Stephen Ireland: Difference between revisions
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{{Football player infobox |
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| playername = Stephen Faggot |
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| image = [[Image:Stephen Ireland.jpg|200px]] |
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| fullname = Stephen James Faggot |
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| height = {{height|meters=1.73}} |
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| dateofbirth = {{birth date and age|1986|8|22}} |
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| cityofbirth = [[Cork (city)|Cork]] |
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| countryofbirth = [[Republic of Ireland]] |
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| currentclub = [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] |
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| clubnumber = 7 |
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| position = [[Midfielder]] |
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| youthyears = 2002–2003<br />2003–2005 |
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| youthclubs = [[Cobh Ramblers]]<br />[[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] |
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| years = 2005– |
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| clubs = [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] |
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| caps(goals) = 88 (7) <!--STATS ACCOUNT FOR LEAGUE ONLY--> |
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| nationalyears = 2006– |
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| nationalteam = [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] |
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| nationalcaps(goals) = {{0}}6 (4) |
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| pcupdate = 12:24, 05 October 2008 (UTC) |
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| ntupdate = 11:15, 21 September 2008 (UTC) |
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}} |
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'''Stephen James Faggot''' (born [[August 22]] [[1986]] in [[Cobh]], [[County Cork]]) is an [[Republic of Ireland|Irish]] [[Association football|footballer]] playing in [[England]] for [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]]. |
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==Football career== |
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Ireland started his career in [[Cobh]], playing junior football for [[Cobh Ramblers]], a team his father Michael had previously played for.<ref name="Cobh">{{cite web |
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| title = Player profile - Stephen Ireland | url = http://www.cobhramblers.com/Schoolboys_Premierleague.htm |
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| publisher = Cobh Ramblers| accessdate = 2007-04-04}}</ref> 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. At the age of 15 he joined the youth setup at [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]]. Ireland played for Manchester City's first team in a number of friendlies in the 2005 preseason, and made his competitive debut on the [[18 September]] [[2005]] against [[Bolton Wanderers]], coming on as an 81st minute substitute.<ref>{{cite web |
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| title = Player profile - 7 Stephen Ireland | url = http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/profile?id=46525&cc=5739 |
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| publisher = ESPN| accessdate = 2007-04-04}}</ref> He subsequently made his first competitive start against [[Doncaster Rovers F.C.|Doncaster Rovers]] on [[21 September]] [[2005]]. He won man of the match on his first Premiership start against Everton on the [[2 October]] [[2005]].<ref>{{cite news| title = Mills' wonder goal inspires City as Moyes remains rock bottom | url = http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/premiership/article316719.ece |
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| publisher = Independent| date= [[2005-10-03]]| accessdate = 2007-04-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title = Ireland impresses as City add to Everton woes | url = http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=94&si=1480827&issue_id=13086 |
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| publisher = Irish Independent| date= [[2005-10-03]]| accessdate = 2007-04-04}}</ref> He then started the next six matches for City, which won him a contract to keep him at the club until 2009.<ref>{{cite news| title = Ireland signs new contract with City | url = http://www.rte.ie/sport/2005/1026/irelands.html| publisher = RTÉ| date= [[2005-10-26]]| accessdate = 2007-04-04}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite book |last=James |first=Gary |title=Manchester City - The Complete Record |publisher=Breedon |location=Derby |date=2006 |id=ISBN 1-85983-512-0}} p479</ref> |
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On the 26th of December, Ireland scored his first Premiership goal for Manchester 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. |
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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. |
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On the 18th of February, Ireland rounded off the scoring for Manchester City in a 3-1 away win over [[Preston North End]] in the 5th round of the [[FA Cup]] with a stunning volley from outside the area. |
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Having started the 2007-08 premiership season well with Manchester 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 underwear sporting the [[Superman]] logo, however the FA decided a warning would be the fairest course of action.Then in November against Reading F.C 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 lead Manchester City to a 2-1 home victory over Spurs.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/11/06/ufnmancity106.xml Stephen Ireland avoids censure for flash pants - Football News - Telegraph<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. |
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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 07/08 season with 4 goals. |
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He returned to the first team in a good individual and team performance in the 3-0 win against West Ham. He finished the match with 2 assists, crossing for Elano to strike home. He opened his tally in the 0-3 away win at Sunderland. |
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===International career=== |
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Ireland represented Ireland at under-15, under-16 and under-17 level,<ref name="Cobh"/>, but when called up to under-18 level he had a dispute with coach [[Brian Kerr (football manager)|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 Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] while Kerr was manager.<ref>{{cite news| title = Ireland sets his sights on international return | url = http://www.rte.ie/sport/2005/1220/irelands.html| publisher = RTÉ| date= [[2005-12-20]]| accessdate = 2007-04-04}}</ref> Shortly afterward, Kerr became manager of the senior Republic of Ireland team, leading Ireland to briefly consider choosing to represent either [[England national football team|England]] or [[Italy national football team|Italy]], for whom he was also eligible.<ref>{{cite news | title="I would love to play for Ireland, absolutely love it" | work=Manchester City v Birmingham City match programme | date=[[2005-12-17]] }}, p11</ref> |
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In January 2006 Kerr was replaced as [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] manager by [[Steve Staunton]]. In Staunton's first squad, for a match against [[Sweden national football team|Sweden]], Ireland received a senior call up for the first time. Ireland came on a substitute in the match, replacing [[John O'Shea]].<ref>{{cite news| title = Rep of Ireland 3-0 Sweden | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4764816.stm| publisher = BBC| date= [[2006-03-01]]| accessdate = 2007-04-04}}</ref> He scored his first international goal on October 7th, 2006 in a 5-2 loss to [[Cyprus national football team|Cyprus]]. |
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On the 7th of February 2007 Stephen Ireland saved the Republic of Ireland from a humiliating draw with [[San Marino national football team|San Marino]] with a last minute injury time goal. Final score was 2-1. |
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On 24th March, 2007, he scored the first ever football goal in [[Croke Park]] against [[Welsh national football team|Wales]].<ref>{{cite news| title = Ireland's the victor in every sense | url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/03/25/sfgire25.xml| publisher = Sunday Telegraph| date= [[2007-03-25]]| accessdate = 2007-04-04}}</ref> This was his third international goal in just four matches. |
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He also scored against [[Slovakia national football team|Slovakia]] in [[Tehelné pole|Bratislava]] on September 8th 2007. |
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===Controversy=== |
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In September 2007, Ireland was at the centre of controversy when, days prior to the [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] crunch match against the [[Czech Republic national football team|Czechs]], he asked to speak to coach [[Steve Staunton]] and told him he would have to go home because his maternal grandmother had died. [[Steve Staunton|Staunton]] quickly agreed and a private jet was chartered for Ireland's return. |
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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 divorced and it was his second wife who had died. That was also quickly discovered to be untrue.<REf>{{cite news| title = Ireland sorry after Republic lie | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6995114.stm | publisher = BBC Sport| date= [[2007-09-14]]| accessdate = 2008-07-05}}</ref> |
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Ireland eventually came out with the truth, admitting he had invented a reason to leave the [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Irish]] team in order to visit his girlfriend in [[Cork]]. "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." |
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Irish coach Staunton was furious at Ireland, who was described by one friend as "living in a world of lies." The coach's mood wasn't helped by the fact Ireland lost 1-0 to the [[Czech Republic national football team|Czechs]], which effectively ended their hopes of qualifying. Ireland said his girlfriend had miscarried and that "caused us to panic." The [[Football Association of Ireland|FAI]] as well as football fans over the country were left to wonder why he hadn't simply told the truth, as a miscarriage would have been sufficient to allow Ireland compassionate leave. |
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"Jessica (his girlfriend) said she was very lonely and wanted me to come home. She thought they might let me home quicker if they thought my grandmother had died," Ireland explained. |
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He has not played for Ireland since this controversy. |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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* http://www.stephenireland.com |
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*{{soccerbase|id=41708|name=Stephen Ireland}} |
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{{Manchester City F.C. squad}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ireland, Stephen}} |
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[[Category:1986 births]] |
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[[Category:People from County Cork]] |
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[[Category:Living people]] |
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[[Category:Republic of Ireland association footballers]] |
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[[Category:Republic of Ireland international footballers]] |
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[[Category:Football (soccer) midfielders]] |
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[[Category:Manchester City F.C. players]] |
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[[Category:Premier League players]] |
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[[ar:ستيفن إيرلند]] |
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[[zh:史提芬·艾利蘭]] |
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Revision as of 11:57, 12 October 2008
Bold textHE IS JUST AN ARSEHOLE