Stephen Ireland - Clean Slate?

[timeoutbigbar]

After a brief wander through the old pages couldn't see anything similar so thought i'd post this to see what most people think.  What he said is pretty poor (to say the least), but we all know he has ability.  It infuriates me that he could be so useful playing off Bent and linking up the attacking play, yet doesn't seem to be interested.  A clean slate offered by AM it seems, but are you prepared to give him a go?

[TheSandman]

I'm going for yes.

Even more controversially I would give him a second chance ahead of Warnock and Beye. Simply because he is a good player unlike them.

[Greg N'Ash]

no for me. too much of a dickhead. Mcliesh is going to need all the help he can get and if you were manager would you trust him to buckle down, not complain to the press if you're subbed and generally act as though he's part of a team?

[timeoutbigbar]

Just can't help but think we could save ourselves 8-9m that we may spend on Adam if he actually started trying.

[Toronto Villa]

I'm going to vote yes with reservation. I've thrown the manager a "let's give him a chance" card, and I'm going to do it with the likes of Ireland and Warnock because quite frankly they are very good players when motivated to be. McLeish might privately use the "us against them" or "let's prove them all wrong" card for himself and a few of the outcast players. You never know it might work. So a hesitant yes.

[midnite]

Use him for the first part of the campaign. Tell him he needs to start playing again to get noticed and raise his stock for potential clubs to interested and want to pay his high wages, because he probably does want out. Once his helped us achieve top four at Christmas (with our easier than second half to the season according to some other poster on here) then we sell him before he goes off the rails again and he is then someone else's problem.

[Dave Cooper please]

A very, very tentative yes. There's talent there, no doubt. Can it be harnessed without disrupting the team? Dunno.

[Louzie0]

I want to see what Ireland, Warnock and, ok, Beye can do and if anybody can get them to pull their socks up then McL is The Man.  If he can't do it, nobody can. 

Three - 3!!!...Managers later, this is the crunch.  Go for it, Alex!

If not, then we don't sell them.  No.  We put them in the stocks outside VP and hurl random vegetables and handfuls of unthinkably, unbelieveably, outrageously stinking ordure at them until they are wilting under the pressure of tons of recycleable organic matter. Because they wouldn't play for the Villa.

That's what I'd do.
 

(Mediaeval or what?! )

[dave.woodhall]

One chance, then that's it. On form he's a £10 million player, if it doesn't work out we'd be lucky to get anything for him. We have to take the gamble.

[midnite]

If not, then we don't sell them.  No.  We put them in the stocks outside VP and hurl random vegetables and handfuls of unthinkably, unbelieveably, outrageously stinking ordure

(Mediaeval or what?! )

How about Mable, Dave Cooper's wank sock ?

[Dave Cooper please]

Oi! Leave Mabel out of this she's mine.
I have some soiled underwear you can borrow.

[Louzie0]

Fits the bill.  As long as they suffer...! 

[midnite]

Oi! Leave Mabel out of this she's mine.
I have some soiled underwear you can borrow.

Ha! Ha!

[Goldie.7]

He's such a twat i wish he would just knuckle down and get back to his football. It's been over 2 years maybe 3 since he's done anything good on the pitch! Does anyone remember his debut for us, one of the worse i've ever seen.

Some needs to explain the situation to him loud and clear or let the fecker rot in the stiffs all season he's already so far proved himself to be a waste of money!

How much should we accept to move him on is the question though.

[Louzie0]

One chance, then that's it. On form he's a £10 million player, if it doesn't work out we'd be lucky to get anything for him. We have to take the gamble.

Yes...one chance.  He's a very talented player. Looking forward to what he can do to improve the midfield and contribute to the attacking potential of the team.  Really looking forward..without a lot of hope.

 OK he succeeds. 
Otherwise, ...the stocks.  WHY?
 
Because we've had enough of him going up north for millions and getting caught in a nightclub incident photo sting, then not playing... 

If my granny was playing she would not be substituted by this guy, because she would be so much better! 

I really want him to prove me wrong.