He hasn’t gone away, you know
And, let it be said, no less welcome.
Since an international career rich in promise crashed and burned with ‘Grannygate’ all of five years ago, Irish football fans have long come to terms with the idea that they would never see Stephen Ireland in a green shirt again.
More recently, the worry was that he would never see him in any kind of football shirt at all, so palpable was the sense of a talent squandered.
But in the last couple of weeks, the Stephen Ireland who was briefly outstanding for Ireland under Steve Staunton and widely regarded as a superstar in the making in the Premiership, seems to have rediscovered himself. And, irrespective of the matter of his nationality, that’s good news for anyone with a genuine feel for what’s good for the game.
A trio of eye-catching performances for Aston Villa against Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton culminated in the Holte End chanting ‘There’s only one Stephen Ireland’ on Saturday and, suddenly, the first stirrings of another old refrain — ‘Ireland for Ireland’ — began to reappear in the press.
In his usual non-committal fashion, the player seemed to dismiss the idea of an international comeback even as he left the door so slightly ajar. “It’s not on my mind because I have not been approached in such a long time, maybe two years,” he said. “If something comes to me then I’ll see but other than that, I will just get on with my football here.”
That hardly qualifies as the kind of stirring declaration of intent which would be music to Giovanni Trapattoni’s ears but then even a begging letter written in the player’s own blood might not be enough to convince the manager that he’s worth another look at this late stage.
After all, we’ve been here before. Many times. On his very first day in the job, Trapattoni had let it be known that it would be a personal and professional priority to try to convince Ireland to go back on his decision to retire from international football. Three years ago, Roy Keane suggested that, if he was Trapattoni, he would be willing to sleep outside Ireland’s house if that’s what it would it would take to get the player, at that time in outstanding form for Manchester City, back on side. Eventually, Trapattoni did travel to a summit meeting with the player but, as we know, that served only to further muddy the waters and, subsequently, Ireland even lost his place in the prodigal son stakes to James McCarthy.
He also seemed to lose his way as a player but, after two years treading water and making headlines for all the wrong reasons, the 25-year-old is once again showing that he can be the class act who made even Keano swoon.
But even if the player displayed an interest in returning for Ireland, it’s impossible to see Trapattoni going out of his way to accommodate him in time for the European Championship finals. Only last week, the manager made it clear that his loyalty, when it comes to picking the squad of 23, will be to those who soldiered with him through the qualifying campaign – meaning that even players as talented as Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy and the newest challenger, James McClean will all find it hard to make the cut.
Indeed, the manager appeared to suggest that there were only two possible avenues for a breakthrough into the established squad — as a result of injury to a first-choice player or in the exceptional case of someone emerging who could have a “fundamental” impact on the balance of the team. A few years ago Stephen Ireland – with his vision, touch, superior passing and proven ability to make and take goals — was clearly that player. And perhaps he could be again. Though with a character as unpredictable as Ireland, it’s always worth remembering Trapattoni’s assessment of him on the manager’s very first day in charge.
“Today it’s sunny, tomorrow it’s raining,” he said.
Certainly, if Ireland can stay injury-free and maintain his current good form, then Trapattoni can expect to be fielding some familiar old questions when, early next month, he flies in to name his squad for the friendly against the Czech Republic. But, barring the most unlikely comeback of them all, it looks like Ireland fans will have to travel to Villa Park to see what they’ve been missing.
