Having watched him since his days in City's academy I can safely say his is good enough. His timing and weight of pass would help us no end especially given our current crop of midfielders. Putting the Irish nonsense aside there still is something the doesnt quite stack up with him in a United jersey. Im a bit torn on this one....
Manchester United in talks with Ireland?
- Thread starter Chrisjn
- Start date
Yeah, I should have qualified my comparison with Ozil by pointing out that Ireland works a lot harder when his team don't have the ball.
It really is a mystery how he could fall so dramatically out of favour after such a great season but if United can pick up the pieces that's all good.
Please be true please be true please be true. In addition to him being a quality player, he shouldn't have too many problems settling in with the extra distance to the training ground.
those 500 yards extra drive would be awful!He might be used as part of the Milner deal to Villa.
I would definitely take him, SAF is the perfect manager to handle his "mentalness" and he has shown what a good footballer he is in the PL.
City are idiots, they showed that when they sold Richard Dunne for Lescott for around £16m in the difference
I would definitely take him, SAF is the perfect manager to handle his "mentalness" and he has shown what a good footballer he is in the PL.
City are idiots, they showed that when they sold Richard Dunne for Lescott for around £16m in the difference
It would be amusing if we signed him to see people reactions on here. He is the style of player that most people want are screaming for, but people still wouldn't be happy about it!
I do hope he leaves City and proves them wrong, not sure if I'd like it to be at United. I don't rate him in a 442 which makes him a luxury player.
I do hope he leaves City and proves them wrong, not sure if I'd like it to be at United. I don't rate him in a 442 which makes him a luxury player.
I'd take him for the right price.
If this deal is on the cards and it is being delayed there are two possible reason for it:
1. United are trying to sign another player for the same position who they would rather go for..
2. City are reluctant to sell to United and are trying to get rid of him and sell him to another club.
1. United are trying to sign another player for the same position who they would rather go for..
2. City are reluctant to sell to United and are trying to get rid of him and sell him to another club.
Must admit I haven't seen very much of Ireland.
Is he the type of player that can pull the strings and be creative with some fine penetrative passing?
Or a David Platt wannabe that just doesn't do much except ghosting runs into the box, scoring every fourth game?
Is he the type of player that can pull the strings and be creative with some fine penetrative passing?
Or a David Platt wannabe that just doesn't do much except ghosting runs into the box, scoring every fourth game?
He is creative. Can dictate attacks on form and open teams up, but he is also very good at timing runs into the box, and seems like an astute finisher.
They wouldn't have much trouble offloading him to another Premier League club, if they really wanted to do that before United came into frame they would have already sold him to Everton or Villa.
Thanks. He doesn't sound half bad.
I obviously meant to a club he would like to join too.. Which would obviously mean a team that is challenging for the top 4 atleast..
Which is:
Arsenal
Chelsea
Liverpool
Man Utd
Tottenham
Probably Aston Villa although they have no need for him if they keep Milner and Everton can't afford him nor do they need him..
I'd take him and something about the crazed mentality/fallen potential angle suites Fergie.
I can't see City selling to us. Plus, he'd probably be part of the Milner deal anyway. O'Neill is a known admirer and would get him for next to nothing.
Hypothetically it would be interesting to see what would happen if Ireland put his foot down and pushed for City to sell him to United. I don't think it'd happen as Ireland would probably be happy to move to a Everton/Villa type club, but still.
I know they are different type of players but I rate Ireland higher than Milner.. Am I the only one?
Elano was City's best player in his first season. And he's proven with Brazil its not quite a one off. In the world cup he was one of their best players in the short time he was able to play before injury. But nobody is suggesting we sign him - another player at his best in the hole like Ireland. And the reason is because since that first very good season, he's not been very good for City. Same as Ireland after the season before last.
Tackle stats clearly dont show much because teams cut right through City's midfield with Ireland playing in a two.
Its not a mystery, its really quite simple. City bought Tevez who is better. They played him as a second striker with Adebayor leading the line, which meant Ireland had to go back to playing wide midfield or central midfield and he's not very good at either.
When Adebayor had the acn, and after some indifferent form found himself out of the side, with Tevez leading the line on his own it was the perfect oppertunity for Ireland to reclaim his place in the team in the one position he's shown he's good. But his performances werent good enough for him to hold that place so he didnt.
City may now be playing Silva behind Tevez. He's another one who needs to play in the right position else he's not that good.
I dunno Pogue, I think he's overrated.
He had an excellent season the year before last but apart from that he's an average player who now and again shows glimpses of brilliance. Before 08/09 wasn't his best goals return something like 3?
I'll go on the record to say i'd approve of this transfer. Big fan despite the citeh link and history.
He's a good player though, at a good age. He would have a point to prove and it would be quite something if he went onto achieve success at United whilst City despite all the signings and money continue to win little.
I'd imagine this is Citys carling cup year though.
He's a United fan isn't he? Apparently he turned us down (and others) before he joined City.
I think he's a better player than Gibson, but would be surprised to see him here. As others have said I would think that Villa would be a good move for him as part of the inevitable Milner deal
I think he's a better player than Gibson, but would be surprised to see him here. As others have said I would think that Villa would be a good move for him as part of the inevitable Milner deal
Seem to be quite a few City fans who think this is the case. Presumably based on something.....particularly as United is the last club they want to see him playing for. He's quite a fan favourite over at Eastlands.
Don't know whether he's a United fan but I understand that his father supports us. Sometimes comes over on the ferry from Ireland with the United fans anyway.
Ireland didn't play in any games when Adebayor was at the ACN.
I can't recall Ireland playind behind a striker at all last season.
Probably. I'd prefer to sign Ireland over Milner though. I think Milner is vastly overrated and vastly overpriced.
He only turned 22 in Aug '08, so it's harsh to read too much into his record beforehand. If anything, he had his breakthrough season younger than most (Nani is just 3 months younger than him)
The only real blot on his copy-book (apart from being a bit mental) was last season, when he hardly featured, but that could be down to a manager who didn't know how to get the best out of him and/or felt under pressure to play incredibly expensive new signings ahead of him.
Milner is a work-horse and is very versatile.. I can see why the English over-rate him..
Milner is a good player. He is an underated-overated player on here.
Ireland would suit us a lot more than Milner. We have a workhorse in Fletcher and don't really need another one. Ireland himself is a worker but he has a lot more to offer. Personally as a player I'd prefer we signed him over Milner if there was actually a choice. But he is stone mad so it could go either way.
You think? i think that ones fairly obvious. Gibson has really proved nothing, the only thing Gibson has almost proved without a shadow of a doubt is that he really isn't good enough for United.
I also rate Ireland higher than I do Milner. I'd be happy if we bought Ireland whereas I'd think we'd just wasted a few million if we bought Milner.
Exactly. Performances arent just on the pitch. You do have to earn your chances. Although he may have had an injury or something at that particular time I dont know. But that was his chance to play himself into the team and he no showed in the premier league.
I'm pretty sure he was injured, yeah.
It's harsh to blame him for performances in training or the odd games he got if the manager showed no intention of playing him, and not in his preferred role.
It's harsh to blame him for performances in training or the odd games he got if the manager showed no intention of playing him, and not in his preferred role.
Makes you wonder why he's the only player in the Manchester City squad this happened to.
TBH i'de be surprised if O'Neal doesn't ask for the likes of Ireland, Wrights-Phillips & Belamy to be included in any deal. F*ck it all 3 and Villa would have come out smelling of roses and probably be in a better position to challenge shitty.
I think he's very talented and would be excellent in our 4-3-3 if Fergie gets his head right, plus he fits in with United's transfer strategy of only buying the best looking players.
I would rather have his "dead" granny play for us!
is she available?
Please no! Steven feckin ireland!