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Author Topic: Villa players must live within 30 miles of Bodymoor  (Read 15364 times)

Offline Dave Cooper please

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Re: Villa players must live within 30 miles of Bodymoor
« Reply #30 on: October 11, 2011, 09:11:54 PM »
It's not just about the physical demands, the club are rightly asking "their stars to develop a greater affinity with the club and community".

30 miles takes in places like Coventry, Sandwell and Wolverhampton.  It's a load of nonsense, and probably against employment law anyway.

What has employment law got to do with it? This is for new signings and new contracts, the club has every right to decide not to sign a player or extend a contract if they don't agree to the 30 mile rule.
Personally I think it's nonsense as well, but it's not against the law.

Offline Risso

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Re: Villa players must live within 30 miles of Bodymoor
« Reply #31 on: October 11, 2011, 09:44:47 PM »
It's not just about the physical demands, the club are rightly asking "their stars to develop a greater affinity with the club and community".

30 miles takes in places like Coventry, Sandwell and Wolverhampton.  It's a load of nonsense, and probably against employment law anyway.

Bollocks to employment laws, why should certain players be relieved of their civic (club) duties, whether it be visiting kids in hospitals, Acorns, etc just because they prefer to live 100 miles away? Considering how much they're paid, it's not to much to ask them to contribute to the local community on behalf of the club.

And what's stopping them contributing to hospital visits etc just because they don't live nearby?  They only work half a day, it's hardly a shift down t'pit.

Offline Risso

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Re: Villa players must live within 30 miles of Bodymoor
« Reply #32 on: October 11, 2011, 09:48:03 PM »
Anyway, how on earth would they enforce it.  Even if a player agreed to the condition, how do you define "live"? What's to stop a player having a house close by and another in London or Alderley Edge?  Are the club going to tag them and monitor where they actually sleep?

Offline Louzie0

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Re: Villa players must live within 30 miles of Bodymoor
« Reply #33 on: October 11, 2011, 09:56:47 PM »
Anyway, how on earth would they enforce it.  Are the club going to tag them and monitor where they actually sleep?

They're using the same technology as supermarket trolleys.  The ones where the wheels lock at the edge of the car park.  In the players' case their microchip kicks in on the edge of 30 miles from BMH.

It's a little homing transplant behind the ear that keeps them driving in circles until they turn round. 

Offline Lizz

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Re: Villa players must live within 30 miles of Bodymoor
« Reply #34 on: October 11, 2011, 10:21:18 PM »
I think it's a good idea in principle, but nostalgic/naive to think all players have affiliations to clubs/areas in this day and age and it's difficult to enforce if players aren't interested. As others have alluded to, uness it's ridgidly policed, what's to stop players buying/renting accommodation that they don't permanently live in?

Anyway, I reckon the only way to enforce this kind of employment condition is to mobilise eco warriors and shame players into reducing their carbon footprints.


Offline pauliewalnuts

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Re: Villa players must live within 30 miles of Bodymoor
« Reply #35 on: October 11, 2011, 11:51:01 PM »
It won't be against employment law at all.

Doctors, for example, have to live within a certain distance of their hospital for when they're on call.

Offline jonzy85

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Re: Villa players must live within 30 miles of Bodymoor
« Reply #36 on: October 12, 2011, 12:20:19 AM »
I see why the club would want players living close the training ground, but i'm struggling to see how they can make it a requirement for them signing contracts, purely from a practical point of view.

As someone else said, they are all loaded, they could buy several properties. Will it be in the contract what time they have to be in bed by too?

They have got oodles of spare time. Just having them living near the ground isnt going to stop them driving places miles and miles away to bang a bird, visit family, sponsor commitment, play golf etc. The list is endless. Sometimes it would probably be better if they did spend the night miles away rather than driving home late, not getting a decent nights kip, just so you are close to the ground.

I just dont see how it would work practically. I suppose there could be discipline measures for all of the above. I think Mourinho actually did set bed times for Chelsea players amonhst other things.

Online TopDeck113

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Re: Villa players must live within 30 miles of Bodymoor
« Reply #37 on: October 12, 2011, 06:16:32 AM »
A scenario.

Player X is in his late 20s.  He is originally from London and has played for a London club throughout his career .

In his decade of enjoying a Premier League salary he has secured a multi-million pound Home Counties pad and a trophy Essex WAG within whom he has a couple of kids, whilst retaining the mates he used to kick around with on Hackney Marshes.

During the transfer window he leaves his club and joins Villa and, as per his contract, ups-sticks to live in Knowle.   Initially, Villa fans are delighted to have him on board, but are then perplexed and finally pissed off with his failure to deliver the sort of performances they remember him turning in for his previous club.

The Player, on the other hand, has a WAG who is pissed off for being uprooted from her roots and her proximity to London, kids who can't settle in their new school and mates who find it difficult to get up to have a night out in 'Birminum'.  All-in-all he's not that happy and is beginning to regret the move.

Player Y is at exactly the same stage in his career and his personal profile is remarkably similar, albeit he is from the North West and played there all his career.  He joins Villa but his canny agent plays hard-ball and insists the 30-mile residency clause is dropped.  The Player continues to live in his Alderley Edge mansion, his WAG continues to enjoy the Manchester scene and seeing her mum every day, his kids don't even know dad has changed jobs and his Scally mates still come round to enjoy playing FIFA 12 on his 90" plasma screen.   Despite the hardship of having to drive his Aston Martin/Bentley/Range Rover/Ferrari to Bodymoor Heath and back everyday, the Player is very happy at Villa and is rightly voted Player of the Year in his first season. 

What I'm saying is if you're happy in your personal life, you can deliver in your professional life.  That applies to footballers as much as anyone.

« Last Edit: October 12, 2011, 06:56:28 AM by TopDeck113 »

Offline Pat McMahon

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Re: Villa players must live within 30 miles of Bodymoor
« Reply #38 on: October 12, 2011, 06:35:54 AM »
Anyway, how on earth would they enforce it.  Even if a player agreed to the condition, how do you define "live"? What's to stop a player having a house close by and another in London or Alderley Edge?  Are the club going to tag them and monitor where they actually sleep?

Spot on, Legion. Guy Roux was manager of sleepy Auxerre in France for over 30 years, taking the club from French division 3 to winning the league and four French cups in the 90s. Many top French players and subsequent inernationals were developed by him - Cantona, Laurent Blanc, Basile Boli, Djibril Cisse, Philippe Mexes - and he was a strict disciplinarian. When managing potential superstars whose heads could be turned he used to note the mileage on their cars after training and had a network of spies at the bars and clubs in Auxerre to inform on any infringements.

I don't think that would work now - how many players only own one car for a start?

Offline UK Redsox

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Re: Villa players must live within 30 miles of Bodymoor
« Reply #39 on: October 12, 2011, 07:46:11 AM »
Maybe Villa should take the Anzhi Makhachkala approach. All players would live and train in Moscow and just fly to Birmingham for home games.
« Last Edit: October 12, 2011, 09:51:18 AM by UK Redsox »

Offline TonyD

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Re: Villa players must live within 30 miles of Bodymoor
« Reply #40 on: October 12, 2011, 08:07:48 AM »
They should all live in Aston.  Makes sense.

Offline Mister E

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Re: Villa players must live within 30 miles of Bodymoor
« Reply #41 on: October 12, 2011, 09:15:38 AM »
I can see the sense of it but doesn't it make the cllub look a little parochial in the context of the 'global village'?

Offline Mister E

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Re: Villa players must live within 30 miles of Bodymoor
« Reply #42 on: October 12, 2011, 09:22:21 AM »
Anyway, I reckon the only way to enforce this kind of employment condition is to mobilise eco warriors and shame players into reducing their carbon footprints.
I like your thinking, Lizz, but we are dealing with a bunch of people who - in the main - would not know their carbon footprint from their ronnie wood print; with as much social conscience as Peter Sutcliffe; and as much shame as Rio Ferdinand (Xmas party organiser extraordinaire).

Offline VillaAlways

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Offline pedro25

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Re: Villa players must live within 30 miles of Bodymoor
« Reply #44 on: October 12, 2011, 12:48:15 PM »
30 miles as the crow flies or via the shortest/quickest road links?  Dion lived in Stratford which is probably under 30 miles as the crow flies, but must be about 35 miles via M42/M40 etc.

 


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