Ireland going to NY Red Bulls?

[JUAN PABLO]

Some ridiculous opinions on here already gents, well done. It's near damn impossible to win matches without flair players. He was never brought here to be a box to box mf, he was brought here to win us games. Finally he has calmed down his lifestyle, is concentrating on family and career and by our own managers admission is putting in a shift for the team every week and people are saying lets sell him for 5m and replace him with another hard working sidwell. Brilliant. Here's an idea mr Faulkner; let's release a statement saying we are looking to build our squad around people like Ireland and under no circumstances are our star players for sale. Or alternatively we can move him on like we have with Barry, young, Milner, downing.

Am I going mad?

spot on .    sell him and buy Guthrie . Is that what people want .     Depressing

[pauliewalnuts]

I have to say whoever agreed to 70k a week for him (can we blame MON for this one?) wants fucking shooting.

He took a pay cut to join us.

Not really relevant, though, is it?

We still paid him a vast sum of money to do shit all for a long time. Now he's finally starting to deliver, unless there is an utterly compelling financial reason to do so, selling him would be daft - especially if we then replaced him with a flairless grafter like Guthrie.

[Phil from the upper holte]

I don't think he ever really wanted to come and who could blame him, he's an ambitious talented but fucked up player, he wants to win things and I doubt he'll ever do it with us

[Concrete John]

When he got into the side this year and (finally!) started playing well, I did say we should still flog him.  That was based on the idea that his upturn in form wouldn't last and he'd eventually go shit again, so lets take the money while it's there and let someone else have the problem.  Yet every game he has played since has softened that stance, to the point where I'd now keep him.

[Concrete John]

I have to say whoever agreed to 70k a week for him (can we blame MON for this one?) wants fucking shooting.

He took a pay cut to join us.

Not really relevant, though, is it?

We still paid him a vast sum of money to do shit all for a long time. Now he's finally starting to deliver, unless there is an utterly compelling financial reason to do so, selling him would be daft - especially if we then replaced him with a flairless grafter like Guthrie.

It is relevant to the argument of whether we're paying him too much or just paying him the going rate.

But I agree about not selling him.  He's starting to show what he can do so lets keep him.

[pauliewalnuts]

I have to say whoever agreed to 70k a week for him (can we blame MON for this one?) wants fucking shooting.

He took a pay cut to join us.

Not really relevant, though, is it?

We still paid him a vast sum of money to do shit all for a long time. Now he's finally starting to deliver, unless there is an utterly compelling financial reason to do so, selling him would be daft - especially if we then replaced him with a flairless grafter like Guthrie.

It is relevant to the argument of whether we're paying him too much or just paying him the going rate.

But I agree about not selling him.  He's starting to show what he can do so lets keep him.

Not sure I agree with that, given that he came from a club where stupid wages are the norm (and were before the current lot rolled up, even).

If we're paying Heskey 65k a week and we offload him somewhere else who pay him 60k, are they paying the going rate, or are both clubs paying him well over the top?

[N'ZMAV]

No-one will pay Heskey £60k a week.

[pauliewalnuts]

No-one will pay Heskey £60k a week.

I know. It's just an example to show how a player going from one overpaid contract to another doesn't mean it's the going rate, it can mean they're both paying way over the top.

[Concrete John]

Not sure I agree with that, given that he came from a club where stupid wages are the norm (and were before the current lot rolled up, even).

If we're paying Heskey 65k a week and we offload him somewhere else who pay him 60k, are they paying the going rate, or are both clubs paying him well over the top?

Given the ages and respective abilities of the two players, that's a bit of a misleading argument.

He signed for the same wages we were paying Milner and was seen as his direct replacement.

[PaulTheVillan]

I hope he stays. I've been really impressed since his bollocking and his class performance v Chelsea.

[N'ZMAV]

No-one will pay Heskey £60k a week.

I know. It's just an example to show how a player going from one overpaid contract to another doesn't mean it's the going rate, it can mean they're both paying way over the top.

And I'm sure it'll continue for many years yet, humans (not just footballers) are greedy.

[Rick_avfc]

Im not really fussed if he goes.  I dont believe for one minute he wanted to come to us as part of the milner deal.  He prob only came due to the financial package on offer.  He has shown glimpses of talent but thats it.  We would be better off cutting our losses and reinvesting his wages in someone else.  I dont he will ever reach his full potential with us

[PaulWinch again]

In fairness he's been in very good form for a few months now.

[Stu]

Here's an idea mr Faulkner; let's release a statement saying we are looking to build our squad around people like Ireland and under no circumstances are our star players for sale. Or alternatively we can move him on like we have with Barry, young, Milner, downing.

The willingness to sell off the four players you mentioned goes to show that our star players are for sale, and always have been if the price is right.

[supertom]

I don't really see what's been so good about his form. I do appreciate he's put the effort in but for me he's still far too patchy. We need players who can impact over 90 minutes and every week. He's been okay, nothing more. And indeed as someone else mention, it's the end result that matters and he's not scoring or creating enough goals. He's not making enough chances for starters.

I also don't appreciate (granted it was hearsay) the fact he may have moaned about his position. If he's got the footballing ability he has he should be able to comfortably instigate play coming in from the left wing. He did play from the left sometimes during his one good season at City.

Same goes for N'Zogbia, I don't like the moaning. We're not seeing anywhere near his best, and as is the case with Stephen, it's not all because of how McLeish sets the team out. We've played 4-4-2 this season, 4-5-1, 4-2-31, and correct me if I'm wrong but especially in the case of 4-4-2, footballers have been playing this system since the very beginning. Just play for fucks sake! Will our manager really complain if Ireland decides to drift in field every now and again if he scores a screamer? No. But...you have to impact the game. When our flair players drift out of games after their 20 minute purple patches, then the team do too.
I do rate Ireland. He's got ability, but I'd still ell him IF we can get someone more consistent and who can dictate a game more.