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While most footballers are jetting off to the other side of
the planet for a luxury holiday,
Stephen Ireland
was showing
no signs of putting his feet up.
The Manchester City star revealed that his incredible
performances last season were down to his refusal to take
the summer off, instead preferring to take part in an
intensive martial arts regime before pre-season.
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Stairway to heaven: Stephen Ireland sprints up
the 100 steps |
And while his team-mates are soaking up the sun, Ireland is
at it again - as these exclusive Sportsmail pictures prove.
The Irish midfielder, wearing a T-shirt bearing the face of
Madeleine McCann,
was put through his paces by a
personal trainer at the Evade Blackbelt School in Glossop,
Derbyshire.
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Which way to the airport?: Ireland follows his
trainer |
Ireland was forced to sprint up a down a set of 100 steps
before heading to the gym to take part in a rigorous mixed
martial arts session.
His obsession with fitness was triggered in the wake of his
side's embarrassing 8-1 hammering at Middlesbrough on the
final day of the 2007-08 season.
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Sure you didn't fancy La Manga?: Ireland finds
it hard |
Ireland vowed to change his ways after that game and has
stuck to his word ever since.
'It was the last day of the season and we had lost 8-1 at
Boro,’ he told Sportsmail in March. 'I didn’t get the team
bus. I got my girlfriend Jessica to drive me home and I
thought to myself: "This can’t carry on. My career and my
reputation are not right."
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Pain game: Ireland is pushed to the limits |
'After that game we didn’t even get a b******ing. I was so
depressed at seeing that people didn’t really care. People
were laughing. It was the worst moment of all for me.
'I decided that wasn’t a route I was going down. I didn’t
want to live my life travelling home from big defeats with a
smile on my face.
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He's g-loving it: Ireland hits out in the gym |
'I just felt like I had to change something after everything
that had happened. So, the next day I started training. I
went up to the hills in Glossop with a martial arts expert,
training from 7 to 11am. I dedicated my whole summer to
working with this guy.
'I came back super fit and wanted to be No 1 in the team.’
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Put your back into it: Ireland shows off his
huge tattoo |
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