The Great Purge of Summer 2011

[SoccerHQ]

Word is Leicester want him to spearhead their promotion challenge next season.

They're seriously loaded (apparently paying Yakubu 40k a week!) so give us 1m and hopefully Heskey will accept a pay cut to go home.

[WikiVilla]

Well lets hope thats true, would be fitting if he finished his career there

Perhaps we could do a BOGOF and throw in Dunne too

[VillaZogmariner]

Aston Villa players out of contract in Summer 2011

Brad Friedel
Luke Young
Robert Pires
Nigel Reo-Coker
Isiah Osbourne
Moustapha Salifou

Out of contract in Summer 2012

Brad Guzan
Andy Marshall
Habib Beye
Carlos Cuellar
Ashley Young
Emile Heskey

[Matt C]

I'll assume Bradley & Walker are unlikely to stay plus...

Don't let the door hit you on the way out:
Ireland
Beye
Warnock
Osbourne

You go your way:
Guzan
Dunne
Heskey
Pires

Thanks for the memories:
Ashley Young

[WikiVilla]

Dunne's got years left, he'll be hard to shift in more ways than one

[Matt Collins]

I really caution against Jarvis, Adam (who I think will be flashes in the pan) and Green and Foster (error prone, Green from crosses and Foster with the ball at his feet in particular).

I don't see us having bucket loads to spend. If we assume AY will leave, I think we need to remember that none of the other players we want to leave will fetch an great value. Even if we get rid of AY (15) Ireland (6 tops, but I can't see anyone paying for him) Warnock (3) Cuellar (3.5) Collins (5) we'd get £30m ish and still need to buy a whole new defence and goalkeeper (5 players) before we even looked at central or attacking midfield. In reality I suspect we'll lose Young, Cuellar, Warnock (£21.5m) plus Beye, Pires, Heskey and possibly Friedel on frees.

While Randy was putting £20m net per year in, I think those days are gone in all likelihood. So I can see us having £30m or so to spend and needing to get 2 new full backs, one centre back, and potentially a  keeper or maybe two. All these will be essential. Then, if we have extra money we should be looking at a centre midfielder and a wide option.

If we can get a Bosman or two that would be great, but there weren't too many from that list I'd have, or that I think are likely to come.

[Matt Collins]

I should have added that if you look at other teams like bolton, it's perfectly possible to turn around a set of players with good coaching.

So perhaps most importantly of all, a good defensive coach as a summer signing, assuming we stick with Ged, may be a necessity.

[pauliewalnuts]

I should have added that if you look at other teams like bolton, it's perfectly possible to turn around a set of players with good coaching.

So perhaps most importantly of all, a good defensive coach as a summer signing, assuming we stick with Ged, may be a necessity.

Very good point.

Get a defence coach in and sticking with Houllier looks sensible. Stick with the current coaching team and it looks risky

[ROBBO]

The worst outcome for us is a new manager who wants to keep some of the dick heads that have caused us so much grief.

[hawkeye]

Reading this thread is very depressing, we know that we have so many players that should not be any where near the first team but unlikely that we can get rid of them and find suitable replacements in one window. We really are in a mess. Unless RL is prepared to spend 10s of millions to regenerate the squad we are looking at mid table at best next season.To sort out the defence and goalkeeper is £50 million by the time we have taken the hit on paying off contracts and replacing them.

[The Left Side]

Word is Leicester want him to spearhead their promotion challenge next season.

They're seriously loaded (apparently paying Yakubu 40k a week!) so give us 1m and hopefully Heskey will accept a pay cut to go home.

Oh please, please, please, please let this happen

[brontebilly]

Pretty much agree with the players mentioned for the chop. The management simply have to go too imo, anything else is just sentimental crap. Houllier gets paid a bucket load too people seem to forget.

We need to get this management appointment right. Giving Houllier a chance is only delaying the inevitable and prolonging mediocrity.

Benitez has the best CV but is tied to Anfield. Lambert is on the up but all he has is a promotion or two in the bag. Think Villa is too much for him now. Moyes, Hughes, Allardyce, Coyle would all be tempted but I'd go for Shteve McClaren. It's a good time for a new manager to come in aswell imo. Good young players on verge of first team, a load of overpaid over the hill players on way out. Big chance to implement a new style of football.

[Mister E]

Aston Villa players out of contract in Summer 2011

Brad Friedel
Luke Young
Robert Pires
Nigel Reo-Coker
Isiah Osbourne
Moustapha Salifou

Out of contract in Summer 2012

Brad Guzan
Andy Marshall
Habib Beye
Carlos Cuellar
Ashley Young
Emile Heskey

Well. this is probably the full list of likely departures. But of course it all really depends on the managerial arrangement going forwards. If Hou and his  comical assistant stay, Ireland and Dunne will almost certainly be added to this list. If a new management team is appointed, we may retain Ireland and may also manage to hold onto Carlos and AY; Petrov might welll then appear on the "exit" list.
FWIW, this list plus Ireland and Dunne, but retaining Carlos and LY, would be my preference. I think a thorough clear-out is essential in order to get rid of the bad apples and give the kids we want to keep the chance to fight for their place and learn from some new (and better) role models.
Until the management team issue is resolved, we're all just guessing / hoping.

[WikiVilla]

The worry is, a big money bid for Downing comes in (ie. +£20m), he's said he wants to stay and repay the faith the club showed in him, but who would believe a footballer

[sid1964]

For me I could not care less if they all go, most have been an embarassment to our club this season!

Dunne, supposedly stated that a Champions league club were in for him, i hope that is true!