Stephen Ireland
Encyclopedia
Stephen James Ireland is an Irish footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder for Premier League club Aston Villa
.
, playing junior football for Cobh Ramblers, a team his father Michael had previously played for. As a schoolboy Ireland had trials with a number of British clubs, though several were discouraged by his Osgood-Schlatter disease
, which he suffered from in his mid-teens.
. He played for the first team in a number of pre-season friendlies and made his competitive debut on 18 September 2005 against Bolton Wanderers
, coming on as an 81st-minute substitute. He subsequently made his first competitive start against Doncaster Rovers
on 21 September 2005. He won the Man of the Match
award on his first Premier League
start against Everton
on 2 October 2005. He then started the next six matches for City, which won him a contract to keep him at the club until 2009. In the remainder of the season he participated in around half of Manchester City's matches, ending the season with a total of 16 starts and 12 substitute appearances.
On 26 December, Ireland scored his first Premier League goal for City, a left footed volley from 20 yards. The goal proved to be the only goal in a vital 1–0 victory at Sheffield United
's Bramall Lane
. Ireland's second goal for City came against Sheffield Wednesday
in the third round of FA Cup. His goal, scored just moments before the interval, was created by man of the match Joey Barton
in front of 25,000 spectators at the City of Manchester Stadium
. City went on to win 2–1.
On 18 February, Ireland rounded off the scoring for Manchester City in a 3–1 away win over Preston North End
in the fifth round of the FA Cup
with a stunning volley from outside the area.
Having started the 2007–08 Premier League season well with City, Ireland scored the only goal, a volley, in a 1–0 home win over Sunderland
. His celebration for the goal courted some controversy, Ireland dropped his shorts to reveal a pair of underpants
sporting the Superman logo
, however the FA decided a warning would be the fairest course of action. Then in November against Reading
he scored to keep Manchester City's home record at 100%. Two weeks later he was sent off in the 2–1 loss at Tottenham Hotspur
and received a 3 match ban. However, Ireland erased that memory with a goal in the reverse fixture, which led Manchester City to a 2–1 home victory over Spurs. He scored his final goal of the season with a sweet strike in the 2–3 loss to Fulham
. He got the ball just outside the left side of the penalty box and curved it over Kasey Keller
into the top right corner. He finished the 2007–08 season with four goals.
He returned to the first team in a good individual and team performance in the 3–0 win against West Ham United
. He finished the match with two assists, crossing for Elano
to strike home. He opened his tally in the 3–0 away win at Sunderland
. He scored again the in 2–2 draw at Newcastle United
on 20 October. He scored both goals in the 2–2 draw at Hull City
on 16 November, and opened the score in the successive league match against Arsenal
. After netting in a 2–1 win over Everton, Ireland took his seasons tally to 13 in a memorable season for the Irishman.
On 20 May 2009, he was named Manchester City's Senior Player of the Year for his blistering performances throughout the 2008–09 season and as a result has secured a new five-year contract, keeping him at the club until 2014. He later became the Greater Manchester player of the Year.
He opened his account in the 2009-10 Season with an opening day goal in the 2-0 win at Blackburn Rovers.
He was substituted against Fulham
after complaining of dizziness throughout the game. There were fears that his vigorous training scheme he went through over the summer may have led him to have a minor cardiac arrest, although these rumours were quickly denied. In the fourth round of the League Cup
Ireland scored a curling shot against Scunthorpe United
to help send his team to the quarter finals.
In December 2009, Mark Hughes
was sacked as manager and was replaced by former Inter Milan
manager Roberto Mancini
. With the good form of Nigel de Jong
, Vincent Kompany
and new signing Patrick Vieira
at the club, Ireland spent most of the second half of the season as a substitute. By the end of the 2009–10 season, he only scored three goals, which were all before Mancini's arrival. The club's manager 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.
season, Ireland was targeted to be transferred with loan to Aston Villa in exchange for James Milner
, but the deal was held up when he demanded £2 million from Manchester City to agree to the move. On 17 August 2010 it was reported the deal had been done, and he was at Aston Villa's Bodymoor Heath Training Ground
for a medical. The final price was £8million in a part exchange for Milner. Ireland signed a 4 year deal with the Midlands club. After completing the move, Ireland criticised his former club, saying that its young players were "money-obsessed" and that: "I guess James Milner must think the grass is greener on the other side. He's going to get a shock soon because it's definitely not that way".
Ireland made his debut for the club on his 24th birthday in an away fixture at Newcastle United
. Ireland started and played for the full duration of the game as Villa were beaten 6–0. However, by the end of October 2010, Ireland had been dropped from the Villa team with manager Gerard Houllier publicly stating that he needs to work harder at his game.
In December 2010, People.co.uk reported a rumour that Aston Villa would transfer Ireland to Celtic F.C.
of the Scottish Premier League
, possibly on a loan deal, with Celtic picking up the bulk of his salary. At the time, Ireland had only played in five of 14 Villa games. On 16 December 2010, it was reported by the Daily Mail that Celtic hoped to receive clearance from the Aston Villa Hierarchy to complete a six-month loan deal for him. On 19 December 2010, Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier stated that Stephen Ireland was free to leave the club after having met with the player's representatives.
On the final day of the transfer window, 31 January 2011, Ireland joined Newcastle United on loan until the end of the season, with a view to a permanent deal. Ireland was already injured when he joined Newcastle United and suffered a number of setbacks. He finally made his debut on 19th April 2011 in a 0–0 draw with Manchester United
, appearing as a 65th minute substitute. However, after appearing only twice and playing just 49 minutes of football for the Tyneside
club, Ireland was ruled out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury. He later returned to Aston Villa.
, despite having a disappointing first term at the club. It was also confirmed that he would take the number 7 jersey from Ashley Young who had recently joined Manchester United
.
while Kerr was manager.
In January 2006 Kerr was replaced as Ireland
manager by Steve Staunton
. In Staunton's first squad, for a match against Sweden
, Ireland received a senior call up for the first time. Ireland came on a substitute in the match, replacing John O'Shea
. He scored his first international goal on 7 October 2006 in a 5–2 loss to Cyprus
.
On the 7 February 2007 Stephen Ireland saved the Republic of Ireland from a humiliating draw with San Marino
with a last minute injury time goal. Final score was 2–1.
On 24 March 2007, he scored the first ever goal in Croke Park
against Wales. This was his third international goal in just four matches. He also scored against Slovakia
in Bratislava
on 8 September 2007.
international match and days before their crunch game against the Czechs
, coach Steve Staunton
informed him of a telephone call just received from his girlfriend reporting the death of his maternal grandmother. Staunton quickly consented to Ireland's compassionate leave
on these grounds, a private jet was chartered for his return.
However the media quickly discovered that Ireland's grandmother was not dead, at which point Ireland announced it was his paternal grandmother who died but yet again, reporters discovered that Ireland's paternal grandmother was also still alive, and her relatives had threatened to sue one newspaper that reported her death. Ireland changed his story again, saying one of his grandfathers had divorce
d, and it was his second wife who had died. That was also quickly discovered to be untrue.
Ireland eventually came out with the truth, admitting he had invented a reason to leave the Irish
team in order to visit his girlfriend in Cork
, who, he claimed, had had a miscarriage. "I decided at that stage that I must tell the truth and admit I had told lies," Ireland said. "I realise now it was a massive mistake to say my grandmothers had died and I deeply regret it."
Irish coach Staunton was furious at Ireland. The coach's mood wasn't helped by the fact Ireland lost 1–0 to the Czechs
, which effectively ended their hopes of qualifying for the Euro 2008 championships. Ireland said his girlfriend had miscarried
and that "caused us to panic."
, during which he stated that he was watching the Irish team
regularly and that they were doing well. He also stated he would not be back in the foreseeable future.
Giovanni Trapattoni
's desire to return Ireland to the national squad has been well documented in the Irish press (he and Liam Brady
have allegedly met with the player with the hope of enticing him back), and levels of frustration among the Irish public over the situation have since intensified as the player produced exceptional form at Manchester City in the 2008–09 season.
Speculation abounded that Ireland might make himself available for a call-up to the national squad to face Georgia
on 11 February 2009. However, when the squad was announced on 19 January, the player's name did not feature, and Liam Brady took the opportunity to explain to the press that he and Trapattoni had previously come to an agreement with the player whereby he would inform them when he felt like playing again, and that so far no contact had been made from the player's end.
On 19 February it was reported that Ireland had intimated to Manchester City team mate Shay Given
that he would like to represent Ireland at the World Cup in South Africa in 2010
and that a return to the international fold was imminent, but when the Irish squad to face Bulgaria
on 28 March and Italy
on 1 April was announced, his name was once again omitted. Trapattoni revealed at the accompanying press conference that he himself did not believe Ireland would return, claiming that when he had met with the player months previously he had appeared withdrawn and reluctant to look the Ireland manager in the eye.
Ireland has now said that he will probably not return to the national team: "I always say 'never say never' because it's hard not to, but I don't think I'll ever go back." In August 2010, he restated that he would not return: "I watch Ireland matches like anyone else might do at this stage, but I don’t feel a part of it at all. It doesn’t make me feel like I should go back play again. That question is gone for me and the answer won’t change my mind."
|2005–06||rowspan="5"|Manchester City||rowspan="8"|Premier League||24||0||3||0||1||0||-||-||28||0
|-
|2006–07||24||1||4||2||1||0||-||-||29||3
|-
|2007–08||33||4||3||0|||3||0||-||-||39||4
|-
|2008–09||35||9||0||0||1||1||14||3||50||13
|-
|2009–10||22||2||6||0||3||1||-||-||31||3
|-
|rowspan="2"|2010–11
||rowspan="1"|Aston Villa
||10||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||12||0
|-
|rowspan="1"|Newcastle United
(loan)||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0
|-
|2011–12
||Aston Villa
||2||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||3||0
144||16||16||2||9||2||16||3||184||23
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
.
Cobh Ramblers
Ireland started his career in CobhCobh
Cobh is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour. Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island...
, playing junior football for Cobh Ramblers, a team his father Michael had previously played for. As a schoolboy Ireland had trials with a number of British clubs, though several were discouraged by his Osgood-Schlatter disease
Osgood-Schlatter disease
Osgood–Schlatter disease and or syndrome is an irritation of the patellar tendon at the tibial tuberosity....
, which he suffered from in his mid-teens.
Manchester City
In 2005, at the age of 18, he joined English Premiership club Manchester CityManchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
. He played for the first team in a number of pre-season friendlies and made his competitive debut on 18 September 2005 against Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
, coming on as an 81st-minute substitute. He subsequently made his first competitive start against Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
on 21 September 2005. He won the Man of the Match
Man of the match
In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...
award on his first Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
start against Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
on 2 October 2005. He then started the next six matches for City, which won him a contract to keep him at the club until 2009. In the remainder of the season he participated in around half of Manchester City's matches, ending the season with a total of 16 starts and 12 substitute appearances.
On 26 December, Ireland scored his first Premier League goal for City, a left footed volley from 20 yards. The goal proved to be the only goal in a vital 1–0 victory at Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
's Bramall Lane
Bramall Lane
-Cricket at the Lane:Bramall Lane opened as a cricket ground in 1855, having been leased by Michael Ellison from the Duke of Norfolk at an annual rent of £70. The site was then away from the town's industrial area, and relatively free from smoke. It was built to host the matches of local cricket...
. Ireland's second goal for City came against Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
in the third round of FA Cup. His goal, scored just moments before the interval, was created by man of the match Joey Barton
Joey Barton
Joseph Anthony "Joey" Barton is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League side Queens Park Rangers as either a central midfielder or a winger....
in front of 25,000 spectators at the City of Manchester Stadium
City of Manchester Stadium
The City of Manchester Stadium in Manchester, England – also known as the Etihad Stadium for sponsorship purposes– is the home ground of...
. City went on to win 2–1.
On 18 February, Ireland rounded off the scoring for Manchester City in a 3–1 away win over Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
in the fifth round of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
with a stunning volley from outside the area.
Having started the 2007–08 Premier League season well with City, Ireland scored the only goal, a volley, in a 1–0 home win over Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
. His celebration for the goal courted some controversy, Ireland dropped his shorts to reveal a pair of underpants
Underpants
-Boxer shorts:Boxer shorts, or simply boxers, have an elasticated waistband that is at or near the wearer's waist, while the leg sections are fairly loose and extend to the mid-thigh. There is usually a fly, either with or without buttons...
sporting the Superman logo
Superman logo
The Superman logo, also informally known as the S shield, is the iconic emblem for the fictional DC Comics superhero Superman. As a representation of the first superhero, it served as a template for character design decades after Superman's first appearance...
, however the FA decided a warning would be the fairest course of action. Then in November against Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
he scored to keep Manchester City's home record at 100%. Two weeks later he was sent off in the 2–1 loss at Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
and received a 3 match ban. However, Ireland erased that memory with a goal in the reverse fixture, which led Manchester City to a 2–1 home victory over Spurs. He scored his final goal of the season with a sweet strike in the 2–3 loss to Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
. He got the ball just outside the left side of the penalty box and curved it over Kasey Keller
Kasey Keller
Kasey Keller is a retired American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer....
into the top right corner. He finished the 2007–08 season with four goals.
He returned to the first team in a good individual and team performance in the 3–0 win against West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
. He finished the match with two assists, crossing for Elano
Elano Blumer
Elano Ralph Blumer , commonly known as Elano, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Santos and the Brazil national team.Elano has been noted for his accurate passing and precise set pieces.- Early career :...
to strike home. He opened his tally in the 3–0 away win at Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
. He scored again the in 2–2 draw at Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
on 20 October. He scored both goals in the 2–2 draw at Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
on 16 November, and opened the score in the successive league match against Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
. After netting in a 2–1 win over Everton, Ireland took his seasons tally to 13 in a memorable season for the Irishman.
On 20 May 2009, he was named Manchester City's Senior Player of the Year for his blistering performances throughout the 2008–09 season and as a result has secured a new five-year contract, keeping him at the club until 2014. He later became the Greater Manchester player of the Year.
He opened his account in the 2009-10 Season with an opening day goal in the 2-0 win at Blackburn Rovers.
He was substituted against Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
after complaining of dizziness throughout the game. There were fears that his vigorous training scheme he went through over the summer may have led him to have a minor cardiac arrest, although these rumours were quickly denied. In the fourth round of the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
Ireland scored a curling shot against Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
to help send his team to the quarter finals.
In December 2009, Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes
Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals....
was sacked as manager and was replaced by former Inter Milan
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
manager Roberto Mancini
Roberto Mancini
Roberto Mancini is an Italian football manager, formerly an international player and current manager of Premier League club Manchester City.As a player Mancini was best known for his time at Sampdoria, where he played more than 550 matches, and helped them win the Serie A league title, four Coppa...
. With the good form of Nigel de Jong
Nigel de Jong
Nigel de Jong is a Dutch footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City and the Netherlands national team....
, Vincent Kompany
Vincent Kompany
Vincent Jean Mpoy Kompany is a Belgian footballer who plays for Manchester City and the Belgium national team. He is capable of playing at both centre back and defensive midfielder. Kompany is of partial Congolese ancestry...
and new signing Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira is a retired French footballer of Senegalese descent who is the Football Development Executive at Manchester City....
at the club, Ireland spent most of the second half of the season as a substitute. By the end of the 2009–10 season, he only scored three goals, which were all before Mancini's arrival. The club's manager 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.
2010–11 season
At the start of the 2010–11 Premier League2010–11 Premier League
The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011...
season, Ireland was targeted to be transferred with loan to Aston Villa in exchange for James Milner
James Milner
Milner was described as a "first class" student at his school; he left with 11 GCSEs and an award for his performance in physical education. Milner also showed talent in cricket, sprinting and long-distance running...
, but the deal was held up when he demanded £2 million from Manchester City to agree to the move. On 17 August 2010 it was reported the deal had been done, and he was at Aston Villa's Bodymoor Heath Training Ground
Bodymoor Heath Training Ground
Bodymoor Heath Training Ground is Aston Villa Football Club's training ground, at Bodymoor Heath in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England....
for a medical. The final price was £8million in a part exchange for Milner. Ireland signed a 4 year deal with the Midlands club. After completing the move, Ireland criticised his former club, saying that its young players were "money-obsessed" and that: "I guess James Milner must think the grass is greener on the other side. He's going to get a shock soon because it's definitely not that way".
Ireland made his debut for the club on his 24th birthday in an away fixture at Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
. Ireland started and played for the full duration of the game as Villa were beaten 6–0. However, by the end of October 2010, Ireland had been dropped from the Villa team with manager Gerard Houllier publicly stating that he needs to work harder at his game.
In December 2010, People.co.uk reported a rumour that Aston Villa would transfer Ireland to Celtic F.C.
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
of the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
, possibly on a loan deal, with Celtic picking up the bulk of his salary. At the time, Ireland had only played in five of 14 Villa games. On 16 December 2010, it was reported by the Daily Mail that Celtic hoped to receive clearance from the Aston Villa Hierarchy to complete a six-month loan deal for him. On 19 December 2010, Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier stated that Stephen Ireland was free to leave the club after having met with the player's representatives.
Newcastle United loan
On the final day of the transfer window, 31 January 2011, Ireland joined Newcastle United on loan until the end of the season, with a view to a permanent deal. Ireland was already injured when he joined Newcastle United and suffered a number of setbacks. He finally made his debut on 19th April 2011 in a 0–0 draw with Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, appearing as a 65th minute substitute. However, after appearing only twice and playing just 49 minutes of football for the Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
club, Ireland was ruled out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury. He later returned to Aston Villa.
2011–12 season
At the start of the 2011–12 season, Ireland stated his intentions to remain at Aston Villa and fight for his place in the team under new manager Alex McLeishAlex McLeish
Alexander "Alex" McLeish , is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager, who is currently managing English Premier League club Aston Villa...
, despite having a disappointing first term at the club. It was also confirmed that he would take the number 7 jersey from Ashley Young who had recently joined Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
.
International career
Ireland represented Ireland at under-15, under-16 and under-17 level, but when called up to under-18 level he had a dispute with coach Brian Kerr after he was left out of the side and told to watch the match from the stands. The team lost the match 4–0, and Kerr suggested Ireland would be involved in the next match. When Ireland was again left out, he requested to return to his club, and Kerr informed him that he would never play for the Republic of IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
while Kerr was manager.
In January 2006 Kerr was replaced as Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
manager by Steve Staunton
Steve Staunton
Stephen "Steve" Staunton is an Irish association football manager and former professional footballer, who was most recently manager of Darlington...
. In Staunton's first squad, for a match against Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
, Ireland received a senior call up for the first time. Ireland came on a substitute in the match, replacing John O'Shea
John O'Shea
John O'Shea can refer to:*John O'Shea, Irish footballer with Sunderland*John O'Shea , New Zealand film director*John O'Shea *John O'Shea , Wales international rugby union footballer*John O'Shea...
. He scored his first international goal on 7 October 2006 in a 5–2 loss to Cyprus
Cyprus national football team
The Cyprus national football team represents Cyprus in association football and is controlled by the Cyprus Football Association, the governing body for football in Cyprus. Cyprus' home ground is the GSP Stadium in Nicosia and the current coach is Nikos Nioplias...
.
On the 7 February 2007 Stephen Ireland saved the Republic of Ireland from a humiliating draw with San Marino
San Marino national football team
The San Marino national football team is the national football team of San Marino, controlled by the San Marino Football Federation...
with a last minute injury time goal. Final score was 2–1.
On 24 March 2007, he scored the first ever goal in Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
against Wales. This was his third international goal in just four matches. He also scored against Slovakia
Slovakia national football team
The Slovakia national football team represents Slovakia in association football and is controlled by the Slovak Football Association , the governing body for football in Slovakia. Slovakia's home stadium is Štadión Pasienky and their head coach is Vladimír Weiss...
in Bratislava
Tehelné pole
-External links:*...
on 8 September 2007.
Controversy
In September 2007, Ireland was at the centre of controversy when, in the immediate aftermath of a Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
international match and days before their crunch game against the Czechs
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
, coach Steve Staunton
Steve Staunton
Stephen "Steve" Staunton is an Irish association football manager and former professional footballer, who was most recently manager of Darlington...
informed him of a telephone call just received from his girlfriend reporting the death of his maternal grandmother. Staunton quickly consented to Ireland's compassionate leave
Sick leave
Sick leave is time off from work that workers can use during periods of temporary illness to stay home and address their health and safety needs without losing pay. Some workplaces offer paid sick time as a matter of workplace policy, and in few jurisdictions it is codified into law...
on these grounds, a private jet was chartered for his return.
However the media quickly discovered that Ireland's grandmother was not dead, at which point Ireland announced it was his paternal grandmother who died but yet again, reporters discovered that Ireland's paternal grandmother was also still alive, and her relatives had threatened to sue one newspaper that reported her death. Ireland changed his story again, saying one of his grandfathers had divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
d, and it was his second wife who had died. That was also quickly discovered to be untrue.
Ireland eventually came out with the truth, admitting he had invented a reason to leave the Irish
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
team in order to visit his girlfriend in Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, who, he claimed, had had a miscarriage. "I decided at that stage that I must tell the truth and admit I had told lies," Ireland said. "I realise now it was a massive mistake to say my grandmothers had died and I deeply regret it."
Irish coach Staunton was furious at Ireland. The coach's mood wasn't helped by the fact Ireland lost 1–0 to the Czechs
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
, which effectively ended their hopes of qualifying for the Euro 2008 championships. Ireland said his girlfriend had miscarried
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
and that "caused us to panic."
Exile
On 20 October 2008, Ireland participated in a pre-match interview on Setanta IrelandSetanta Ireland
Setanta Sports Ireland is a subscription based Irish sports channel featuring local and international sporting events. The channel is available on some basic cable packages in the Republic of Ireland, while it is available upon direct subscription to the Setanta Sports package on other networks...
, during which he stated that he was watching the Irish team
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
regularly and that they were doing well. He also stated he would not be back in the foreseeable future.
Giovanni Trapattoni
Giovanni Trapattoni
Giovanni Trapattoni , sometimes known as "Trap" or "Il Trap", is an Italian football coach and former player, considered the most successful club coach in the history of Serie A. As a player he was part of Italy's squad at the 1962 FIFA World Cup....
's desire to return Ireland to the national squad has been well documented in the Irish press (he and Liam Brady
Liam Brady
Liam Brady is a former Irish association football player, and former assistant manager of the Republic of Ireland national football team....
have allegedly met with the player with the hope of enticing him back), and levels of frustration among the Irish public over the situation have since intensified as the player produced exceptional form at Manchester City in the 2008–09 season.
Speculation abounded that Ireland might make himself available for a call-up to the national squad to face Georgia
Georgia national football team
The Georgia national football team is the national association football team of Georgia and is controlled by the Georgian Football Federation. The Georgian team's first match took place in 1990, while Georgia was still part of the Soviet Union. The team have attempted to qualify for each major...
on 11 February 2009. However, when the squad was announced on 19 January, the player's name did not feature, and Liam Brady took the opportunity to explain to the press that he and Trapattoni had previously come to an agreement with the player whereby he would inform them when he felt like playing again, and that so far no contact had been made from the player's end.
On 19 February it was reported that Ireland had intimated to Manchester City team mate Shay Given
Shay Given
Séamus John James "Shay" Given is an Irish footballer who plays for Aston Villa and the Republic of Ireland national team as a goalkeeper. He won the PFA's Player of the Year in 2002....
that he would like to represent Ireland at the World Cup in South Africa in 2010
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
and that a return to the international fold was imminent, but when the Irish squad to face Bulgaria
Bulgaria national football team
The FIFA Bulgaria national football team is an association football team fielded by the Bulgarian Football Union, a member association of UEFA. The team's home ground is Vasil Levski in Sofia and Luboslav Penev is in charge manager after replacement of Lothar Matthäus...
on 28 March and Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
on 1 April was announced, his name was once again omitted. Trapattoni revealed at the accompanying press conference that he himself did not believe Ireland would return, claiming that when he had met with the player months previously he had appeared withdrawn and reluctant to look the Ireland manager in the eye.
Ireland has now said that he will probably not return to the national team: "I always say 'never say never' because it's hard not to, but I don't think I'll ever go back." In August 2010, he restated that he would not return: "I watch Ireland matches like anyone else might do at this stage, but I don’t feel a part of it at all. It doesn’t make me feel like I should go back play again. That question is gone for me and the answer won’t change my mind."
International goals
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 7 October 2006 | Neo GSP Stadium Neo GSP Stadium The Pancyprian Gymnastic Association Stadium is a football stadium in Nicosia, Cyprus. Although small by international standards, it is the largest stadium in Cyprus, with a capacity of 22,859 and was built in 1999. It serves as the home stadium for the Nicosia Clubs of APOEL, Olympiakos Nicosia... , Nicosia Nicosia Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line... |
1–0 | 2–5 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
| 2. | 2 February 2007 | Serravalle Serravalle, San Marino Serravalle is a castello located in the European republic of San Marino. With a population of 9,394 inhabitants and a surface of 10.53 km², it is not only the most densely populated municipality in San Marino, but it also contains its largest city... |
2–1 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
| 3. | 24 March 2007 | Croke Park Croke Park Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation... , Dublin |
1–0 | 1–0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | |
| 4. | 8 September 2007 | Tehelné pole Tehelné pole -External links:*... , Bratislava Bratislava Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava... |
1–0 | 2–2 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
Club Statistics
|-|2005–06||rowspan="5"|Manchester City||rowspan="8"|Premier League||24||0||3||0||1||0||-||-||28||0
|-
|2006–07||24||1||4||2||1||0||-||-||29||3
|-
|2007–08||33||4||3||0|||3||0||-||-||39||4
|-
|2008–09||35||9||0||0||1||1||14||3||50||13
|-
|2009–10||22||2||6||0||3||1||-||-||31||3
|-
|rowspan="2"|2010–11
2010–11 Premier League
The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011...
||rowspan="1"|Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
||10||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||12||0
|-
|rowspan="1"|Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
(loan)||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0
|-
|2011–12
2011–12 Premier League
The 2011–12 Premier League is the twentieth season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2011–12 fixtures were announced on 17 June 2011 at 9:00 BST. The season began on 13 August 2011 and is due to end on 13 May 2012...
||Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
||2||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||3||0
144||16||16||2||9||2||16||3||184||23