Ireland going to NY Red Bulls?

[Dante Lavelli]

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.

absolutely ALL players are for sale if the price is right - even Manure had to sell Ronaldo (C)...

That sale is always mentioned when this discussion is taking place and I don't think it is similar in any way. Mainly because it was Manchester United who were selling and were well equipped without Ronaldo anyway.

I don't agree with that.  They might be holding their own in the Prem League but they are no where near the top of the Chumps League, whereas I think they would be with "CR7" #spit# in their team.

[Stu]

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.

absolutely ALL players are for sale if the price is right - even Manure had to sell Ronaldo (C)...

That sale is always mentioned when this discussion is taking place and I don't think it is similar in any way. Mainly because it was Manchester United who were selling and were well equipped without Ronaldo anyway.

I don't agree with that.  They might be holding their own in the Prem League but they are no where near the top of the Chumps League, whereas I think they would be with "CR7" #spit# in their team.

They were in a better position than us to replace any of the players we sold.

[Louzie0]

He's not off to New York -  he's far too young!

[eamonn]

Huh?

York model railway village maybe.

[Californian Villain]

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.

absolutely ALL players are for sale if the price is right - even Manure had to sell Ronaldo (C)...

That sale is always mentioned when this discussion is taking place and I don't think it is similar in any way. Mainly because it was Manchester United who were selling and were well equipped without Ronaldo anyway.

We sold players that were having a team built around them, the team was not even the finished article and the best players were being picked off. So here we are, mid-table again; another manager gone after 4 seasons, skint, and a crap manager in charge.

It's similar because:
1. club sells best player
2. club agrees to sell best player due to ludicrously large fee.
3. team not as good afterwards.
4. best player not replaced with player of equal quality.
5. best player was midfielder (ok, maybe that's pushing it...)

Another example would be Figo's move from Barcelona to Real Madrid - the fact is every player is ALWAYS for sale...at a price.

[brian green]

If he goes it will be the only entry from McLeish's pluses column.

The only thing our manager can set against all the minuses of his period in charge is that he has persevered with Ireland and got him playing somewhere near his potential.   Sell Ireland now and even that is wiped off McLeish's record.

But, as has already been said our board can be relied upon to do the wrong thing.

[Irish villain]

Maybe it's best to cash in when he has market value having had a good season? We might get more from our other flair players without Ireland?

He has been one of the few things to get excited about this year so it would still be sad to see him go.

[ktvillan]

What other flair players would they be Irish? N'Zog shows flair, in flashes, but who else?

Regardless of his drop in wages I think he's overpaid because he hasn't been consistently good enough to justify that salary and because we can't (and never could) afford it.  We should have offered him 40k tops,  walked away if he said no, told Citeh to stump up 100% cash if they wanted Milner, and signed a promising players from somewhere else with the extra 6m.   But since he's here he's probably our most gifted player, and I think we have often lacked a bit of that maverick element, someone who can turn a game out of nothing, but who might be as frustrating as hell in between magical moments. Villa fans don't tend to be very tolerant of that type of player.   But then I'm one of the few who liked having Ginola in a Villa shirt.

[Mellin]

I think that's harsh. I don't know many Villa fans who didn't enjoy watching Merson. Or Carbone.

I know someone will pipe up now, but the point stands.

[SoccerHQ]

Maybe it's best to cash in when he has market value having had a good season? We might get more from our other flair players without Ireland?

He has been one of the few things to get excited about this year so it would still be sad to see him go.

How many other flair players do we have though? The only times 'zogbia has had decent games this season has been when Ireland has been on the pitch with him.

Bannan and Ireland can play in the same team I think aswell.

[Irish villain]

Kt villan, I'm talking about N'Zogbia, Bannan, maybe even Petrov if Herd played as the holding midfielder and Robbie Keane or A.N. other if they were signed in the summer.

Merson and Carbone were more reliable than Ireland in my view. Merson was a legend for villa quite simply while Carbone and Ginola came with better reputations than Ireland. What I'm saying is, you are never sure what Stephen Ireland will show up. he could throw a strop tomorrow and not feature for the rest of the season. If we got decent money for him I'm sure we could reinvest in something more reliable and/or allow Bannan a chance to shine next year.

[SoccerHQ]

Merson struggled for a year to find form and pissed off to New York mid season without telling anyone so not a million miles from Ireland!

[eamonn]

Petrov does not have the same energy or give and go as Ireland and Bannan has a lot to prove before we can say he's a match for the baldy fella. Ireland is by far the best we can hope for at the moment.

[Dante Lavelli]

Merson and Carbone were more reliable than Ireland in my view. Merson was a legend for villa quite simply while Carbone and Ginola came with better reputations than Ireland. What I'm saying is, you are never sure what Stephen Ireland will show up. he could throw a strop tomorrow and not feature for the rest of the season. If we got decent money for him I'm sure we could reinvest in something more reliable and/or allow Bannan a chance to shine next year.

IMO Ireland works pretty hard for the team.  Whilst he has the maverick characteristics of Merson/Ginola, I think one of his major assets is his tracking back, interceptions and desire to get forward.  This maybe was not evident when he first arrived but now his fitness levels seem to have improved I think we are starting to see his true value. 

I admit he is less likely to score that lob Merson did v Everton (?) but he is also less likely to go completely missing.