In a week in which Arsenal’s young guns were acclaimed for their 6-0 triumph over Sheffield United in the Carling Cup, Manchester City were at pains to remind us that their academy, not Arsène Wenger’s, is the most productive in the country.

City have just splurged £65m in the transfer market, with more to come in January from their Arabian pot of gold, but it was Stephen Ireland, not Robinho, who was feted on Friday as the club’s player of the month. The midfielder from Cork being renewed testament to the success of the youth set-up at Eastlands, which has produced 30 first-team players in the past decade.

Arsenal’s reserves may be good but that is all they are just now - promising reserves. Vela, Ramsey and Merida are not about to displace Adebayor, Van Persie and Fabregas week in, week out, whereas Ireland plays alongside Micah Richards, Michael Johnson, Nedum Onuoha, Ched Evans and Daniel Sturridge, all “home-grown” in the Premier League. Shaun Wright-Phillips can be added to the list, having been nurtured by City before going to, and returning from, Chelsea. Hailed as City’s best player throughout August and September, Ireland is typical of the production line, yet at the same time a singular character who was warned by the FA last season after exposing his “Superman” underpants (he had been egged on by Martin Petrov) and whose career with the Republic of Ireland came to a premature end after he excused himself with one dear, departed grandmother too many. At that stage, six caps had produced four goals, including the first scored at Croke Park in Dublin, but a year on he says he does not miss international football and has no intention of returning to the Irish fold.

At 22, already with three children, Ireland is described by his representatives as a young man “with issues” but was charm personified after training on Friday, when he spoke frankly about the differences between the old regime under Sven-Göran Eriksson - “It was wild” - and life under Mark Hughes - “He doesn’t talk much, so when he does, you listen and it means a lot.”

After playing junior football for Cobh Ramblers, Ireland turned down Manchester United and 20 other clubs to join City a week before his 15th birthday. Kevin Keegan was the manager at the time and Ireland has fond memories of the man he regards as his mentor, but standards had declined and he was close to leaving at the start of this season until Hughes persuaded him to stay. “He commands respect,” Ireland says. "He did a great job at Blackburn, and as a player he was awesome.”

After Keegan’s departure, Stuart Pearce gave Ireland his big break, aged 19. “Since then, things have changed a lot, for the better,” he says. “There is a feeling in the dressing room that this club is about to take off, there’s great excitement here. Before, the attitude was, ‘Not another game in three days’. Now, we can’t wait for the next game. The team spirit is brilliant. You never feel tired, you want to keep going. At the moment, it’s the place to be.

“Management-wise, it’s now so professional. Little things go a long way and the changes the manager has made have been perfect. Things couldn’t be any better. With Sven, it wasn’t like this. It was wild, very much up and down. Under the gaffer now, it’s so relaxed. We had a day off yesterday, and today [Friday] we came in and had an ice-bath, a massage and just relaxed, watching tapes of games. It’s like a family atmosphere, we’re all mates together. Robinho doesn’t speak much English, but when we’re all in a room together we can have a joke with him – everyone is made to feel part of things. In Sven’s time, it was just a case of turn up, boots on, train, boots off and go home. It got very samey and that’s why we faded away after Christmas.

“Under Mark Hughes, we go in and all have a massage an hour before we start, maybe have a game of pool and a go on the PlayStation before we go out on the pitch. We take our time out there, getting it right, then do the same sort of stuff after training. That way you learn a lot about each other, and we’re all really close. All the gaffer’s ideas are spot-on and that has improved morale.

“The main difference between Sven and Mark Hughes is strength of personality. Mark is really strong in that way - no player is bigger than the club.

Even Robinho, who didn’t know that he had to graft, has been told.” Ireland was “shocked” when, sitting at home watching Sky TV, he learnt that the Brazilian had signed from Real Madrid for £32.5m. “I didn’t believe it was true,” he said. “I’m a big fan and him coming here shows the club means business.” With Thaksin Shinawatra having sold the club to Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who has even more money than syllables, City were suddenly in a position to buy Robinho and anybody else who took their fancy. Ireland has clearly raised his game to meet the challenge, but is there not a risk that an influx of foreign “superstars” might block the path of future acade-micians? “A lot of the talk about the club buying people like [Cesc] Fabregas is speculation,” he says. “They have the power to do that if they want to, but they are producing good players of their own.

“The new owners have visited the academy and have said they want to expand it. They know how good it is and the signs are it will go from strength to strength.”

Ireland views the big-name imports as a positive influence. “Competition for places is good,” he says. “I trust my ability, I’ve worked hard on my game and I’m happy to compete with anyone in the world. Having world-class players around, you know you have to be on top of your game. With the manager we have now, it doesn’t matter what your name is, he’ll drop you if you don’t produce and it could be six or seven games before you get another chance. That keeps you on your toes, working hard.”

He turned his back on the Republic of Ireland when he withdrew from their key Euro 2008 qualifier against the Czech Republic in September last year. Is there no chance of a rapprochement, now that Giovanni Trapattoni has taken over as manager? “I’ll never say never, but right now I don’t miss international football,” says Ireland. “I’m happy playing for the club and I’ve got a young family to think of. My commitment is to Manchester City and my family. I wouldn’t say I hated playing for Ireland, I just feel I’m better off being away from it.

“Concentrating only on City has enabled me to play better. If you look at the fixtures, we’ve got a game on Sunday [at Wigan today], then on Thursday [against Omonia Nicosia in the Uefa Cup], then Sunday again [at home to Liverpool], and then it would be Ireland [v Cyprus], but instead of playing for them, I’ll have a few days off with my family to get ready for the Premier League again, which is getting harder every year.”

Given that reinforcements are expected during the January transfer window, Ireland believes a top-four finish is not beyond City. “We’ve got the squad to do it and we can challenge for it, just ahead of Aston Villa,” he says. “We’ll be fourth or fifth, I reckon. I’m confident.”

There’s no lack of confidence at Eastlands – even after City were knocked out of the Carling Cup by Brighton last week.