Stephen Ireland - The door is firmly shut (READ OP BEFORE POSTING)

Notorious

SlickRic wrote: »

it tells us something about his character i'm afraid.

it's all about him, and good riddance.

Seems like its all about the cash and not about the love for the game. I'm glad he's put it to bed though, I'm sick of the will he/won't he tripe.

noodler

kinaldo wrote: »

Taken from Tim's blog on the BBC website, a question and answer, summed up beautifully in his final paragraph I thought.

I hope he is completely wrong about the international scene losing the WC.

I never want to lose it.

Bottle_of_Smoke

I'd much rather play for my country than my club. So I believe him when he says he has no passion. Laziness doesn't come into things you enjoy doing.

He's being honest. He doesn't owe us anything. It's a shame but ultimately his choice.

premierstone

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

I'd much rather play for my country than my club. So I believe him when he says he has no passion. Laziness doesn't come into things you enjoy doing.

He's being honest. He doesn't owe us anything. It's a shame but ultimately his choice.

That is one thing he certainly cant be accussed of unless he's had some sort of surgery - hope its more sucessfull than he's hair plugs mind you

nlgbbbblth

"No regrets"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/nov/14/stephen-ireland-interview

wrote:

There is one obvious question with which to begin. The Republic of Ireland play the first leg of a World Cup play-off against France today and, if they were to eliminate the 1998 champions, you wonder what Stephen Ireland will feel. You think there might be regret and you ask whether, deep down, he feels uncomfortable about it, embarrassed even. But then he looks you in the eye and he barely pauses for breath.

No, he says, he would have no interest in playing in next summer's tournament in South Africa. If there is a party to be had, he will not be outside with his face pressed up against the window. He will be back in Cheshire with his young family, preparing for the start of the following season with Manchester City – and that is just the way he wants it.

"It was a ticking time-bomb, to be honest," he says of an international career he killed dead a few weeks after turning 21. "I never enjoyed my time playing for Ireland, never enjoyed it from the age of 14 or 15 when I was travelling up from Cork to Dublin. Even if they get to the World Cup, there's not a part of me that will think, 'That could have been me, I could have been there'. I don't feel guilty watching them play without me. If they lose I won't feel it was my fault. If they win, I won't ever wish I could be there. I have a good life."

You look for signs that it might just be bravado. You ask, again, if there is not just a tinge of regret. You study him for glimpses of hurt. But there are none.

"I always got on great with the players. It was just the whole thing. It was amateurish. Even when I was young. I would get the train up to Dublin on my own – playing, but not getting looked after. The whole set-up wasn't nice, it wasn't enjoyable. I didn't feel I got much out of the games."

Everything reached a head in September 2007 with the Infamous Case of The Two Dead Grannies. To recap, Ireland pretended his maternal grandmother, Patricia Tallon, had died so he could be excused from a Euro 2008 qualifier against the Czech Republic to be with his girlfriend, Jessica, who had suffered a miscarriage. When journalists discovered the grandmother was alive and well – and shocked to read about her death in the newspapers – he changed his story to say it was his paternal grandmother, Brenda Kitchener. In the end, Ireland become entangled in a web of deceit so extraordinary it can sound like a Monty Python sketch.

This was not the point, however, when he fell out of love with international football. Playing for the youth teams, he says, was not a pleasant experience. "I didn't want to go training, I was looking for excuses, but I was at the age when I couldn't make those decisions for myself; my parents were doing that for me."

In the Under-18s he had a "big blow-up" with the manager, Brian Kerr, and walked out "similar to the way Roy Keane did with Mick McCarthy". It was the first time he decided he did not want to play for his country again.

"Then Steve Staunton called me into the full squad after I had broken into the City first team, and that felt like a massive achievement. So I had to go. I had the first game against Sweden and I was thinking, 'This is great'. But as the squads went on, my heart wasn't in it. I just didn't want to do it. I had a young family and they meant more to me than Ireland; I found it very hard to be away from them."

He has no appetite to go over those events of 2007 but he does accept he made some immature mistakes. "When all that happened, that whole affair, it was clearly the wrong terms to leave but I knew that was just the end. It was not ideal, but since then my life has gone really nicely. And, besides, they have done well without me. It wouldn't be fair for me to turn up and start playing."

But surely he realises that he would go straight into the team? "Maybe," he says, shrugging. "Or maybe they would do better without me. The style of play is different to what I like. They play a lot down the wings, longer balls. With my style I might not fit in. But it's irrelevant anyway."

Giovanni Trapattoni, the Republic manager, has insisted he has tried to persuade the country's most talented footballer to change his mind. The player in question, however, says it was a PR stunt. "It's just lip service. Trapattoni rang me and asked if we could meet up at some stage. They had a game the following week against Bulgaria and I thought maybe he wants me to come to this game. But when I asked him he said, 'Maybe three or four months from now', which I thought was strange.

"I said, 'Yeah, yeah, that's fine, if you want to meet we can'. Nothing had changed in my mind, to be honest. And he was, 'So, it's OK if I tell the press we chatted?' I don't think he wanted me back; it was more about him covering his back, having a press conference where he could say 'I've made the effort, I've spoken to Stephen, blah-di-blah-di-blah'."

It is an issue that, like Keane in 2002, has divided his country. "I've had hate mail, but it doesn't faze me. It's all talk. People go up to my friends and say 'Why's Stephen Ireland not playing for his country? If I ever see him I'll do this or that to him'. But they always bottle it. I see them and they're, 'Oh, mate, right decision'. My family have had problems, too, but it's nothing we can't deal with."

One day, he says, he would like to share his experiences with Keane and hear what the older man has to say. Like so many boys from Cork, Ireland grew up with posters of Keane plastered all over his bedroom walls. But he is his own man now. Ask him whether he would go back if Keane were to become manager and he shakes his head. "No," he says. "No manager would sway my decision now."

Keane used to say the Irish set-up was biased towards players from Dublin and Ireland agrees. "Even now, I know for a fact it's exactly the same – they pick all the Dublin lads, one or two Cork lads, and the Cork lads are thrown on the back seat and that's basically it."

And the reaction in the Irish press? Does it bother him to be branded a traitor? "Ireland's ridiculous," he replies. He has come to think they would rather the national team lose. "This is the way it is for them – they can write about a good result for only a few days but they can write for weeks on end about a bad result."

He wants to put the record straight on another matter, too. A few years ago Ireland, losing his hair, had a weave. One rumour was that the other Irish players had pinned him down one day and tried to pull it out. "All that stuff is ridiculous," he says. "Robbie Keane contacted me saying, 'A lot of us are getting bad press, getting slated, because all these stories are coming out'. He wanted me to come out and say something. But I had a great relationship with the players. Even now I have all their numbers. I'm texting Andy Keogh, Leon Best about this weekend. I get on great with them all.

"I will be watching the game and, if they get to the World Cup, I'll wish them all the best. I'd love them to do well, but it's no skin off my back. They deserve to be there. They would be the ones who got themselves there so it wouldn't be fair for me to show up with my boots and start playing." No regrets? "None at all."

Diabhal Beag

I was right in the match thread. We need Andy Reid a lot more IMO. Midfield looks like piss without him.

dreamers75

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

I was right in the match thread. We need Andy Reid a lot more IMO. Midfield looks like piss without him.

yeah cos Andy Reid would have battled in the middle like Andrews and Whelan did.

This forum needs a strong cup of cop the **** on in regards to reid.

flahavaj

I presume then Ireland won't travel to away games with City if they get to the Champions League. Seeing as he hated "being away from his family so much" when on international duty?:rolleyes:

IRISHSPORTSGUY

dreamers75 wrote: »

yeah cos Andy Reid would have battled in the middle like Andrews and Whelan did.

This forum needs a strong cup of cop the **** on in regards to reid.

In the first half they battled well and won tackles. In the second they stood off the French and gave them too much space, because they couldn't keep the intensity off the ball going, as they are too poor on the ball to take the pressure off. Andy Reid could walk into that midfield blindfolded with his guitar tbh.

Quint

flahavaj wrote: »

I presume then Ireland won't travel to away games with City if they get to the Champions League. Seeing as he hated "being away from his family so much" when on international duty?:rolleyes:

Well, being a premiership footballer is such a demanding job when it comes to time, 3 hours a day, 4 days a week, it's no sonder Stevie Ireland can't find time for his country. The whole "time for my family" is such a bull shíte excuse. Every interview the guy does he's hated more by the irish public. As for the Dublin v cork argument, the guy is deluded.

flahavaj

Quint wrote: »

Well, being a premiership footballer is such a demanding job when it comes to time, 3 hours a day, 4 days a week, it's no sonder Stevie Ireland can't find time for his country. The whole "time for my family" is such a bull shíte excuse. Every interview the guy does he's hated more by the irish public. As for the Dublin v cork argument, the guy is deluded.

Don't get me wrong I don't give two sh*tes if he chooses to play for Ireland. Its his decision.

I just find using your family as the excuse to be pretty pathetic. Then again, its not as if Stevie has much respect for family values given how he treated his poor Granny.:rolleyes:

Stargate

flahavaj wrote: »

Don't get me wrong I don't give two sh*tes if he chooses to play for Ireland. Its his decision.

I just find using your family as the excuse to be pretty pathetic. Then again, its not as if Stevie has much respect for family values given how he treated his poor Granny.:rolleyes:

Is that the dead one or the one still alive n kickin
Tbh , i was hoping he would return earlier this year , but after reading more and more from him i wish he`d just fcusking disappear off the Irish radar , im done with him now :mad:

Reganio 2

Fair play to Ireland for standing up for what he believes in, I would be quite confident that a few players high up as well think the same that its a chore to play International Football. I agree with him, even watching Ireland is a chore half the time. I have no passion to watch them, or go to the matches and feed the FAI's pockets with my money while they sit there squandering it all and paying themselves tonnes of money.

Everybody gives out about the FAI and says they are scum and that but apparently when they call you, you are meant to be honoured and come running. I am far far far from patriotic but I just genuinly don't see why you should be honoured to represent your country.

Mr.Nice Guy

I agree with the sentiments expressed. How dare Stephen Ireland not go back and play for the very people spewing unbelievably OTT vitriol against him. Like, what's his problem?!

Rabble, rabble, rabble!

Helix

flahavaj wrote: »

I presume then Ireland won't travel to away games with City if they get to the Champions League. Seeing as he hated "being away from his family so much" when on international duty?:rolleyes:

bit of a difference between a 2-3 days and 10 days though

some people dont want to play international football, thats their choice. luke young turned down the england squad last week, and hes a model pro

TheJesusWarrant

dreamers75 wrote: »

yeah cos Andy Reid would have battled in the middle like Andrews and Whelan did.

This forum needs a strong cup of cop the **** on in regards to reid.

how many goals did battling get us?
andy reid should be in the squad, sunderland fans dont get it at all, hes been man of the match in the majority of their games.

NukaCola

Why would a player not want to play for his country?
In England players leave clubs to try and get into an international setup.
Any player worth his salt would want to play in a world cup finals.

Reganio 2

Is Giggs worth his salt? People just ignore the fact that he as well as other players have neglected to play for their country but cause its "crazy" Ireland he gets the stick.

NukaCola

Reganio 2 wrote: »

Is Giggs worth his salt? People just ignore the fact that he as well as other players have neglected to play for their country but cause its "crazy" Ireland he gets the stick.

Ryan Giggs played 64 games for Wales and retired 2007?
Am i wrong?He didnt say his nan died to pull out of international duty did he?

Stephen Ireland has a poor mentality and continues to talk about his great decision in quiting international football when he should just get on with his life.

Comparing him to Ryan Giggs is an insult on a true professional TBH

Reganio 2

He keeps talking about it as he keeps getting asked about it, hardly his fault now is it?

Giggs constantly backed out of Wales matches and never gave it his all.

Helix

BumbleBee123 wrote: »

Why would a player not want to play for his country?

because they see their responsibility to their club, the ones who pay them and who they play for week in week out?

BumbleBee123 wrote: »

In England players leave clubs to try and get into an international setup.

not all of them do. luke young, as i mentioned above?

BumbleBee123 wrote: »

Any player worth his salt would want to play in a world cup finals.

just coz you think so doesnt make it true. this may shock you, but some people just dont like international football

flahavaj

Helix wrote: »

not all of them do. luke young, as i mentioned above?

Did he make up pathetic lies about dead grannies?

As I said above I couldn't give a toss about whether he wants to play for Ireland or not thats his prerogerative. Its just the "reasons" he gave at the time and since that annoy me.

Helix

flahavaj wrote: »

Did he make up pathetic lies about dead grannies?

As I said above I couldn't give a toss about whether he wants to play for Ireland or not thats his prerogerative. Its just the "reasons" he gave at the time and since that annoy me.

great

however what the hell has any of that got to do with the post i made?

Reganio 2

The granny business was obviously wrong but have you never told a lie to your boss to get out of work? I think my grandad's and grannie's died about 6 times when I was thinking up an excuse. It just happens he is in the public eye so everything he says gets scrutinised.

flahavaj

Helix wrote: »

great

however what the hell has any of that got to do with the post i made?

You were putting forward Young as an example of someone that has done the same as Ireland. I was pointing out he doesn't get the same criticism as Ireland because he didn't make up porkies aboiut it.

Probably should have quoted an earlier reply of yours to one of my posts but sure what harm.

Helix

Reganio 2 wrote: »

The granny business was obviously wrong but have you never told a lie to your boss to get out of work? I think my grandad's and grannie's died about 6 times when I was thinking up an excuse. It just happens he is in the public eye so everything he says gets scrutinised.

lost of people seem to have the complete inability to realise that football is a job for these guys. if a footballer doesnt want to play international football, or declares hes thinking about retiring coz hes lost his love for the game he gets abuse

do you think a painter who said he didnt want to put in a few night time shifts every couple of weeks to paint something for his country, or who decided that maybe painting wasnt for him would get anywhere near the flak?

it really annoys me that people think coz someone is playing football that they have absolutely no right to be unhappy with their job

Helix

flahavaj wrote: »

You were putting forward Young as an example of someone that has done the same as Ireland. I was pointing out he doesn't get the same criticism as Ireland because he didn't make up porkies aboiut it.

Probably should have quoted an earlier reply of yours to one of my posts but sure what harm.

the granny thing is long since passed, its not like ireland is still running with it. right now its the same as luke young, he simply doesnt want to play for his country and refuses any requests to do so

Reganio 2

Its nice to see other people have copped onto the Stephen situation instead of like a lot (Not all) blindly following the crowd and newspapers.

I don't see why its such a big deal god forbid someone dosn't want to play for their country or represent their country.

flahavaj

Helix wrote: »

the granny thing is long since passed, its not like ireland is still running with it. right now its the same as luke young, he simply doesnt want to play for his country and refuses any requests to do so

He probably would still be running with it if he wasn't found out.:pac:

Saying its the same as Young does Luke a disservice. He handled it properly, hence the lack of furore about his decision. Ireland can hardly complain about the media furore that continues to surround him, he brought it all on himself.

Reganio 2

That's cause Luke Young isn't as good as Stephen Ireland. Besides the media have nothing better to do than give out about Stephen Ireland same way you will here about Jedward every day.

flahavaj

Reganio 2 wrote: »

That's cause Luke Young isn't as good as Stephen Ireland. Besides the media have nothing better to do than give out about Stephen Ireland same way you will here about Jedward every day.

At least hes first choice for his club.;):pac:

NukaCola

The best players in the world have all played international football.
Playing for your country is something you should aspire to do.

If you dont its fine by me. I'm only stating my opinion which originally was why would a player not want to play for his country and play in the world cup? Because its an inconvieniance is his excuse? I dont buy it....

NukaCola

Helix wrote: »

because they see their responsibility to their club, the ones who pay them and who they play for week in week out?

You can play for both you know....

NaiveMelodies

You cannot compare the ireland situation the young situation.

Young has serious personal reasons for not playing for england.

Ireland has very very selfish reasons.

Reganio 2

BumbleBee123 wrote: »

You can play for both you know....

But you can also risk injury, look at Robin "The big girls blouse" Van Persie. Rumour has it he broke his ankle playing for Holland and is out for 2/3 months possibly the rest of the season if it is a broken ankle. So he can't know play week in week out for his club.

EDIT: How is being bullied not a personal reason?

flahavaj

Reganio 2 wrote: »

But you can also risk injury, look at Robin "The big girls blouse" Van Persie. Rumour has it he broke his ankle playing for Holland and is out for 2/3 months possibly the rest of the season if it is a broken ankle. So he can't know play week in week out for his club.

EDIT: How is being bullied not a personal reason?

He said himself in that article a few pages back that he wasn't bullied.

Edit: Here 'tis.

He wants to put the record straight on another matter, too. A few years ago Ireland, losing his hair, had a weave. One rumour was that the other Irish players had pinned him down one day and tried to pull it out. "All that stuff is ridiculous," he says. "Robbie Keane contacted me saying, 'A lot of us are getting bad press, getting slated, because all these stories are coming out'. He wanted me to come out and say something. But I had a great relationship with the players. Even now I have all their numbers. I'm texting Andy Keogh, Leon Best about this weekend. I get on great with them all.

Reganio 2

flahavaj wrote: »

At least hes first choice for his club.;):pac:

Yeah for Villa

OPENROAD

BumbleBee123 wrote: »

You can play for both you know....

Well RVP might be out for his club for a big chunk of the season.

NukaCola

Reganio 2 wrote: »

He keeps talking about it as he keeps getting asked about it, hardly his fault now is it?
Giggs constantly backed out of Wales matches and never gave it his all.

He cant say no comment? He is not that naive is he? If he says anything about the Ireland setup it'll be printed ffs...
As for Giggs you simply cant compare the two, if you do it looks like this

Giggs
Caps 64
Goals 12

Ireland
Caps 6
Goals 4

Giggs retired to concentrate on prolonging his career in 2007
Ireland retired because he does not want to play for his country.

Helix

BumbleBee123 wrote: »

The best players in the world have all played international football.
Playing for your country is something you should aspire to do.

If you dont its fine by me. I'm only stating my opinion which originally was why would a player not want to play for his country and play in the world cup? Because its an inconvieniance is his excuse? I dont buy it....

ryan giggs always put club before country

he only ever turned out for wales when he was bothered

Helix

BumbleBee123 wrote: »

Giggs retired to concentrate on prolonging his career in 2007
Ireland retired because he does not want to play for his country.

and both are perfectly entitled to do exactly what they did without internet warriors deciding that one of them is a scumbag because of it

flahavaj

So Croatia are entitled to be angry with Arsenal because he got injured playing for them and missed the Euros a few years ago by that logic?

Players not playing international fotball due to the risk of getting injured is madness. You might as well abolish the whole thing in that case.

Helix

only1stevo wrote: »

Young has serious personal reasons for not playing for england.

no he doesnt

he said its got nothing to do with his brother dying

Reganio 2

flahavaj wrote: »

He said himself in that article a few pages back that he wasn't bullied.

Ah apologies, see the press make up their own stuff just backing up my statement . But another way is he wants to spend time with his kids and wife, if someone told you, you had to leave your kids and go off and do something you are not enjoying and not getting paid for it, during the little time you get to spend with them? Not aimed at you by the way flav a vag*na as I heard Minto calling you

Helix

flahavaj wrote: »

So Croatia are entitled to be angry with Arsenal because he got injured playing for them and missed the Euros a few years ago by that logic?

croatia dont pay his wages

croatia arent his job

so no, croatia have no entitlement to be angry with arsenal

flahavaj

Helix wrote: »

ryan giggs always put club before country

he only ever turned out for wales when he was bothered

He was bothered 64 times, in fairness.

NukaCola

Reganio 2 wrote: »

But you can also risk injury, look at Robin "The big girls blouse" Van Persie. Rumour has it he broke his ankle playing for Holland and is out for 2/3 months possibly the rest of the season if it is a broken ankle. So he can't know play week in week out for his club.

It happens, Ireland does not want to play for his country, not because hes afraid of getting injured while playing for his country....

NukaCola

Helix wrote: »

and both are perfectly entitled to do exactly what they did without internet warriors deciding that one of them is a scumbag because of it

Did i even imply he was a scumbag???

NukaCola

Helix wrote: »

ryan giggs always put club before country

he only ever turned out for wales when he was bothered

flahavaj wrote: »

He was bothered 64 times, in fairness.

So you believe they are compareable then???

flahavaj

Helix wrote: »

croatia dont pay his wages

croatia arent his job

so no, croatia have no entitlement to be angry with arsenal

Nor do Arsenal if RVP accidentally breaks his leg while playing for Holland. It happens.