Stephen Ireland-Watch

[Herb]

I've been interested in how he was getting on at Villa: for the most part they seem to consider him 'daft as a brush', and/or a waste of space, but he has had his 'loyalists'
But it did surprise me when he won their 'Player of the Season'

You should remember that Stevie Ireland was voted player of the season as a deliberate sarcastic response by the many Villa fans who were appalled at how he could drop from being a promising player with occasional flashes of brilliance (with us) to being a shit player with regular occasional flashes of average once signed by them.

At the time, there was much talk about the fact that he gained PotS virtue of him being the most deplored player at the club. The reasoning now seems to be fading away leaving him with an undeserved accolade!

[TheReturnOfTheSpecialOne]

I've been interested in how he was getting on at Villa: for the most part they seem to consider him 'daft as a brush', and/or a waste of space, but he has had his 'loyalists'
But it did surprise me when he won their 'Player of the Season'

You should remember that Stevie Ireland was voted player of the season as a deliberate sarcastic response by the many Villa fans who were appalled at how he could drop from being a promising player with occasional flashes of brilliance (with us) to being a shit player with regular occasional flashes of average once signed by them.

At the time, there was much talk about the fact that he gained PotS virtue of him being the most deplored player at the club. The reasoning now seems to be fading away leaving him with an undeserved accolade!

I wasn't aware of that: I only intermittently looked in on the Villa fans forum, after those early days: I suppose what you say makes a lot of sense, although they didn't seem to have much good to say about any of their midfield or forward players.

[Herb]

I've been interested in how he was getting on at Villa: for the most part they seem to consider him 'daft as a brush', and/or a waste of space, but he has had his 'loyalists'
But it did surprise me when he won their 'Player of the Season'

You should remember that Stevie Ireland was voted player of the season as a deliberate sarcastic response by the many Villa fans who were appalled at how he could drop from being a promising player with occasional flashes of brilliance (with us) to being a shit player with regular occasional flashes of average once signed by them.

At the time, there was much talk about the fact that he gained PotS virtue of him being the most deplored player at the club. The reasoning now seems to be fading away leaving him with an undeserved accolade!

I wasn't aware of that: I only intermittently looked in on the Villa fans forum, after those early days: I suppose what you say makes a lot of sense, although they didn't seem to have much good to say about any of their midfield or forward players.

I doubt I'd have been aware myself were it not for it being poked around on the forums at the time - more out of appreciation of the humour of the villa fans than anything else. I suppose that with our history we have a natural affinity with fans who smooth the rough ride by having a laugh about it.
It's all a bit sad really, I thought he was the bees knees at one time because he was actually something quite special to us - then he became special to himself and chose to take a hike across his own special reality.

I guess that Stevie boy himself will have the last laugh as the reasoning behind his Player of the Year award will be lost in the mists of time but the honour will stay with him (other than amongst Villa fans).

[TheReturnOfTheSpecialOne]

I've been interested in how he was getting on at Villa: for the most part they seem to consider him 'daft as a brush', and/or a waste of space, but he has had his 'loyalists'
But it did surprise me when he won their 'Player of the Season'

You should remember that Stevie Ireland was voted player of the season as a deliberate sarcastic response by the many Villa fans who were appalled at how he could drop from being a promising player with occasional flashes of brilliance (with us) to being a shit player with regular occasional flashes of average once signed by them.

At the time, there was much talk about the fact that he gained PotS virtue of him being the most deplored player at the club. The reasoning now seems to be fading away leaving him with an undeserved accolade!

I wasn't aware of that: I only intermittently looked in on the Villa fans forum, after those early days: I suppose what you say makes a lot of sense, although they didn't seem to have much good to say about any of their midfield or forward players.

I doubt I'd have been aware myself were it not for it being poked around on the forums at the time - more out of appreciation of the humour of the villa fans than anything else. I suppose that with our history we have a natural affinity with fans who smooth the rough ride by having a laugh about it.
It's all a bit sad really, I thought he was the bees knees at one time because he was actually something quite special to us - then he became special to himself and chose to take a hike across his own special reality.

I guess that Stevie boy himself will have the last laugh as the reasoning behind his Player of the Year award will be lost in the mists of time but the honour will stay with him (other than amongst Villa fans).

Wouldn't it be funny if he had been voted Newcastle Player of the Year, also
(even in the same season he won the Villa award)

I remember when we'd signed Elano, and he was looking special for us, but then 'Superman' showed in Elano's absence - and even playing alongside him - that he was every bit the player Elano was, and even more.

I think, essentially, he's got some kind of 'inferiority complex': he was quite happy to play second-fiddle to Joey Barton - and even Michael Johnson - in his brief period of glory - then I think when Gareth Barry arrived, and he imposed himself, Ireland faded into the background, despite coming off that season.
You'd like to think that he hasn't burnt too many bridges that he can't salvage something from his career

[TheReturnOfTheSpecialOne]

"However the media quickly discovered that Ireland's grandmother was not dead, at which point Ireland announced it was his paternal grandmother who died but yet again, reporters discovered that Ireland's paternal grandmother was also still alive, and her relatives had threatened to sue one newspaper that reported her death. Ireland changed his story again, saying one of his grandfathers had divorced, and it was his second wife who had died. That was also quickly discovered to be untrue."[32]

I'm not sure is this a wind-up; I certainly never heard the 'divorce' bit!
(from Wiki) : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Ireland

[Twobob]

The one season where Ireland covered the pitch like Fernandinho, after being a fairly peripheral, non energetic player previously, suddenly finds a huge well of previously undiscovered running power, then suddenly collapses at the start of the next season & has to go to hospital, but we never find out why, then the 'energy' disappears. Add that to often bizarre behaviour.

Well call me cynical, but if it looks like a fish, smells like a fish...

Wonder if he had a really refreshing holiday in Spain before that season ...

[Jorgobot]

[QUOTE="Dronny"][/QUOTE]

Hahahaa classic

[Jorgobot]

Yes, he has talent, shined for a while. But it's all driven by the mental aspect which he lost completely. His head got too big and he couldn't get it back, the fact that he's clearly not the brightest wouldn't have helped. Hard to feel sympathy here

Is he really that dull?

[Jorgobot]

"However the media quickly discovered that Ireland's grandmother was not dead, at which point Ireland announced it was his paternal grandmother who died but yet again, reporters discovered that Ireland's paternal grandmother was also still alive, and her relatives had threatened to sue one newspaper that reported her death. Ireland changed his story again, saying one of his grandfathers had divorced, and it was his second wife who had died. That was also quickly discovered to be untrue."[32]

I'm not sure is this a wind-up; I certainly never heard the 'divorce' bit!
(from Wiki) : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Ireland

Is he dumb? Wat is going on

[dazby]

It's no coincidence that the moment he came good coincided with Robinho's arrival. The two looked for and found each other, regularly. I am convinced to this day, that if he'd have stayed and played with Dave, he'd have kept his level.

[TheReturnOfTheSpecialOne]

"However the media quickly discovered that Ireland's grandmother was not dead, at which point Ireland announced it was his paternal grandmother who died but yet again, reporters discovered that Ireland's paternal grandmother was also still alive, and her relatives had threatened to sue one newspaper that reported her death. Ireland changed his story again, saying one of his grandfathers had divorced, and it was his second wife who had died. That was also quickly discovered to be untrue."[32]

I'm not sure is this a wind-up; I certainly never heard the 'divorce' bit!
(from Wiki) : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Ireland

Is he dumb? Wat is going on

There was talk at the time that some of the other players were ribbing him all the time about his hair-loss, and he decided that he'd had enough and wanted to go home. Never heard the divorce story before though

[TheReturnOfTheSpecialOne]

Looks like he's on his way to Stoke - for a season-long loan
I seem to recall him bad-mouthing Hughes after Mancini's arrival - and his departure to Villa
I wonder does Hughes read the newspapers?

[sheblue]

Looks like he's on his way to Stoke - for a season-long loan
I seem to recall him bad-mouthing Hughes after Mancini's arrival - and his departure to Villa
I wonder does Hughes read the newspapers?

Name one person Stephen Ireland has not bad mouthed.

[Tokyo Blue]

Looks like he's on his way to Stoke - for a season-long loan
I seem to recall him bad-mouthing Hughes after Mancini's arrival - and his departure to Villa
I wonder does Hughes read the newspapers?

Name one person Stephen Ireland has not bad mouthed.

Engelbert Humperdinck.

[Slim]

Looks like he's on his way to Stoke - for a season-long loan
I seem to recall him bad-mouthing Hughes after Mancini's arrival - and his departure to Villa
I wonder does Hughes read the newspapers?

Name one person Stephen Ireland has not bad mouthed.

Engelbert Humperdinck.

His Gran.

No wait, his other gran.

No wait, his grandad's second wife

....oh fuck it, I give up.

[Tesl]

It's no coincidence that the moment he came good coincided with Robinho's arrival. The two looked for and found each other, regularly. I am convinced to this day, that if he'd have stayed and played with Dave, he'd have kept his level.

This actually made me laugh out loud. Good form mate. I admire a guy who forms an opinion early and then defends it to the death, despite mountains upon mountains of evidence to the contrary.

[TheReturnOfTheSpecialOne]

Looks like he's on his way to Stoke - for a season-long loan
I seem to recall him bad-mouthing Hughes after Mancini's arrival - and his departure to Villa
I wonder does Hughes read the newspapers?

Name one person Stephen Ireland has not bad mouthed.

His partner
(I think)

[maddog fenton]

<null>

U joking, did you see her on come dine with me, I was slagging her off

[TheReturnOfTheSpecialOne]

<null>

U joking, did you see her on come dine with me, I was slagging her off

No
What did she do?
Spag Bol?

[maddog fenton]

<null>

I can't tell ya what it was but it must of been a recipe past down from either grandma in laws yet I do remember Steven ducking out of the meal