Good man Stephen Ireland... (3 Viewers)

[Richie]

Here he is saying that the recent rumours are garbage and that he does indeed want to play for the team:

http://www.setantasports.com/en/Spo...ets/sport-space/great-britain-locale/football

Stephen Ireland has rubbished rumours that he has no intention of ever playing for his country again.
The Manchester City midfielder has not lined out for the Republic of Ireland since his controversial withdrawal from the squad for last September's Euro 2008 qualifier against the Czech Republic.

However, Ireland expressed an interest in returning to the international set-up after hearing of Giovanni Trapattoni’s appointment as manager earlier this year and has now revealed that he will meet with the Italian next week to discuss his prospects of doing so.
”I have never told anybody that I am not going to play for my country and I have an open mind going into my meeting with Mr. Trapattoni,” he is quoted as saying by The Irish Daily Star.
”Obviously, because I am meeting with the new Irish manager I cannot say a lot, but I am looking forward to sitting down with him.
”Personally, I will be happy to resolve the matter as soon as I have met with the manager and we have both discussed our situations.”

I'm convinced that 75% of the reporting on this story (i.e. most of the articles that rely entirely on mystery unnamed sources) is total speculation from newspaper hacks looking to fill column space.. At least the whole mess is finally coming to a head now - he's been named in the squad for May and he's meeting the manager, so either he goes and trains with them and the whole thing is sorted out, or he doesn't and basically pulls out of international football entirely. I reckon we could definately do with him available (top scorer in the last campaign!) but you'd wonder if it's worth it if he's going to continue drawing this amount of attention for off-the-field bullshit.

 

[Stan Bowles]

You don't need to worry about Stephen Ireland, you've recalled the best central midfielder in the Championship.

 

[Bren.Manazo]

You have to wonder how much of that piece is fact and how much of it is made up on the spot by some journalist whos dealine is in 30mins and is getting desperate.
I reckon wait and see what happens.

If he does say no though (past experience would suggest it is a possibility) that should be the end of it and the little whingy fuck should never be allowed wear the Irish jersey again under any circumstances.

 

[ratmonkey]

He's pulled out of the squad apparently.

 

[avernus]

He's pulled out of the squad apparently.

source?

 

[Mitchum]

He's pulled out of the squad apparently.

This was in the Sunday papers alright.

This is the man who claims he's become withdrawn & depressed over his girlfriend's miscarriage but also drives around in an SUV with pink wheel trims & pulls his shorts down to reveal Superman knickers in front of 40,000 punters.

Sweet Enola Gay.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

Emmet Malone in Saturday's Times.

Ireland's return to Irish squad in doubt

EMMET MALONE, Soccer Correspondent
STEPHEN IRELAND'S anticipated return to the Republic of Ireland set-up for the training camp in Portugal next month and the friendly internationals against Serbia and Colombia is in serious doubt with the 21-year-old player said to be considering retiring from international football on a permanent basis.
The midfielder is said to have reacted coolly to the news he had been included in Giovanni Trapattoni's preliminary squad of 40 and Liam Brady's comments last week that he would be amongst the travelling party of 28 players unless he indicated he did not want to travel.
Sources close to the player have indicated he will meet Trapattoni in order to discuss the situation when the Italian formally takes on the job in May. However, the feeling amongst those around him is the most likely outcome of the talks at this stage is an announcement that the Manchester City player - who has scored four goals in six appearances for his country - will not be returning to the squad.
Such a decision would provide another remarkable twist to his colourful international career. Back in October 2002 he was told by Brian Kerr, the then Irish Youths manager, he would never call him up again after he reacted to being omitted from two European Championship qualifiers by requesting to be allowed return to his club rather than stay in Cork for the mini-tournament's third game.
Ireland subsequently vowed never to play again for Kerr and, sure enough, it was under Steve Staunton he graduated to the senior Irish squad. After his debut against Sweden he made quite an impact, scoring a number of very important goals. But he subsequently secured his release from the squad before last September's game against the Czech Republic in Prague by first claiming his maternal grandmother had died, then that his paternal grandmother had, and finally that these stories had been concocted so he could travel back to his girlfriend who, he said, had had a miscarriage.
It subsequently emerged Ireland was unhappy at the reaction of some other squad members to what appeared to have been a hair transplant. On the night before the Slovakia game a small number of players had apparently held him down and tugged at the hair, severely upsetting Ireland in the process.
It is this incident some team officials have privately admitted to believing is behind his reluctance to return to the squad. Nevertheless, when Don Givens derided him for his attitude when announcing his squad for the Brazil game in January, Ireland described the caretaker manager's comments as "childish" and suggested he would happily to return to the squad when a permanent successor to Staunton was appointed.
Now, it seems, despite constant support and encouragement from Sven-Goran Eriksson, who has said many times he believes Ireland's development as a player would be helped by being involved with the international set-up, he is far less certain about what he wants and one of Trapattoni's first tasks is likely to be talking the midfielder out of giving his temporary exile a far more permanent air.
© 2008 The Irish Times

The hair, jocks and rims are all ridiculous but the issue for me is having a bunch of senior players basically assault the kid by jumping him, holding him down and pulling at his hair - well out of order.
If that happened to anyone else at work, you'd either quit or sue the fuckers.

Slagging is one thing, physical abuse is another.

He should have got an apology and I'd be hard pressed convincing the kid why he needs to put up with shit like that.
If the FAI want him back they should get the cunts that did it to apologise first. They're supposed to be his teammates and they do this to him?
Anyone here been held down against their will lately? It's a humiliating experience for anyone, much less by people you're supposed to trust.
Then Givens basically calls him a baby after it? I'd have two fingers aloft and wagging in the direction of the FAI "Fuck yis and good luck"

 

[Hector Grey]

Emmet Malone in Saturday's Times.

The hair, jocks and rims are all ridiculous but the issue for me is having a bunch of senior players basically assault the kid by jumping him, holding him down and pulling at his hair - well out of order.
If that happened to anyone else at work, you'd either quit or sue the fuckers.

Slagging is one thing, physical abuse is another.

He should have got an apology and I'd be hard pressed convincing the kid why he needs to put up with shit like that.
If the FAI want him back they should get the cunts that did it to apologise first. They're supposed to be his teammates and they do this to him?
Anyone here been held down against their will lately? It's a humiliating experience for anyone, much less by people you're supposed to trust.
Then Givens basically calls him a baby after it? I'd have two fingers aloft and wagging in the direction of the FAI "Fuck yis and good luck"

yeah, it's out of order. hunt's attitude after the fact didn't help. neither did givens'. these are supposed to be grown ups. it's all part of the fai's lark culture. trap better knock that on the head. ireland has the qualities to be a really important player for us. i know rumour was hunt was involved, who else i wonder? stan did nothing about it either. wankers. less lark, more beating cyprus, please.

 

[Jerry Twig]

yeah, it's out of order. hunt's attitude after the fact didn't help. neither did givens'. these are supposed to be grown ups.

What's with all this misinformation? If you look back in this thread it's all been quoted. Hunt said this NEVER happened. He said it's bullshit. I don't think Ireland has even publicly alleged that this happened as far as I can see (show me otherwise). Hunt said Ireland got a verbal ribbing, same as everyone else, no more no less. Have none of ye played for a football team before?
So whatever happened to innocent till proven guilty?
Fuck sake

 

[Hector Grey]

What's with all this misinformation? If you look back in this thread it's all been quoted. Hunt said this NEVER happened. He said it's bullshit. I don't think Ireland has even publicly alleged that this happened as far as I can see (show me otherwise). Hunt said Ireland got a verbal ribbing, same as everyone else, no more no less. Have none of ye played for a football team before?
So whatever happened to innocent till proven guilty?
Fuck sake

hunt said he should get over it, etc. hunt should shut his fucking face cos that's clearly not helping. yes i've played football, yes i've done "banter" but i'm not a issue riddled weakling, so i'm fine, thanks. poor stephen obviously is, and if he needs to be handled with kid gloves, so be it. what's more important, all the lads have a lark, or ireland notch up some decent results for a change. cos sure as fuck, we were pretty fucking abject without him in the team. moddycoddle, i say, pamper. adore. just no more andy keogh.

i don't like stephen hunt anyway, i think he's a tosser. apart from demanding that his brother get a game, he leaves the boot in. i think he's a bit malicious and i wouldn't but that kinda picking on the weaker lad shit past him.

 

[snakybus]

loadsa fightin' on the football boards these days

fightin!

 

[Mitchum]

loadsa fightin' on the football boards these days

End of season tension?

I was mildly annoyed the Old Firm didn't descend into a proper brawl after the final whistle last night.

Good tv though.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

Speaking of which

 

[Moods For Mallards]

One of the great banners of our time.

 

[Mitchum]

Speaking of which

That's blocked here.
What does it say?

 

[Unicron]

That's blocked here.
What does it say?

"Scotland's Shame ->" with the arrow pointing towards the Ger's end of the stadium. It's about 20-25% of the width of the pitch.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

"Scotland's Shame ->" with the arrow pointing towards the Ger's end of the stadium.

I would say it's pointing to their banners, but who cares really?

 

[Mitchum]

*chortle*

Ever see the 'Dublin Rangers Supporters Club' tricolour draped in Ibrox?

I know the guy who does that. He's Scottish incidentally but does live here.

 

[Jerry Twig]

hunt said he should get over it, etc. hunt should shut his fucking face cos that's clearly not helping. yes i've played football, yes i've done "banter" but i'm not a issue riddled weakling, so i'm fine, thanks. poor stephen obviously is, and if he needs to be handled with kid gloves, so be it. what's more important, all the lads have a lark, or ireland notch up some decent results for a change. cos sure as fuck, we were pretty fucking abject without him in the team. moddycoddle, i say, pamper. adore. just no more andy keogh.

i don't like stephen hunt anyway, i think he's a tosser. apart from demanding that his brother get a game, he leaves the boot in. i think he's a bit malicious and i wouldn't but that kinda picking on the weaker lad shit past him.

Having a laugh in training and getting results are not mutually exclusive Hector. If anything, a bit of ribbing is a sign of good team spirit, and is likely to aid results, within reason. You just have it in for Hunt so you're imagining the worst. So be it.
Do you really think you can pamper Stephen Ireland, have everyone on their hands and knees apologising to him for nothing, and then expect him to come out palying for Ireland and be some fucking surpremo whizz??!!
You're reading too much Roy of the Rovers.

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

Having a laugh in training and getting results are not mutually exclusive Hector. If anything, a bit of ribbing is a sign of good team spirit, and is likely to aid results, within reason. You just have it in for Hunt so you're imagining the worst. So be it.
Do you really think you can pamper Stephen Ireland, have everyone on their hands and knees apologising to him for nothing, and then expect him to come out palying for Ireland and be some fucking surpremo whizz??!!
You're reading too much Roy of the Rovers.

Not 'for nothing'.
They attacked him.
A bit of ribbing and pinning someone to the floor while you fuck with them, are worlds apart.