now O'Neill wants to sell Milner

[Blue Noodle]

"James will know, because he is moving to a big club which wants to win the league, that he will be part of a squad. At Aston Villa he will play every week, at Manchester City he may not.

"But it's the opportunity where he thinks he can go and win the league.

"Man City is great club and he will enjoy himself there. Team-wise it's going to be difficult for everyone to get in the team."

dunney pretty much confirms he's coming to us, no?

Thoose Dunne comments were made after Citys first bid for Milner.

[Grob]

Milner is one of the countrys best up and coming players who already has bags of experiance. And he's currently a very good player.

Hopefully we wont budge and he'll hand a transfer request in. Then he (and we) will have Villa at check mate.

[Murph]

Maybe Villa have a few bob ( tho not too much) I wonder if they had been quietly sniffing around Landon Donovan, as their attitude appears to have changed rather quickly?

I'm sure I read, or heard maybe on ssn they were linked with him a week or two ago, can't be certain where I got it from though. Sneaky of City if Donovan is a genuine Villa target. Seems to have concentrated their minds.

[Blue Toy]

An article in tomorrow's Guardian has just appeared on NewsNow.

Basically it says that Milner and O'Neill are in the middle of a finger pointing fallout. Quotes from O'Neill suggest it's going to happen and he'll be a City player.

The downside being that they want Ireland as part of the deal. I'm not sorry to see Ireland go, but I hope to fuck we don't give them £24m too.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010 ... ston-villa?

[DoomMerchant]

An article in tomorrow's Guardian has just appeared on NewsNow.

Basically it says that Milner and O'Neill are in the middle of a finger pointing fallout. Quotes from O'Neill suggest it's going to happen and he'll be a City player.

The downside being that they want Ireland as part of the deal. I'm not sorry to see Ireland go, but I hope to fuck we don't give them £24m too.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010 ... ston-villa?

read that too...24M plus Ireland is seriously taking the piss, bigtime. 18M plus Ireland i could live with i suppose, but realistically why give in and let them have Ireland? i'd rather have the player than the cash.

cheers

[Citeh&Crew]

Why wouldn't you be sorry to see Stevie go? I just don't understand the angst against Ireland.. yes he was subpar compared to what he displayed last year, but c'mon, many players would be with such irregular playing time, and having to adapt to two different managers in one season. Ireland is a class player, and many here seem to have forgotten just what kind of class he posesses.

What I fear, is that we get rid of Ireland, and he does what Dunney did, which is go to another Prem club and perform lights out, while we twiddle our thumbs and think, "why the hell did we let him go?". With Silva coming in, Ireland would be a great compliment.. if Mancini fancies an attacking style this season.

[SilvaKrAzY]

Why wouldn't you be sorry to see Stevie go? I just don't understand the angst against Ireland.. yes he was subpar compared to what he displayed last year, but c'mon, many players would be with such irregular playing time, and having to adapt to two different managers in one season. Ireland is a class player, and many here seem to have forgotten just what kind of class he posesses.

What I fear, is that we get rid of Ireland, and he does what Dunney did, which is go to another Prem club and perform lights out, while we twiddle our thumbs and think, "why the hell did we let him go?". With Silva coming in, Ireland would be a great compliment.. if Mancini fancies an attacking style this season.

I agree he is a very good player on his day but he's just out of favour with Bobby Manc. And we have Silva and other good players in similar roles so I could see Ireland getting off sometime soon

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

If Mancini is sure he can't get Ireland back in the form of yesteryear then I could live with straight swap. Ireland is better player of the two but if the form isn't there then it'd be acceptable. To actually pay anything on top of that would be awfull.

And it'd leave us with not single playmaker. Happy days. It was only thing I really wanted us to sign this summer.

[sandman]

If Villa really turned down a £20m offer then we should go back with £19m take it or leave it offer now that O'Leary has declared Milner wants to go and Milner said it bollocks, O'Leary will look a chump now if he stays?

We should give him until thursday to mull it over and see what he does when no better bids come in.

[john@staustell]

If Villa really turned down a £20m offer then we should go back with £19m take it or leave it offer now that O'Leary has declared Milner wants to go and Milner said it bollocks, O'Leary will look a chump now if he stays?

We should give him until thursday to mull it over and see what he does when no better bids come in.

Gone a bit RETRO there haven't you Sandman!?

O'Leary, O'Neill, whats the difference?

[Craig B]

If Villa really turned down a £20m offer then we should go back with £19m take it or leave it offer now that O'Leary has declared Milner wants to go and Milner said it bollocks, O'Leary will look a chump now if he stays?

We should give him until thursday to mull it over and see what he does when no better bids come in.

He certainly will seen as he's not been the manager for about 4 years now! :0)

[CityGer]

If Mancini is sure he can't get Ireland back in the form of yesteryear then I could live with straight swap. Ireland is better player of the two but if the form isn't there then it'd be acceptable. To actually pay anything on top of that would be awfull.

And it'd leave us with not single playmaker. Happy days. It was only thing I really wanted us to sign this summer.

David Silva? I think that Bobby reckons he already has his playmaker.

I know you'll point to Silva being a wide man, it remains to be seen where Silva will play (I've seen him in the middle plenty of times for Valencia), but playmakers don't necessarily have to play through the middle. Arsenal won the league and went a season undefeated without playing with someone creative through the middle. We have plenty of creativity in the squad.

Also, Ireland is not a better than Milner player. He can't find anything like the level of consistency required therefore the jury is out on him. Milner has been on a progressive upward curve for the last 4/5 seasons culminating in him being one of the top five midfielders in the premiership last season.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

If Mancini is sure he can't get Ireland back in the form of yesteryear then I could live with straight swap. Ireland is better player of the two but if the form isn't there then it'd be acceptable. To actually pay anything on top of that would be awfull.

And it'd leave us with not single playmaker. Happy days. It was only thing I really wanted us to sign this summer.

David Silva? I think that Bobby reckons he already has his playmaker.

I know you'll point to Silva being a wide man, it remains to be seen where Silva will play (I've seen him in the middle plenty of times for Valencia), but playmakers don't necessarily have to play through the middle. Arsenal won the league and went a season undefeated without playing with someone creative through the middle. We have plenty of creativity in the squad.

Also, Ireland is not a better than Milner player. He can't find anything like the level of consistency required therefore the jury is out on him. Milner has been on a progressive upward curve for the last 4/5 seasons culminating in him being one of the top five midfielders in the premiership last season.

can't really argue with that but Ireland was among top 5 midfielders in league season before that. While his form has been patchy, he has talent to be among leading playmakers in the league.

[Goaters 103]

Irelands had 1 good season, and tends to go missing against the Man U'sand Chelsea's of this world. Granted his one good season was a pleasure but he regressed again last year and appears to have thrown his toys out of the pram when he was justifiably left on the bench.

I think he's a goner as Mancini wont build a team formation around him like he had under Hughes. Nothing against Ireland but there are reasons why he's out of favour. Rather than knuckle down and push again Steven seems to have taken the easier route and decided he wants to move on, which would be a shame for him and the club but so be it. Contrary to the belief of some I am convinced we will somehow survive without him.

[carl_feedthegoat]

I wont shed a tear if/when Ireland leaves us - I got sick and tired of watching him last season especially against the Rags.

Talent is probably there still, but unfortunatly we only saw it for one season.....we cannot afford to carry players who might just decide to show us what they did a couple of seasons ago.

[gillie]

I wont shed a tear if/when Ireland leaves us - I got sick and tired of watching him last season especially against the Rags.

Talent is probably there still, but unfortunatly we only saw it for one season.....we cannot afford to carry players who might just decide to show us what they did a couple of seasons ago.

Carl imo its all about desire with Ireland if he has the desire to stay and fight for a place by getting back to the player we know he can be then he will succeed if he has'nt that desire he will be off first chance he gets.

[Grob]

Maybe Ireland had his Santa Cruz season 2 years ago?

[mcfc1632]

I wont shed a tear if/when Ireland leaves us - I got sick and tired of watching him last season especially against the Rags.

Talent is probably there still, but unfortunatly we only saw it for one season.....we cannot afford to carry players who might just decide to show us what they did a couple of seasons ago.

Carl imo its all about desire with Ireland if he has the desire to stay and fight for a place by getting back to the player we know he can be then he will succeed if he has'nt that desire he will be off first chance he gets.

Agreed- but this is CITY's time - we should not be about 'twisting in the wind' - trying to motivate players to have desire etc

If they have not got it - with a massive hunger - then sorry we need to move on - I was looking for commitment from Stevie last night - and I am still hopeful

...but we have no time to wait for players to 'find' some determination

[bluej]

I wont shed a tear if/when Ireland leaves us - I got sick and tired of watching him last season especially against the Rags.

Talent is probably there still, but unfortunatly we only saw it for one season.....we cannot afford to carry players who might just decide to show us what they did a couple of seasons ago.

Carl imo its all about desire with Ireland if he has the desire to stay and fight for a place by getting back to the player we know he can be then he will succeed if he has'nt that desire he will be off first chance he gets.

Agreed- but this is CITY's time - we should not be about 'twisting in the wind' - trying to motivate players to have desire etc

If they have not got it - with a massive hunger - then sorry we need to move on - I was looking for commitment from Stevie last night - and I am still hopeful

...but we have no time to wait for players to 'find' some determination

I just can't see how players like Ireland can't get get themselves motivated to play for a club that is on the verge of something incredible and would rather go and play for the likes of villa/everton where they don't have to prove anything to anyone. Baffling.

[CitizenYank]

I still think we should give Stephen another chance, because we've seen what he can do when he puts
his mind too it. I am still not sold on Milner (esp on defense.)