Houllier confirms Ireland wants to leave!

[Toronto Villa]

It's a hoot. As soon as Mancini rotates his squad (remember the concept?) and either Barry or Milner get bumped to the bench, the Schadenfreude Set get all moist in the gusset area.  Milner the failure at City is a ways off I think.

Milner is not a world-class player, but an incredibly effective one in this league. We miss him badly, and I'd have him back like a shot.

Rotating the squad is one thing. Being sat on the bench and not performaing the level that the fans expect because your manager is playing you consistently out of position is quite something else. Go on the Man City boards and see what they think of him. He's hardly getting praised like he was with us last year.

[Merv]

Beat me to it, Toronto. With Milner, it's not about rotation, he's not being played in his best position at all. It's like City/Mancini watched him have the best season of his career, then signed him and switched him back to where he was two years ago. In 2009-10 he was one of the best players in the country... that's not the impression I get now.

He's no failure, but for £26m I'd be expecting a hell of a lot more from him if were a City fan.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

How many of them have you canvassed to come to the conclusion that "Man City fans don't rate him"? If it's just what you've picked up from the internet then is it any different to what a lot of our own bozos were saying about Downing last season?

We do indeed have some bozos on here. Remind me again what you were saying about Albrighton last season, Chris. (winky)

[Chris Smith]

How many of them have you canvassed to come to the conclusion that "Man City fans don't rate him"? If it's just what you've picked up from the internet then is it any different to what a lot of our own bozos were saying about Downing last season?

We do indeed have some bozos on here. Remind me again what you were saying about Albrighton last season, Chris. (winky)

Something like he had talent but looked nervous.

Being allowed to develop at his own pace rather than having too much expected of him before he was ready has benefitted him, wouldn't you say?

[Eigentor]

How many of them have you canvassed to come to the conclusion that "Man City fans don't rate him"? If it's just what you've picked up from the internet then is it any different to what a lot of our own bozos were saying about Downing last season?

We do indeed have some bozos on here. Remind me again what you were saying about Albrighton last season, Chris. (winky)

Something like he had talent but looked nervous.

Being allowed to develop at his own pace rather than having too much expected of him before he was ready has benefitted him, wouldn't you say?

Yes, surely Albrighton's progress would have stopped if he had logged onto H&V last season and read that Chris Smith expected him to become a great player. :-)

[Rudy Can't Fail]

How many of them have you canvassed to come to the conclusion that "Man City fans don't rate him"? If it's just what you've picked up from the internet then is it any different to what a lot of our own bozos were saying about Downing last season?

We do indeed have some bozos on here. Remind me again what you were saying about Albrighton last season, Chris. (winky)

Something like he had talent but looked nervous.

Being allowed to develop at his own pace rather than having too much expected of him before he was ready has benefitted him, wouldn't you say?

As it's almost Christmas, goodwill to all men and all that..

[TheSandman]

It's a hoot. As soon as Mancini rotates his squad (remember the concept?) and either Barry or Milner get bumped to the bench, the Schadenfreude Set get all moist in the gusset area.  Milner the failure at City is a ways off I think.

Milner is not a world-class player, but an incredibly effective one in this league. We miss him badly, and I'd have him back like a shot.

It's nothing to do with schadenfreude. Schadenfreude was when I was laughing at him not getting picked. I am merely stating that he is an ineffective player outwide and that he is not a £26million player. With him costing so much, it can be argued Man City hardly got a great deal either. It's nothing to do with the fact that we don't miss him or the fact that he's a bad player. It's the fact that people keep banging on about what a bad deal we got without considering Man City have yet to have got their money's worth for Milner AND if Mancini keeps on the way he has been going they won't do so.

[WikiVilla]

Eventually Mancini will play JM as a CM
We will then see him at his best again, a £50M player who will only get better and be England Captain soon
We sold him cheaply, we should have made him see out his contract for the sake of £18M

[dave.woodhall]

There isn't a club in the world who could glibly write off £18 million.

[Legion]

Manchester City?

[WikiVilla]

There isn't a club in the world who could glibly write off £18 million.

Agree, but strategically, maybe we should have kept him for 2 years to see out his contract and let him go on a freebie
He's probably worth the money, we're going to end up spending the money on a replacement anyway

[JUAN PABLO]

It was a shit a deal.

It was shit because Milner was our best player last season
It was shit because it weakened us and strengthened the team that finished 3 points ahead of us
It was shit because Milner was less than half way through his contract
It was shit because it included Stephen "Football Is SHIT Why Did I get Stuck Doin It ..." Ireland
It was shit because of what it said about our ambitions
It was great because the board banked £16,000,000(ish)

and shit because JM wanted to go.....       once a players head is turned, no point keeping him ..

[JUAN PABLO]

Did Ireland even move home to Brum ? Seems like he never wanted to join us

same as Pires really

[spangley1812]

Did Ireland even move home to Brum ? Seems like he never wanted to join us

same as Pires really

and Friedel, Luke Young, Warnock and Heskey

[Greg N'Ash]

There isn't a club in the world who could glibly write off £18 million.

Agree, but strategically, maybe we should have kept him for 2 years to see out his contract and let him go on a freebie
He's probably worth the money, we're going to end up spending the money on a replacement anyway

mebbe but there's a hell of a lot of other players we're gonna lose for nothing or very little. Maybe the money was needed