Ireland going to NY Red Bulls?

[myf]

Playing well but not worth 70k a week. if we got 5m i'd rip their hands off

[timeoutbigbar]

Better bloody not be...

[Legion]

Silly season starts early.

[brontebilly]

Not sure selling our most talented player is a good idea.

I expect him to be off in the summer whether to NYC, QPR or someone else. He isn't a McLeish type player and we are all about cutting costs these days although it was a managerless AVFC that completed that deal. Cheers Lerner

[ozzjim]

The only difference to the usual made up crap, is that Ballack's agent has actually stated it as fact that Ireland is going there. Odd move if true.

[Toronto Villa]

Let's say it is true. Ireland has been playing better of late and at times very good, but let's be honest he hasn't been banging them in or making huge differences in games that we've gone on to win. Or taken games by the scruff of the neck and led us to victory. He's been something positive in what's been a very below par season.

Frankly, I want players at Villa that want to be there, and will give their left bollock for the cause. If Ireland wants to be a part of that then we should keep him. If he or Dunne or N'Zogbia want out then they can go. And as fast as possible. I'd rather McLeish had players at the club that were willing to buy into his plans. Like it or not he's going to be here and he's going to have a say in who plays. I want him to succeed and if it means his players mixed in with the kids that he'll certainly give a chance to, then I'm all for that.

[Mellin]

If I were Ireland and I read the first couple of pages in this thread it'd be another reason for me to leave. He's been one of our better performers this season, and with the inevitable hard times ahead I'd rather we supported one of the few players I actually enjoy watching, however mental he may be, rather than coating him off at the first sign of a dubious quote from Michael Ballack's agent.

[Holtemeister]

Just a pebble in a pile of shit ....... Rather open up the space for Gardener

[mattjpa]

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?

[Mazrim]

No you're not. I think it's madness to look to move him on now that he's starting to show why we bought him in the first place. A rare talent.
I also think he's getting misrepresented as something he's not. A lot of these tales of excess and hijinx are bollocks.

If he wasn't happy and we could get a good price, maybe. But selling him off to America for a song (no doubt) as he's just starting to look settled and performing is a shit idea.
This may have been on the cards earlier in the season but I doubt it is now. But very little suprises me anymore.

[N'ZMAV]

Mr Irelands on between 65000 and 80000 pw. Under Randys cost cutting regime hes a racing certainty to go.

Now I doubt Ireland would ever want to take a pay cut, and I can't see anyone taking him on and matching those wages.

[ktvillan]

A very talented footballer who finally seems to be applying himself, despite beign fecked about bt McLeish and his, er, interesting substitutions.  We should be looking to keep the few decent footballers we have, although I have to say whoever agreed to 70k a week for him (can we blame MON for this one?) wants fucking shooting.

[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.

[PaulWinch again]

It would be ridiculous to let him go, he is one of the very few players we have with creative talent.

[WA Villan]

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.

And stopped playing as well.