Ireland puts in a transfer request

[Galb]

Being reported now by Irish press:

http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2010/0524/1224271084168.html

And before anyone starts, please God not to us. He has talent but not as much as people think based on his one good season with City. Overpriced and overated.

And he's nuts. Would almost inevitably end with him falling out with Rafa/whoever and leaving us for a massively reduced fee.

[little dave hedgehog]

define nuts please.

[Fivex]

He's a ****ing quality player - yes he's made a couple of mistakes but let's face it he's not exactly in Joey ****face Barton's league when it comes to being a cunt.

[Exiled_red]

Overpriced at how much? He wants out and City don't need the cash, he could be a bargin for someone.

[Broner]

It baffles me when people think of Stephen Ireland as this bad boy. He's far from it.

Ok the whole granny gate thing raised a few eyebrows to say the latest, his fashion style and odd goal celebrations etc haven't done him any favours but he's not a total scumbag like some would believe.

I remember reading an interview with him a year or so ago saying he never drinks or smokes and doesn't even bother socialising and he spends all his spare time with his girlfriend and kids.

[Shaggy]

Yeah and he trains like some sort of mentalist trojan. Running up and down the hills of Glossop on his own before pre-season training starts.

[Fivex]

Seriously? Glossop's' a location of carefree inbreeding isn't it?

If he's doing that every year then I'm surprised he hasn't yet been gobbled up in a Hot-Pot.

[Galb]

Of course he's not a bad boy or a Joey Barton. Just because he's not beating people up doesnt make him automatically a good player to have in the squad. He has a consistent history right back to his days as a teenager of falling out with coaches and going off in a huff when things arent going right.

Read this section from the Guardian's take on it and tell me there's not a lot of journalistic euphimism for 'he's a bit nuts' being used. Especially, "renowned for being so sensitive".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/may/24/manchester-city-mikel-arteta-stephen-ireland

"Ireland's unhappiness stems from what he perceives to be his marginalisation since Mancini took over from Hughes and his belief that he would not be regarded as an automatic first-team pick if he were to stay at the club where he was voted player of the year two seasons ago.

There have been concerted efforts behind the scenes to convince him that he still has a lot to offer and that, in reality, Mancini has included him in a lot of big games, but the player is said to have taken the last few months very badly and has come to feel that he is no longer wanted.

He has not played a full 90 minutes since the 2-0 defeat of Portsmouth on 31 January and, though that can be partly explained by some injuries, he takes football so seriously and is renowned for being so sensitive when things are not going well his transfer request was partly expected behind the scenes."


And real quality? Really? He was very good last season, decent the year before but he's 23. Its not exactly consistent over-achievement. And he's been pretty average when played this year. He's not a bad player but if he was signed, he'd be another Keane - an Irish player with ability who's overhyped on here (and elsewhere) and then massively disappoints.

[Jaymo]

Ireland is a very good player, with great vision and technique. He also has an eye for goal. If hes up for transfer i would love to see him here.

[Mike]

I'd take him, mentioned in the other thread we have on him he can make cutting edge passes that can rip a defence in half - something we lacked last season.

[Fernandinho]

replacement for benayoun maybe? both have an eye for goal and can make intelligent balls to open up a defence. If we sell benayoun and can buy Ireland or the same price then i dont see why not, ireland has 10 years left to benayouns 2 or 3

[Shaggy]

Seriously? Glossop's' a location of carefree inbreeding isn't it?

If he's doing that every year then I'm surprised he hasn't yet been gobbled up in a Hot-Pot.

[Nicey]

Hes only guilty of being a plonker ...a Plonker who can play a mean game of football..sign him up I say

[Rich]

Reading that article it seems he doesn't like not playing every minute of every game - is he not going to find Rafa's chopping and changing a problem?!

[the rev leeroy brown]

sign him up if we get a chance. bloody good footballer. you'd be nuts not to want him.