Stephen Ward - not linked or dead

[cookey]

Stephen Ward has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 33 after winning 50 caps for the Republic of Ireland as a full back - not a bad haul for someone who started here as a striker, then a winger before dropping back, and who many Wolves fans thought was not good enough for us in the old days - still more chance for the Doc now though.

 

[QB Wolf]

Stephen Ward has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 33 after winning 50 caps for the Republic of Ireland as a full back - not a bad haul for someone who started here as a striker, then a winger before dropping back, and who many Wolves fans thought was not good enough for us in the old days - still more chance for the Doc now though.

Well done Ward, not the greatest, but still a massively underrated player by some Wolves fans.

 

[Deak77]

Shame he never got to play much as a striker for us,I always thought he looked reasonably handy there when he did.

 

[Wolves in Bucharest]

Until this season the one player from Mick’s time in charge who in every season since he left has been at a club that finished above us and has indeed played consistently for those clubs. Indeed played for a number of those seasons in the Premiership. A good servant to the Wolves, a decent bloke. All too often the target of the boo boys. Your only retiring from the international scene Stephen, presumably you may make one or two more appearances against us.

 

[Wagstaffe Was Magic]

Good luck to Wardy !!

He had plenty of detractors here but he just got on with things and never gave less than 100%. He has made a decent career for himself and while injuries have played their part in recent times, he approaches the end of his career still playing in the Premier League

 

[Pagey]

Another Mick player, who put a shift in, has had a decent career, playing mostly in the top flight.
100% effort, and attitude, will never forget the scenes at Liverpool when he got the winner, happy days.

 

[Nige100]

A good servant not the most talented but served us well never the less. Good Luck Wardy.

 

[we8wba]

Carved out a great career

Is he currently fit? Last season Burnley he was excellent first half season before injury and since then haven’t really spotted him? Albeit Charlie Taylor has replaced him to high level

 

[Wigan Wolf]

I remember standing on the Anfield Road End watching him score, then I started shouting Wardinho, Wardinho only to get some strange looks from the locals.

 

[Tojo the grass]

I liked him, good luck Wardy.

 

[Stafford]

171 prem appearances shows he had more talent than where we were playing. Proved us all wrong.

 

[Sketchead]

Well done to him. And always a thank you for his goal at Anfield.

"Not linked or dead" still makes me chuckle when it's put in a thread title.

 

[TheRetroChief]

Never understood the mentality of deciding you don't want to represent your country any more. Even if it is just to be backup if needed on the bench while your long-term replacement is being bloodied.
You should never retire from International football, always be available if your country needs you in any capacity, if you're any kind of patriot.

 

[Polish Wolf]

Stephen Ward is a proof that if you have brains you can overcome a shortage of skills in any domain, football included.

Not that he had no skills but there are many more skillful players than him.

But he always appeared to me as someone who
1) is intelligent in his play
2) knows how to make the most of what his abilities
3) is able to adjust and change
4) works hard on his deficiencies

Well done Stephen Ward.

 

[crocos]

Good boy was Stephen Ward, and a shame he became a whipping boy for us - he had the last laughs really :-}

 

[TheRetroChief]

I'd love to see Ward vs. Traore. Who wouldn't be able to back off quick enough

 

[WolfLing]

Mick McCarthy was asked to name his best player on the Old Gold Podcast last week.

He squirmed a bit and talked about it being difficult to choose as players have different attributes, then he settled on Stephen Ward.

He said for him to have come in as a striker, before being a winger, then to convert into a fullback and for him to then go on and play regular Premier League and International football in that position was one of his proudest achievements.

 

[woop woop barmy army]

The mad theory of Stephen ward going out with mick daughter was the only reason he played lol.


Now they must have split up and he don’t want to go on international duty to see him.

 

[FinnishWolf]

Shame he never got to play much as a striker for us,I always thought he looked reasonably handy there when he did.

Funnily enough, I feel he could have done well as a wing-back in a system similar to our current one.

Always liked Wardy, good luck to him! (And also, bloody hell, is he 33 already? I guess it really has been almost a decade since Mick's "young and hungry" team, huh...)

 

[Thank you Sir Jack]

Never understood the mentality of deciding you don't want to represent your country any more. Even if it is just to be backup if needed on the bench while your long-term replacement is being bloodied.
You should never retire from International football, always be available if your country needs you in any capacity, if you're any kind of patriot.

I guess, to some people, it allows them to draw a mental line in their lives.
I do object to those who announce their retirement from the national team in a fit of pique.
BTW, I would like to take this opportunity to announce my retirement from the English team, and my agent should be contacted in order to arrange interviews or presentations.

 

[Frank Lincoln]

Maybe not the most talented player we have ever had, but he was certainly nowhere near as bad as the boo boys suggested. He has never let anyway down, irrespective of which club he has been at.

 

[OLDGOLD]

Shame he never got to play much as a striker for us,I always thought he looked reasonably handy there when he did.

Agreed.

 

[Flea]

Always respected Stephen Ward.A great servant to the club under Mick.
A class act on and off the pitch.

 

[WonderWolf]

Full and total respect for Wardy.

Came out and professionally held his hands up publicly in the Irish press, absolving Solbakken of any blame on his sacking with the extremely difficult 'identity shift'....fully understood that the limitations of the old players impacted badly on the situation as it needed to be with the effort - contrary to absurd reports of leading a revolt against him to the Board.

Had his weaknesses but was always a honest, committed trier.

 

[AndyWolves]

I'd have a Stephen Ward over a Jamie O'Hara any day of the week

You were better than we gave you credit for Wardy

 

[Zico]

A lot of respect for Ward as a professional, and for the career he's had. But let's not kid ourselves that he was any good at left back for us, unless you call running backwards at speed an appropriate defensive tactic. He was only there because Mick failed to sign a decent left back, though fair play he clearly came on leaps and bounds after he left us.

 

[Tring Wolf]

Great servant to Wolves and represented all that was good about the McCarthy era.

And we’ll always have Anfield...

 

[Knocker Lite]

Made the most of what he had and now makes a key decision to help prolong his club career.