I don't blame Randy on the finances. Its easy for us to comment and assume that we are in the black after this summers transfer activity, but the fact is that a few years ago, he opened his wallet and spend a lot of money on players, many of whom brought no return. Just look at Curtis Davies, quickly we forget, but took a 6mm loss plus wages on him alone. We paid a few mil for NRC and he left with no re-sale value, there are countless other examples of wasted cash; Beye and Shorey, Sidwell to name a few.
RL decided to bite the bullet and continue in the same vein with GH, we bought Bent and Makhoun and were told that we could add more in the summer. Since then though, something dramatically changed. Maybe RL also had to fork out compensation for GH, I'm not sure. But one thing is certain, the policy has shifted.
Its clear now that we are aiming to be more efficient on the balance sheet and less priority to the field.
AM does not promise attractive football, but he will ensure safety and will be effective with transfer dealing.
Letting Makhoun leave is a sign that we can forget the attractive football from GH's breif tenure.
I for one, feel pretty unexcited about Villa for the first season since I cam remember. Maybe it's because we had a taste of success and came pretty close, butt it still feels null.
I just hope that as you say, we see the likes of Albrighton and Clarke given a chance. I would also like to see Ireland allowed a proper chance. We all know what he is capable of, if he is left tO rot on the bench, it will be another waste of talent and we will end ip selling him for less than we paid
I think the policy shift started a couple of years ago. MON was told players not being used needed shifting, although RL still backed MON in the transfer market. When MON failed to shift out players RL put his foot down, and MON left. A year ago virtually nothing was spent on players, and we had the money from the Milner sale. But over the year we did have to pay compensation re 3 managers, MON, GH (£2m) and AM (Birmingham), as well as fees for Bent and Makoun.
I reckon the players we've bought over the last year have either been good or very good buys: Bent, Makoun (why has he gone?), Given, N'zogbia, Hutton (probably good), Jenas (worth £1m to see how he goes). So long as in the medium term money is available for further well chosen investment I'm not too worried; my guess is that it will be.
What worries me and a lot of people is the choice of AM as manager. GH showed how play could be changed, even in a few short months under difficult circumstances. We've a cracking academy; we need a manager who can maximise the potential of those coming through, if we've ambitions to get anywhere.
Villa must build a culture of real football from the Under 10's through to the first team. This culture does not entail;
- Hoofing the ball more than 20 metres from the back
- By-passing midfield when going forward more than a few times a game
- Any team with Emile Heskey playing out wide
- Relying on last ditch tackles all the time
- Not being able to string more thana 10 passes together before losing possession.
We are a football club, so why don't we play it? Lucky we haven't qualified for Europe to be honest as we'd get slaughtered. GH had us beginning to play football. Shame he had to leave us, but would have thought the board would have replaced him with a football man. I am starting to lose all patience with AM and his insistence that our game be built around a philisophy of hard work and little skill. I shudder to think of the sort of player we would now attract should we in the future open up the cheque book.
So we all agree that the appointment of AM is a concern. The fans are giving him a chance, and rightly so, as he deserves that. It is still early to pass judgement, but for me, the signs so far are not positive.
(1) Sticking with the same starting 11 was one MONs worst traits; yet we are witnessing the same with AM.
(2) Playing Heskey above Albrighton....
(3) Letting Makhoun go and replacing him with Jenas, where is the logic in that?
(4) He was going to bring in Davies - a player we let go several seasons ago!
(5) Was prepared to let Cuellar go for a paltry fee.
(6) I really think that if managed correctly, we could have a new player in Ireland. Just give the lad the chance he needs for his confidence.
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The state of Villa
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posted on 4/9/11
I don't blame Randy on the finances. Its easy for us to comment and assume that we are in the black after this summers transfer activity, but the fact is that a few years ago, he opened his wallet and spend a lot of money on players, many of whom brought no return. Just look at Curtis Davies, quickly we forget, but took a 6mm loss plus wages on him alone. We paid a few mil for NRC and he left with no re-sale value, there are countless other examples of wasted cash; Beye and Shorey, Sidwell to name a few.
RL decided to bite the bullet and continue in the same vein with GH, we bought Bent and Makhoun and were told that we could add more in the summer. Since then though, something dramatically changed. Maybe RL also had to fork out compensation for GH, I'm not sure. But one thing is certain, the policy has shifted.
Its clear now that we are aiming to be more efficient on the balance sheet and less priority to the field.
AM does not promise attractive football, but he will ensure safety and will be effective with transfer dealing.
Letting Makhoun leave is a sign that we can forget the attractive football from GH's breif tenure.
I for one, feel pretty unexcited about Villa for the first season since I cam remember. Maybe it's because we had a taste of success and came pretty close, butt it still feels null.
I just hope that as you say, we see the likes of Albrighton and Clarke given a chance. I would also like to see Ireland allowed a proper chance. We all know what he is capable of, if he is left tO rot on the bench, it will be another waste of talent and we will end ip selling him for less than we paid
posted on 4/9/11
I think the policy shift started a couple of years ago. MON was told players not being used needed shifting, although RL still backed MON in the transfer market. When MON failed to shift out players RL put his foot down, and MON left. A year ago virtually nothing was spent on players, and we had the money from the Milner sale. But over the year we did have to pay compensation re 3 managers, MON, GH (£2m) and AM (Birmingham), as well as fees for Bent and Makoun.
I reckon the players we've bought over the last year have either been good or very good buys: Bent, Makoun (why has he gone?), Given, N'zogbia, Hutton (probably good), Jenas (worth £1m to see how he goes). So long as in the medium term money is available for further well chosen investment I'm not too worried; my guess is that it will be.
What worries me and a lot of people is the choice of AM as manager. GH showed how play could be changed, even in a few short months under difficult circumstances. We've a cracking academy; we need a manager who can maximise the potential of those coming through, if we've ambitions to get anywhere.
posted on 4/9/11
Villa must build a culture of real football from the Under 10's through to the first team. This culture does not entail;
- Hoofing the ball more than 20 metres from the back
- By-passing midfield when going forward more than a few times a game
- Any team with Emile Heskey playing out wide
- Relying on last ditch tackles all the time
- Not being able to string more thana 10 passes together before losing possession.
We are a football club, so why don't we play it? Lucky we haven't qualified for Europe to be honest as we'd get slaughtered. GH had us beginning to play football. Shame he had to leave us, but would have thought the board would have replaced him with a football man. I am starting to lose all patience with AM and his insistence that our game be built around a philisophy of hard work and little skill. I shudder to think of the sort of player we would now attract should we in the future open up the cheque book.
posted on 5/9/11
So we all agree that the appointment of AM is a concern. The fans are giving him a chance, and rightly so, as he deserves that. It is still early to pass judgement, but for me, the signs so far are not positive.
(1) Sticking with the same starting 11 was one MONs worst traits; yet we are witnessing the same with AM.
(2) Playing Heskey above Albrighton....
(3) Letting Makhoun go and replacing him with Jenas, where is the logic in that?
(4) He was going to bring in Davies - a player we let go several seasons ago!
(5) Was prepared to let Cuellar go for a paltry fee.
(6) I really think that if managed correctly, we could have a new player in Ireland. Just give the lad the chance he needs for his confidence.
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