Stephen Ireland has signed a three-year deal with Stoke City and he's also thanked the club for helping him rediscover his love for the game. The Cork man was frozen out at Aston Villa and Manchester City before moving to Stoke to work under Mark Hughes again. The 27 year old says the reason he's committed his future to Stoke is because he feels wanted.
And after extending his contract until the summer of 2017, the 27-year-old rushed to thank the club for helping him find his feet in the Premier League again.
"It's important for every player to feel wanted and to be a part of a family and to be honest I haven't had that for a long, long time," Ireland said. "Thankfully I have felt that warmth here at Stoke and truth be told I couldn't really be in a better place than I am at the moment.
Ireland was brought to Stoke by Mark Hughes - who managed the Republic of Ireland international during his time at the Etihad and Ireland was gushing in his praise of the Welshman, adding that he is enjoying his relationship with the fans at the Staffordshire club.
"I have to thank the gaffer immensely because he is the main reason why I came here in the first instance, and of course, he is a big factor in why I am delighted to agree this new deal now," Ireland added. "I have also been able to build a good relationship with the supporters too, and that is very warming to me, because it has been a long time since I have felt loved at a football club."
