Saturday's B*ll*x

[Chinners]

Stephen Ireland fury at City of despair: 'Milner is in for a shock and I'm glad to be out of there'
Stephen Ireland launched a bitter parting shot at Manchester City as he laid bare his misery at being left out in the cold at the world's richest football club.
The midfielder, who traded places with Aston Villa's James Milner in a £24million swap deal earlier this week, let rip over feeling 'unwanted' at Eastlands.
New start: Ireland is delighted to be at Aston Villa
Ireland, 24, claimed that manager Roberto Mancini did not enjoy a relationship with any of the players, spoke of disrespectful youngsters 'walking around wearing £10,000 wristwatches as if they had played 200 games', and warned that Milner, too, will soon discover the grass is not greener.

Ireland, who complained that City's squad is full of high-profile mercenaries, said: 'I've been there eight or nine years, but loyalty doesn't matter much to that club any more. It's heartbreaking the way it's all finished.
'From my part there is only sadness. People who I grew up playing with and who coached me are now gone. There are lots of faces who don't feel that much for Manchester City and a lot of the homegrown guys feel like that.'
Exit door: Ireland leaves Manchester City's training ground at Carrington earlier this week
In an echo of the comments from Craig Bellamy, who has gone on loan to Championship club Cardiff City, Ireland added: 'A lot of high-profile players are there now and I'm not sure they are going to be happy with just a place in the squad and not in the team. They want two players in each position and it'll be down to them to see how they work that.
'James Milner has obviously seen the attraction of going to Manchester City. He sees players going there and he wants to be one of those so-called superstars and nail down his place in the England team, become more established and play 90 minutes for his country.

'I guess he must think the grass is greener on the other side. He's going to get a shock soon. I can understand why he's gone there but I can tell him that I'm very happy to leave there and come to Villa.

'I know I'm going to feel at home at Villa Park - I'm actually shocked at how good it is.
'Even the young lads here are so polite. At City they are not like that. They are coming in with £10,000 watches on their wrists and are walking around like they have played 200 games in the Premier League.'
Ireland claimed that he knew the writing was on the wall 18 months ago and that it was just a matter of time before he left.
And he said that Mancini had few relationships with his players as he complained about being marginalised through no fault of his own.
'I felt unwanted,' he added. 'I felt like I was banging my head up against a concrete wall. In fact, I haven't felt part of it at Manchester City for the past 18 months.
'It didn't matter what I did in training, I wasn't ever going to get anywhere.
'I didn't share a relationship with Mancini. The last manager I had a relationship with was Mark Hughes - Mancini doesn't do relationships.
'He brought Patrick Vieira into the club. When I spoke with Patrick, he said that he worked with Mancini for seven or eight years but he didn't have one with him either. I think that's the way Mancini is. He has everyone on edge.
'And he said I needed to change my attitude, which was really unfair.
'Every player there knows that I was the first into training and the last to leave. I worked the hardest.
'With all the heart-rate monitors and tests, I was ahead of everyone. I was practically always the best player in training, too.
'If Mancini (right) is standing there watching that, I don't know how he doesn't see it. I can easily say I've got, if not more ability, as much ability as any player they have signed this year.'
Ireland is likely to go straight into Villa's side at Newcastle on Sunday as caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald has several injuries and is unlikely to field many of his youngsters in their third match inside eight days.
'I didn't feel part of it at City,' added Ireland. 'The Premier League is a hard league and I hope Villa will benefit.
'It was obvious straightaway that Villa owner Randy Lerner is a gentleman, someone who knows how to run a football club properly. Some people have used the phrase that I've been forced out. I couldn't be more happy to be forced to come to a club like Aston Villa.'
City, meanwhile, will continue their quest to elbow their way into Europe's elite, no matter if it leaves players like Ireland out in the cold.
'But that's the way they want to do things,' added Ireland. 'Manchester City are on a journey. There are so many new players, I don't think you can know what is going to happen.'
Even Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, whose side face City on September 25, had a dig at Mancini's men - but expects things to change at the club. Ancelotti said: 'City are not a team again yet. They have a lot of skill and ability but don't have a clear identity. You will see their power in a month, that's a normal time to adapt.
'The reason they have spent so much is they needed the players. I prefer to have the players than to search for them. You're not always able to take the players you want. I have a fantastic squad. City need time because they've changed a lot of players.'

OTHER BOLLOX
Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson says neither Javier Mascherano or Dirk Kuyt will be joining former boss Rafa Benitez at Inter Milan. Daily Mirror

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger could swoop for Netherlands international and Ajax goalkeeper Martin Stekelenburg if he fails to lure Mark Schwarzer from Fulham. Talksport.com

Should Schwarzer leave Craven Cottage for Arsenal, Fulham boss Mark Hughes wants Stoke's Asmir Begovic to replace the veteran Australia international. Mirror

The Gunners are considering whether to bring Matthew Upson back to the club. The defender has one year left on his contract with West Ham, who could be open to offers of about £7m for the England international. Caughtoffside.com

Meanwhile, the Hammers are lining up a £2.5m bid for Aston Villa defender Luke Young. Daily Mail

West Ham boss Avram Grant is also lining up a £2.5m deal for Celtic's Marc-Antoine Fortune. Daily Mail

Manchester United are close to signing 16-year-old Ajax winger Gyliano van Velzen. Talksport.com

Birmingham are set to offer Wigan an improved offer for winger Charles N'Zogbia, thought to be in the region of about £8.5-£9m. Guardian

Tottenham have ended their efforts to sign Manchester City defender Micah Richards after landing William Gallas. Talksport.com

Newcastle are closing in on a £3.5m deal for FC Twente's Ivory Coast's defensive midfielder Cheick Tiote. Daily Mail

West Ham striker Carlton Cole says Fabio Capello is "up there with Jose Mourinho" as the best manager he has ever worked with. Talksport.com

[halnone]

wow I can't believe I ever supported Ireland a day ago.

'Every player there knows that I was the first into training and the last to leave. I worked the hardest.

maybe you should have fucking worked that hard in games if you actually cared so much.

[CitizenYank]

I agree that he was unceremoniously, but I don't agree with his assessment of the club.
Especially how he feels about Mancini; a manager is supposed to keep the players on their
toes not be their best buddy!! Roberto knows he is going to take stick from them the
moment he comes out with the squad sheet for the next match.

And what does training hard have to do with performance on the field. Even that Souse
Georgie Best could perform brilliantly after drinking himself unconscious the night before
the match.

[john68]

I agree that he was unceremoniously, but I don't agree with his assessment of the club.
Especially how he feels about Mancini; a manager is supposed to keep the players on their
toes not be their best buddy!! Roberto knows he is going to take stick from them the
moment he comes out with the squad sheet for the next match.

And what does training hard have to do with performance on the field. Even that Souse
Georgie Best could perform brilliantly after drinking himself unconscious the night before
the match.

I find it hard to believe that living in the States, you have a better insight into the day to day interpersoanl relationships at City than someone who has been involved within the club since being a juvenile.
This lack of belief is compounded by the fact that your geographical knowledge of Britain doesn't go far enough to discern the difference between Ulster and Liverpool.
Whatever emotions or motives that drove Ireland to make his statements, whether we like it or not, Ireland does have a long term inside knowledge of our club.
The same applies to Bellamy.

[the_georgian_genius]

I agree that he was unceremoniously, but I don't agree with his assessment of the club.
Especially how he feels about Mancini; a manager is supposed to keep the players on their
toes not be their best buddy!! Roberto knows he is going to take stick from them the
moment he comes out with the squad sheet for the next match.

And what does training hard have to do with performance on the field. Even that Souse
Georgie Best could perform brilliantly after drinking himself unconscious the night before
the match.

I find it hard to believe that living in the States, you have a better insight into the day to day interpersoanl relationships at City than someone who has been involved within the club since being a juvenile.
This lack of belief is compounded by the fact that your geographical knowledge of Britain doesn't go far enough to discern the difference between Ulster and Liverpool.
Whatever emotions or motives that drove Ireland to make his statements, whether we like it or not, Ireland does have a long term inside knowledge of our club.
The same applies to Bellamy.

Does it register with you that the two players you mention attract 10 times the amount of trouble as any other footballer and are 4 packs short of a six pack of lovely beer?

Good riddance to the pair of them.

[john68]

wow I can't believe I ever supported Ireland a day ago.

'Every player there knows that I was the first into training and the last to leave. I worked the hardest.

maybe you should have fucking worked that hard in games if you actually cared so much.

I think if you bothered to read that and understand it withut first jumping up and down...you would understand that he said he wasn't getting the games despite working hard.

[zuricity]

wow I can't believe I ever supported Ireland a day ago.

'Every player there knows that I was the first into training and the last to leave. I worked the hardest.

maybe you should have fucking worked that hard in games if you actually cared so much.

I think if you bothered to read that and understand it withut first jumping up and down...you would understand that he said he wasn't getting the games despite working hard.

Souse is not the same as someone coming from liverpool. "to soak up"..... As in pickling onions , or become intoxicated.

[the_georgian_genius]

wow I can't believe I ever supported Ireland a day ago.

'Every player there knows that I was the first into training and the last to leave. I worked the hardest.

maybe you should have fucking worked that hard in games if you actually cared so much.

I think if you bothered to read that and understand it withut first jumping up and down...you would understand that he said he wasn't getting the games despite working hard.

That's because he wasn't showing his worth in the team when playing the games.

Anybody can be great in training where there is no pressure.

[john68]

wow I can't believe I ever supported Ireland a day ago.

'Every player there knows that I was the first into training and the last to leave. I worked the hardest.

maybe you should have fucking worked that hard in games if you actually cared so much.

I think if you bothered to read that and understand it withut first jumping up and down...you would understand that he said he wasn't getting the games despite working hard.

Souse is not the same as someone coming from liverpool. "to soak up"..... As in pickling onions , or become intoxicated.

You are dead right Mr Zurich Sir, My apologies to the poster who i misread.

[zuricity]

wow I can't believe I ever supported Ireland a day ago.

'Every player there knows that I was the first into training and the last to leave. I worked the hardest.

maybe you should have fucking worked that hard in games if you actually cared so much.

I think if you bothered to read that and understand it withut first jumping up and down...you would understand that he said he wasn't getting the games despite working hard.

Souse is not the same as someone coming from liverpool. "to soak up"..... As in pickling onions , or become intoxicated.

You are dead right Mr Zurich Sir, My apologies to the poster who i misread.

You're welcome john, can't give these younsters a chance to have a go at us geriatrics!. We need to head 'em off at
the pass. Only picked up on it cos i'm using one of those iPad things, where you can enlarge the font by finger touch.

[irblinx]

Ah well, I feared that he wouldn't have the class to keep his gob shut and reading his words again makes me think how right Mancini was about his attitude. He honestly believes that he had a right to be in the team despite his insipid performances last season, no amount of heart rate mastery makes up for the fact that he just didn't cut it on match day all season. It must have been doubly annoying to Mancini if Stevie was apparently the fittest player at the club and yet looked jaded and a yard short in matches.

As for the relationship thing, so fucking what, if that is so important and a contributing factor why did he play shit up to Xmas for Hughes last season too? It's good that his new clubs' owner is a gentleman and knows how to run a club so well, that will really help the lad and must be a great comfort to the manager there .................. ah!

Lastly, I couldn't help but laugh at the jibe about flashy kids, got a mirror in the house at all Stevie? Both he and Micah were those kids at City and if the ones coming through now are cocky to the point of disrespect he should maybe think long and hard about who their role models were!


I was a huge fan of the lad but you can't defend his performances last year, he's obviously a bit of a cry baby and lost confidence when the team wasn't shaped around him in his preferred role after his one great season. Milner on the other hand always grafts on the pitch regardless of what position he's played in, maybe he won't have to get so used to the bench because of that? Milner was also very respectful of his former club and thanked the fans for all their support, I wasn't expecting Stevie to gush but why put the boot in and no mention of the great support he received through his years here, total lack of restraint and class.

[john68]

Glad you spotted it mate. I would not wish to wrongly attack a post without being given the chance to make it right. Cheers.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

wow I can't believe I ever supported Ireland a day ago.

'Every player there knows that I was the first into training and the last to leave. I worked the hardest.

maybe you should have fucking worked that hard in games if you actually cared so much.

Mate, I'm right with you. I'm shocked and hurt to see him show so little dignity and professionalism. I know he's hurt but there's no need for this.

Also, as someone who has been supporting him and defending him for years, I feel betrayed that he took time off to slag the Club completely but didn't find time to thank the supporters. He has a pop (and probably rightly so) at youngsters who have lost touch with reality but in the same time he himself don't seem to understand who they do it for. That's supporters.

Also, what is this crap about 'having a relationship with manager'? Manager of a football Club is the boss, the gaffer. I don't think players SHOULD have any close 'relationships' with manager. Did Clough share drinks with his players? Do you think Fergie sits down and has a nice cuppa and bit of a laugh with his players individually? Do you see Mourinho rubbing the backs of his players? NO! And you know why? Because that would cloud your judgement when making decisions of line ups and which players to buy and sell. We've had that 'jobs for boys' attitude in this Club long enough. If we ever plan to go anywhere, we need to get rid of that and add professionalism. I'm sure training was better laugh when we still had drinking culture in Club and managers were best mates with players but it never got us anywhere. Stakes are higher now. They are being paid better wages but nothing's free. You have to show different sort of mentality now.

Truly gutted about this.

[BobKowalski]

And in one interview Ireland comprehensively justifies the decision to swap him for Milner. Bizarre but not surprising.

[mr_nool]

If those quotes are correct he totally contradicts himself. He says the writing was on the wall already 18 months ago. But that was under Hughes - the last manager he had a "relation" to. I understand his need to speak his mind and to big Villa up. I just had hoped that he would be more diplomatic and that he wouldn't put all the blame on City. "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" (Bible quote of the day, maybe an idea for a new feature.)

[Wonderwall]

I was practically always the best player in training, too.

It was the same with Eyal too, we dont like hard workers at City, especially ones that like to tell everyone how they are the best too.

[maf]

[quote Even Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, whose side face City on September 25, had a dig at Mancini's men - but expects things to change at the club. Ancelotti said: 'City are not a team again yet. They have a lot of skill and ability but don't have a clear identity. You will see their power in a month, that's a normal time to adapt.
'The reason they have spent so much is they needed the players. I prefer to have the players than to search for them. You're not always able to take the players you want. I have a fantastic squad. City need time because they've changed a lot of players.' /quote]

Doesnt seem like a dig to me , more of a fair assesment .

[Kladze]

wow I can't believe I ever supported Ireland a day ago.

'Every player there knows that I was the first into training and the last to leave. I worked the hardest.

maybe you should have fucking worked that hard in games if you actually cared so much.

Mate, I'm right with you. I'm shocked and hurt to see him show so little dignity and professionalism. I know he's hurt but there's no need for this.

Also, as someone who has been supporting him and defending him for years, I feel betrayed that he took time off to slag the Club completely but didn't find time to thank the supporters. He has a pop (and probably rightly so) at youngsters who have lost touch with reality but in the same time he himself don't seem to understand who they do it for. That's supporters.

Also, what is this crap about 'having a relationship with manager'? Manager of a football Club is the boss, the gaffer. I don't think players SHOULD have any close 'relationships' with manager. Did Clough share drinks with his players? Do you think Fergie sits down and has a nice cuppa and bit of a laugh with his players individually? Do you see Mourinho rubbing the backs of his players? NO! And you know why? Because that would cloud your judgement when making decisions of line ups and which players to buy and sell. We've had that 'jobs for boys' attitude in this Club long enough. If we ever plan to go anywhere, we need to get rid of that and add professionalism. I'm sure training was better laugh when we still had drinking culture in Club and managers were best mates with players but it never got us anywhere. Stakes are higher now. They are being paid better wages but nothing's free. You have to show different sort of mentality now.

Truly gutted about this.

I'm slowly beginning to realise Antii that when you don't have some sort of agenda (hughes) and you're not just being a miserable git ;-) that you indeed can talk a lot of sense.
I agree totally with every word of that. Managers are the boss not a fucking social worker - that's Mr Potatohead's job probably.

[ashton287]

If i was forced to go live in birmingham i'd be royally fucked off too, add to that the milner photo with 7 on his shirt about 25 seconds after he'd signed and he's bound to come out with this kind of bullshit.

[TimberJoeysChainsaw]

If those quotes are correct he totally contradicts himself..

That's it, and to be honest i don't believe a word that is in the written media these days quotation marks n all!

I understand his need to speak his mind and to big Villa up. I just had hoped that he would be more diplomatic and that he wouldn't put all the blame on City.

The video piece i don't have too much of a problem with, he's trying to endear himself to the Villa fans and in truth is probably a little bit right..the younger kids at City have an 'attitude' (which i don't think is just a City problem) that wasn't there when Cassell and Gibson were in charge (Ireland and Richards only became a bit bling after they had broken into the first team) and as much as the long term 'project' is talked about i'm fairly confident that there is a huge pressure to win right now. Ireland is one of the last of the old guard after everybody being, lets face it, pushed out of the club. Not doubt it's probably what we have needed to get rid of the typical City tag but only time will tell whether this New City will be a success, as to date we have achieved precisely fuck all! i'm sure we would have liked ireland to keep his mouth shut but footballers aren't generally renowned for there brains. Was never fully convinced by his playing ability but he's not here anymore so am not going to lose sleep over what he has or hasn't said and not going to slag him off. Time to move on, and if ireland can't then i feel a bit sorry for him actually...