Ireland's bust up with rob (merged)

[robbieh]

Re: Stevie Ireland.

The amount of arrogance behind the scenes at City is rapidly reaching epic proportions.

Fucking with the career of another club's player is one thing. Fucking with the career's of your own players is inexcusable.

Whether it's Ireland, Neds, SWP, Bridge, whoever...it's high time Marwood and Co. started behaving with the kind of class which Khaldoon and the people in Abu Dhabi expect - otherwise the stench from this summer will live long in the memories of many people...

Here we go again.

Look I agree that players should be treated with some respect, especially Nedum and Stevie as they have been at City a long time.

However City need to spend big quickly to make sure we are a Champions League side so that when the new restrictions come in we can self finance.

Nedum is not a good enough footballer and will get very few games. Bridge in my opinion was a poor signing by Hughes. We all saw how poor England's best were in South Africa and SWP and Bridge and Nedum are not England's best.

Ireland is different due to the fact that he is talented. However I did not mind when Joe Cole went to Liverpool because I knew he wouldn't improve City. And Cole is probably a better player than Ireland.

This is where we are at. Like it or lump it.

 

[ST Coleridge]

Re: Stevie Ireland.

I think Ireland is a very technically gifted footballer with a clever football brain. His problem at City, is that he struggles to settle in a rigid formation. As some have mentioned, his best position is probably just behind the front two (as Elano during his first season under Eriksson). It is his ability to play the 'berkovic' / 'benarbia' pass which would make him a great player if playing in that system behind a quick striker who plays on the shoulder of the defender, aka a young Anelka or Torres

Unfortunately, this is not a system adopted by most top clubs anymore. The 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-2-1 means it is likely that the attacking emphasis comes from the wider players and less through the middle, hence he doesn't fit into this formation as easily.

I have always liked watching him, but he looks out of place out wide, he lacks pace of bellamy, the trickery feet of johnson etc. I think it would be great if he stayed so to provide a different option / way of playing if we wanted to change formation etc, but I think he will move on. Whether he will be successful, will depend on who he goes to, and whether they will provide a less rigid and more fluid formation where he play in holes rather than strict positions.

I see what you mean, but last season we played a 4-4-2 every week. The hole position was never available to Stevie.

It's my own opinion that we'll go 4-3-1-2 this season, and I think that Ireland's more than capable of playing as the '1' bit of that (albeit, most likely as a deputy to Silva).

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Stevie Ireland.

The amount of arrogance behind the scenes at City is rapidly reaching epic proportions.

Fucking with the career of another club's player is one thing. Fucking with the career's of your own players is inexcusable.

Whether it's Ireland, Neds, SWP, Bridge, whoever...it's high time Marwood and Co. started behaving with the kind of class which Khaldoon and the people in Abu Dhabi expect - otherwise the stench from this summer will live long in the memories of many people...

Are you regarding such stories as leaks then, Billy, as opposed to the usual press conjecture? I mean, there's no quotes or anything (I've seen one from Mancini, saying 'sometimes Craig, Manu, Stephen, Shaun didn't play so well last season', but it seemed fairly tame).

I won't comment anymore until the transfer window closes. However it doesn't take a genius to figure out that there's something proper shitty going on behind the scenes when Ste does an interview stating categorically that he wants to stay at City and fight for his place, and within 24 hours there's a "leak"....

 

[citizens_1976]

Re: Stevie Ireland.

Ireland, Neds, SWP, Bridge, Richards....

just not good enough for the team we are trying to build. Get over it and lets move on.

The arrogance of some people is just unbelievable.

Are you a real City fan seriously? You sound like a prat to me.

To disreguard these players is a bit of a joke. Most teams in the Premiership would take Ireland including Liverpool and the Rags, hes still a quality player and a very good squad member. Yes, hes had one bad season but give the lad time, everyone licked his arse the season before last, he has a bit of an on and off season last season and look how he gets slated. Form is temporary, class is permanent and i think if he gets games he will prove a lot of people wrong on here.

As for Richards and Onuoha, they need another chance, they are 2 good young prospects who can improve. Bridge is a decent back up, im sure most teams in the league would take all these 3 as well.

SWP is the only player out of the ones you have mentioned who i would get rid of, hes has had his best days and i dont think hes up to it anymore.

I think the money is getting to your head mate, get off your high horse.

 

[lastmanback]

Re: Stevie Ireland.

why do people prefer to believe what papers
say, rather than what the actual player has to say,
there are to many DIM fans supporting city.
why get rid of a player when we have not got anyone better in his position at the moment.
2 players for each position and
as he said himself he will fight for his place.
Or will most have to wait till they read it in rag papers.

 

[citizens_1976]

Re: Stevie Ireland.

why do people prefer to believe what papers
say, rather than what the actual player has to say,
there are to many DIM fans supporting city.
why get rid of a player when we have not got anyone better in his position at the moment.
2 players for each position and
as he said himself he will fight for his place.
Or will most have to wait till they read it in rag papers.

Yeah exactly. Personally i dont see why people criticise Ireland, he is a quality young player who can make a real impact this season.

 

[robbieh]

Re: Stevie Ireland.

Ireland, Neds, SWP, Bridge, Richards....

just not good enough for the team we are trying to build. Get over it and lets move on.

The arrogance of some people is just unbelievable.

Are you a real City fan seriously? You sound like a prat to me.

To disreguard these players is a bit of a joke. Most teams in the Premiership would take Ireland including Liverpool and the Rags, hes still a quality player and a very good squad member. Yes, hes had one bad season but give the lad time, everyone licked his arse last season, he has a bit of an on and off season and look how he gets slated. Form is temporary, class is permanent and i think if he gets games he will prove a lot of people wrong on here.

As for Richards and Onuoha, they need another chance, they are 2 good young prospects who can improve. Bridge is a decent back up, im sure most teams in the league would take all these 3 as well.

SWP is the only player out of the ones you have mentioned who i would get rid of, hes has his best days and i dont think hes up to it anymore.

I think the money is getting to your head mate, get off your high horse.

Nedum is a good athlete but a poor footballer. Richards is lacks skill on the ball. Did you watch Boateng in the world cup playing out of position? Calm and collected.

I don't deny that all of them are useful backup. But I suspect Nedum and Stevie want games. Ditto Bridge. We'll just have to see.

It's is not arrogance to realise that some of our academy players are not that good. It is stupid to overate them however. For me Boyata and Nimely look better prospects.

 

[citizens_1976]

Re: Stevie Ireland.

The arrogance of some people is just unbelievable.

Are you a real City fan seriously? You sound like a prat to me.

To disreguard these players is a bit of a joke. Most teams in the Premiership would take Ireland including Liverpool and the Rags, hes still a quality player and a very good squad member. Yes, hes had one bad season but give the lad time, everyone licked his arse last season, he has a bit of an on and off season and look how he gets slated. Form is temporary, class is permanent and i think if he gets games he will prove a lot of people wrong on here.

As for Richards and Onuoha, they need another chance, they are 2 good young prospects who can improve. Bridge is a decent back up, im sure most teams in the league would take all these 3 as well.

SWP is the only player out of the ones you have mentioned who i would get rid of, hes has his best days and i dont think hes up to it anymore.

I think the money is getting to your head mate, get off your high horse.

Nedum is a good athlete but a poor footballer. Richards is lacks skill on the ball. Did you watch Boateng in the world cup playing out of position? Calm and collected.

I don't deny that all of them are useful backup. But I suspect Nedum and Stevie want games. Ditto Bridge. We'll just have to see.

It's is not arrogance to realise that some of our academy players are not that good. It is stupid to overate them however. For me Boyata and Nimely look better prospects.

Nedum Onuoha is a very solid player though, he might not be great on the ball, but everytime he is called upon to come in and do a job, he does it very well, hes a good squad member and hes homegrown. I agree with Richards, but he needs one more season to prove what he can do, hes only a young lad. Boateng looked good yes, but your judging off one World Cup. He is a good player, but with this sort of competition and quality in this squad, it could bring the best out of our homegrown players like Onuoha and Richards. Did PFA player of the year Wayne Rooney look calm and collected at the World Cup? Nopeeeeeee. Yes, but maybe in a couple of seasons you will be telling us how shit Nimely and Boyata are. Stephen Ireland is one of the best players we have ever produced through the academy, give him time.

I think your point is silly, most players who come to us will want to play, no one wants to sit on the bench.

 

[ST Coleridge]

Re: Stevie Ireland.

Are you regarding such stories as leaks then, Billy, as opposed to the usual press conjecture? I mean, there's no quotes or anything (I've seen one from Mancini, saying 'sometimes Craig, Manu, Stephen, Shaun didn't play so well last season', but it seemed fairly tame).

I won't comment anymore until the transfer window closes. However it doesn't take a genius to figure out that there's something proper shitty going on behind the scenes when Ste does an interview stating categorically that he wants to stay at City and fight for his place, and within 24 hours there's a "leak"....

I take your point, although I never understand why this sort of business goes on. If you're right (and you're better-placed than me to know the machinations of such things), then it is indeed unnecessarily shitty.

I mean, why not just ring the likes of Sunderland, Villa, etc, and say 'Here, do you want Stephen Ireland?' It might devalue the player in terms of negotiations, but surely not as much as announcing that Ireland won't even make the 25?

As I've stated literally millions of times, I would hate Ireland to go. I think he's likeable and genuine, and inarguably talented. He just needs to sort his hea..... Only messing.

 

[BoyBlue_1985]

Re: Stevie Ireland.

Nedum is a good athlete but a poor footballer. Richards is lacks skill on the ball. Did you watch Boateng in the world cup playing out of position? Calm and collected.

I don't deny that all of them are useful backup. But I suspect Nedum and Stevie want games. Ditto Bridge. We'll just have to see.

It's is not arrogance to realise that some of our academy players are not that good. It is stupid to overate them however. For me Boyata and Nimely look better prospects.

Nedum Onuoha is a very solid player though, he might not be great on the ball, but everytime he is called upon to come in and do a job, he does it very well, hes a good squad member and hes homegrown. I agree with Richards, but he needs one more season to prove what he can do, hes only a young lad. Boateng looked good yes, but your judging off one World Cup. He is a good player, but with this sort of competition and quality in this squad, it could bring the best out of our homegrown players like Onuoha and Richards. Did PFA player of the year Wayne Rooney look calm and collected at the World Cup? Nopeeeeeee. Yes, but maybe in a couple of seasons you will be telling us how shit Nimely and Boyata are. Stephen Ireland is one of the best players we have ever produced through the academy, give him time.

I think your point is silly, most players who come to us will want to play, no one wants to sit on the bench.

I agree with alot, but the give Ireland more time thing. He has had 6 seasons to prove himself and has only proved his worth for half a season. I do not doubt he is one of best we have produced through the academy but if he was trying to break through now he would be along way off. Maybe as City fans we dont want to hear it but the quality we now have in the squad will show that only the best get through rather than the old days of he is as good as what we got and makes up the numbers