After Stephen Ireland declared that he wishes to reignite his career as a professional footballer, his former Stock City teammate Jonathan Walters and former Republic of Ireland captain Kenny Cunningham are not convinced that it is necessarily feasible.
In a lengthy interview that charted Stephen Ireland's career from his days as an emerging talent at Manchester City to its premature conclusion in 2018, the Irish midfielder admitted that he has ambitions of making a return to the game.
"The dream would be: get back with a club, smash it, go back to Ireland and undo all that scenario," the Cork native has revealed in that interview with The Athletic.
According to his former Stoke City teammate Jonathan Walters and the former Republic of Ireland captain Kenny Cunningham, it isn't an entirely feasible plan for the 33-year-old.
"Am I hearing this right," asked Walters upon hearing reports of Ireland's intention to return. "A comeback for Stephen Ireland? I don't know if he's having us on or not."
Although Jonathan Walters is three-years Stephen Ireland's senior, the striker's international career came after the exciting young midfielder played his last game for the Republic of Ireland in 2007.
Nevertheless, across a few seasons with Stoke City Walters did get the chance to work up close and personal with the former Manchester City and Aston Villa man.
"Technically, Stevie was always one of the best players in training," recalled Walters, "but it was one of those though where he would be so good in training that you wouldn't really see the best of him in a game.
"He did put me in quite a few times though and I used to love playing with him. In the end though, he had a terrible injury, a really, really bad leg break that took him a long time to come back from."
In Walters' opinion, Ireland couldn't ever find the same level he had been playing at after his return from that lay-off, however.
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Throughout his interview with The Athletic, Stephen Ireland revealed that he had been training and playing around with a current crop of Manchester United players who live nearby.
"Two years since his last professional game, Ireland was trying to keep sharp under the guidance of Ryan Hopper, a former player who now works as a fitness specialist," the article read. "Fred, Diego Dalot and [Bruno] Fernandes were also involved and, for Ireland, it was a timely reminder that he can still hold his own among esteemed company."
Former Manchester City and Premier League player Stephen Ireland looking 🔥 whilst working with RH, @B_Fernandes8 and @DalotDiogo 👍🏻⚽️🔥#rhelitecoaching #stephenireland #manchestercityfc #brunofernandes #diogodalot #ManchesterUnited pic.twitter.com/czs60ta3dP
— RH Elite Coaching (@RHEliteCoaching) June 16, 2020
Jonathan Walters, however, is not convinced.
"If he is doing training, he might be doing the small-sided or technical stuff and he is probably thinking, 'I'm as good as these', and he is probably right," he said with a nod toward Ireland's unquestionable talent.
"But I think at the top level now, even in the Championship, you're an athlete. If he is thinking about a comeback, at what level that would be, I don't know.
"You've got to be an athlete for 90 minutes. They're highly-tuned machines."
Having only watched Stephen Ireland's career from afar, former Republic of Ireland captain and Premier League footballer Kenny Cunningham could only admire his ambition.
"It is good to hear that he still has the motivation and ambition to come back and play," remarked Cunningham. "It is unlikely though. You have your time and that's it, you move on.
"But in terms of his close control, ball manipulation and getting himself on the half-turn and playing, if he'd come along in a different time he would have had 70, 80 Ireland caps. He really was that good."
You can watch Jonathan Walters and Kenny Cunningham back in full here.
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