Ireland's season so far - is it Hughes' doing?

[DAGW]

I am far from a Hughes backer, infact almost the opposite; but I can't help wondering what's sparked Steve's immense growth as a player. He's gone from a decent player to our superman but why?

Is it purely of his own doing?
Is it his new found lack of hair?
or dare I say it is it down to Hughes?

I can't see that anything has really changed other than the manager and it makes me wonder has the incompetent plum actually done something positive here?

Your thoughts please?

 

[moomba]

I think if you're going to criticise Hughes for players not performing you've got to give him credit when they do.

Huge amount of credit also to Ireland for knuckling down in the summer, getting his head right and fulfilling some of that obvious potential we could all see at times. Been the good news story of the season so far.

 

[Corky]

Dropping him for Kelvin helped motivate him.

 

[DAGW]

I know just before the start of season he went running in Glossop alot and started taking some martial arts classes and it seems to have helped.

Anyone know if it was off his own back or whether it was implimented by the manager?

 

[JohnMaddocksAxe]

If he wants credit for Ireland's improvement then he must also take responsibility for the likes of Richards and Dunne and the team in general going massively backwards.

He is currently doing his best to suggest that these have nothing whatsoever to do with him and that it is the fault of some sort of never-seen-before, unmanagable squad that no manager in the world could take anywhere other than a relegation battle.

He can't have it both ways.

 

[blue_robb]

Hughes has acknowledged that all the credit belongs to Ireland's own hard work over the summer break. The martial arts programme, the running with weights, all done off Stevie's own back.

 

[KingRuben]

Robinho & Kompany have had a part to play IMO

 

[dchitz]

I know just before the start of season he went running in Glossop alot and started taking some martial arts classes and it seems to have helped.

Anyone know if it was off his own back or whether it was implimented by the manager?

Stevie did all this well before hughes was in charge, had nothing to do with him, but credit hughes for believing in him and giving him his chance in right position

 

[gariah]

i think its probably down to the coaching staff getting harsher in training than svens lot.

its probably spurred the better players on and equally exposed the people who cant give a shit.

 

[SambaMike]

I read an interview with Ireland a month or so back in which he said that after the 8-1 defeat at Boro he sat down and decided that he needed to sort himself out. But he also commented on how Hughes' training had helped him.