Eliminating Ireland

by SamFels on Jul 23, 2010 12:05 PM PDT Comment 4 comments

These wings are headed for the exit door.

Story of the day is James Milner pretty much stamping his way out of Villa and off to Man City. Martin O'Neil has said he'll go as soon as they get the price they want, and when you're owned by Oil Magnates, you eventually give up the price the seller wants. To me, this is clearly a move to have enough home-based players when Man City eventually play in the Champions League, because I don't understand the total love fest of one James Milner.

Sure, he's a fine player, who actually has a semblance of a touch, which finding amongst and Englishman is like finding a Jew in Kentucky. But his best performances came in the middle for Villa, and I only assume he's showing up at Eastlands to replace Stephen Ireland -- a player City have been trying to kick out for years it seems. And I don't know why. Though Ireland is obviously a little touched in the head (his refusal to play for Ireland and the whole grandmother thing) he's a better player than Milner. He's a wonderful passer, makes intelligent runs into the box, and seems to pop up with more than enough goals for a midfielder. But with Barry, De Jong, Viera, and Yaya Toure, it would seem there isn't room for both of them. Or they could be shifting Milner out wide right, to replace the never-come-through-on-the-promise Shaun Wright-Phillips.

-Under the radar is that Chelsea have signed Ramires from Benfica for around 20 million. With Ramires and Essien (for the ten minutes he's fit) as the defensive midfield axis, that's pretty imposing, and should allow Lampard to maraud even more so than usual. Sneaky good signing here, Brazil were really crippled without Ramires when he was suspended for the match against Netherlands.

-Of course, as soon as I state the Martin Jol was going to Fulham, he's officially staying at Ajax.

Vidic is staying at United, so we can at least look forward to him getting scorched by Torres and Gerrard and Drogba some more.

-Sunderland have signed Newcastle flop Titus Bramble, and the entire city of Sunderland has just collapsed.

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Stephen Ireland, the forgotten man

I’m bewildered by City’s treatment of Ireland, too. He seems to be getting the Richard Dunne treatment, and like Dunne, I imagine City fans will regret this decision. It’s as though any player who was part of the squad for more than a season or so is radioactive. I really don’t understand it.

Not mediocre. Right about average

by trza on Jul 23, 2010 1:53 PM PDT reply actions

Ireland

By all accounts, from talking to Man City season tix holders, he’s a great player when he’s interested, but too often his mind is elsewhere and he looks like he just doesn’t give a sh1t. It’s one thing to be blessed with great ability, but it’s not enough to succeed in the modern game. Application and work rate are equally important, and the view of Ireland at Man City is that while he’s got the talent he lacks those things. Compare him to another similar player, Tim Cahill from Everton. I don’t think anyone in their right mind would suggest that Cahill is any more technically gifted than Ireland, and he’s certainly not as tall, but most people would also agree he’s twice the player Ireland is because he works so hard.

It also doesn’t help that Ireland’s not had the same manager for more than 12 months his entire career. IMO the best thing he could do is move to another club where there is some stability, and find a manager who can coax the best out of him week-in week-out. Unfortunately, the only clubs who would be able to afford his contract would never take the risk on such a mercurial player, and he definitely strikes me as the sort of player who would be quite happy picking up an enormous pay-cheque ahead of actually playing any football.

by Jamie Douglas on Jul 24, 2010 1:53 AM PDT up reply actions