Stephen Ireland impressed by the strength of Newcastle United’s team

Stephen Ireland,Aston Villa(Getty Images)

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Newcastle United’s on-loan midfield Stephen Ireland has admitted that he is impressed with the standard within the team.

The club have had an impressive season and are currently in ninth place despite losing Andy Carroll for £35 million to Liverpool on the last day of the transfer window in January.

Ireland, who made his second substitute appearance for the club in Newcastle’s 1-1 draw at Blackpool, said he was surprised by how good some of his team mates are.

“The team is amazing here,” he told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle.

“When you are on the outside looking in you wonder ‘is he a good player?’

“However, when you are on the inside you see some of the players here are world class.”

Ireland added that he believed Newcastle could get even stronger next season but said Jose Enrique and Fabricio Coloccini need to be kept by the club at all costs if that is to happen.

On both Enrique and Coloccini he said: “They are good players and genuinely gifted.
“The whole squad works really, really hard.

“I am impressed by everybody at the club and hopefully I can just help continue that good work.”

It has been a disappointing season for Ireland, who moved from Chelsea to Aston Villa in the summer for an undisclosed fee, but his performances did not match his talent and there were public disagreements between him and manager Gerard Houllier.

He was moved on to Newcastle in January and he is keen to make his stay a permanent one.
“I am here on loan for the next six weeks and it is in my hands what happens.

“I cannot comment too much on my future or where I will be next year.

“That part is out of my hands.

“What is in my hands is the fact I can work hard and play the best I can.”