Selling the 'deadwood' and their 'high' wages

[Concrete John]

we have a fair few players that are surplus and a few who we'd all like to see the back of,
but i cant see them going anywhere, the players themselves arnt good enough to command the wages they are on,

take Heskey for instance,
 we will more than likely have him in the squad next year because although other clubs  probably below us could afford the transfer fee, they wont pay the 60k wages that he's reputed to be on, same goes for Sidwell, Davies, NRC  etc

we have a sqaud with far to many very average players, on so much money we cant move them on

I don't think it quite works that way, as should a player go without asking for a transfer, he normally gets a pay off from the club.  

Taking Heskey as an example again, lets say it's £60k a week he's on and Stoke want him, but will only pay him £40k a week.  With a year left on his contract that's £1m difference, so we'd pay him that ourselves, which means he's not out of pocket and we save £2m, which is the other £40k a week we'd pay him otherwise.  Also, with signing on fees taken into account, maybe he'd get a £750k lump sum from them, we might get away with only a £500k 'golden handshake' and thereby save even more money.

This is all based upon the player's desire to play 1st team football, of course.

[Concrete John]

Thing is, Davies, Shorey, etc weren't signed as reserve players. They weren't handed £40k a week to play in the reserves, they were first team players. It's just now they've fallen down the pecking order, which is why we're trying to offload them.

A very good point!

[britishsteve]

If a player is happy sitting around collecting a big wage rather than putting the effort in to make the most of their ability its no surprise they can't get into MON's team.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

My concern, and it's my only concern, is that we do have a lot of players at Villa earning a fortune who aren't contributing.  Blame MON for that if you like, but at least it's been recognised before it becomes a major problem and we seem to be trying to address it.

Addressing it by bringing in Robbie Keane* on a three or four year contract? I wonder who else would not only be willing to pay the fee but also the salary. I've yet to hear anybody else interested in him.

It's all very similar to John Gregory and the wasted millions, not to mention the football. It stinks of desperation.

* Assuming we buy him.

[Concrete John]

Couldn't disagree more.  I think Keane, again should he sign, will be a success with us.  John Gregory spent what was at the time big money on older players (Stone, Merson, Dublin) where as MON has so far spent relatively small fees on them (Carew, Dunne).

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Couldn't disagree more.  I think Keane, again should he sign, will be a success with us.

I think he'll do well for a season but we're unlikely to sign him for just a season. The waste will come in years two, three and four. A very expensive quick fix in my book.

[TheSandman]

My concern, and it's my only concern, is that we do have a lot of players at Villa earning a fortune who aren't contributing.  Blame MON for that if you like, but at least it's been recognised before it becomes a major problem and we seem to be trying to address it.

Addressing it by bringing in Robbie Keane* on a three or four year contract? I wonder who else would not only be willing to pay the fee but also the salary. I've yet to hear anybody else interested in him.

It's all very similar to John Gregory and the wasted millions, not to mention the football. It stinks of desperation.

* Assuming we buy him.

Spot on.

Not forgetting the fact I'm still far from convinced that he's still fully 100% in terms of fitness.

What would it be £70K per week on a 29/30 year old forward? I also doubt that MoN will be our manager beyond the end of the coming season. What if a new man comes in and is stuck with a player he doesn't want, potentially struggle to sell and who's on a small fortune in pay?

[Concrete John]

Couldn't disagree more.  I think Keane, again should he sign, will be a success with us.

I think he'll do well for a season but we're unlikely to sign him for just a season. The waste will come in years two, three and four. A very expensive quick fix in my book.

As a player, I see the value and welcome him, but as to whether or not it makes sense financially, I'll wait until we see what the fee is and his wages are before judging.

[Chris Smith]

Couldn't disagree more.  I think Keane, again should he sign, will be a success with us.

I think he'll do well for a season but we're unlikely to sign him for just a season. The waste will come in years two, three and four. A very expensive quick fix in my book.

How come you're using the name Kelly now, Mr Nostradamus?

[Concrete John]

What if a new man comes in and is stuck with a player he doesn't want, potentially struggle to sell and who's on a small fortune in pay?

Isn't that the case with any player we sign this summer?

[cdward]

Just what i was looking for another let's criticise the manager thread.

In the PL these days you have to pay the going rate, which includes what wages players are on, so to suggest these players are overpaid is the understatement of the century, every single PL player is over paid.
So when players are signed they are obviously on big wages, it all depends on what happens to them next that counts, Gabby, Ash, Milner and Barry were all given new improved contracts before there current ones expired, Shorey, NRC, etc weren't.
I would imagine Dunne, Collins, Cuellar will be offered new contracts also.
In hindsight MON maybe would have offered the "deadwood" less wages, but then they wouldn't have signed for us and the critics would be blaming MON for that.
MON does seem to have been successful in his transfer targets, i.e whoever he has wanted we have signed. MON has also been very successful in holding on to players, that is down to the amount of wages on offer as much as anything else, again if we had lost Ash, Milner, Gabby, etc i'm sure MON would have been blamed.
I can't understand how people have all turned into Deadly Doug and are now concerned how much is spent on every aspect of the club, Randy et al knew that high wages, big transfer fees, investment in facilities, etc' etc' were part of the commitment of turning Aston Villa into real challengers again, as far as i am aware they still know this.
I do not blindly agree with everything MON does, but credit where credits due he has signed players on big wages, because the alternative was to not sign anyone.
Also i don't buy into this crap of criticising every aspect of what he does, yesterday it was his choice to put checks on the new kit, today it's wages, tomorrow it will be MONs fault for the Balti pies being too hot.
I'm sure the MON knockers will rip this post to shreds, well go on knock yourselves out, i'm just bored at work, and am about to go home now so don't expect a reply.
UTV.

[TheSandman]

What if a new man comes in and is stuck with a player he doesn't want, potentially struggle to sell and who's on a small fortune in pay?

Isn't that the case with any player we sign this summer?

Possibly. But I think Keane will be one who gets paid more than most of the other players we have been linked to and will sell. Admittedly Stephen Ireland and Klaas-Jan Huntleaar would get paid a lot too but both are younger players who will have greater sell on value. If we signed either of them I'd also expect they would both be successful signings whereas I'm less sure on Keane.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Just what i was looking for another let's criticise the manager thread.

If that's the case, you're going to love next season.

[Ads]

I don't think it qould be anywhere near 70k p/w for Keane.

[Concrete John]

But if all these rumours are true that we pay so much more than Spurs, then surely we can give him a nice little pay rise and still have him only on a par with our best earners?

We need to pay the going rate and can't diminish his earnings just because he's 29.  I'm more concerned about the fee, due to the sell on value issue you rightly raise, than I am his wages.