”I don’t care about Ireland” – Stephen Ireland

According to a respected French soccer magazine, Cobhman Stephen Ireland has allegedly launched a blistering attack on Irish International Team Manager Giovanni Trapattoni, the Republic Of Ireland team, and Cork. The French Magazine’s article was today published in the Irish Times where it alleges that Ireland, who spent nine years at Manchester City and speaking of Cork allegedly said “Ireland is reaping what it sowed,” he said. “We built blocks of flats just for the sake of it and now there’s no one inside them. It cost huge amounts of money and nobody is in a position to pay. But I don’t care about Ireland. I don’t know if I’ll go back one day. Live in Cork? I might as well shoot myself. I prefer Los Angeles.”

This isn’t the first time that Ireland has hit the headlines for remarks about the Irish team and Manager Giovanni Trapattoni.In October of 2009 the comment was ”I will NEVER play for ‘arrogant’ Trapattoni – even if Ireland make the 2010 World Cup” . In branding Trapattoni ‘arrogant’ he said that had made him more determined to stick by his decision.

In todays article in the French magazine, Ireland went to to say “Also, when you’re Irish you know you’ll never win the World Cup. Even when I played for the youth teams, I got fed up at having to go away. Everyone else was from Dublin and I came from Cork. I had to get the train on my own, pay for a taxi, there was no hotel, no food. The organisation was amateurish.”

Comments such as these will without doubt anger people up and down the country but no more-so than the people of Cork. Speaking with colleagues this morning the general opinion spelled out to Cobh Edition was one of disgust and annoyance.

Recently sold on to Newcastle from Aston Villa after only ten games under Gérard Houllier, Ireland also had a comment on his former Manchester City manager “Mancini never liked me. He’s doing everything wrong. He got rid of everyone at the club – even the cook left. The family club I spent nine years with exists no more.” and finally for Trapattoni came out with “I’ve never seen anyone so arrogant. I met him once. He was taking calls every two minutes and made me hang around for 15 minutes in his office.”

There’s no doubt that Stephen Ireland has a vast amount of footballing ability, however since his move from Man City one can only see more unrest in his future and maybe it’s time to remember that it was Irish football that gave him his break.

Irish Times rticle in full here:   http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/0304/1224291281248.html?sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4d70b159993f9fc4%2C0