Good news.Does anyone know how much he'll be on?
On Saturday the focus rests on Villa’s fledglings, real prospects like Barry Bannan, Marc Albrighton and Ciaran Clark joining the more established likes of Ashley Young and Gabby Agbonlahor.Agbonlahor starts against United on Saturday lunch-time, examining the mobility and pace of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.When fully fit and flying, Agbonlahor is a marauding force, a home-grown talent so highly regarded Villa have awarded him a contract until 2015 that takes him into the £65,000-a-week bracket.On Friday afternoon, shortly after agreeing terms, Agbonlahor strode across the Bodymoor Heath car-park with the stocky swagger that defines his match-day work.'I’m pleased he’s signed but I want to make sure he keeps growing,’’ said Gerard Houllier, the Villa manager, sitting inside the splendid training complex and reflecting on young players like Agbonlahor and old friends like Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager he calls "a genius’’.Ferguson knows that precocious youth can be led astray – Lee Sharpe was also in that 95 side – and Houllier is aware of the need for well-paid youngsters to keep learning, keep climbing the foot-hills of their profession towards the peaks."A contract is a trust but that trust goes both ways,’’ added Houllier."You can’t say I don’t trust Gabby. I play him. He’s a local boy and it’s good to keep the roots. The target is to make him a regular player for the national team.’’All managers share a fear that riches can distract the young and impressionable. "But if a player has hunger, money won’t change him,’’ Houllier observed."To last at the top level requires intelligence and desire as well as tactical and technical qualities. Some players are not clever, do silly things and waste their career."The biggest temptation when they get in the first team is to think they are the finished article. But they are in their development years. We push them."Agents and family can be counter-productive for the player. That’s where the manager has to be strong."The player must keep focused on his work. If after a few games he says 'I want an increase in my salary, a bigger car, a bigger watch’ then he loses his focus.’’Villa’s youngsters have been nurtured by Gordon Cowans and Kevin MacDonald and now Houllier and Gary McAllister are building on their good work.From their time at Liverpool, this Franco-Scottish alliance has experience of developing youngsters, appreciating that the best teams enjoy a blend of young and old."I got a lot of stick for signing McAllister at Liverpool [in 2000] when he was 35,’’ said Houllier. "He was a good example to Stevie [Gerrard]. Gary’s record and the way he trained pulled the young players to the top."I agree in some ways with Alan Hansen. He meant that if you have too many kids at the same time it can be dangerous. You need a mix. United had Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister. You need good experienced players who can keep the kids going.’’Richard Dunne’s influence cannot be over-stated."Having all these young players doesn’t daunt me, it excites me,’’ smiled Houllier. "The majority can be the future of Villa. At some stage one of them will have a very poor game but you must not judge on one game."That’s what I said to young Bannan. He was distraught after Birmingham [0-0]. 'Hang on,’ I said to him, 'you are not judged on one game.’ He thought it was make or break.’’The only test Bannan has properly failed recently is for his driving licence (twice) despite his instructor being Pat Heard, Cowans’s old Villa team-mate."I believe in young Bannan,’’ said Houllier. "He’ll make a player."Ciaran Clark and Albrighton, too, stand out. Albrighton needs to improve his tactical knowledge. He needs to lift his head at times, see the picture. But his work-rate and attitude are excellent. He’s brave, he doesn’t bottle out. He can go on to England.’’Saturday's game will give a truer picture of Albrighton’s potential, particularly if Patrice Evra is fit.Houllier knows that Ferguson’s teams represent an immense test."In my time, the managers who’ve stood out are Sir Alex, Arsene Wenger obviously, and Jose Mourinho because wherever he’s gone he’s delivered something."Alex’s a genius. He knows football inside out. He’s a workaholic. You can call him at 8am and he’s in the office. I think his family doesn’t want him to retire."He’s a very loyal person to players, club and friends. When you are in the circle, you’re in. He came to see me at the hospital [when Houllier had a heart problem in 2001] and that warmed me."There are a few opportunities when he gave me a call that helped. You never heard one word of criticism from Alex against [Eric] Cantona after the kung-fu kick. He stood by him."Alex has this capacity to evolve as a manager. Look at his record with different teams, it’s tremendous. Being at the top is one thing, staying at the top is more complicated."When Alex started at United, there were a few years when he didn’t win anything but he kept going."I don’t know if people would be as patient now. With the media and fans’ expectations a manager needs to get results immediately."That’s why Alex’s very supportive of managers in difficulty. He’s been there.’’On Saturday though, Ferguson must deal with some new kids on the block.
Great news, and his comments are great to hear too.Two questions: Anyone know when his previous deal was due to expire?And is this merely an extension or a new improved-money deal?
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Topic: Gabby Signs New Contract (Read 12542 times)
