We're a selling club

[russon]

I think I'm right in saying that each of our Players Of The Season for the last 3 years have promptly buggered off within weeks (Barry, Milner and Downing). Crewe and Wigan might feel comfortable being a feeder club but this is Aston Villa and it makes me boke having us used as a stepping stone to bigger things. We're a selling club and no mistake, unless the season's going pear shaped and we splash out zillions for someone to rescue it (Bent), we don't seem interested in persuading proper talent to come to the club yet happily wave ta ta to our best ones. All we need to do now is flog Bent off, then we'll have an entire squad of B listers, C listers, fruitcakes, fatties and froth.

Disgusted of Aldridge.

[Deano's Mullet]

I have got zero enthusiasm at the moment and zero expectations. I wouldnt say we've not been a selling club in the past but in those days it was a lot easier to replace the players that were leaving (BFR virtually built an entire new side from the sale of David Platt),  nowadays you have to spend silly money just to buy someone mediocre. There also wasnt that bastard Champions League that everyone wants to be in, and there wasnt quite such an uncompetitive league as there is now with the 3-4 clubs that are there now gobbling up all the money, players and glory-hunting supporters. In the old days we would finish second, have a relegation battle the next season, then a decent couple of seasons then a shit one. Exhilarating stuff but now  its not so easy  to have a shit season and bounce back as high the following year because the strong are getting stronger all the time and the vast majority of the rest of the league are getting weaker or drifting along and unfortunately we are in that category.
On the bright hand side we're not alone in this. Spurs will sell Modric, Bale etc sooner or later the more money City or Chelsea want to chuck at them or the more seasons they go without qualifying in the Champions League. Everton have no cash and even Arsenal seem to be drifting back down to our level having been effectively replaced by Man City. Yes we can try and be best of the rest but thats it as far as i can see.

[Ian.]

Who isn't a selling club? I believe there is no point keeping anyone here who does not want to be here.
I'm pissed off about Stu leaving and not so much as that we let him go but he didn't want to stay. You would really think he owed us a bit of loyalty. One good season and he's gone? Nob.

I don't believe our board will want a season like last season, they don't want a relegation battle so I strongly believe they have a lot of faith in AM and will let him have funds. We just have to wait and see who comes in before blowing a gasket speculating before we have even kicked a ball.

[Dante Lavelli]

What does "Boke" mean?

If you're so sure it's a fact then you have to simply accept it. You cannot change it so you may as well take pleasure in seeing us develop young players (and yes see them sold), support another team or give up following football all together. Seriously, what alternatives are there? Continually moaning about this "fact" won't change anything.

Apologies for being so self righteous but I'm bored of continually reading that we're doomed, a selling club etc etc yet these posters rarely offers viable alternative solutions. Nothing personal Russon.

[*shellac*]

We're a "Players tapped, Board mugged" club more like.

Glass is half empty for me now.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Every clubs a selling club. Man U with Ronaldho etc etc.
We are overall a net spender. Actually I will rephrase that, Randy Lerner overall is a net spender.
Downing going is just part of the merry go round, replacements will come in.
In effect, give or take a few quid, we have swapped Downing for Bent....that sounds good to me.

[NeilH]

I can just about accept that at some point we have to lose our best players. We’re certainly not a big hitter and its not the first or last time it has happened. However we’ve now sold our best players year upon year. In fact in the last month we’ve sold of our two best players and brought in a deeply unpopular manager so I have to ask myself where the club is going because quite frankly we aren’t going forwards right now.


A couple of years ago there was a great sense of optimism around the club. We were heading places and had the basis of a fantastic squad. We were the talk of the papers and there was a buzz at Villa Park. What is the atmosphere going to be like this season when our fans arrive for the first game knowing that we’re treading water again, happy to compete with the likes of Fulham, Bolton and Everton for the coveted 7th- 8th place?
In the last month the club has ripped away any lingering hope that we are in it to compete and if you take away the hopes and ambitions of football fans what do they have left?

[The Man With A Stick]

Maybe we should all vote for Habib Beye in the POTY poll next April, as it's the only way we'll get shot of him.

[D.boy]

Get over yourself. Every club is a selling club at some stage, thats the way of the world. Man Citeh look set to lose Tevez so does that not make them a selling club?
I'm getting fed of hearing people moan that we are a selling club.
After MON spunked away millions our strategy has had to change. If the top 5 keep raiding us for our best players each season then as long as we get good money for that player so be it. Until we start winning things and give the players reason to stay then we best get used to it. Footballers will always go to whoever will pay them more money. Loyalty doesn't come into it.

[villasjf]

Every club is a selling club and every player has a price, unhappy want away players can have a negative effect on the rest of the squad. Man U sold Ronoldo and Tevez. I just wish we could get rid of the deadwood so easily. The problem we now have is that everyone knows we have cash in the bank and need players to replace the leavers so the price goes up. The young players may think he's gone and he's gone, there is more chance of me playing.   

[Jimbo]

We've always been a selling club.

[NeilH]

If the top 5 keep raiding us for our best players each season then as long as we get good money for that player so be it. Until we start winning things and give the players reason to stay then we best get used to it.

How do you expect us to win things if we constantly sell our best players? How do you expect us to get back into the UEFA cup if we keep selling our best players?
Of course every player has a price and every club loses their best players. However, they don't lose them year upon year upon year.
What really makes this situation worse is that we are selling our best players in order to balance the books because we can't sell the shit that MON bought.
We end up weakened by the loss of our best players and meanwhile have to make a silk purse from the sow's ears we've got left.

[sg]

Who isnt? Every player has their price and putting it in perspective (Barry £12m, Milner £18+SI, Young £16m, Downing £20m) we have got good deals for these players.

I accepted that things would turn like this after the 09/10 season when we just missed out on 4th again.

How did you seriously expect us to compete when in comparion before the 09/10 season we signed: Downing - crocked, Delph, Beye, Warnock, Collins & Dunne.  When in comparison Man.C signed: Barry, Santa Cruz, Tevez, Adebayor, K.Toure & Lescott.

Unless something seriously changes with the financial fair play in future, the rich will get richer and clubs like us, everton, sunderland etc will be battling for the also-rans spots. Sad, but true.

[D.boy]

We can't compete with the top clubs on a financial level (stupid high wages) so will have to look at developing younger players (ie Ashley Young) and eventually they move on.
Your balancing the books comment is right and until we get rid of the mediocre players MON purchased on long contracts/£40,000+ per week this will hold us back. Once those players have gone I hope we get some fresh homegrown or purchased youngsters in and build a team.

[pooligan]

Have to agree with everything you say Neil.Usually around this time of year i am optimistic and full of dreams for the coming season and can't wait for the season to kick off. However, for the first time that i can recall , i am not looking forward to this coming season at all.Teams that sell their best players usually end up struggling and that's all i can see for us ,a season of struggle. We have our first match in less than a fortnight and we have not signed a single player yet. It reminds me of O Neils first  season when around about November time we were so short of players we had to sign the likes of non contract players like A'Gathe and Sutton and play kids like Osbourne. Unless i am mistaken we were in serious trouble of relegation at one stage up untill around Easter  time when we won at Blackburn. Looks like the club are making the same mistake again.