Playing Fair?

[Drummond]

Given that we've clearly upset Potato Head and the Sunderland faithful witht he transfer approach for Darren Bent and continue to rub Ian Holloway and Blackpool up the wrong way with our offers for Charlie Adam; are we finally starting to play hard and showing a proper big-club mentality and ambition?

Certainly our management team have changed things around on the training ground and left players out who are out of form (Richard Dunne being a prime example) whilst also insisting players come in more frequently for training and that they live closer to the ground. Those who aren't wanted are being shipped out too.

For years we've been seen as being fair and nice and never seem to actually get anywhere, albeit being recognised as a nice club on the way. Now that we're going for what we want and seem to be taking no prisoners on the way are we on to a good thing and a bit of a revolution?

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

A mate of mine has had a similar gripe about playing fair with regard to referees.

Under MON, he rarely (if at all) openly criticised the referee's, particularly in the media. Yet Fergie, Wenger and all seem to do it more than most and it always appears they get the rub of the green with the dodgy decisions. Fergie, Wenger and co see a touchline ban as part of the job.

I think Houllier is probably more inclined to manipulate a situation to his advantage by stretching the rules if need be. That said, I don't think we would be doing anything wrong with regard to transfers as ultimately that comes back to Randy, and I think he does things by the book

[itbrvilla]

 I dont think we've done anything wrong or been forcefully doing it.  They have got alot of money for bent which if Villa and Bent are successful will increase significantly. 

I just think that the Black Twats are trying to shift the blame away from themselves onto Bent to reduce the flak from the fans towards the club for selling their best player.

Very unprofessional and quite pathetic from Bruce and Quinn.

[charleeco7]

It's about time we did. Always thought we were seen as pushovers in terms of the transfer market. Whether it was buying or selling, I've felt for a long time that clubs have seen as an easy target. They will squeeze every last penny out of us for a player or try and get them off us as they see fit.

As the saying goes, You don't get anywhere in this world being nice.

[sfx412]

Its about time the Villa hierarchy, moved into the real world. Randy has had 4 ears to learn the ropes, so its about time we adopted a more modern day approach to such dealings.

Houllier is experienced in such matters having in some small way written the rule book in his previous jobs, so is an ideal man to do so.

His predecessor was more concerned with his own image, perhaps.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Randy has had 4 ears to learn the ropes

Bloody Americans.
Always bigger and better than everybody else.

[pablopicasso_10]

i really hope we have stopped playing the nice guy...

nice guys get fuck all...

football is a cut throat business, and we need a sharper sword...

fuck everyone else, we are aston villa!!

[E I Adio]

Randy has had 4 ears to learn the ropes

Bloody Americans.
Always bigger and better than everybody else.

Can't say he hasn't been listening.

[The Left Side]

Nice guys finish last according to the saying, unless that just means fellas chasing the ladies!

I think we do need to get a bit nastier, hopefully Jean II Makoun does it on the field and the General shows us some of his moves in the boardroom!

[darren woolley]

Given that we've clearly upset Potato Head and the Sunderland faithful witht he transfer approach for Darren Bent and continue to rub Ian Holloway and Blackpool up the wrong way with our offers for Charlie Adam; are we finally starting to play hard and showing a proper big-club mentality and ambition?

Certainly our management team have changed things around on the training ground and left players out who are out of form (Richard Dunne being a prime example) whilst also insisting players come in more frequently for training and that they live closer to the ground. Those who aren't wanted are being shipped out too.

For years we've been seen as being fair and nice and never seem to actually get anywhere, albeit being recognised as a nice club on the way. Now that we're going for what we want and seem to be taking no prisoners on the way are we on to a good thing and a bit of a revolution?

I agree with those sentiments we have been pushovers in the past but now what we are doing is taking control.

[magic monks]

So what are we saying here, that we DID tap Bent up? Or did we just put a bid in that waas enough above the going rate to make it acceptable? I go the latter. We put a massive bid in, sunderland couldn't help themselves and the player did the rest.

As for Holloway, all we have done is show proper order, put a bid in and wait for a response, and boy did we get a response (although it's funny to see that Holloway is now saying that we are a massive club, nurtured and loved 'by Doug Ellis' lol, good one Ian).

If they want to bleat about it in public that's their business, we've done nowt but show our intentions in hard cash.