Players contracts

[OCD]

We can have balls and make him stay for the next 3 years. 7m on decent wages, would be worth what we paid to let him go at the end.

What message does that send to any other young potential signing who has aspirations of playing at the highest levels in the game? If we're competing with another club for such a signing they're going to play it safe and go for the other option.

Whilst what you're saying is a perfectly natural response from us fans i.e. the one's who love the club, it's not a good business decision. You would be effectively setting £20m+ on fire, which isn't how the rich get rich.

There's also other factors to consider, like having a moping bastard hanging around the place who's made it clear he doesn't want to stay here. Lambert's made a big effort to create the right environment around the place and one bad apple spoils that.

[midnite]

A player contract protects the clubs selling valuation. You get a player to sign for 5 years so if after two some other team wants him the club can selling him at a good price.

The down side of course is if you want to get rid of a player who's on a 5 year contract he doesn't have to leave. Look at Ireland.

[Steve R]

Lambert can point to any number of things why a young player should come to Villa, from the opportunity we give them, the faith shown when thing get tough, the improvement in so many over the course of last season through to the new contracts in recognition of achievement.

He can also point to a tarred and feathered crinkly eared figure hanging upside down outside Bodymoor Heath entrance gates and say 'and that is what happens when you forget why you are here and try to fuck us over'.

The only players it will discourage will be the ones we shouldn't be thinking of signing in the first place.

[Dave]

He can also point to a tarred and feathered crinkly eared figure hanging upside down outside Bodymoor Heath entrance gates and say 'and that is what happens when you forget why you are here and try to fuck us over'.

The only players it will discourage will be the ones we shouldn't be thinking of signing in the first place.

Not really.

It just says to them "if you turn out to be better than we think you're going to then we're not going to let you play at the level you should be playing at". The scenario above would clearly have discouraged Benteke, whatever we sell him for, will anyone come out of it thinking that we shouldn't have bothered signing him?

Even if we get utterly ripped off (which we won't) and sell him for £15m then we've doubled our money in a year and his goals have kept us up.

If Okore turns out to be the next Franco Baresi then we'll be doing this again next summer. If that does happen then it doesn't mean that we shouldn't have signed him in the first place.

[OCD]

If Okore turns out to be the next Franco Baresi then we'll be doing this again next summer. If that does happen then it doesn't mean that we shouldn't have signed him in the first place.

Depends what his agent is like.

[Dave]

Probably the sort who wants to make as much as money as possible. Like every agent. And pretty much every footballer.

[OCD]

Ultimately, yes but there are ways of doing it. Benteke for example, I think the reasonable advice would have been to stay another year, have a good World Cup and then move on with some dignity. Instead he has the worst type of agent who's only thinking in the short term.   

[Steve R]

He can also point to a tarred and feathered crinkly eared figure hanging upside down outside Bodymoor Heath entrance gates and say 'and that is what happens when you forget why you are here and try to fuck us over'.

The only players it will discourage will be the ones we shouldn't be thinking of signing in the first place.

Not really.

It just says to them "if you turn out to be better than we think you're going to then we're not going to let you play at the level you should be playing at". The scenario above would clearly have discouraged Benteke, whatever we sell him for, will anyone come out of it thinking that we shouldn't have bothered signing him?

Even if we get utterly ripped off (which we won't) and sell him for £15m then we've doubled our money in a year and his goals have kept us up.

If Okore turns out to be the next Franco Baresi then we'll be doing this again next summer. If that does happen then it doesn't mean that we shouldn't have signed him in the first place.

It took a lot more than Benteke's goals to keep us up last season.

If all we're going to get is one season wonders who move on, then yes, I would rather keep clear of them. The profit will mean little, it is not a recipe for success - whatever that is.

You are doing Okore no justice at all. I doubt his decision to turn down Chelsea last January was money driven. We have a number of players who could have done a Benteke on the back of the season they have just had, notably Guzan and Weimann. They have chosen to stay.

Those are the kind of players we should be basing our future on.

[Brend'Watkins]

Okore chose to come to us instead of going to Chelsea.  I would like to think that he did if because he likes the club more and the thought of playing for the mighty Aston Villa really appealed to him. Deep down I know the reason is because we will persevere with him even if he has a sticky patch during the season, something the likes of Chelsea wouldn't do.  You just know they'll come calling if he shows consistency this season. 

We are at the moment for all intents and purposes an academy for the bigger clubs.  We can only break this when we establish ourselves again.

[cdbearsfan]

Westwood has signed a new four-year deal. Good stuff.

[SamTheMouse]

Westwood has signed a new four-year deal. Good stuff.

Great news. Cracking young player, he'll be a fixture in our midfield for years. Wouldn't be surprised if he got an England call up soon, either.

[danlanza]

Players Contracts. They make great paper planes according to Bentakey's agent.

[adrenachrome]

Westwood has signed a new four-year deal. Good stuff.

Great news. Cracking young player, he'll be a fixture in our midfield for years. Wouldn't be surprised if he got an England call up soon, either.

Yes. Great little player.
Major league spotter's badge to Lambo and his staff.

[dekko]

Great news. Cracking young player, he'll be a fixture in our midfield for years. Wouldn't be surprised if he got an England call up soon, either.

In one of the press conferences before England's last round of friendlies a month or two ago Hodgson specifically mentioned Lowton and Westwood as players that had caught his eye.  Another good season (and maybe a few more assists) and I think Westy will be on his way to Brazil for sure.

[Dave]

If all we're going to get is one season wonders who move on, then yes, I would rather keep clear of them. The profit will mean little, it is not a recipe for success - whatever that is.

Porto have made €554m profit on transfers over the last ten years and still managed to win twenty-four trophies. Most of those are in a fairly uncompetitive league, but there are also three European trophies in there as well.

If the money is reinvested well then I'd say it's a perfectly good way to do things. We're not going to be Man City anytime soon, so we have to do things in a different way.

If you offered me the option now that we take £10m of the Benteke money and the player signed with it is good enough that somebody buys him this time next year for £25m again, then I'd take that deal any day of the week. I can't see why somebody wouldn't.