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Author Topic: Clear-Out  (Read 24644 times)

Offline Shoody

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Clear-Out
« on: March 02, 2012, 11:35:50 PM »
Mat Kendrick has said there will be a large clear out at Villa this summer (something similar mentioned in Moxley's Olic article, presume there was an interview today, or embargoed till today).

We are, apparently, looking to move on 6 players on large wages and replace them, according to Kendrick (who has stated this on both twitter and in the article below) Darren Bent and Gabby Agbonlahor are two players exempt from this and there are no plans to move either of them on. I personally dont believe the Bent one but I doubt anyone will spend £20m+ on a player coming back from long-term injury anyway. But atleast this should mean keeping Gabby.

Ireland is not exempt from being moved on according to Mat on twitter, so even one of the players performing relatively well at the minute could be moved on.

Cuellar + Guzan both offered new deals with the club, Heskey is to leave.

Quote
ALEX McLeish has confirmed Villa will be in the market to pay transfer fees and bring in free Bosmans during a planned summer squad overhaul.

It is believed the claret and blues would ideally like to move on half-a-dozen players and bring in replacements during the close season.

This week’s figures showing record £54 million losses for 2010-11 will not prevent the manager from receiving funding to overhaul the playing staff.

Chairman Randy Lerner believes Villa are well on their way to managing the deficit and achieving a break even figure within the next two seasons. But, although transfer funds will be made available in the summer, the club will still be keeping a very tight rein on the players’ wage bill.

Therefore, with the squad payroll finally close to a level acceptable to the board, players will have to leave to free up salaries for new recruits.

However, McLeish, pictured, has reassured supporters that the club have no intention of sacrificing prized assets Darren Bent and Gabby Agbonlahor.

Asked if there will be transfer funds in the summer, McLeish replied: “Yes. Listen, we have tried to do the homework right now because we are being prudent.

“That is why we have tried to scout as many good Bosmans as we can, but there are targets as well that cost money.

“I am sure the chairman would do massive wages again as long as it was kept inside the framework and parameters.

“I can assure the fans we will be in the market for players who cost money, but we are only targeting a couple of those types of players.

“We’ve already made some plans to bring some players in. We’ve looked at a lot of players that we have a good chance of bringing to the club.

“I know it’s a little bit gloomy at the moment, but I definitely believe that Villa will come out of this well.”

McLeish might have to cash in on some of Villa’s first-team players to stamp his mark on the club and free up space on the wage bill.

Emile Heskey, Brad Guzan and Carlos Cuellar are out of contract at the end of this season, although the latter two have been offered fresh terms, while the deals of James Collins, Richard Dunne, Stephen Warnock and Stiliyan Petrov expire in summer 2013.

It will also be interesting to observe what Villa decide about the futures of Jean Makoun, Stephen Ireland, Fabian Delph and Nathan Delfouneso.

Asked if there was scope for a drastic overhaul in the summer, McLeish replied: “In the light of the figures? It would depend on trading.

“I couldn’t keep everybody and add to the squad, we’d have to trade carefully.

“Again, like I said in January, if somebody coveted one of our players who maybe I had to sacrifice to strengthen other positions then that’s something that could be the way ahead in terms of the plans.

“It just depends on who was available to come in.

“I do have to stamp my own personality on the team. I’ve not been able to do that.

“But that was something I took on and something I agreed to. We bought three players in and it was agreed that we would keep trying to drive the wages to a certain level before we started doing business again.”

Questioned specifically about whether Villa would listen to offers for Bent and Agbonlahor, now regarded as the claret and blues’ crown jewels, McLeish replied: “No, there’d be some players that we’d obviously like to hold on to for the long run.”

Read More http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/aston-villa-fc/aston-villa-news/2012/03/03/aston-villa-will-have-the-cash-to-overhaul-squad-during-the-summer-97319-30449814/2/#ixzz1o0PWyzVy

I would guess 6 players to move on would be:

Dunne, Petrov, Warnock, Ireland, Collins and one of Makoun or Delph (probably Makoun). Unless they are including Heskey in this too.

Offline Hazz

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Re: Clear-Out
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2012, 12:22:25 AM »
I wouldn't lose sleep over any of those, as long as we got some decent replacements.

Offline KevinGage

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Re: Clear-Out
« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2012, 12:23:42 AM »
All sounds very convincing and practical.

Only problem is he already has players on the books good enough to get a far better response than we have seen.

Generally with attacking players you accept that they might be enigmatic, they might have the talent but not suit a particular managers vision.  This happens.   If we'd got a degree of consistency out of any two  (or even one FFS)  of Bannan, Delph, Ireland, N'Zog or Albrighton our season would probably look a fair bit brighter.

But he's failed with pretty much all  of them. And turned a £24 million forward into Cameron Jerome.  Even Ireland - who was showing promise earlier in the new year, is now on the bench.  Takes a pretty dire manager to waste all that talent. 

Factor into that that the bulk of his signings to date have been more miss than hit and I genuinely don't see an argument in letting him have even more money to throw at the thing in the summer.  If finances are tight, we need to make what money we do have stretch as far as possible.

I wouldn't trust him as far as I can throw him, in all honesty.

Offline Phil from the upper holte

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Re: Clear-Out
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2012, 01:12:14 AM »
Move on Dunne, Collins, warnock, heskey, Fonz thats 5 already, not half way enough. Does need a squad overhall but I'm not sure that I want him to bring in new players

Offline brontebilly

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Re: Clear-Out
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2012, 01:13:53 AM »
It's one thing saying there will be a clear out. However finding clubs willing to buy these players is another thing. Also the wages at Villa are likely to be higher than elsewhere so more than a good chance the players in question might do a Heskey or Beye and refuse to leave.

Stephen Ireland has played well under McLeish but he seemingly has not forgiven him for the bust up at Newcastle. On big money but he is a talent worth persevering with imo

Big need for a shakeup at the club but that includes at management level and board level too.

Offline villan1975

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Re: Clear-Out
« Reply #5 on: March 03, 2012, 01:26:56 AM »
"I do have to stamp my own personality on the team.I've not been able to do that."
The seventeen most frightening words I have ever read in the history of football ever.

Offline bertlambshank

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Re: Clear-Out
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2012, 05:37:39 AM »
"I do have to stamp my own personality on the team.I've not been able to do that."
The seventeen most frightening words I have ever read in the history of football ever.
Not as bad as "Heskey is starting"

Offline RonBurgundy

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Re: Clear-Out
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2012, 08:19:46 AM »
"I do have to stamp my own personality on the team.I've not been able to do that."
The seventeen most frightening words I have ever read in the history of football ever.
Not as bad as "Heskey is starting"
...on the left wing"

Offline Mister E

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Re: Clear-Out
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2012, 09:00:28 AM »
I'm not suprised if Ireland is in the exit-cart: although good on his day, his temperament is not great for the squad and probaby not 'presbyterian' enough for McL.
If next season's manager can release BB's talent, he'll fit the bill in the role Ireland plays. A big 'if' though.

Offline Irish villain

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Re: Clear-Out
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2012, 09:30:12 AM »
"I do have to stamp my own personality on the team.I've not been able to do that."
The seventeen most frightening words I have ever read in the history of football ever.

When I read the article last night that horrified me. Do we want him bringing in his players? I shudder to think where our money would be spent.

Offline UK Redsox

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Re: Clear-Out
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2012, 09:30:46 AM »
I've heard that Legion is being sold to Wolves

Offline Tom_Mc9?

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Re: Clear-Out
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2012, 09:30:51 AM »
"I do have to stamp my own personality on the team.I've not been able to do that."
The seventeen most frightening words I have ever read in the history of football ever.
Not as bad as "Heskey is starting"
...in right midfield."

Offline GarTomas

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Re: Clear-Out
« Reply #12 on: March 03, 2012, 09:33:25 AM »
Think the strategy makes sense.  Most would agree we have players at the club who are probably being paid more than their ability warrants.  Moving these types of players on and replacing and saving X amount on the wage bill makes perfect sense.

With some of our younger players coming through, some experienced Bosman transfers to help settle these in is also to be applauded.

I think it's good that the club are being honest in their assessment of how they are looking to progress forward.  Whether this message should be coming from the owners or the managers or a combined message is debatable. 

Whether we have the right manager making these decisions is getting ample discussion elsewhere....

Offline Rip Van We Go Again

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Re: Clear-Out
« Reply #13 on: March 03, 2012, 09:36:23 AM »
Probably looking at 2 players for small fees and the rest on Bosmans.

Very wanky and even worse that this clown will be choosing them.

Offline Tom_Mc9?

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Re: Clear-Out
« Reply #14 on: March 03, 2012, 09:37:40 AM »
I think there are only a handful of players who I'd be sad to leave Villa. I'm glad Bent and Gabby won't be moving on, but I'm hard pushed to think of others who aren't a waste of space.

 


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