Stephen Ireland

scruff321

Honestly, what happend to his career? Where did it all go so wrong? I know people say he´s a head case, but many of the greats were a bit off the wall. For a time (Might have been only 1 season!?)he was so good for Man City, great vision, great work rate, banging in goals now he´s coming off the bench every now and again for Stoke!

acalmenvoy

scruff321 wrote: »

he´s a head case

Answered your own question there.

callaway92

Kinda like Bojan. Can't handle things when they get too hectic. Stephen Ireland's "fall" not as dramatic, but similar in ways. . .

GBXI

scruff321 wrote: »

Honestly, what happend to his career? Where did it all go so wrong? I know people say he´s a head case, but many of the greats were a bit off the wall. For a time (Might have been only 1 season!?)he was so good for Man City, great vision, great work rate, banging in goals now he´s coming off the bench every now and again for Stoke!

The most naturally talented player Ireland have produced in my time. In 2009 he was one of the best centre-mids in England. Was robbed of a YPOTY award by Ashley Young. As much as he is daft, he also seems to have a great work ethic so not sure why it never worked out. He is very injury-prone though and that never helps.

anncoates

Because:

wandatowell

^^^^ No pink range rover nah?


Saw him playing for City against Arsenal in the Emirates a few years back.

He looked very good, excellent even.

Chucky the tree

He probably wasn't just that good. Lots of average players have had 1 great season and then gone back to being average. Ireland probably isn't any different.

rob316

I know plenty of people from around Cobh that know him very well from when they were kids and in school, they all say the same thing - unbelievable talent but gone in the head.

GBXI

Chucky the tree wrote: »

He probably wasn't just that good. Lots of average players have had 1 great season and then gone back to being average. Ireland probably isn't any different.

He was that good, at least for a season and a half. Real box-to-box, all round mid-fielder.

iDave

Cant say I'm upset about his downfall.

AllGunsBlazing

As someone else stated - he cant hack pressure. He was doing grand at city but then the club began to show ambition thanks to their new benefactors. The minute the bar was raised he faltered and never recovered. For all of his bravado I dont think he has much self belief at all.

PhlegmyMoses

He seems fairly comfortable with earning money, rather than being any good. This can happen with loads of footballers when they start earning the big bucks. He seems to have a fairly astute agent as well, signed up to Stoke until 2017 despite doing nothing in the last 3 years.

dixiefly

Whatever about the mistakes that he made in the past, it really is surprising that he didnt take the olive branch extended by Martin O'Neill at the start of this campaign.

It would have been a great way for him to get back some exposure and a chance to impress thats not happening at Stoke.

ASOT

PhlegmyMoses wrote: »

He seems fairly comfortable with earning money, rather than being any good. This can happen with loads of footballers when they start earning the big bucks. He seems to have a fairly astute agent as well, signed up to Stoke until 2017 despite doing nothing in the last 3 years.

Jesus i still taught he played for Villa.

jaykay74

This covers it I think.

atilladehun

I think it goes to show how much a players' head has to be right. He was super talented but there's so many players who never make it into the game because they don't have the head for it. Rio Ferdinand mentioned it last week with his interviews on off the ball. He wasn't as good as some of his teenage mates but he wanted it more. Made it to every training session, listened to every coach, worked hard all the time. Stephen Ireland was able to work hard to get to a point but wasn't able to deal with the next level of pressure. Going from getting the odd mention in the paper for good performances and goals to being criticised for mistakes at such a young age has to take it's toll. At that stage he's a self made millionaire because of his hard work and probably made some bad decisions thinking he knew best.

Those performances weren't such a switch that he could step back from and turn back on. When you look at other players who have performed for the whole of their careers you have to give them credit. Football is cruel and nothing is handed on a plate even for the likes of Rooney, Gerrard, Robbie Keane who might be criticized from time to time. They've all sustained what they do and recovered from criticism directed at them.

PhlegmyMoses

ASOT wrote: »

Jesus i still taught he played for Villa.

Yep, only signed for them in January 2014 and had a newer deal signed in April 2014.

He's a model for bankruptcy though. Give it 10 years and we'll be reading a book about where it all went wrong.

keeponhurling

GBXI wrote: »

The most naturally talented player Ireland have produced in my time.

I have to say this simply not true.

Even among current midfielders, I'd say he is less talented than James McCarthy.
Maybe a bit more talented than his club mate Whelan but has achieved much less.
In terms of talent , he'd be equivalent to perhaps Darron Gibson or Liam Miller. Good range of passing.

And I hope for your sake you don't think he's more talented than the likes of the Keanes, Duff, McGrath etc..

Just think, if they never wrestled him to the ground and tried to pull out his hair implants all those years ago, would things be different?

Hank Scorpio

keeponhurling wrote: »

I have to say this simply not true.

Even among current midfielders, I'd say he is less talented than James McCarthy.
Maybe a bit more talented than his club mate Whelan but has achieved much less.
In terms of talent , he'd be equivalent to perhaps Darron Gibson or Liam Miller. Good range of passing.

And I hope for your sake you don't think he's more talented than the likes of the Keanes, Duff, McGrath etc..

I'd agree there. His lack of concentration vs top teams in the premier league has cost teams over the years. I'd say a low end PL club is his level

Blue giant

nuxxx wrote: »

I'd agree there. His lack of concentration vs top teams in the premier league has cost teams over the years. I'd say a low end PL club is his level

In fairness I think that's a bit harsh. At such a young age he was arguably our best player for country as well as excellent performances for Man City. His form did take a huge nosedive around the whole dead granny thing. The funny thing is nobody would have probably minded if he pulled out of the squad for the miscarriage.

dixiefly

Regarding the situation with the Irish team, does anyone know which court the ball is in(excuse the pun)? O'Neill or Ireland's?

He actually would have been a good option against Scotland last Friday such was our lack of midfield performance.

atilladehun

dixiefly wrote: »

Regarding the situation with the Irish team, does anyone know which court the ball is in(excuse the pun)? O'Neill or Ireland's?

He actually would have been a good option against Scotland last Friday such was our lack of midfield performance.

I think the ball has gone over the fence. Stephen Ireland 2009 would have helped. Not 2014.

pavb2

ASOT wrote: »

Jesus i still taught he played for Villa.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/stephen-ireland-was-given-the-award-despite-819832

Player of the season 2012 but then again didn't have much competition and in this instance you do have to admire his honesty as he says he wouldn't have voted for him.

He could never sustain any decent form or level of performance for long enough

Fr Tod Umptious

iDave wrote: »

Cant say I'm upset about his downfall.

I don't get this attitude towards him.

He is a player that has not lived up to early potential for a number of reasons, reasons which are none of our business.

Why not accept that and let it go.

Fr Tod Umptious

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

I don't get this attitude towards him.

He is a player that has not lived up to early potential for a number of reasons, reasons which are none of our business.

Why not accept that and let it go.

Maybe he hasn't helped the mood of Irish fans with his "maybe I'll come back, oh no I won't" nonsense.

He had fake hair, the Irish players tried to pull it off, he had a fight, he invented lie after lie to avoid them, he has had meetings with the 2 managers since then...it's an interesting story. Just a shame he didn't accept the balding thing as well as me!

anncoates

dixiefly wrote: »

it really is surprising that he didnt take the olive branch extended by Martin O'Neill at the start of this campaign..

He should never be allowed near the national team again.

Guy:Incognito

anncoates wrote: »

He should never be allowed near the national tram again.

In fairness, the luas is local to Dublin. He's never likely to be getting it from Dublin Airport home to Cork.

anncoates

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

In fairness, the luas is local to Dublin. He's never likely to be getting it from Dublin Airport home to Cork.

GBXI

keeponhurling wrote: »

I have to say this simply not true.

Even among current midfielders, I'd say he is less talented than James McCarthy.
Maybe a bit more talented than his club mate Whelan but has achieved much less.
In terms of talent , he'd be equivalent to perhaps Darron Gibson or Liam Miller. Good range of passing.

And I hope for your sake you don't think he's more talented than the likes of the Keanes, Duff, McGrath etc..

In my opinion. From what I have seen, lets say from around 97/98 on-wards, he is the most all-round, talented.

Ireland at his peak had so much more to his game than McCarthy has and i'd wager ever will have (but McCarthy has great potential). Ireland and Whelan are poles apart, talent wise. McGrath was before my time really.

I can safely say Liam Miller and Darron Gibson never had nor will have a season like Ireland had in 08/09. It's hard and probably wrong to compare him to a winger and striker like Duff and Keane, but here goes! Ireland, at his peak, had much more to his game than Keane, a box-to-box midfielder, hugely athletic, good tackler, brilliant passer, excellent control in tight situations, and a very good finisher. I'd say the same in comparison to Duff as well. Keane & Duff have achieved way more in their careers and so will go down as better players, but Ireland is the most talented I have seen.

thebaz

Stephen Ireland is symptomatic of all thats wrong with modern football -he thinks he's a unique personality ala Roy Keane , but has achieved nothing compared to Keane . Loathe him or love him , Keane was highly influential to the success of Irish football - USA '94 , getting us to World Cup ''02 - Ireland on the other hand has delivered nothing to Irish football , his talent is not in question , but the reality is he has just become an average Stoke player with a big head. Rant over.

GLaDOS

keeponhurling wrote: »

Even among current midfielders, I'd say he is less talented than James McCarthy.
.

Ireland didn't produce McCarthy to be fair, came through the Scottish system

iDave

thebaz wrote: »

Stephen Ireland is symptomatic of all thats wrong with modern football -he thinks he's a unique personality ala Roy Keane , but has achieved nothing compared to Keane . Loathe him or love him , Keane was highly influential to the success of Irish football - USA '94 , getting us to World Cup ''02 - Ireland on the other hand has delivered nothing to Irish football , his talent is not in question , but the reality is he has just become an average Stoke player with a big head. Rant over.

And Keane returned to the Ireland set up under Brian Kerr. Ireland still hasn't bothered. Not that I think he should be allowed at this stage.

digzy

AllGunsBlazing wrote: »

As someone else stated - he cant hack pressure.

Good job he earns a sh1t load a money and doesn't have to worry about making ends meet at the end of the month.....

scruff321

I think its harsh of people to berate him, at the end of the day he is human and despite his bizare decisions and actions over the years he clearly has personal issues and poor judgement.

Anyway, it seems a number of factors rather than a single factor has lead to his demize, from believing his own hype, not been able to handle the expectation placed on him and of course injuries & personal issues.

Fr_Dougal

Hasn't been the same since his granny died.