ireland wants out (merged)

[Skibum]

So Mancini challenges Stevie to sort his head out and the reply allegedly is to put in a transfer request.

Do we need players in our squad with that degree of mental strength? I personally think not.

This marks a watershed in my opinion. It had to eventually come to the stage in our development where the manager had the balls to off load some of our beloved academy products who are not quite good enough. That's the likes of Richards, Nedum and Stevie I.

Hughes didn't have the balls to do this obviously Mancini has.

Good luck to those that leave and thank you for your time with City.

Just another stage in our development.

 

[Failsworth_Blue]

I agree to a certain extent but players should be able to adapt. Take Samuel Eto'o for example, this season for Inter he's not played consistantly in one position, he's been used on the right and left of a front three a hell of a lot and it's not something he's used to as he's usually played through the middle but he's come in and done an excellent job. If we don't play Ireland in the hole behind the lone striker then i think he struggles to have an impact on the game and the question is do we alter our formation just so we can play Ireland in his best position or do we go with the formation that the manager thinks will work best overall?

Not all players have versatility in their game, and I don't buy the notion that you need it to be top class. Messi, couldn't play the role Ireland has been asked to play this season, nor could Schneider, nor could Diego, nor could Kaka. The reason that other clubs want Ireland, and the reason supporters of other clubs rate him, and the reason that his teammates will say things like "he's the best player I've ever played with" is because his talent is unquestionable.

Again Billy i agree to a certain extent but what you have to have is a certain amount of versatility in your game if you're a midfielder it's a position that requires a lot of work and sometimes you need to adapt to a different kind of role dependent on who your playing and how the games going. Take two of the best attacking midfielders of the past 10 years or so in England in Lampard and Scholes, they are by all accounts attacking midfielders but what they can do and have done many times especially Scholes this season is play deeper than they're used to and still have an impact on the game, i'm not sure Ireland has shown us he can do that as of yet and thats a problem

Ireland does of course have plenty of ability but so did Denilson and at club level he was just never able to produce it on a consistant basis and that will always be the problem. Can Ireland play to the best of his ability on a consistant basis? He's shown little to suggest that he can so far in his career and if we want to go for the title we need players who've shown they perform on a consistant basis

I'd love to keep Ireland and get him to perform week in week out as we know he has the ability to do but sadly i don't think it's going to happen

 

[leighton]

Paper reports should be banned along with that Sky Sports News ticker bar. They claim a couple of weeks ago Boateng was on his way not happend. Now Milner as well.
As for Ireland I am a big fan of his when he is on form he is a match winner for us. Look at Mancini and the way he sets his team out it is very defensive in the middle. I feel if we do sell him we will regret it. I think if he is part of a deal for Milner no thanks I would rather keep Ireland. No way should Villa get Money and Ireland it is complete madness.
Give it a couple more weeks and we will see how Mancini builds his squad. I am shocked he doesnt like creative players in a central role as he was a player with some creative flair that played down the middle. The players in our midfield all this season didnt do it central. Barry was a waste of money to be honest never commanded the midfield thats the main reason why Mancini signed Vieria who hadnt got the legs for the English game. De Jong was solid at best doing his role as sitting back but when all 3 were in the team the 3 of them looked lost out there with them all wanting to do the sitting role.
Dont forget we need a squad with some homegrown players in it. Ireland adds a lot to our squad compared to others it is going to be a long hard season next year with Europa League and the games in England so you know what you will get out of Ireland. No one will be able to play every game next season so we need to hold onto players like Ireland as he offers a lot. 1 poor season with injuries and lost of form. He was up for the battle for places before he will be up for it again as long as he knows he has a chance of getting into Mancinis team. If not it saddens me to say it Mancini should put him up for sale and not just pawn him off in a deal for Milner we should be looking for good money for Ireland not just give him away. I feel he should be given another year to see how he gets on but it seems the club / manager want to get rid of the players that have the passion for the club with Ireland , Bellers , Ned and SWP all linked with moves away this summer.

 

[Challenger1978]

Re: ireland wants out

30+ good games out of how many?

where you getting the 30 from?

fact is, 08/09 he had about 15 very good games out of like 45 and people overrated him from then on.

and the games in that season are the only good ones hes had for this club..

he has undoubted quality, but i definitely think mancinis right when he said he needs to sort his head out. he can go for me no hesitation tbh.

Yeah he was just a passenger in the Derby victory at the swamp /sarcasm.

 

[usacitizen]

Before being asked to be flexible and play around the park, you need two things: (1) the public confidence of the manager, and (2) playing time. Mancini showed that with Viera. Game after crap game, Mancini lauded him and played him again. I felt like I was watching a different game than him. If I was Stevie Ireland listening to that shite, I would definitely felt my head wasn't right.

The Ireland saga brings up my biggest worry with Mancini--good managers can inspire consistently solid performances from good players, but great managers can take mercurial talent and channel it towards the team good on a regular basis. We have a lot of mercurial talent on our attacking team--bellamy, adebayor, johnson, SWP, Ireland. My question for next season is not whether Mancini can manage people like De Jong, Barry and Milner--who will always give us solid (if we get/keep them). Can he manage lads who go from genius to ordinary, depending on where their heads are, on any given day. I'm not sure yet.

 

[moomba]

If I was Stevie Ireland listening to that shite, I would definitely felt my head wasn't right.

If he does have that mentality (I don't think he does), he will never be a top class player.

 

[bell_mcfc]

Its the mirror, near enough everthing they write about City is pure bollocks. I no Stevie hasnt had the best of seasons but i think he'll stay, and i hope he stays because he was good and still has the potential to repeat it.

 

[KentBlue]

On the other hand, all this could be just tabloid fodder. It is the Mirror, after all.

Me? I'll wait until it's confirmed on the OS before posting an opinion.

 

[Rammy Blue]

The minute we signed Carlos then Stevie's days were numbered imo.

You just couldn't play Stevie in behind Carlos as a lone striker in many games, one of the two players in that system needs decent aerial ability as well as skill.

 

[Da_Blu_Moona]

Ireland needs to sort his fucking life out or he'll miss this boat.