Stephen Ireland

When Stephen Ireland suddenly left the Republic of Ireland squad in September 2007 before a European Championship qualifying match against the Czech Republic in Prague, it set in motion a most bizarre chain of events. "You couldn't make it up" hardly did the episode justice.

But Ireland, the player, did make it up. When he claimed that the reason for his hasty departure was because of the death of his maternal grandmother, it was swiftly proved to be false. And when he backtracked and said it was his paternal grandmother who had passed away, that was exposed as a lie, too.

Both were very much alive and kicking. They had most definitely not gone to meet their maker. But if much of the mystery still remains unexplained to this day, what is fact is that the enigmatic Ireland has not played for his country since.

And neither is he likely to, even with the Republic having reached the European Championship finals this summer. Giovanni Trapattoni, the stubborn Ireland manager, long ago ran out of olive branches to extend. Still, Ireland retains a sliver of hope of getting the call.

"I've not been approached," he said. "It's not really a question I have to answer because it's not a question that has come to me. I'll see when it comes to me. It's not something I think about. It's not frustrating, no. I've not been playing for so long [with Ireland] that I'm not missing it. I'm just going to concentrate on my club football."

Concentrating pretty well, too. Ireland may be a complex character, notorious for his oddball antics away from the pitch, but he is at last starting to emerge as an Aston Villa player of substance. That the home fans chanted his name in the dreary draw with Everton demonstrated significant progress.

"It's one of the targets I've set, to get on better with the fans," Ireland said. "It's nice when they sing your name. I've not had the greatest of relationships with them but I've not had a consistent run in the team. It's been frustrating but I seem to be playing now and I'm pleased."

Shay Given – a certainty to feature for the Republic of Ireland at Euro 2012 – has noticed the change. "Stephen's confidence has taken a lift," the Villa goalkeeper said. "He wants to be on the ball more and is more bubbly around the place. Sure, he likes his cars and his tattoos, all that kind of stuff. He is a character, yeah."

Alex McLeish, the Villa manager, has noticed too. "We have worked hard with Stephen. I've been patient with him, and he's now producing," McLeish said. "And he's winning the fans over. He has set a standard now which he can't drop below. We want to see that from him every week."

Two touches from Ireland helped to set up a scrappy opening goal, dispatched by Darren Bent. But Everton levelled when the excellent Landon Donovan released Victor Anichebe, a substitute, to coolly beat Given. "Landon was the best player on the pitch," David Moyes, the Everton manager, said. "His energy was fantastic."

McLeish introduced Robbie Keane, Donovan's LA Galaxy team-mate, as a late replacement but the Irishman, starting a seven-week loan spell at Villa Park, was unable to make an impact. Keane – like Richard Dunne, the Villa defender, and Given – is also likely to feature prominently in Ukraine and Poland this summer, when Ireland, the teller of tall tales, may just regret his fictitious account of the deceased grandmothers.