Stephen Ireland

[LeeB]

It's funny how all the players that have been given the cold shoulder over the last couple of years are the ones on the most money. Anyone who thinks its nothing more than an amazing coincidence is off their rocker.

Don't bring logic into it, it's grossly unfair on some posters.


Riiggghhhtt.....so the club's plan was to lower the wage bill by not using these players and therefore making them virtually unsellable to anyone? They would have been much easier to get off the wage bill if they were playing regularly and attracting interest, rather than moping around with the youth players.

[ROBBO]

To play for Lambert you have to work your bollocks off, he will excuse an off day but not someone who doesn't put in 100 percent. Ireland is a flair player, good in a side with top players around him but not in a battling side as we are at present. Nzogbia should be a lesson to some though, many on here were writing him off as a wanker, well he could be the wanker that keeps us up.

[LeeB]

To play for Lambert you have to work your bollocks off, he will excuse an off day but not someone who doesn't put in 100 percent. Ireland is a flair player, good in a side with top players around him but not in a battling side as we are at present. Nzogbia should be a lesson to some though, many on here were writing him off as a wanker, well he could be the wanker that keeps us up.

That's spot on Robbo, and that attitude will serve us well in the coming years.

No more freeloading at the Villa. About fucking time.

[eastie]

To play for Lambert you have to work your bollocks off, he will excuse an off day but not someone who doesn't put in 100 percent. Ireland is a flair player, good in a side with top players around him but not in a battling side as we are at present. Nzogbia should be a lesson to some though, many on here were writing him off as a wanker, well he could be the wanker that keeps us up.

Good point - nzogbia has turned it around and is doing the job for us.

I wonder how many of people slagging off ireland as a wanker voted for him as player of the season last year- a decision i find still hard to believe as i thought he was average at best last season.

[Risso]

To play for Lambert you have to work your bollocks off, he will excuse an off day but not someone who doesn't put in 100 percent. Ireland is a flair player, good in a side with top players around him but not in a battling side as we are at present. Nzogbia should be a lesson to some though, many on here were writing him off as a wanker, well he could be the wanker that keeps us up.

That's spot on Robbo, and that attitude will serve us well in the coming years.

No more freeloading at the Villa. About fucking time.

That's fair enough Lee, but it does seem to propagate the myth that there's no middle ground between overpaid mercenaries and League 2 kids.

[Greg N'Ash]

To play for Lambert you have to work your bollocks off, he will excuse an off day but not someone who doesn't put in 100 percent. Ireland is a flair player, good in a side with top players around him but not in a battling side as we are at present. Nzogbia should be a lesson to some though, many on here were writing him off as a wanker, well he could be the wanker that keeps us up.

Good point - nzogbia has turned it around and is doing the job for us.

I wonder how many of people slagging off ireland as a wanker voted for him as player of the season last year- a decision i find still hard to believe as i thought he was average at best last season.

yep.  Although we were struggling for any potential candidates. Probably should have shelved the award.

[PeterWithe]

I'm not sure the slagging of his work rate is entirely accurate, he's done more tracking back with us than he ever did, or needed to do, at City.

Sure he's not been a success but if we wanted a Milner clone we should have gone out and bought one rather than Ireland. I still think he's one of our better options if we are ever a goal up and need to keep the ball.

[Drummond]

Pointless him being here whilst we're in a scrap.
He's disinterested and clearly not a team player.

Absolutely. I like the way Lambert is just getting on with it and doing what he can to keep the squad united. I just wish Ireland would fuck off, we did absolutely appallingly out of the Milner/Ireland deals.

[LeeB]

apologies lee. i'm sure there were others who weren't keen, but the vast majority wanted him in at the time. I mentioned Chris because at the time he got a lot of stick for saying he didn't want him.

No worries Greg, just wanted that on record.

He's everything I can't stand in a player.

[Concrete John]

To play for Lambert you have to work your bollocks off, he will excuse an off day but not someone who doesn't put in 100 percent. Ireland is a flair player, good in a side with top players around him but not in a battling side as we are at present. Nzogbia should be a lesson to some though, many on here were writing him off as a wanker, well he could be the wanker that keeps us up.

That's spot on Robbo, and that attitude will serve us well in the coming years.

No more freeloading at the Villa. About fucking time.

That's fair enough Lee, but it does seem to propagate the myth that there's no middle ground between overpaid mercenaries and League 2 kids.

There is plenty of middle ground, but unfortunately Stephen Ireland doesn't sit in it.

The N'Zogbia point is a good one.  He knuckled down, worked hard and is now worthy of his place and contributing to the cause.  All things Ireland can't and/or won't do.

[damon loves JT]

Following Villa the last few seasons is like being party to a very messy Pikey divorce. Does nobody at the club like each other?

[Ghost of Pongo Waring]

If Lambert has made Ireland train with the kids then it wouldn't be just on a whim, there would be a reason why he's done it. If you don't know the reason you can't say he was wrong, or right, to take those steps.

No we dont know but he should at least be training with the reserves just in case of late injuries. Also Lambert had no complaints about Huttons attitude and dedication to training (he said so) but he still had to train with the youths.
[/quote]

The reserves and the kids are the same thing surely. There is no 'reserve' league anymore just first team and U-21.

[Concrete John]

Following Villa the last few seasons is like being party to a very messy Pikey divorce. Does nobody at the club like each other?

Dunne like the guy who serves the chips in the Bodymoor canteen.

[LeeB]

To play for Lambert you have to work your bollocks off, he will excuse an off day but not someone who doesn't put in 100 percent. Ireland is a flair player, good in a side with top players around him but not in a battling side as we are at present. Nzogbia should be a lesson to some though, many on here were writing him off as a wanker, well he could be the wanker that keeps us up.

That's spot on Robbo, and that attitude will serve us well in the coming years.

No more freeloading at the Villa. About fucking time.

That's fair enough Lee, but it does seem to propagate the myth that there's no middle ground between overpaid mercenaries and League 2 kids.

I don't think so, it's just those on our books have proven themselves over the last few seasons to be nothing but overpaid mercenaries.

Once they're fucked off, maybe we can bring some more players in deserving of those wages.

[LeeB]

To play for Lambert you have to work your bollocks off, he will excuse an off day but not someone who doesn't put in 100 percent. Ireland is a flair player, good in a side with top players around him but not in a battling side as we are at present. Nzogbia should be a lesson to some though, many on here were writing him off as a wanker, well he could be the wanker that keeps us up.

Good point - nzogbia has turned it around and is doing the job for us.

I wonder how many of people slagging off ireland as a wanker voted for him as player of the season last year- a decision i find still hard to believe as i thought he was average at best last season.

Agree with that eastie, and I'd extend it to the previous season with that bellend Downing.