Stephen Ireland

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

Don't let Roy near...hide the chequebook

 

Gérard Houllier says Aston Villa will look to sell Stephen Ireland in January after the midfielder expressed a desire to leave the club less than four months after joining from Manchester City.

 

The Villa manager, who has omitted Ireland from his squad for the second week running, also warned any other players who are disgruntled with his regime that it is case of "adapt or you die".

 

Houllier sounded exasperated with the "whingeing and moaning" he has put up with over the changes he has made since becoming manager in September, but the Frenchman said he would not bow to players' demands, which include calls for more days off.

 

Instead he said "those who are not happy" will leave, which opens up the possibility of Richard Dunne, who was dropped last Saturday and is also not travelling to Wigan, following Ireland out of the club.

 

Villa will look to recoup the £8m Ireland was valued at when he arrived as a makeweight in the deal that took James Milner to Eastlands, although it remains to be seen whether that asking price is realistic. Ireland has made 12 appearances for Villa but he has completed 90 minutes on only two occasions – the 6-0 drubbing at Newcastle in August and the 3-0 defeat at Liverpool earlier this month – and looked a shadow of the player that excelled under Mark Hughes at City.

 

He was not in the squad against West Bromwich Albion last Saturday and has not travelled to Wigan despite Ashley Young being ruled out after suffering a knee injury. In short, Ireland's departure next month seems inevitable. "He said he wanted to go in January, to his agent. I'm not convinced, not so sure about that," Houllier said before later admitting: "Once a player wants to go, he goes." He also confirmed the club want to get their money back.

 

Houllier said he regretted publicly criticising Ireland in October, when he questioned the player's work rate. "I said – and I regret to have said – that he should push more, but somebody asked the question and they saw him play. There is a discrepancy in what I see in training and what we see in the game. I told his agent this. He's got to sort that out. I like the man, the player. He's got some skill, touch, an eye for a pass, but he's got to adapt to modern football as well."

 

The Frenchman said he initiated the squad meeting that took place the week before last but denied there had been a bust-up with Dunne. He did, however, admit there was unrest among the players. "You adapt or you die," Houllier said. "We are changing a lot of things and that upset the comfort of some players. We know that sometimes people are whingeing and moaning but they have a fantastic job. I am not going to give more days off than I was doing."

[CarraLegend]

"You adapt or you die"

 

I like that, hurry up Roy!

[Murphman]

He's got everything to become a top player that lad, I'd take a chance on him for £5m. He's got an attitude problem clearly but under the right manager he'd do well.

Edited December 18, 2010 by Murphman

[Rimbeux]

He's got everything to become a top player that lad, I'd take a chance on him for £5m. He's got an attitude problem clearly but under the right manager he'd do well.

 

 

comes across as emotionally immature and unable to take criticism and direction. He seems to need a parent rather than a manager. Is the upside really that great considering someone will have to make him their personal project for a good while? Would it be wrong to guess he'll end up a a billy big b******s, indulged but never really achieving much at a lower level top flight club?

[muleskinner]

He's got everything to become a top player that lad, I'd take a chance on him for £5m. He's got an attitude problem clearly but under the right manager he'd do well.

He's not quick enough, he is a talented player though. I think mark Hughes will get him playing well again, seems to know how to get the best out of him.

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

He's got everything to become a top player that lad, I'd take a chance on him for £5m. He's got an attitude problem clearly but under the right manager he'd do well.

another Ryan Babel. Wouldn't go near him

[kop205]

He's got everything to become a top player that lad

 

He's got an attitude problem clearly

 

In which case he doesn't have everything to become a top player.

 

another Ryan Babel.

 

Only if you think that Babel's main problem is his attiitude as opposed to his fundamentally poor technique and lack of genuine footballing ability.

[Rimbeux]

In which case he doesn't have everything to become a top player.

 

 

 

Only if you think that Babel's main problem is his attiitude as opposed to his fundamentally poor technique and lack of genuine footballing ability.

 

 

He lacks bottle, I think that holds him back as much as anything. He's a strong lad who could put himself about at the very least, but he's an absolute coward who aborts at the first sign of a physical challenge, he's therefore always playing less than full throttle.

[Spion kop]

He's got everything to become a top player that lad, I'd take a chance on him for £5m. He's got an attitude problem clearly but under the right manager he'd do well.

Be better to take a chance on Barton - that is not an endorsement.

[madaboutlfc]

He's got everything to become a top player that lad, I'd take a chance on him for £5m. He's got an attitude problem clearly but under the right manager he'd do well.

dont think the attitude is a problem.. if being homesick is attitude then him coming to the northwest would solve it.. he is a decent player who would be classified as homegrown

[Murphman]

My point being, if he wasn't a weirdo he'd be worth a fortune, at £5m I'd take the chance. .. and I would sooner have Cantona in our team that Joey f*cking Barton.

[Superjay]

Wouldn't have the gobs***e anywhere near the club. In no way a Liverpool player a prick a liar and detremental to any team he's unfortunately thrust upon.

[Cheesecake]

grannies, sour puss, doesnt like being made to work to earn his place in a team, Superjay is right - no thanks.

[Kahnee]

The man's killed off more grannies than Shipman

[Tones]

Wouldn't have the gobs***e anywhere near the club. In no way a Liverpool player a prick a liar and detremental to any team he's unfortunately thrust upon.

 

Agree. Not one we should be even thinking about.

 

The man's killed off more grannies than Shipman

 

Edited December 19, 2010 by Rod Sex

[Cam]

He'll spend the rest of his career touring unfashionable recently-promoted clubs - he's a poor man's Jimmy Bullard.

[Boca]

He'll spend the rest of his career touring unfashionable recently-promoted clubs - he's a poor man's Jimmy Bullard.

 

 

Nah he's a lot better than Jimmy Bullard. He's a mental case though and not someone we should be looking at.

[Flight]

I rekon Spurs will be in for him. And, if he goes there, he'll do well for them.

[Rimbeux]

I rekon Spurs will be in for him. And, if he goes there, he'll do well for them.

 

 

Not sure about that. They're got Modric and VdVaart who can play in his position to far greater effect, cant see him getting a game. I can see Spurs trading in Palacios for a better enforcer or Jenas for a better runner in their midfield though.