Stephen Ireland

[zippy19]

with all this talk of Piennaar leaving the blues which is looking more and more likely each day im interested to know peoples thoughts on Ireland

i personally think he is still one of the most promising midfielders in the premiership today, seems to have lost his way a little at city and as amazed as i am looks like he wil be on his way out of there this season. we all know that moyes is great at taking players like this and giving them the confidence that they need.

i have watched him for a number of years and i believe that when the transfer window opens he will be scouted by a number of clubs....possibly the perfect replacement for scholes at united.

his vision for the first time pass is very similar to piennaar and he is an inventive player who in the past has troubled defences, he is so slight in his build but he is quick and seems to stay on his feet well, everytime everton have played city he is the only player i have really feared getting towards the edge of the box, hes strong out wide and knows where his strikers are, in his greatest year at city his link up play with robinho was scary and could be the perfect foil for beckfords speed and eye for the goal (im hugely optimistic about beckford)

dont get me wrong i know he is crazy as a box of frogs i think with our dressing room and the personalities in there he could fit in brilliantly, he is the one signing i would love to see this summer, dare i say it even more so than donovan as i believe we dont have a chance of taking him away from the states, as much as i loved him when he was here....

im just curious to know what peoples thoughts are, i live in cheshire and have dealings with a lot of the players through my job up here and they all seem to think ireland could be united bound or...even the dark side but all would love to see him in the blue of everton

wages would be a stumbling block but if there is anyway we could work this i believe him to be a fantastic acquisition.

thoughts please

cheers

 

[chicoazul]

Good post lid.

I wouldn't say no like, even if he is a bit of a helmet.

 

[stinger]

He is definitely a very talented player and I have no doubt that he could do extremely well in new situation. So I would be happy with he would join us.
But - he is no central midfielder and he can't play on the wing. Moyes likes versatile and hard working players, so I'm not sure if he would be happy having Ireland, when he can only be effective as AM between single striker and who isn't a hard worker. Okay, maybe there will be some games against very poor opposition, when he can play deeper, but against any decent opposition he would be overrun there easily; he's also not very good in dictating tempo and spreading passes from deep lying playmaker position.
He is however very good in making the final pass, unlocking tight defenses. He's also good in off the ball runs and in general, he is player with a lot of flair, which could be very useful for us.

 

[Clint Planet]

He's a cock, though. It would be like when we all had to suddenly try to like Norman Whiteside.

 

[zed]

hi zip - you say we dont have a chance getting donovan from the states- care to elaborate mate coz i thought we were the team for him

 

[quasi modo]

No from me, as a previous poster has said he is very limited in the positions he can play, although a decent player he is not what we need, and to spend what if any money we have on him would not be a good move for me.

 

[zippy19]

Hi Zed- sorry i should have said in my opinion, i love the player and i believe he holds a special place for everton but sometimes its just not enough, i will quite happily eat my words if he came to us as he offered us something i havnt seen at everton for a long time. i just think there are to many factors against us to get him over here on a permanent basis....

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

to the tune of 'ireland is superman'


lives in a caravan !!

 

[zippy19]

with regards to stingers post i disagree, his strongest position when playing that wonder year for city was out wide just sat behind robinho, i believe one of his major difficulties this year for city was being played out of position, i know when you see the press coverage of him with his stories of fish tanks and blinged up cars he comes across as a bit of a tool but i have met him on a number of occasions and he really is a top lad who understands the game of football and has maybe become a little overwhelmed by the amount of money he is being payed....stand by what i say i think he would be a fantastic player for us with the right attitude and moyes sensibilities as a manager....if not he will be united bound then watch him flourish

ok now i sound like his agent.....just rate the kid

 

[zed]

Hi Zed- sorry i should have said in my opinion, i love the player and i believe he holds a special place for everton but sometimes its just not enough, i will quite happily eat my words if he came to us as he offered us something i havnt seen at everton for a long time. i just think there are to many factors against us to get him over here on a permanent basis....

if the price is right i believe donovan is a cert to come - he`d suit us for loads of reasons, as for ireland ? hmmmm..... nope

 

[Clint Planet]

Zed, don't you think that Donovan is too much of a figurehead for US soccer -and more importantly its attempt to embed itself in the American psyche - for him ever to be allowed to leave? I mean, I truly hope I'm wrong but if they really want football to take off in the States- and they do - then Donovan has to stay.

 

[zed]

Zed, don't you think that Donovan is too much of a figurehead for US soccer -and more importantly its attempt to embed itself in the American psyche - for him ever to be allowed to leave? I mean, I truly hope I'm wrong but if they really want football to take off in the States- and they do - then Donovan has to stay.

MLS are more than happy to see their players abroard -they`d love donovan to be in england coz it promotes USA , maybe they think US players are looked down on a bit as well so they`ve got something to prove in foreign leagues

 

[ToxtethBlue]

As has been said, he's no Pienaar replacement, he's never been majorly effective in wide or deeper central positions. He only really performs in a free role behind the striker, he could definitely offer us something there but I can't see Moyes viewing it as a priority position to strengthen when he has the likes of Cahill and Rodwell who can play there.

 

[mezzrow]

Zed, don't you think that Donovan is too much of a figurehead for US soccer -and more importantly its attempt to embed itself in the American psyche - for him ever to be allowed to leave? I mean, I truly hope I'm wrong but if they really want football to take off in the States- and they do - then Donovan has to stay.

There's a lot of talk about soccer in the mainstream sports media heredue to the WC, of course. I think Michael Wilbon nailed it when he said that it's not that Americxans want to see more MLS - we don't care about MLS unless we have a local team, and most Americans don't. There is no MLS team in the historic American South, for example (Texas is Texas - it doesn't need anybody else). The only southern team I know is Chattanooga FC, and that's just from watching this board.

Americans want to see the best football in the world, and we're watching more of it all the time. That football is in Europe. Landon Donovan is an authentic American star, and I think most of us would like to see him playing the best football he can in the best competition he can find. The Donovan at Everton has been embraced over here to a greater extent than I thought possible. Maybe we need to pull this into the Sir Landon thread.

As a player, I've always liked Ireland. Wouldn't mind seeing him in the right shade of blue.

 

[mezzrow]

I've got to read this stuff before I submit.