dannyboy91uk
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Stephen Ireland Unhappy About Contract Delay?
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/may/18/stephen-ireland-contract-manchester-city" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009 ... ester-city</a>
Stephen Ireland has compounded a disappointing season for Manchester City by expressing his frustration about the length of time it is taking for the club to put together his new contract.
Ireland, the overwhelming choice to be named as City's player of the year at the club's end-of-season dinner on Wednesday, has been offered a new five-year deal with a sliding pay scale, starting off with a weekly salary of £60,000, rising to £70,000 after the first year and then £80,000 in a further 12 months.
Mark Hughes, the City manager, whose own position was ratified by the club's owners in Abu Dhabi Monday, said last week that Ireland was "very close" to signing. However, that prompted a terse response from Ireland tonight, disputing the club's Âversion of events and floating the possibility that he would not commit himself to City unless the financial terms were significantly improved.
"We're nowhere, to be honest," he said. "We're still a long way off. Talks have barely started and I don't know what's going to happen or if I'm going to sign or not sign. It's out of my hands right now. It's up to the club, not me. But we're way off at the moment and it's getting to the stage now where I don't know if I'm going to be signing or not. That's down to the club, not me anymore."
Ireland currently earns £26,000 a week and ultimately stands to treble his salary but the midfielder is aware that several other players, such as Wayne Bridge on £93,000, will still be earning more than him.
"I think I've done enough this year," he continued. "I've let my football do the talking and now it's up to the club if they want to make an offer or not. They haven't really made a proper offer yet. If they make me an offer, great. But if not, I've got two years left at the club."
Ireland's apparent disenchantment comes only a week after claiming he would like to remain at City for the remainder of his career, and he is still understood to be keen to commit his future to the club, just on better figures than have currently been proposed. He is, however, disillusioned about the way the team have failed to qualify for Europe in a season in which Hughes has spent in excess of £100m on new players.
Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the club's Âchairman, tried to put an end to the speculation about Hughes' future today by doing a rare interview with the club's website in which he reiterated he had the "highest confidence" in the manager.City, however, are 10th in the league and Ireland said that had to be regarded as a failure.
"We're all gutted – very, very disappointed; speechless, to be honest, that the season is over and we can't do anything about it now," he said. "We expected to do better in Europe and we should have done better in the league to get there again.
"We just have to pick ourselves up now. We have to get rid of our frustration next weekend [against Bolton] and start like a house on fire next season. Hopefully next season will be very positive for us."
The incessant debate about Hughes's future was described by Al Mubarak as placing "incredible and unnecessary pressure" on the manager, and Ireland also spoke up on behalf of a man who claimed last week he was "proud" of his first season's work.
"A lot of pressure goes with the job but I think he deserves a lot more credit than he's been getting," said Ireland. "It is very unfair. Everyone is backing him, all the players are backing him. Next season we'll give it a really good go. He's definitely the right man for the job."
I don't know if anybody has posted this lol, I just though't people on the Bluemoon forum should read it here without searching for it on the internet.
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/may/18/stephen-ireland-contract-manchester-city" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009 ... ester-city</a>
Stephen Ireland has compounded a disappointing season for Manchester City by expressing his frustration about the length of time it is taking for the club to put together his new contract.
Ireland, the overwhelming choice to be named as City's player of the year at the club's end-of-season dinner on Wednesday, has been offered a new five-year deal with a sliding pay scale, starting off with a weekly salary of £60,000, rising to £70,000 after the first year and then £80,000 in a further 12 months.
Mark Hughes, the City manager, whose own position was ratified by the club's owners in Abu Dhabi Monday, said last week that Ireland was "very close" to signing. However, that prompted a terse response from Ireland tonight, disputing the club's Âversion of events and floating the possibility that he would not commit himself to City unless the financial terms were significantly improved.
"We're nowhere, to be honest," he said. "We're still a long way off. Talks have barely started and I don't know what's going to happen or if I'm going to sign or not sign. It's out of my hands right now. It's up to the club, not me. But we're way off at the moment and it's getting to the stage now where I don't know if I'm going to be signing or not. That's down to the club, not me anymore."
Ireland currently earns £26,000 a week and ultimately stands to treble his salary but the midfielder is aware that several other players, such as Wayne Bridge on £93,000, will still be earning more than him.
"I think I've done enough this year," he continued. "I've let my football do the talking and now it's up to the club if they want to make an offer or not. They haven't really made a proper offer yet. If they make me an offer, great. But if not, I've got two years left at the club."
Ireland's apparent disenchantment comes only a week after claiming he would like to remain at City for the remainder of his career, and he is still understood to be keen to commit his future to the club, just on better figures than have currently been proposed. He is, however, disillusioned about the way the team have failed to qualify for Europe in a season in which Hughes has spent in excess of £100m on new players.
Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the club's Âchairman, tried to put an end to the speculation about Hughes' future today by doing a rare interview with the club's website in which he reiterated he had the "highest confidence" in the manager.City, however, are 10th in the league and Ireland said that had to be regarded as a failure.
"We're all gutted – very, very disappointed; speechless, to be honest, that the season is over and we can't do anything about it now," he said. "We expected to do better in Europe and we should have done better in the league to get there again.
"We just have to pick ourselves up now. We have to get rid of our frustration next weekend [against Bolton] and start like a house on fire next season. Hopefully next season will be very positive for us."
The incessant debate about Hughes's future was described by Al Mubarak as placing "incredible and unnecessary pressure" on the manager, and Ireland also spoke up on behalf of a man who claimed last week he was "proud" of his first season's work.
"A lot of pressure goes with the job but I think he deserves a lot more credit than he's been getting," said Ireland. "It is very unfair. Everyone is backing him, all the players are backing him. Next season we'll give it a really good go. He's definitely the right man for the job."
I don't know if anybody has posted this lol, I just though't people on the Bluemoon forum should read it here without searching for it on the internet.