at home last season? Ireland was a disgrace that day. I had tried to block that game from my memory. Dear god that was a low point in a few weeks of low points. Everyone was a disgrace at Wigan and at Bradford, Ireland has never been any worse than anyone else. Not saying I want him to stay just bored of him and Bent being the Pantomine villains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electric Avenue Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Ireland is very clever, in the sense he'll run a bit in a meaningless way to give the impression he's trying. I don't think I've ever seen him bust a gut. What he does do very well is give up on 50/50 balls, pull out of tackles and show lots of attitude if he doesn't get a ball within a blade of grass of his boot. Gary McAllister described him as "an empty crisp packet blowing about the pitch". What a fitting analogy that was. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skarroki Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 thought he was on his way. i can't think of anyone who would be willing to take a punt on him but there will be someone out there, it just depends how much we want for him, which i hope isn't too much. i think he could be a really useful player, but it's never going to happen here now, same can be said for every member of the bomb squad, all can be great players, all have one problem with their game and all are now incapable of playing for us because of the way they have been unceremoniously frozen out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Ireland is very clever, in the sense he'll run a bit in a meaningless way to give the impression he's trying. I don't think I've ever seen him bust a gut. What he does do very well is give up on 50/50 balls, pull out of tackles and show lots of attitude if he doesn't get a ball within a blade of grass of his boot. Gary McAllister described him as "an empty crisp packet blowing about the pitch". What a fitting analogy that was. This is straight up bullshit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panto_Villan Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Everyone was a disgrace at Wigan and at Bradford, Ireland has never been any worse than anyone else. Not saying I want him to stay just bored of him and Bent being the Pantomine villains. Nothing wrong with being a panto villan! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
privateer Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Ireland is very clever, in the sense he'll run a bit in a meaningless way to give the impression he's trying. I don't think I've ever seen him bust a gut. What he does do very well is give up on 50/50 balls, pull out of tackles and show lots of attitude if he doesn't get a ball within a blade of grass of his boot. Gary McAllister described him as "an empty crisp packet blowing about the pitch". What a fitting analogy that was. This is straight up bullshit. Your opinion, obviously. Not one I share, I think EE is on the money with this as was Gary Mac. Something else I've noticed about him - and mentioned some time ago - relates to his "tackling" or not, as it actually is. Repeatedly I've seen him avoid getting his foot in there, he scuttles round behind players and tries to nick the ball that way. He just won't get involved in frontal or side tackling, he's like some crappy little dog that runs round nipping at heels so it won't get hurt. The result is he invariably gets nothing of the ball and gets brushed off - then he just stands there whilst the player runs away with the ball and leaves it up to someone else to put in a proper tackle. A "creative player" who creates next to nothing; an attacking midfielder who never scores; a midfielder who doesn't tackle. That's a player who ain't worth shit. I have to admit that once or twice I have seen him take everyone by surprise and track back and put in a tackle. I suspect he surprised himself, too. I'm sure he gave himself a good talking to whenever he did that and swore not to do it again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villabromsgrove Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Ireland has done very well for himself. The signs were there when he couldn't be bothered to man up and play international football. The guy hasn't got the mental strength to commit week in week out to anything,Hat's off to him for making a fortune out of a couple of promising seasons. The real mugs are the guys who are paid big salaries to run football clubs.It wouldn't happen in the real world, only in the fantasy world of unprofessional football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Gary McAllister described him as "an empty crisp packet blowing about the pitch". What a fitting analogy that was. Just as a matter of interest, can you provide any credible source for this alleged quote (other than this thread, where it appears twice)? If you can't prove that he said it as a matter of public record, I suggest you don't use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avflife Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Can't find those reported quotes anywhere, anyway soon as we ship out the little waste of space the better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrackpotForeigner Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Can't find those reported quotes anywhere Never mind. No problemo. Simply insert the word "allegedly" and you're done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daholteend Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Hindsight is 20/20 . Reality is that we would have been so much better off just taking ₤25M from Citeh and not having anything to do with Ireland. There can be no value placed on the angst created at AVFC and among the fans who have collectively spent hour upon hour of discussing the pros and cons (mostly cons) of this former talented player. The writing was already on the wall for SI when Mancini sent him to play with the reserves saying ."I don't know what he is thinking about his future but, for me, Stephen is a fantastic player and if he can change his head I think he can start to play like last season [2008–09] again" Problem is he didnt appear to change anything except his training shoes on a daily basis. At the time of leaving the BBC quoted Ireland as saying "I've kind of forgotten the feeling of what it is like to come off after a game feeling tired, winning or losing. I'm not used to sitting out for so long," said Ireland. He certainly is used to sitting out now. I can't help feeling thats it's all been a waste for everybody involved including Ireland himself. It writes like a football tragedy. Yes, I know that some will say that the lad is making millions but really? How many millions can make up for the fact that here is a football player who never lived up to the expectations of everyone in the business. . So much latent talent unused. So much money expended. If I were in those same training shoes I would be massively depressed, but thats just me. We will never know just how much having SI as a makeweight for James Milner played in MON's departure unless of course any of the parties involved decides to write a memoir. Of course it wasn't Irelands fault that the next two managers struggled to get a team together that could compete at the level that MON had achieved. Some might argue that had Ireland played immediately the way he did when he was Citeh's Player of the Year, things might have been different. To that I would say that "If the Queen had testicles she would be the King!" IIRC he has one more year left on his contract with AVFC. I hope for his own sake that he just doesn't spend the year in the Bomb Squad. There is a lot more football to be played by SI.. it's just not going to be at B6 .Additonally in a month's time he will be 27 years old... still young enough to enjoy what is left of a football career that badly needs salvaging.. for his own pride if nothing else. Ireland still has a chance to make it to the World Cup. Stephen Ireland still has a chance of making that team but it depends on him having a strong worthwhile season to achieve that. SI has windows of opportunities ahead of him. I hope that he takes them and finds that talent that he has. Sometimes in life, the money becomes irrelevant. Sometimes the personal satisfaction that you have accomplished all that you are capable of becomes paramount. Stephen Ireland, if you are reading this, I sincerely hope you understand this and grab the opportunity that still lies before you. Don't let money pre-occupations get in the way of having a happy life! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Ireland is very clever, in the sense he'll run a bit in a meaningless way to give the impression he's trying. I don't think I've ever seen him bust a gut. What he does do very well is give up on 50/50 balls, pull out of tackles and show lots of attitude if he doesn't get a ball within a blade of grass of his boot. Gary McAllister described him as "an empty crisp packet blowing about the pitch". What a fitting analogy that was. This is straight up bullshit. Your opinion, obviously. Not one I share, I think EE is on the money with this as was Gary Mac. Something else I've noticed about him - and mentioned some time ago - relates to his "tackling" or not, as it actually is. Repeatedly I've seen him avoid getting his foot in there, he scuttles round behind players and tries to nick the ball that way. He just won't get involved in frontal or side tackling, he's like some crappy little dog that runs round nipping at heels so it won't get hurt. The result is he invariably gets nothing of the ball and gets brushed off - then he just stands there whilst the player runs away with the ball and leaves it up to someone else to put in a proper tackle. A "creative player" who creates next to nothing; an attacking midfielder who never scores; a midfielder who doesn't tackle. That's a player who ain't worth shit. I have to admit that once or twice I have seen him take everyone by surprise and track back and put in a tackle. I suspect he surprised himself, too. I'm sure he gave himself a good talking to whenever he did that and swore not to do it again. Not saying that he's very creative or anything. But to say he "pretends" to be trying or doesn't try hard enough is ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic_bouma Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Ireland is very clever, in the sense he'll run a bit in a meaningless way to give the impression he's trying. I don't think I've ever seen him bust a gut. What he does do very well is give up on 50/50 balls, pull out of tackles and show lots of attitude if he doesn't get a ball within a blade of grass of his boot. Gary McAllister described him as "an empty crisp packet blowing about the pitch". What a fitting analogy that was. This is straight up bullshit. Your opinion, obviously. Not one I share, I think EE is on the money with this as was Gary Mac. Something else I've noticed about him - and mentioned some time ago - relates to his "tackling" or not, as it actually is. Repeatedly I've seen him avoid getting his foot in there, he scuttles round behind players and tries to nick the ball that way. He just won't get involved in frontal or side tackling, he's like some crappy little dog that runs round nipping at heels so it won't get hurt. The result is he invariably gets nothing of the ball and gets brushed off - then he just stands there whilst the player runs away with the ball and leaves it up to someone else to put in a proper tackle. A "creative player" who creates next to nothing; an attacking midfielder who never scores; a midfielder who doesn't tackle. That's a player who ain't worth shit. I have to admit that once or twice I have seen him take everyone by surprise and track back and put in a tackle. I suspect he surprised himself, too. I'm sure he gave himself a good talking to whenever he did that and swore not to do it again. In complete agreement. He is a complete con artist and I can't wait for him to be associated with another club. He had a lot of people defending him a couple of seasons ago and even last season to a certain extent (not me as I have always hated him) but it appears now the majority see Ireland for what he is. A shit lazy waste of space. When people always churned out the "he just needs the right players around him" line it made me wanna rip my arm off and throw it at the computer. "The other players just aren't on the same wavelength" that was another good one 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted July 30, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted July 30, 2013 Everyone was a disgrace at Wigan and at Bradford, Ireland has never been any worse than anyone else. Not saying I want him to stay just bored of him and Bent being the Pantomine villains. Nothing wrong with being a panto villan! Oh yes there is. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I said at the time we signed him he was a rich mans Lee Hendrie. I was wrong He is a poor mans lee Hendrie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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