Stephen Ireland fury at City of despair: 'Milner is in for a shock and I'm glad to be out of there'

By Neil Moxley
Updated: 18:59 EDT, 20 August 2010

Stephen Ireland launched a bitter parting shot at Manchester City as he laid bare his misery at being left out in the cold at the world's richest football club.

The midfielder, who traded places with Aston Villa's James Milner in a £24million swap deal earlier this week, let rip over feeling 'unwanted' at Eastlands.

New start: Ireland is delighted to be at Aston Villa

Ireland, 24, claimed that manager Roberto Mancini did not enjoy a relationship with any of the players, spoke of disrespectful youngsters 'walking around wearing £10,000 wristwatches as if they had played 200 games', and warned that Milner, too, will soon discover the grass is not greener.

Ireland, who complained that City's squad is full of high-profile mercenaries, said: 'I've been there eight or nine years, but loyalty doesn't matter much to that club any more. It's heartbreaking the way it's all finished.

'From my part there is only sadness. People who I grew up playing with and who coached me are now gone. There are lots of faces who don't feel that much for Manchester City and a lot of the homegrown guys feel like that.'

Exit door: Ireland leaves Manchester City's training ground at Carrington earlier this week

In an echo of the comments from Craig Bellamy, who has gone on loan to Championship club Cardiff City, Ireland added: 'A lot of high-profile players are there now and I'm not sure they are going to be happy with just a place in the squad and not in the team. They want two players in each position and it'll be down to them to see how they work that.

'James Milner has obviously seen the attraction of going to Manchester City. He sees players going there and he wants to be one of those so-called superstars and nail down his place in the England team, become more established and play 90 minutes for his country.

'I guess he must think the grass is greener on the other side. He's going to get a shock soon. I can understand why he's gone there but I can tell him that I'm very happy to leave there and come to Villa.

'I know I'm going to feel at home at Villa Park - I'm actually shocked at how good it is.

'Even the young lads here are so polite. At City they are not like that. They are coming in with £10,000 watches on their wrists and are walking around like they have played 200 games in the Premier League.'

Ireland claimed that he knew the writing was on the wall 18 months ago and that it was just a matter of time before he left.

And he said that Mancini had few relationships with his players as he complained about being marginalised through no fault of his own.

'I felt unwanted,' he added. 'I felt like I was banging my head up against a concrete wall. In fact, I haven't felt part of it at Manchester City for the past 18 months.

'It didn't matter what I did in training, I wasn't ever going to get anywhere.

'I didn't share a relationship with Mancini. The last manager I had a relationship with was Mark Hughes - Mancini doesn't do relationships.

Lucky No 7? Milner is hoping for big things at Manchester City

'He brought Patrick Vieira into the club. When I spoke with Patrick, he said that he worked with Mancini for seven or eight years but he didn't have one with him either. I think that's the way Mancini is. He has everyone on edge.

'And he said I needed to change my attitude, which was really unfair.

'Every player there knows that I was the first into training and the last to leave. I worked the hardest.

'With all the heart-rate monitors and tests, I was ahead of everyone. I was practically always the best player in training, too.

'If Mancini (right) is standing there watching that, I don't know how he doesn't see it. I can easily say I've got, if not more ability, as much ability as any player they have signed this year.'

Ireland is likely to go straight into Villa's side at Newcastle on Sunday as caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald has several injuries and is unlikely to field many of his youngsters in their third match inside eight days.

'I didn't feel part of it at City,' added Ireland. 'The Premier League is a hard league and I hope Villa will benefit.

'It was obvious straightaway that Villa owner Randy Lerner is a gentleman, someone who knows how to run a football club properly. Some people have used the phrase that I've been forced out. I couldn't be more happy to be forced to come to a club like Aston Villa.'

City, meanwhile, will continue their quest to elbow their way into Europe's elite, no matter if it leaves players like Ireland out in the cold.

'But that's the way they want to do things,' added Ireland. 'Manchester City are on a journey. There are so many new players, I don't think you can know what is going to happen.'

Admission: Ireland didn't enjoy his final days at Eastlands

Even Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, whose side face City on September 25, had a dig at Mancini's men - but expects things to change at the club. Ancelotti said: 'City are not a team again yet. They have a lot of skill and ability but don't have a clear identity. You will see their power in a month, that's a normal time to adapt.

'The reason they have spent so much is they needed the players. I prefer to have the players than to search for them. You're not always able to take the players you want. I have a fantastic squad. City need time because they've changed a lot of players.'