SWP's back said:
This.
Hughes wasn't picking him either
Indeed.
From The Times February 12, 2010
Stephen Ireland blames Mark Hughes for his loss of form at City
It is only since Mancini’s arrival at the City of Manchester Stadium, after Hughes’s dismissal in December, that Ireland, the club’s Player of the Year for 2008-09, feels he has returned to form. Under the Italian, Ireland has been given the opportunity to revert to his favoured attacking midfield role.
Stephen Ireland slams Kevin Keegan, Stuart Pearce and Sven Goran Eriksson
Published 00:00 20/11/08 By By David Mcdonnell
Stephen Ireland has delivered an extraordinary snub to Manchester City's former managers - by claiming they finally have a "proper" boss in Mark Hughes.
Ireland has been at City during the reigns of Kevin Keegan, Stuart Pearce and Sven Goran Eriksson.
But he claims that out of all of them, only Hughes has what it takes to send the perennial under-achievers to new heights.
Ireland declared: "He's a proper manager, the kind which I have always wanted to play under and who covers every aspect of preparation and training.
I suppose he does show some consistency.