"We're nowhere, to be honest," he said. "We're still a long way off. Talks have barely started and I don't know what's going to happen or if I'm going to sign or not sign. It's out of my hands right now. It's up to the club, not me. But we're way off at the moment and it's getting to the stage now where I don't know if I'm going to be signing or not. That's down to the club, not me anymore...
"I think I've done enough this year," he continued. "I've let my football do the talking and now it's up to the club if they want to make an offer or not. They haven't really made a proper offer yet. If they make me an offer, great. But if not, I've got two years left at the club."
It's hard to know what to make of this. The best case scenario is that he's just pushing the club for a little bit more money. It's pretty vulgar but everyone does it; remember how long it took Joe Hart and Michael Johnson to sign after Hughes said they were close to signing. But what if something's actually gone wrong? If Ireland were to leave City, after what he's done this season, it would be more upsetting than anything since the last relegation. But let's be clear: Ireland's said he wants to stay long-term, Hughes wants him to as well, and surely after the board's backing of the manager he can ask them to sort this quickly. Surely even City can't mess this up?
3 comments:
I think the press have jumped on some meaning less comments.
We will make an offer to him I am sure of that and if he doesn't accept then it is Ireland who is letting us down after saying he wants to stay.
Here's my speculation:
As players like Bridge and Bellamy are on 70-90,000 and Robinho on 160,000 it's natural for Ireland (and his agent) to want something similar. If the club are willing and able to splash out that kind of money for those players, then why shouldn't they pay Ireland the same? He is our player of the year!
This line of reasoning has less to do with money and more to do with the club recognising and rewarding its most important players and treating averyone fairly.
I assume (reasonably) that Ireland wouldn't be demanding so much if the new signings weren't themselves earning ridiculous sums.
What all this highlights is that we have no wage structure.
Bad move by Ireland to make this public, what with the press seemingly ready to pounce on any mention of discontent at City. But, he is young and I hope he will learn.
Lack of professionalism aside, he has been player of the season and the first name on the team sheet, seems to taken on Hughes' work ethic and is benefiting the most from both that and the newer, better players that City have brought in. He should be the poster-boy for every member of the City academy.
We have the cash, he wants to stay (doesn't he?) I can't see this going wrong. Don't fanny around City, sign him up and move on.
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