Stephen Ireland claims he received death threats over his Republic of Ireland exile.
But the midfielder, 33, is determined to play for the national team again and is plotting a return to professional football.
In a wide-ranging interview with ‘The Athletic’, the former Manchester City star believes he has another three or four years in the game.
Ireland has been unattached since leaving Bolton Wanderers in December 2018 but is keen to land a new club.
“Physically, I feel 27 or 28. I just want to get motoring again because there is so much more to come out of me,” he said.
“The dream would be: get back with a club, smash it, go back to Ireland and undo all that scenario.”
Ireland scored four goals in his six appearances for the Irish team between 2006 and 2007.
But then his international career hit the skids with the ‘Grannygate’ controversy in September 2007.
Pulling out of a game, he claimed both his grannies had died to cover up the fact his partner had a miscarriage.
A slew of will he, won’t he return stories ensued over the years but respective Ireland managers parked the issue and moved on.
But Ireland claims he wanted to play all along and said: “Why wouldn’t I want to play for my country 150 times? Why wouldn’t I want to be an Irish hero?
“Who would turn their nose up at that? Why would it ever be my agenda to be disliked in Ireland? I had death threats, I had all sorts.
“Christ, I didn’t want to leave the way I did. I didn’t want to be disliked in my own country but it came out of circumstances which were tough.
“I genuinely didn’t think it would get into the press. I didn’t realise the onslaught because I didn’t know how big I was.”
Although Ireland’s relationship with Roberto Mancini soured at Manchester City, he says his former club boss encouraged him to return under Giovanni Trapattoni.
“They were best mates. Mancini kept saying ‘Go back, go back. You need to go back to play’. I said to him, ‘Right now, I’m not even playing for Man City. That was my focus.
“We might have a really important game the next day but he wouldn’t stop talking about me going back to Ireland.
“In the end, I said, ‘Look, get Trapattoni over here, we’ll sit down, have a coffee and try to hammer it out together’. It never happened though.”
Sizing up a return to professional football next season, Ireland said: “I feel if I went to League One or the Championship, I can really give it a good go.
“I will give it everything. I’ve broken bones before and I’m willing to break bones again. I’m not ready to stop. I’m going back because I have so much unfinished business.”
