Ireland may leave: Houllier

(GSM) – Aston Villa boss Gérard Houllier admits Stephen Ireland is unsettled, revealing that he would allow midfielder Stephen Ireland to move away from the club if the player wishes to.

Ireland, who moved to Villa Park from Manchester City for £8million, has been excluded from last week’s match against West Bromwich Albion and is set to be left out of Villa’s clash with Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

Houllier has already criticized Ireland, making it clear that the player must ‘work harder’ to improve.

And after the former Liverpool manager held talks with Ireland and his representative, Houllier admits it seems likely that the Irish midfielder will leave the club in January.

When asked about the meeting with Ireland, Houllier responded: “I don’t know why you are asking me because, if you get the agent, he will tell you!

“I said he is a member of my squad, that I expect him to be performing a bit more when we play games, that is all.

“There is a discrepancy between what I see in training sometimes and what I see in the games.

“I told his agent that is his problem, he has got to sort that out.

“I like the man, I like the player, he has got a skilled touch, he has got an eye for the pass, but he has got to adapt to modern football as well.”

When asked if the player will leave when the transfer window reopens, Houllier responded: “He said he wanted to go in January. He said that to his agent. I am not so convinced about that.

“Have I told him to move? No, no, no. Once a player wants to go, he goes. Simple as that. I think we will be looking to get the same kind of money back. The club probably would.”

But Houllier dismissed talk that Ireland has been axed from the squad because of disciplinary reasons, insisting that playing the midfielder in a behind-the-doors friendly was not a ‘punishment’ as some have portrayed it.

The 63-year-old French boss said: “I read stupid things like punishment and things like that. There is no punishment.

“There is a punishment when the player is not involved at all. There is a punishment when the player is not training at all. That is a punishment.

“This is not the case. Stephen needed a game, he played a game (against Leicester) with John Carew, Robert Pires, Nigel Reo-Coker and others that needed a game.”

Houllier insists he will be patient with the player while hinting that Ireland can win a recall if he improves his form.

The Villa manager said: “Of course he will (be given the opportunity). He will have to click and give us something. But I am quite patient. You’ve got to be patient.

“But he is not involved in the squad that travels to Wigan. Simple as that and I don’t want to add to that.

“It is a football decision. Is that clear?”

Newcastle United and Stoke City are thought to be keen on acquiring the services of Ireland.