Comedy Stephen Ireland interview

[Russ Atmosphere]

Football365 | All The News | Football News | STEPHEN IRELAND HITS OUT AT HOULLIER

 

Newcastle midfielder Stephen Ireland has launched a scathing attack on Gerard Houllier.

 

Speaking in an interview with French football magazine So Foot, Ireland, who is on loan at St James' Park, is very critical of Aston Villa boss Houllier.

 

The midfielder was rarely used by Houllier after he took charge from Martin O'Neill and he insists he was forced out of Villa by the Frenchman.

 

"After 15 matches on the bench Houllier told me to stay at home," said Ireland, who is hoping to make his Newcastle debut against Everton this weekend.

 

"I trained during the week and on Fridays he told me, 'no point you coming, you are not in the team'.

 

"Yet I was the best player in training. It was my team that won in every session. One of the few times he played me, we drew 0-0 at Chelsea and I ended up man of the match.

 

"Apparently that didn't matter to him. I was stuck with being paid for doing nothing at all. I was left to myself. I had to pay out of my own pocket for medical treatment. Can you believe that?"

 

Ireland also took exception at being asked to move to Birmingham from his home in Manchester.

 

"Houllier asked me to come and live in Birmingham because it was taking me 75 minutes to come to training. But there were 15 players in the same position as me. Some came from London and took more than two hours, but he only asked me to move," he continued.

 

"For a start, Birmingham is a c**p city and I wasn't going to make the effort, especially as I wasn't playing. Might as well be in Manchester if I had to stay home on match days.

 

"I don't bear Houllier any grudges; it wasn't him who chose me after all."

 

Ireland is desperate to play this weekend, adding: "I just want to play and have a manager who really wants me for once.

 

"I have no idea at the moment who I will be playing for next season. My future is unclear."

 

Ireland retired from international football with his native Republic of Ireland four years ago, but he has no regrets and insists he feels nothing for his homeland, or even his hometown of Cork.

 

"I don't give a damn for Ireland. Live in Cork? I'd rather shoot myself. I prefer Los Angeles," he said.

 

And he admits he is not going to be playing for his country again in the future.

 

"Even at youth level, it p****d me off to go there," he said.

 

"Everyone came from Dublin. I was the only guy from Cork. I had to take the train on my own, pay for a taxi, there was no hotel, no grub. It was handled so amateurishly.

 

"National teams don't interest me. I have more to do than go off for three days to play Andorra. And when you are Irish, you are well aware you'll never win the World Cup.

 

"I feel nothing for the team. I absolutely don't feel guilty when they lose and, when they win, at no time do I think I could have been there.

 

"Even if Ireland had qualified for the World Cup, I wouldn't have gone. People call for my return, but I have only played five times for them. The national team and me are ancient history."

[Unrighteous]

He's an utter toolbox, but also kinda awesome at the same time.

[loadsoftrophies]

Haha he's a mentalist!

[Trucker Paddy]

He's thet stupid, I bet he thought if it's printed in French, people won't find out about in these isles

[Russ Atmosphere]

 

Fuck you Birmingham I'm off grabbing.

[18-5]

He is right about the Irish Football Association though. They don't put any effort into the welfare of the players in Ireland. Probably the worst run in the Isles.

[StevieH]

Gerard Houllier appears to be finally exerting his influence at Villa Park.

 

He has some very good attacking players at his disposal.

[Flying Pig]

Swap him for Poulsen.

 

 

And he doesn't like playing internationals. Ace.

[silverlining]

It takes a stupidity of cyclopean proportions for a footaller to elevate himself into the top 1% of stupid footballers, but Stephen Ireland makes it look so.... effortless.

[Hermes]

Ireland and Houllier were never going to get on. One demands total commitment and dedication, the other would kill both of his grandmothers to avoid doing his job.

[redsoxs]

Haha he's a mentalist!

 

that he is....

 

 

 

[Cij]

He is to football what Charlie Sheen is to acting.

 

I look forward to Ireland coming out with a quote like "I'm tired of pretending I'm not a total bitchin' rock star from Mars" after he scores against City or Villa. The tasteless, cue-ball headed, granny serial killer is at least entertaining...

[Russ Atmosphere]

I always admired his footballing abilities but his attitude reeks the place out and he's plainly never going to amount to much in the game apart from the odd patch of good form here and there. I'm glad Liverpool never tried to sign him. You can see it in Balotelli over at Man City, just how talented is that guy. He could easily be one of the greatest footballers of the next era, he wont be though because he's not interested in putting the effort in.

[Comrade_t]

He is right about the Irish Football Association though. They don't put any effort into the welfare of the players in Ireland. Probably the worst run in the Isles.

 

Just to be pedantic, but it would be the Football Association of Ireland he has a beef with, not the Irish Football Association (the body which runs the game in Northern Ireland).

[Captain Turdseye]

 

Fuck you Birmingham I'm off grabbing.

 

I honesly thought that was photoshopped when I first saw it.

[Dan]

he's actually a nice bloke.Had a drink with him a few years back in dublin (when he was playing for ireland)..although lately he does seem to be gone off the rocker with the pink wheels and what not.

[ThewaytoRome]

It takes a stupidity of cyclopean proportions for a footaller to elevate himself into the top 1% of stupid footballers, but Stephen Ireland makes it look so.... effortless.

 

are you the rule from RAWK years ago? Same avatar

[Jim MM]

"And when you are Irish, you are well aware

you'll never win the World Cup."

 

This from a guy who has just signed for Newcastle.

[toneloc]

He's straight out of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding

 

[William_Ulsterman]

have to admire his honesty. He shows glimmers of talent but he's not consistent enough. hes a total fucking colour blind tasteless loon.

 

I wonder why Houllier turned on him?

[silverlining]

have to admire his honesty. He shows glimmers of talent but he's not consistent enough. hes a total fucking colour blind tasteless loon.

 

I wonder why Houllier turned on him?

 

He's very far removed from being a Houllier type of player. It was always going to end in tears.

[fowler9]

a bit of a tit to put it lightly but i much prefer it when footballers say it as it is than all the cliched bollocks

[Guest ShoePiss]

Just to be pedantic, but it would be the Football Association of Ireland he has a beef with, not the Irish Football Association (the body which runs the game in Northern Ireland).

 

The British Isles includes Ireland, now I'm being pedantic :)

 

Funny interview, he is an idiot. So I take it he's commuting from Manchester to Newcastle too? Haha.

[Jim MM]

[damagelimitation]

RTÉ Sport: Ireland insists he was misquoted

 

Ireland insists he was misquoted

 

Friday, 4 March 2011 15:31

Newcastle midfielder Stephen Ireland has insisted

he was misquoted amid reports claiming he

slated his home city Cork, former club Aston Villa

and the city of Birmingham. The 24-year-old, whose hopes of making a debut

for the Magpies against Everton tomorrow are

being hampered by a thigh strain, found himself

in the headlines once again this morning. Ireland was reported to have described

Birmingham as a 'crap' city, and said he would

rather shoot himself than live in Cork. The interview also includes comments from

claiming he has no interest in playing

international football for the Republic of Ireland

again despite several attempts by manager

Giovanni Trapattoni to tempt him to return. In an interview with French football magazine So

Foot, he reportedly criticised home-town Cork

and Birmingham, as well as former managers

Gerard Houllier and Roberto Mancini. However, Ireland today issued a statement

saying some of his comments had been taken out

of context and apologising to anyone offended

by them. He said: 'I'm upset with what has been printed

this morning because I feel like I've been

portrayed in the wrong way. 'I was misquoted and things have been blown

way out of proportion. That is the reason why I

feel like I needed to say something because the

quotes are very unfair. 'What I said during the interview has been

twisted to sound particularly blunt, and a lot of

what was written about my home town of Cork

- which me and my family visit regularly - was

just plain ridiculous. 'The comments regarding Birmingham were also

taken way out of context as I had only been at

Villa a few months and didn't even live there, so I

have no idea what Birmingham is like to live in. 'Everyone I have met from Birmingham have

been nice - my girlfriend's father is from

Birmingham, so why would I say that? It's just

crazy. 'I can only apologise if anyone was offended, but

the way the interview was written made me

sound very harsh, and I am not that kind of

person.' Ireland has spoken previously of his frustration

at the treatment he received at the hands of

Mancini and Houllier.

[/damagelimitation]

[Funkasy]

I like him and i think he was very good in that city squad when robinho was there. dont know what happened after that, but im sure he is gonna be ace in newcastle.