From sportinglife.com
Newcastle midfielder Stephen Ireland has launched a scathing attack on Gerard Houllier.
Speaking in an interview with French football magazine So Foot, Ireland, who is on loan at St James' Park, is very critical of Aston Villa boss Houllier.
The midfielder was rarely used by Houllier after he took charge from Martin O'Neill and he insists he was forced out of Villa by the Frenchman.
"After 15 matches on the bench Houllier told me to stay at home," said Ireland, who is hoping to make his Newcastle debut against Everton this weekend.
"I trained during the week and on Fridays he told me, 'no point you coming, you are not in the team'.
"Yet I was the best player in training. It was my team that won in every session. One of the few times he played me, we drew 0-0 at Chelsea and I ended up man of the match.
"Apparently that didn't matter to him. I was stuck with being paid for doing nothing at all. I was left to myself. I had to pay out of my own pocket for medical treatment. Can you believe that?"
Ireland also took exception at being asked to move to Birmingham from his home in Manchester.
"Houllier asked me to come and live in Birmingham because it was taking me 75 minutes to come to training. But there were 15 players in the same position as me. Some came from London and took more than two hours, but he only asked me to move," he continued.
"For a start, Birmingham is a c**p city and I wasn't going to make the effort, especially as I wasn't playing. Might as well be in Manchester if I had to stay home on match days.
"I don't bear Houllier any grudges; it wasn't him who chose me after all."
Ireland is desperate to play this weekend, adding: "I just want to play and have a manager who really wants me for once.
"I have no idea at the moment who I will be playing for next season. My future is unclear."
Ireland retired from international football with his native Republic of Ireland four years ago, but he has no regrets and insists he feels nothing for his homeland, or even his hometown of Cork.
"I don't give a damn for Ireland. Live in Cork? I'd rather shoot myself. I prefer Los Angeles," he said.
And he admits he is not going to be playing for his country again in the future.
"Even at youth level, it p****d me off to go there," he said.
"Everyone came from Dublin. I was the only guy from Cork. I had to take the train on my own, pay for a taxi, there was no hotel, no grub. It was handled so amateurishly.
"National teams don't interest me. I have more to do than go off for three days to play Andorra. And when you are Irish, you are well aware you'll never win the World Cup.
"I feel nothing for the team. I absolutely don't feel guilty when they lose and, when they win, at no time do I think I could have been there.
"Even if Ireland had qualified for the World Cup, I wouldn't have gone. People call for my return, but I have only played five times for them. The national team and me are ancient history."
