McLeish plays down Ireland row

Alex McLeish, the Aston Villa manager, played down a four-letter laden altercation with Stephen Ireland as ‘trivial’ after appearing to be on the receiving end of a vicious verbal volley from the midfielder.

Ireland was taken off at half-time during the 2-1 defeat at St James’ Park, due to what McLeish insisted was an ankle problem. The pair had a frank exchange of views in the wake of Newcastle’s opening goal, after the Scot felt his player had been tardy in closing down Danny Guthrie’s cross.

The Cork man’s withdrawal, insisted McLeish, was due to the injury rather than any petty managerial muscle-flexing on his part, and he added: “I never saw the f-off thing. I know he spoke back, but at the same time players don’t want to hear managers screaming at them form the touchline. I kick every ball, I’m passionate, and I care.

“I wouldn’t be so petty to take a player off for something like that when he’s doing a fantastic job, but Stephen had an ankle problem. When Guthrie side-stepped him too easily in the lead-up to the first goal, it was clear that because of his ankle he didn’t have the capacity to get near enough to people. He should have been putting the block on the cross and at this level you need players with legs and energy.”

When pressed on the matter, McLeish added: “I don’t even know why people want to elaborate on it, because it’s a trivial situation.’’