McLeish expects Agbonlahor to stay

[Rip Van We Go Again]

sportinglife.com

Alex McLeish expects striker Gabriel Agbonlahor to stay at Aston Villa for the remainder of his career.

Agbonlahor has been the subject of speculation linking him with a move to Saturday's opponents Sunderland who are managed by former Villa boss, Martin O'Neill.

But McLeish believes Agbonlahor's love affair with Villa, where he graduated through the academy, means he will stay "for the next 10 years" which would take him up to the age of 35.

The Villa manager said: "I would find it hard to believe that Gabby would leave. This is his club.

"Of course, it's football and you can never rule anything out.

"But I see Gabby being here for the next 10 years provided he is playing at the level he is capable of.

"People here have known him longer than I have but I know how much he loves this club."

McLeish believes Agbonlahor will be disappointed at Villa's form during the past two seasons and will be desperate to ensure they are not involved in a relegation scrap.

He said: "Gabby knows that for the last two seasons we have been in the wrong half of the table by Aston Villa's standards.

"He'll be desperate to make sure that we are okay in the next few weeks. He's a big, important factor."

McLeish is challenging Agbonlahor to reproduce his outstanding form of the first half of the season.

He said: "That first half the season was exceptional. The evidence is there for him to look back at that and say 'look what I've done and I can produce that again'

"Gabby Agbonlahor is a match winner and he has been unlucky in recent weeks."

McLeish has confirmed his interest in Dutch Under-21 striker Bas Dost but dismisses reports that a contact has been made with the player or his club Heerenveen.

He said: "What is the story? That he turned us down? Well, we've never approached Heerenveen for Bas Dost but we know who he is.

"We've watched a lot of the Dutch League this year but I don't know why his agent is linking us with him when we've never made any approaches or even sounded him out.

"There's been no contact whatsoever with the agent or anyone. Nothing.

"He's scored a number of goals in Holland this season but is among a number of players that we've recorded and logged.

"But you never know, he might be here in July. I'm not saying it cannot happen but we've never made any contact. We're looking at a lot of players who we believe can help us improve."

[danlanza]

He will stay as long as the ginger one f..ks off.

[villasjf]

He will stay if he stops looking disinterested and starts to play consistently well. If he knows he will get paid 10 years for playing like he does at present we will have problems.

[Ron Manager]

I would be very happy to read that they had both left Villa Park.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Gabbys recent performances fit the McLeish philosophy of football perfectly.
He will stay - they will both stay.

[Pete3206]

Good. I hope he stays.

[PaulWinch again]

I'd like him to stay and recapture some good form. As fletch said on another thread, maybe if our manager had a clue about attacking he'd be better.

[TonyD]

If AVFC let Gabby go and work for MON I will be mightly pissed off.

[Irish villain]

Gabby still has it in him to be a 15 goal a season striker who happens to have the pace to cause mistakes in the opposition that will lead to goals for his team. Neither Houllier or McLeish knew how to handle him.

If we sold him to Sunderland, MON would have him on fire and he'd be back in serious contention for England.

[Yossarian]

If we sold him to Sunderland, MON would have him on fire and he'd be back in serious contention for England.

That, I'm afraid, is the sad, sad truth.

[Witton Warrior]

If we sold him to Sunderland, MON would have him on fire and he'd be back in serious contention for England.

That, I'm afraid, is the sad, sad truth.

This

[darren woolley]

I also hope Gabby stays at Villa for life.

[Cuz]

I hope McLiesh doesn't stay at Villa and that the next manager will get the best out of the Gabster

[MarkM]

He doesn't look interested or very fit at the moment.

Whether that's down to the current manager and tactics I don't know

[Gregorys Boy]

Like I said elsewhere I do think the timing might be right to move him on, then again on his day he is a real threat.  A move to Sunderland wouldn't not suprise me, but I suspect he might stay at least another season.