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

[TFC]

Hughes has obviously has some input but it was by and large all Stephens own doing. At the very end of last season he took it upon himself to put in some intense close season training, working on his stamina and upper body strength and the results are there for everyone to see. Stephen certainly has the drive, the desire and the pride in wearing the City shirt and is prepared to run all day for the cause. There have been games when he has been carrying small injuries but has run through the pain barrier for the team. He wants to suceed as an individual and as a club here at City and I only wish 3/4 of the current squad would look to Stephen as an inspiration as to what actually can be achieved with the right mentality. If the rumour concerning Arsenal has any shred of credibility about it then City should tell them in know uncertain terms to Fuck right off and then reward Stephen with a new contract he thouroughly deserves, he has been one of if not the most influential player of our season so far and should be shown that the club are prepared to back his own aspirations and tie him down for the long term future.

Always enjoy reading your posts blue, good to have someone who is actually ITK about something City related! ;)

Couldnt agree more with the bit in bold by the way, we missed the lad terribly yesterday.

 

[Blue2112]

Hughes has obviously has some input but it was by and large all Stephens own doing. At the very end of last season he took it upon himself to put in some intense close season training, working on his stamina and upper body strength and the results are there for everyone to see. Stephen certainly has the drive, the desire and the pride in wearing the City shirt and is prepared to run all day for the cause. There have been games when he has been carrying small injuries but has run through the pain barrier for the team. He wants to suceed as an individual and as a club here at City and I only wish 3/4 of the current squad would look to Stephen as an inspiration as to what actually can be achieved with the right mentality. If the rumour concerning Arsenal has any shred of credibility about it then City should tell them in know uncertain terms to Fuck right off and then reward Stephen with a new contract he thouroughly deserves, he has been one of if not the most influential player of our season so far and should be shown that the club are prepared to back his own aspirations and tie him down for the long term future.

Always enjoy reading your posts blue, good to have someone who is actually ITK about something City related! ;)

Couldnt agree more with the bit in bold by the way, we missed the lad terribly yesterday.

Thanks TFC...

There's one thing about our own youngsters that annoys me at City and that is when one of them breaks through to the first team ranks they are suddenly expected to dominate games week in week out. I could go as far back as Lomas and Flitcroft and then a whole host ever since that we seem to burn out all too quickly. We need to play them for half a dozen games or so and then rest them, return them to the reserves or the bench and let them learn their trade, then reintroduce them for half a dozen games or so and so on for probably two seasons. The problem with City though is that we rely on them far too much far too soon. Johnson has fallen into the trap of being given too much praise and expectation after what - a dozen good games - rewarded with a big contract and now has problems he shouldn't be having. Micah has played over 100 games, how old is he ffs! He's picked up injuries and loss of form along the way and has never been rested from first team action to take stock, its a case of way too much too soon.

Stephen may have suffered form over the past 3/4 seasons due to expectations, on and off the pitch, it cant be easy for modern day young footballers, with all the trappings of the lifestyle of a Premiership footballer brings suddenly being thrust into their hands overnight, as a club we could and should do more. Fergurson is a master with some of his responsibilities of his younger players. Now Stephen's maturing as a person and a player from obvious mistakes and realises he does have the talent if coupled with the desire to succeed and look at the dfference it has made. I'll go further back to Gary Owen and Peter Barnes, two other talents thrown in but with absolute sheer quality surrounding them and that is a massive difference to our youngsters of the past 20 years or so who have been expected to perform without a great deal of surrounding talent.

 

[blue_robb]

He's alot more composed on the ball - reckon thats to do with the martial arts?

More than likely, unless he nabbed the composure off Johnson since he werent using it anymore. ;)

 

[ConnorMCFC]

hughes stopped the board selling ireland to sunderland, so for me we all owe him a big thanks

 

[DAGW]

I have to say i think for all his faults which for me still spell EXIT this is the one good thing he's done. Stopped the Ireland transfer and helped him flourish. I guess we could sack the incompetent twit and hire him as Ireland's mentor. The one area it seems to be working.

 

[moomba]

hughes stopped the board selling ireland to sunderland, so for me we all owe him a big thanks

So he'd have you believe.

 

[bluemoon27]

if supermans change into being a top class player is down to leslie then surely the change in dunney and micah into dogshit is down to him as well

 

[maineroad]

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?

he trains at evade in hadfield seen him there go there my self dave the main teacher used to train the whole squad start of last season but sven stopped it because it was a to big drain on the players but stevie kept at it. bring it back if thats the results u get

 

[skinhead123]

dont beleive everything you read mh is a liar
steven ireland couldnt get in the team at the start of the season kelvin was in front of him and elano.steven wanted imediate talks with mh .mh said we dont want you to leave but you can ireland then went up to sunderland the deal was done and dusted steven was not considred for the next saturday game aldridge told him dont bother youve been sold
mh was fucked he had no back up on that saturday someone got injured hence steven turning up late and aldridge got the press flack for it and the rest is history
aldridge was never bollocked for this so it seems to be true

 

[ConnorMCFC]

dont beleive everything you read mh is a liar
steven ireland couldnt get in the team at the start of the season kelvin was in front of him and elano.steven wanted imediate talks with mh .mh said we dont want you to leave but you can ireland then went up to sunderland the deal was done and dusted steven was not considred for the next saturday game aldridge told him dont bother youve been sold
mh was fucked he had no back up on that saturday someone got injured hence steven turning up late and aldridge got the press flack for it and the rest is history
aldridge was never bollocked for this so it seems to be true

fuck me are you mh assistant? how the fuck do you know that? or are you just in the 'hughes out' brigade?