Ireland Speaks Out

[Mase]

I can't remember one City fan 'lynching' Ireland before he came out with these comments first??

[Im_Spartacus]

Now you have slung the rope around the tree, loaded ireland onto the horse, whacked its arse and left Ireland dangling to hang, Just take a moment to think whether there just might be a little grain of truth in what he has to say.
None of us likes to hear criticism of our beloved club and I, like you have defended City through thick and thin over many years. But some of this over emotional lynch mob crap is sickening to say the least.
First, none of us truly knows what has gone on inside the club. None of us truly knows what has been said by who to whom, when and why. I have followed this club for many years under some almost tragic regimes of stewardship and managership but I have never known the amount of mud slinging or criticism by fans or more importantly by leaving players.

All players when they leave have their own personal opinions and many have over the years voiced them. This time however some of those criticisms are being repeated. Tevez, Bellamy and Ireland have all complained about their relationship with Mancini or Mancini's relationship with the players. Each of those players are experienced pros and have been around the game for a long time. They would know.
I wonder if some of you can actually read the words then understand the meaning of what was written, or whether like sheep, when the first one goes baa, it becomes a contest to see who can baa the loudest. being a noisy sheep does not make you a better City supporter. Have any of you ever given your all in a job, then felt sidelined by the boss? Have any of you ever got to the point of feeling "I am wasting my time putting this effort in?" "No matter what I do, it will never be respected or appreciated." Have any of you ever got to the point of thinking "What's the fucking point?". I don't believe that Ireland never cared about this club. I do believe that there were times when he felt unwanted by the club and therefore detatched from the regime that controlled it.

What makes me so certain?...because only a couple of weeks ago, I had a lovely and heartfelt conversation with Stephen Ireland, we discussed a number of things, and I can assure all of you that he loves our club dearly but is gutted about some of the stuff that is going on with the present regime.

I wish I'd read your post before I gave mine John, but that's exactly how I feel.

All these players are wankers all of a sudden? Please.

There is no difference between us and the scum these days. None. And its a horrible horrible feeling.

John/OD

He only felt unwanted by the club because he was not performing well enough to stay at it. There is a simple equation here, had he been good enough, and shown the effort that was required, he would still be here. He sounds increasingly like Robinho, blaming everybody but himself for his own shortcomings, and after that pantomime, I think it is fair comment for fans to be furious that a player under contract had effectively "given up" particularly in view of that attitude showing through in performances.

That attitude was clear to many fans through his performances, and I have commented many times that Ireland looked like he couldn't be arsed. Now he has confirmed that to be true, so if I as a mere "customer" could see that, how the hell did he expect to be taken seriously by Mancini with an attitude like that.

It would appear to me that it is a combination of initially not being good enough causing him not to be in the team, then frustration at not being able to break into it because when he did get his chances, he was more often than not a liability and shockingly under-performing. Its not the manager's fault that there are better players in the squad for the tactics he wants to use, thats the manager's perogative. Everyone feels they SHOULD be in the first team, but what marks a true pro is how they react to that, and how they react when they eventually get a chance. Clearly Ireland failed on both counts.

If he wants to whinge and complain when the fact is, HE was the one under-performing and not deserving of a place in the team either under Hughes or Mancini, then he has to take a long hard look at himself before attempting to play the martyr.

[Mase]

I'm disappointed too. Not because Ireland has left, not because Dunne has left, not because Given is leaving (I wish they weren't all Irish, its making my point harder!!)... because we sound like scum fans.

That's a load of bollocks mate!! No one here is saying "Ireland was shite anyway!" like the typical response you'd get from a rag after selling Ronaldo. People are saying "he's a good player, but will struggle until he gets his head sorted". There's a massive difference. And if there is one person saying "Ireland was shite anyway!" that's one person. How can you bunch everyone in the same bracket because of one fans views?
Just because Ireland might have been your favourite player or the fact he's Irish doesn't mean you can defend him attacking the club!

[Exiled]

IMO players who slag off their old club once transferred generally have a low self esteem and need to justify themselves. I'm sure Bellamy had plenty to moan about if he wanted to, but what's the point? Shit happens.

[Buffalo Soldier]

Now you have slung the rope around the tree, loaded ireland onto the horse, whacked its arse and left Ireland dangling to hang, Just take a moment to think whether there just might be a little grain of truth in what he has to say.
None of us likes to hear criticism of our beloved club and I, like you have defended City through thick and thin over many years. But some of this over emotional lynch mob crap is sickening to say the least.
First, none of us truly knows what has gone on inside the club. None of us truly knows what has been said by who to whom, when and why. I have followed this club for many years under some almost tragic regimes of stewardship and managership but I have never known the amount of mud slinging or criticism by fans or more importantly by leaving players.

All players when they leave have their own personal opinions and many have over the years voiced them. This time however some of those criticisms are being repeated. Tevez, Bellamy and Ireland have all complained about their relationship with Mancini or Mancini's relationship with the players. Each of those players are experienced pros and have been around the game for a long time. They would know.
I wonder if some of you can actually read the words then understand the meaning of what was written, or whether like sheep, when the first one goes baa, it becomes a contest to see who can baa the loudest. being a noisy sheep does not make you a better City supporter. Have any of you ever given your all in a job, then felt sidelined by the boss? Have any of you ever got to the point of feeling "I am wasting my time putting this effort in?" "No matter what I do, it will never be respected or appreciated." Have any of you ever got to the point of thinking "What's the fucking point?". I don't believe that Ireland never cared about this club. I do believe that there were times when he felt unwanted by the club and therefore detatched from the regime that controlled it.

What makes me so certain?...because only a couple of weeks ago, I had a lovely and heartfelt conversation with Stephen Ireland, we discussed a number of things, and I can assure all of you that he loves our club dearly but is gutted about some of the stuff that is going on with the present regime.

I wish I'd read your post before I gave mine John, but that's exactly how I feel.

All these players are wankers all of a sudden? Please.

There is no difference between us and the scum these days. None. And its a horrible horrible feeling.

Don't think there were too many calling him a wanker before these ill advised comments from him.

He left and I would say the vast majority wished him well at his new club, he then chose to slate the club and as such, he is getting a bit of stick. The same would have happened before we got any money.

For what it's worth, I was wishing him well at Villa, but after reading what he's had to say, and to quote the man himself 'I won't be happy or sad' with what he does from now on. When Villa play at our place I would have given him a warm reception but now I won't be booing him, I won't be cheering him, he's just another player who used to play for us a bit.

Contrast Ireland's comments with those of Milner on the website. Regardless of how Ireland left the club, surely he could have found the time to say thank you to those people still at the club who helped him become a Premier League player? A thank you to the fans who cheered him on and sang songs for him?

He's shifting the blame for his own demise onto the current regime whereas he should be looking closer to home. After the 08/09 season, he had the chance to become a mainstay in the team for years to come, unfortunately he began that season shit and was subsequently left on the bench for a few games. When given his chance again he put in shit, half arsed performances under Hughes and Mancini.

I wanted to keep him for another season to see which was the freak season, 08/09 or 09/10, unfortunately he looks to have carried the 09/10 form/attitude into pre-season and has been shipped on.

I doubt they will be naming a stand after him. Maybe we can name a programme booth or a bench after him.

[daveh1962]

The issue is we as fans care about our club. We feel that all the players feel the same way but they dont. They love what being a footballer gets them but they dont care which football club that is. Now if to perform I have to have my boss tell me how wonderfu I am and how marvellous I am then that is a reflection on me as an individual. Now some managers might do that some dont and if that means that you feel shabbily treated that again is reflection of you as individual.

The reason why fans are upset is that they get emotionally attached to the team and to the players in the team and they are shocked when those players clearly dont feel the same way. Most fans would do anything to play just one game for City and whether from the bench would die for the cause and it sjocks them when players have a "I dont care attitude" hence the reaction.

I thought Ireland was going to become a legend at this club as I feel he has the technical ability to be at this club no matter how high it strives however successive managers have had issues with him with regard to his mental attitude. I think he is someone who likes being a big fish in a small pond rather than a small fish in a big pond. We are now an ocean and only players who have great skill and great mental application will succeed.

He has gone he clearly didnt care about Man City why should we care about him

[Ted Hughes]

We're like rags wheras, for example, Newcastle or Liverpool or Stoke fans would just say "He's got a very valid point" if he slated their club on leaving.

What absolute shite.


I never liked Ireland as a person, I don't like many of the interviews he did while at City (they're fucking strange & contradictory) but I would have cheered him on if he'd stayed. I even let him off for his half arsed derby performance which cost us the game. I thought Dunne was shit & hated watching him but I cheered him when he came back. I'll cheer Robinho if he plays for us again. Ireland will have to make do with lukewarm applause after shitting on us in the press. If that makes me a rag type supporter then I'm pleased to be one.




(I wonder why it's ok for Ireland to absolutely slate us but Robinho can't say anything even slightly derogatory incidentally? Strange one)

[CITYSTEVEDON]

look,ireland has gone to the papers to slag city off, to say young players here have £10k watches while ireland when young bought flash cars, 200k fish tanks. i loved him here,but last year he was shite and 3years ago he was shite, he had a very very good 1 season and where did we finished. should of took notice of bellers in his interval, a much better man. and i do wish ireland the best of luck at villa.

[blootoof]

Ah well. At least we can now take our blue tinted glasses off and laugh at the turtle headed cunt like everyone else.

[Geo123]

To be honest I havent read the whole tread and frankly couldnt be arsed because 90% of ye are the biggest pack of over reacting women ever to step foot on this earth.

A number of people on here know I am very freindly with stephen and i have met a couple of ye out on one occassion or another. I will not defend stupidy which this interview may be littered with but one thing i can be sure of is stephen never was less then 110% committed to your club. Alot of these statements are filled with anger and frustration on his behalf and had the interview been in a months time I would expect a completely different interview from him.

I will not lift the lid on anything but the way the club treated him in the last couple of months was absolutely disgraceful, not just mancini, all the higher powers, anyone who knows stephen knew he always tried his hardest for the club and wanted the club to better itself constantly and anyone who has ever met him can tell you this. I can honestly say he was absolutely heartbroken leaving the club and could explain every comment in that statement and probably get the majority of ye to agree it is a reasonable statment or understand where he is coming from.

Unfortunately most of ye seem to be taking everything he said so literally without stepping back and putting yourself in his shows or imaging a similar situation in yer jobs/lives etc.

Stephen will be forever grateful for the support he received from everyone, ye are great fans.

All the best in the future.

[Original Dub]

I'm disappointed too. Not because Ireland has left, not because Dunne has left, not because Given is leaving (I wish they weren't all Irish, its making my point harder!!)... because we sound like scum fans.

That's a load of bollocks mate!! No one here is saying "Ireland was shite anyway!" like the typical response you'd get from a rag after selling Ronaldo. People are saying "he's a good player, but will struggle until he gets his head sorted". There's a massive difference. And if there is one person saying "Ireland was shite anyway!" that's one person. How can you bunch everyone in the same bracket because of one fans views?
Just because Ireland might have been your favourite player or the fact he's Irish doesn't mean you can defend him attacking the club!

Very suprised at you saying such drivel. You surely can't expect me to carry on any form of debate on the subject after that mate?
"because he's Irish"... tut tut.

[BlueMoonAwoken]

I was watching that goals on sunday thing with chris kamara and their was 2 managers on there cant remember their names now, but any way they had gone to a training session to see do a course and it was watching the rags train. They said fergie hardly ever intercats or coaches the players, the players set up training themselves and could not believe how professional the players was.

Ireland wanted a manager to give him a hug every 5 minutes but mancini has won titles and knows how to be professional. Ireland wasnt good enough to go where we wanted to go. I too have felt upset with how the club is looking but i wouldnt publically slag it off, if i loved that club as much as ireland said he did.

Not bothered if his team wins or loses if he sits on the bench is a disgraceful comment from any professional, nevermind one of our own. Ive read comments defending him and id love to agree but just cant!

I have a friend who knows/knew one of the female physios at city and she told me that quite a few players was unhappy with the amount of training mancini has been giving them. especially this pre season, world cup, usa and germany etc. but being paid 100k or more a week and complaining that you have to do 2 hours extra work in a day is disgusting!

[Green & Blue]

Ah well. At least we can now take our blue tinted glasses off and laugh at the turtle headed cunt like everyone else.

Harsh but funny as

[daveh1962]

To be honest I havent read the whole tread and frankly couldnt be arsed because 90% of ye are the biggest pack of over reacting women ever to step foot on this earth.

A number of people on here know I am very freindly with stephen and i have met a couple of ye out on one occassion or another. I will not defend stupidy which this interview may be littered with but one thing i can be sure of is stephen never was less then 110% committed to your club. Alot of these statements are filled with anger and frustration on his behalf and had the interview been in a months time I would expect a completely different interview from him.

I will not lift the lid on anything but the way the club treated him in the last couple of months was absolutely disgraceful, not just mancini, all the higher powers, anyone who knows stephen knew he always tried his hardest for the club and wanted the club to better itself constantly and anyone who has ever met him can tell you this. I can honestly say he was absolutely heartbroken leaving the club and could explain every comment in that statement and probably get the majority of ye to agree it is a reasonable statment or understand where he is coming from.

Unfortunately most of ye seem to be taking everything he said so literally without stepping back and putting yourself in his shows or imaging a similar situation in yer jobs/lives etc.

Stephen will be forever grateful for the support he received from everyone, ye are great fans.

All the best in the future.

Thats fine but he is ina professional results driven industry. It was clear that he was not in Mancinis long term plans so what. He has to be professional about what he says and does. He stated that he was not bothered if we won or lost that for many fans would be teh most unacceptable thing to hear for we DO care immensly and to think that someone wearing our clubs shirt didnt is unplalatable and makes one wonder about performances such as against United and letting Scholes score.

He has been well paid by City so whatever bitterness he felt towards the management he could have been professional said delighted to be at his new club wish his old club well and thanked the fans for their support he chose to do known of those things so I would imagine he might be in for a warm reception at CoMS next time he comes

[Original Dub]

I suppose for me its all about entertainment, and over the last couple of years, Bellamy and Ireland have provided an amazing amount of entertainment for me.

The fact they are disappointed to leave and say as much when they do leave won't take that away from me.

I've seen Richard Dunne being called a CUNT on here. Nobody else stands a fucking chance of being remembered fondly if that's the case.

[Beefymcfc]

Cunt.

Just like Richard Dunne?

And everyone else that leaves whilst still having something to offer.
I'm done idolising individual players and then having to read threads like this everytime they leave. It makes me feel slightly ashamed to be a city fan.

Oops.Achangeofsigcomingup,methinks!

Beforeyouask,thedog'satemykeyboard;nokeysandafuckedupspacebar!!!

[Crossie]

It would be best for everyone if the next thing he says on TV is:

" I enjoyed my time at Manchester City, I'd like to thank the fans most of all, the staff who helped me develop, and Stuart Pearce ( I think, or KK) for believing in me and giving me my first chance.

I'll always check Citys result first when im back in the dressing room at 16:45, I've left a piece of myself at that fantastic club. I hope I can prove myself again here at Villa, find my confidence, then go back to City next season when Mancini has been sacked for finishing 2nd and only winning the FA cup.

[Mase]

I'm disappointed too. Not because Ireland has left, not because Dunne has left, not because Given is leaving (I wish they weren't all Irish, its making my point harder!!)... because we sound like scum fans.

That's a load of bollocks mate!! No one here is saying "Ireland was shite anyway!" like the typical response you'd get from a rag after selling Ronaldo. People are saying "he's a good player, but will struggle until he gets his head sorted". There's a massive difference. And if there is one person saying "Ireland was shite anyway!" that's one person. How can you bunch everyone in the same bracket because of one fans views?
Just because Ireland might have been your favourite player or the fact he's Irish doesn't mean you can defend him attacking the club!

Very suprised at you saying such drivel. You surely can't expect me to carry on any form of debate on the subject after that mate?
"because he's Irish"... tut tut.

I think that was a bit of heat of the moment stuff because I'm still pissed off about what he's said mate. But surely you can't defend him attacking the club and manager, whilst not once thanking the fans who've sang "Ireland is Superman" as loud as they possibly could?

[Ted Hughes]

To be honest I havent read the whole tread and frankly couldnt be arsed because 90% of ye are the biggest pack of over reacting women ever to step foot on this earth.

A number of people on here know I am very freindly with stephen and i have met a couple of ye out on one occassion or another. I will not defend stupidy which this interview may be littered with but one thing i can be sure of is stephen never was less then 110% committed to your club. Alot of these statements are filled with anger and frustration on his behalf and had the interview been in a months time I would expect a completely different interview from him.

I will not lift the lid on anything but the way the club treated him in the last couple of months was absolutely disgraceful, not just mancini, all the higher powers, anyone who knows stephen knew he always tried his hardest for the club and wanted the club to better itself constantly and anyone who has ever met him can tell you this. I can honestly say he was absolutely heartbroken leaving the club and could explain every comment in that statement and probably get the majority of ye to agree it is a reasonable statment or understand where he is coming from.

Unfortunately most of ye seem to be taking everything he said so literally without stepping back and putting yourself in his shows or imaging a similar situation in yer jobs/lives etc.

Stephen will be forever grateful for the support he received from everyone, ye are great fans.

All the best in the future.

Unforunately it doesn't really matter what you think he meant because everybody in the world who hates City, on TV, on the net, on the radio, is using that interview to slag off our club, right NOW. It wasn't done on the spur of the moment either, it was something he had time to think about while the deal was being done. He knew what he was saying.

It won't make any difference if he contradicts himself in a month's time because our enemies in the media have now stored away those interviews as proof that one of our own academy products thinks we're a bunch of wankers & they'll continue to use it forever.

[david yearsley]

Wow some ugly views floating around on here.

I do feel slightly sorry for Ireland, a couple of years back he was the fans favourite, having songs belted out around the stadium for him and banners made and hung up at coms in his favour.He was everyones bargain buy star in fantasy football, all was good.He became player of the year deservedly so.He expressed his love for the club, signed a new deal claiming he wanted to be city for life.Its fair to say both fans and player alike could not have been more happy at the time.

When Ireland was at his best he was up and down the pitch, winning balls starting moves and following up on the move making sure he was still in support if he was needed and sometimes he was finishing off a move he started.He just seemed to have endless energy at the time.He was witout a doubt our key player.
No one can honestly say that at the time they did not hold hope that we had finally found our own Lampard/Gerrard the player with the ability to create something to win us a game or knick us a point even when the team was not performing.

How it all went wrong for him at city has to have been a bitter pill to swallow for the player.The collapse on the pitch seemed to trigger a lack of confidence in Ireland as a player and the willingness to cover every blade of grass seemed to evade him.It has been frustrating watching him on the pitch at times when hes looked unsure of himself and more often than not was just a passenger in the side.I think Ireland needed more support and encouragement to regain his form and more than anything time.Unfortunatly with the quality of the additions we had made and our need to keep momentum going last season i dont think that time could be afforded to him.

As of now we have certainly improved our squad to the point that if he had stuck around he would have seen very little game time so i think it was the best move for him and i wish him well and thank him for the good times.
In a sense he has been just a victim of the clubs contiuous improvement.


[youtube]UmOKva_tBKQ[/youtube]

Good post and I´d rather be left with great memories as these - where was the Sunderland goal though - superman shorts and all!!
Just hope he doesn´t end up a star at the rags - then he will cop it !!