Available on a cut price deal in summer, impressed in training with his attitude and looked ok in the hour or so he played. Desperate to leave Villa, and would have recovered from any injuries by the start of next season. So would you take him in the summer if he was available for 4mil and would take a wage cut to fit in our structure? http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/n...returns-to-villa-after-injury-61634-28596771/ I think I would. Everyone got very angry at him the other day but the fact he didnt choose to be injured and both injuries look like they came about because we rushed him back, hoping to see him play. Also accepting a pay as you play deal shows good attitude towards playing. I'd have him back for less than 5 mil, would you?
I'd definately take him, we need to strengthen our squad and Ireland is a creative option that we don't currently have within the squad.
I know he hasn't proven himself enough, but was Hatem Ben Arfa anymore of a risk? Heck, i'd say Ben Arfa was MORE of a risk than signing Ireland would be. I'd have him back. Villa said they'd accept half of his transfer fee last summer, which was 8 mil, so they're asking for 4 mil. I'd pay that!
Would certainly give us a much needed selection headache when everyone's fit. At the moment our team picks itself IMO, even when full strength. Also when Nolan finally accepts a less involved role, we could have a ready made replacement.
4 mil's a brilliant price if so! I know we only saw him for a matter of minutes but he looked promising still and for that price he'd be at the very least brilliant squad depth! Plus, Pardew + co have seen him in training so of course know more of him than we do.
I wouldn't, the injuries were not from rushing him back as they were three different injuries! Also you say it shows good will to play by being on a pay as you play deal. How? He's still getting 65k a week, but if he played we would pay his wages instead of Villa... I would say it was to much of a risk for ã4 mil and is extremely injury prone (he has Osgood-Schlatter disease) and I think we have taken enough risks with Gosling and HBA. also I think theres better players out there than him!
The 2nd injury was described as one that comes about after a long lay off, the 3rd one is in fact the same as the first one, a thigh injury. Also they said before he played for us he hadnt been paid a penny yet, which means Villa were not paying him either.
The third was not a thigh injury http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13208629.stm an ankle one, this does not come from rushing players back... Link? I read this morning differently- "Other than an undisclosed loan fee, Ireland did not cost Newcastle much because he was on a pay-as-a-you-play deal with Villa still contributing most of his wages. " http://www.birminghammail.net/birmi...d-for-injured-stephen-ireland-97319-28596792/ Implies differently, no?
All three injuries were different ones, he's always had dodgey knees one of the reasons mancini wanted him gone
Dont know why I thought it was another ankle injury, and I had read that Villa werent paying him somewhere, but if that's the case then fair enough. He still isnt really regarded as injury prone though so I'd still take him on a cut price, low risk deal.
Fair enough, Pardew will have the biggest clue about how good he really is relivent to our squad from watching him in training and i think he likes him. Therefore I think he'll have to make a decision based on risk.
I thought Mancini just wanted him gone because he simply didn't feature in his plans after his spending spree?
As far as him leaving City goes, I found this on his wiki: Roberto Mancini said Ireland must change his head in order to play."I don't know what he is thinking about his future but, for me, Stephen is a fantastic player and if he can change his head I think he can start to play like last season [2008-09] again."
Brilliant. To be fair to foreign managers even though they come up with some belting quotes most of them grasp the English language pretty quickly (Capello aside).
I think he's just been unlucky with injuries this season. I don't recall him having too many in the past so hopefully they'll be behind him. ã4m is a snip. However I wouldn't pay him anywhere near ã60k p/w in wages.
Definitely take him for ã4m, would provide good competition for places and if he comes good would be worth two or three times that easily. Wouldn't go as high as ã8m though so gonna have to negotiate.
