Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Ads on May 01, 2011, 02:09:15 PM
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This season has been a disastrous, disjointed and thoroughly depressing affair and we cannot wait for it to end. One thing is clear, there are a number of people who need to be put up against the wall or failing that, shown the door.
The question is, who?
How many players need to go, does the manager and his staff need to follow? Who needs to be kept to form the core of the new side? Will we be back to the small squad of recent seasons?
I personally think we need to completely clear the decks and get rid of the managerial hierarchy and this needs to be done as soon as possible following the end of the season. The decision should not be Houlliers to make.
I then think we need to get rid of all of the back five who started the game yesterday. Walkers departure will be out of our control and I think efforts should be made to keep Carlos for one more season.
I also think a decision needs to be made about Young. I’d personally show him the door. For every West Ham, there’s a West Brom, a Wolves, a Stoke where he doesn’t perform or look interested.
Those are the players I’d start with at any rate.
I think it will certainly be a summer of huge upheaval, but one that I think we will be better off having gone through. To coin a phrase, we cannot go on like this.
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I think they'll be both a chosen and an enforced clear out come the end of the season and I imagine that all of the players in both categories know where they stand.
Ashley Young will go of his own choosing, that I'm quite sure of. The stats show that we've benefited from his assists and goals, but I don't think we'll miss him anything like we've missed Milner.
We'll lose Walker but if we stump up the cash I think we could get him back on a permanent basis.
From the back, a new keeper is a necessity. None of the keepers on our books offer what we need next season. In defence, at the very least, Dunne, Collins and Cuellar will be looking to move on. Its only Cuellar I think we should be fighting to keep hold of assuming we can get replacements in.
Across the middle, I'd like to keep hold of NRC if possible but wouldn't kick up a fuss if Petrov went. Bannan and Delph are our future there and along with Makoun I think we could be covered. If we could get in an experienced creative force in the middle though, I think we would be a far better team. Ireland could have been it, but is a twat so we should be throwing him in a sack with some bricks and heading to the canal. We need to keep Downing and Albrighton, no question.
Up front, Heskey may move on but I can't see Gabby joining him in leaving. Delfouneso could be looking for a way out and I don't think we should stand in his way either. Another experienced striker for Bent to play off is a must for me. I really like Gabby but he's average at best for most of the season.
So I think that looks like a complete revamp of the rear guard, some experience and creativity in midfield and an additional spark up front. Get that and we could be set.
Oh, and a new manager and coaching staff.
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Outs: Faulkner, Houllier ,G Mac, Friedel, Warnock,Collins, A.Young, Pires, Carew, Ireland,Beye,Bradley,Heskey,Osbourne,Marshall,Salifou
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Really depressed. Our defence is a joke. Managers of other teams only have to say "put some pressure on them and they will collapse" and they are completly right. Two established and reliable CH are needed desperately, NRC not good enough. No passing ability and no vision. Gabby (as much as i like him) not good enough and is one dimensional. A bent striking partner of Hernandez`s quality needed. Actually worried about the Wigan game now ......
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Outs - A Young, Dunne, Petrov, Pires, Marshall, Salifou, Osbourne, Ireland, Carewn Heskey, Houllier, Gmac
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As posted on another thread, with Gary McDick saying that some of the decisions have already been taken and players know they'll be leaving, no wonder they have already given up on the club. Crap management in any league, anywhere. Useless. Get rid of both of them sharpish.
I'd still sell the likes of Petrov, Collins, Heskey, Ashley Young. Release NRC, Salifou, Friedel, Osbourne etc and rely a bit more on the likes of Delph and Makoun next season. We'll need the money as a wider rebuild is needed.
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I'd ship out
Friedal
Dunne
Collins
Petrov
Heskey
Salifou
L.Young
Beye
Osbourne
Ireland
Warnock
Delpth
Guzan
uncle bob
Osbourne
Delfouneso
NRC
Gary Mac
Harsh but fair.
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Have to say Greg, wanting to 'ship out' Fonz, L. Young and especially Delph (seriously??) is pure crack talk.
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Fonz is not good enough imo. young is on the way out anyway, delpth we got seriously ripped off by leeds
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Fonz is not good enough imo. young is on the way out anyway, delpth we got seriously ripped off by leeds
I strongly disagree with you about Fonz, I don't know where you get this Luke 'on the way out anyway' stuff from, and maintain that your view on 'Delpth' must be informed by crack. Or possibly sniffing glue.
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i don't get delpth or the admiration for him i must say. flatters to decieve for the most part. Certainly not worth what we paid for him. Like i said before Leeds missed him so much they got promoted. young is coming up to 32. not going to get any better, and while he was dealt a shitty hand by MON it would probably be best to look around for someone younger. Fonz to me shows no signs of ever being a prolific striker. Is gonna have to make the breakthrough soon
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I see the following players with us next season:
Friedel, Marshall
Luke, Collins, Clark, Baker, Lichaj
Downing, Albrighton, Delph, Makoun, Petrov, Bannan
Bent, Gabby, Heskey, Delfouneso
Ontop of that we'd need a first choice centre back, ideally with some experience.
A pair of first choice fullbacks
A first choice central midfielder, preferably someone who can tackle and who knows the league.
A creative midfield player to replace Young, but someone who is capable of pushing double figures for goals from open play.
In an ideal world I'd also like a goalkeeper and another centre half. I'd also take Larsson on a free from SHA>
To throw some names from England:
Robinson, Walker, Dann, Lescott, Baines, Palacios, N'Zogbia
Although I expect none of those to sign.
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Outs: Faulkner, Houllier ,G Mac, Friedel, Warnock,Collins, A.Young, Pires, Carew, Ireland,Beye,Bradley,Heskey,Osbourne,Marshall,Salifou
As he said - plus Dunne.
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Some of us are clearly living in dream world if they think we're going to be shipping out 15 odd players in the summer. You can not move on and replace that many players in three months, and even if you did, you'd have to be an absolute genius to get anything out of such turmoil.
From the midfield forwards, there's not a huge amount wrong with us. True, we don't press home our advantage when we have it, and whilst we enjoy a lot of possession, we frequently do not make the most of it, but the fundamentals are there. More than the fundamentals, in fact.
I would classify them as:
Ship out and replace with a natural first choice in their position - Dunne, Collins, Friedel
Ship out, they're bad news: Warnock, Ireland.
Ship out, because they're going whether we like it or not: Ashley Young.
Ship out, because his winter fuel allowance will kick in later in the year, so he won't need the money anyway: Pires
The above are bound to happen.
Then we have the following from which the odd one or two will be moved on, but nothing like all of them: Beye, Salifou, Osbourne, Heskey
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Luke Young is out of contract in the Summer and I suspect he will move back to the capital - probably end up at QPR.
For me I'd ship out -
Friedel
Luke Young
Warnock
Dunne
Ashley Young
Pires
Ireland
Heskey
Reo-Coker
Guzan
Osbourne
Collins
Salifou
Beye
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FWIW Luke Young has already moved his family back to London, take from that what you will
EDIT - Villa Submariner - Love that footnote...please tell me you've been to the Sportsman, if only for one pint? It's my ambition to go there one day
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Not yet, but I intend to visit it at some point over the summer months!
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Not yet, but I intend to visit it at some point over the summer months!
Well if you're bigger than me (5 foot 6) can I come with you? I'm not sure I'd survive on my own. I'll get the cider in!
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Outs: Faulkner, Houllier ,G Mac, Friedel, Warnock,Collins, A.Young, Pires, Carew, Ireland,Beye,Bradley,Heskey,Osbourne,Marshall,Salifou
As he said - plus Dunne.
Keep Faulkner, he's lightweight but not the autocrat some clubs have as CEO.
Randy makes all the big decisions.
Re. the players, agree 100%.
Shame about Ireland, but him saying that Brum's a shithole is the last straw me thinks.
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Agree with Paulie's post that there won't be a turnover of 15 players. That just won't happen.
All decent/good/great sides are built with a strong spine.
We have the centre-forward - the focus therefore needs to be on central midfield, central defence and goalkeeper.
Pires will retire, Petrov to be moved on. We need a athletic ball-carrying box-to-box central midfielder who can chip in with 10 goals a season, i.e. the Stephen Ireland or two of three years ago! I thought Delph might be that player, now I'm not so sure.
In central defence, I'd keep Cuellar, possibly Collins. Clark needs to be first choice, but with an experienced older head next to him.
A new goalkeeper is a must.
Of the others, we all know Ashley Young is off. If Warnock and Luke Young are still here, I'd be amazed. We'll get a bid for Downing, probably from Liverpool, but I reckon we'll hold on to him for another season at least.
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Of current Ist team squad:
Only the following are likely to be left:
Downing, Ireland (nobody will buy him), Agbonlahor, Albrighton, Delfouneso, Delph, Makoun, Petrov, Clark, Beye (see Ireland), Cuellar, Bannan, Weimann, Hogg, Collins, Lichaj, Herd, Baker, Marshall, Johnson, Bent
21 & no first choice gk or full backs.But add Gardner & Seigrist.
We need to sell Ashley for max to fund a couple of significant players. I still think Cahill should be persuaded to return and given the capt. (IMO if the top teams rated him they would have bought him by now) plus Robinson as keeper and a good link up player for Bent. I do think there will be bargains as clubs look to rein in their wage bills which will make our offloading difficult but hopefully easier to find replacements.
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Some of us are clearly living in dream world if they think we're going to be shipping out 15 odd players in the summer. You can not move on and replace that many players in three months, and even if you did, you'd have to be an absolute genius to get anything out of such turmoil.
From the midfield forwards, there's not a huge amount wrong with us. True, we don't press home our advantage when we have it, and whilst we enjoy a lot of possession, we frequently do not make the most of it, but the fundamentals are there. More than the fundamentals, in fact.
I would classify them as:
Ship out and replace with a natural first choice in their position - Dunne, Collins, Friedel
Ship out, they're bad news: Warnock, Ireland.
Ship out, because they're going whether we like it or not: Ashley Young.
Ship out, because his winter fuel allowance will kick in later in the year, so he won't need the money anyway: Pires
The above are bound to happen.
Then we have the following from which the odd one or two will be moved on, but nothing like all of them: Beye, Salifou, Osbourne, Heskey
What he said.
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By the way - if/when Ash goes, we should be on to N'Zogbia's agent like a tramp on chips
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There will be a lot of dealings in the transfer market ins/out this summer so we should see players like Beye,Ireland,Warnock,Osbourne,Salifou,and i think Ashley Young will also go this summer so we really need to buy the right players this time no more duds.
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Who is out of contract other than NRC & Friedel ?
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If / when Hammers go down, we've got to make a beeline for Rob Green.
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Who is out of contract other than NRC & Friedel ?
Salifou
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I can see Ireland and Warnock getting fresh chances under a new manager particularly if it's someone like Hughes who's had both playing well for him in the past.
To me the ones we should certainly ditch would be Pires (generally just pointless), Dunney for generally being a grade A twat, Heskey (otherwise our promising young forwards like Fonz and Weimann will still be struggling to make the bench) and the idle ones like Beye, Salifou, Osbourne.
The next camp will be players who you wouldn't shed a tear if they left but we'll probably need some of them as squad players next season in case of injury, suspensions. I'm thinkin people like Petrov, Collins and Luke Young here. People who have been regular startes for us this season but should be on the bench next season if we're looking to get back fighting for top 6.
Players I'd certainly keep but I doubt will be here....Carlos, Ashley Young and NRC.
From that you obviously have the young ones...Albrighton, Clark, Lichaj, Fonz, Bannan, Baker, Hogg. Two of those (albrighton and clark) are already developing into good premier league players. Of the rest I don't have a clue who will make it or not but I can't see the point in getting rid of anyone of them unless you're hell bent on demicimating the squad.
From the cull, we'd probably need another three players in defence, a keeper, another central midfielder and wide player and a striker.
So I come up with
Kieran Westwood
Onouha (can play RB and Sunderland did actually have a good defence in the first half of the season)
Samba (playing really well alongside Phil Jones, this is the sort of no nonsense defender I want Clark learning off, not an alcy in relapse)
Jarvis
Tuncay
Rodallega.
Realistic transfer targets.
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Outs: Faulkner, Houllier ,G Mac, Friedel, Warnock,Collins, A.Young, Pires, Carew, Ireland,Beye,Bradley,Heskey,Osbourne,Marshall,Salifou
yep exactly as i see it
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Heskey will be hard to shift, hasn't he got 2 or 3 more contracted years at the club ?
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Word is Leicester want him to spearhead their promotion challenge next season.
They're seriously loaded (apparently paying Yakubu 40k a week!) so give us 1m and hopefully Heskey will accept a pay cut to go home.
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Well lets hope thats true, would be fitting if he finished his career there
Perhaps we could do a BOGOF and throw in Dunne too
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Aston Villa players out of contract in Summer 2011
Brad Friedel
Luke Young
Robert Pires
Nigel Reo-Coker
Isiah Osbourne
Moustapha Salifou
Out of contract in Summer 2012
Brad Guzan
Andy Marshall
Habib Beye
Carlos Cuellar
Ashley Young
Emile Heskey
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I'll assume Bradley & Walker are unlikely to stay plus...
Don't let the door hit you on the way out:
Ireland
Beye
Warnock
Osbourne
You go your way:
Guzan
Dunne
Heskey
Pires
Thanks for the memories:
Ashley Young
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Dunne's got years left, he'll be hard to shift in more ways than one
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I really caution against Jarvis, Adam (who I think will be flashes in the pan) and Green and Foster (error prone, Green from crosses and Foster with the ball at his feet in particular).
I don't see us having bucket loads to spend. If we assume AY will leave, I think we need to remember that none of the other players we want to leave will fetch an great value. Even if we get rid of AY (15) Ireland (6 tops, but I can't see anyone paying for him) Warnock (3) Cuellar (3.5) Collins (5) we'd get £30m ish and still need to buy a whole new defence and goalkeeper (5 players) before we even looked at central or attacking midfield. In reality I suspect we'll lose Young, Cuellar, Warnock (£21.5m) plus Beye, Pires, Heskey and possibly Friedel on frees.
While Randy was putting £20m net per year in, I think those days are gone in all likelihood. So I can see us having £30m or so to spend and needing to get 2 new full backs, one centre back, and potentially a keeper or maybe two. All these will be essential. Then, if we have extra money we should be looking at a centre midfielder and a wide option.
If we can get a Bosman or two that would be great, but there weren't too many from that list I'd have, or that I think are likely to come.
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I should have added that if you look at other teams like bolton, it's perfectly possible to turn around a set of players with good coaching.
So perhaps most importantly of all, a good defensive coach as a summer signing, assuming we stick with Ged, may be a necessity.
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I should have added that if you look at other teams like bolton, it's perfectly possible to turn around a set of players with good coaching.
So perhaps most importantly of all, a good defensive coach as a summer signing, assuming we stick with Ged, may be a necessity.
Very good point.
Get a defence coach in and sticking with Houllier looks sensible. Stick with the current coaching team and it looks risky
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The worst outcome for us is a new manager who wants to keep some of the dick heads that have caused us so much grief.
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Reading this thread is very depressing, we know that we have so many players that should not be any where near the first team but unlikely that we can get rid of them and find suitable replacements in one window. We really are in a mess. Unless RL is prepared to spend 10s of millions to regenerate the squad we are looking at mid table at best next season.To sort out the defence and goalkeeper is £50 million by the time we have taken the hit on paying off contracts and replacing them.
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Word is Leicester want him to spearhead their promotion challenge next season.
They're seriously loaded (apparently paying Yakubu 40k a week!) so give us 1m and hopefully Heskey will accept a pay cut to go home.
Oh please, please, please, please let this happen
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Pretty much agree with the players mentioned for the chop. The management simply have to go too imo, anything else is just sentimental crap. Houllier gets paid a bucket load too people seem to forget.
We need to get this management appointment right. Giving Houllier a chance is only delaying the inevitable and prolonging mediocrity.
Benitez has the best CV but is tied to Anfield. Lambert is on the up but all he has is a promotion or two in the bag. Think Villa is too much for him now. Moyes, Hughes, Allardyce, Coyle would all be tempted but I'd go for Shteve McClaren. It's a good time for a new manager to come in aswell imo. Good young players on verge of first team, a load of overpaid over the hill players on way out. Big chance to implement a new style of football.
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Aston Villa players out of contract in Summer 2011
Brad Friedel
Luke Young
Robert Pires
Nigel Reo-Coker
Isiah Osbourne
Moustapha Salifou
Out of contract in Summer 2012
Brad Guzan
Andy Marshall
Habib Beye
Carlos Cuellar
Ashley Young
Emile Heskey
Well. this is probably the full list of likely departures. But of course it all really depends on the managerial arrangement going forwards. If Hou and his comical assistant stay, Ireland and Dunne will almost certainly be added to this list. If a new management team is appointed, we may retain Ireland and may also manage to hold onto Carlos and AY; Petrov might welll then appear on the "exit" list.
FWIW, this list plus Ireland and Dunne, but retaining Carlos and LY, would be my preference. I think a thorough clear-out is essential in order to get rid of the bad apples and give the kids we want to keep the chance to fight for their place and learn from some new (and better) role models.
Until the management team issue is resolved, we're all just guessing / hoping.
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The worry is, a big money bid for Downing comes in (ie. +£20m), he's said he wants to stay and repay the faith the club showed in him, but who would believe a footballer
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For me I could not care less if they all go, most have been an embarassment to our club this season!
Dunne, supposedly stated that a Champions league club were in for him, i hope that is true!
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For me I could not care less if they all go, most have been an embarassment to our club this season!
Dunne, supposedly stated that a Champions league club were in for him, i hope that is true!
I agree with Paulie's very sensible post on this subject about how many of them can, in reality, be allowed to go but I have to admit to sharing some of your sentiments more generally. Perhaps not quite 'all go' but I have got to the point where they numbed my passion to such an extent that it kinda seems that way...
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Champions League club in for Dunne = Celtic.
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If / when Hammers go down, we've got to make a beeline for Rob Green.
How about Shay Given ?
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I like what i've seen of Delph, he could be a very good player for us. He's one i definatley would'nt be pushing out the door in the summer.
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Agree about Delph. Wonder how much that injury took away from his game though.
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12 months ago we were completing a season where we had challenged for both domestic cups and come within a couple of wins of qualification for the Champions League. In terms of results and performances against top teams, it was one of our best seasons in 20 years.
We then appointed Paul Faulkner as Chief Executive Officer to run the club. I know whenever this subject is raised people try to downplay Faulkner’s role but CEO isn’t an honorary title. It denotes the person who has legal and operational responsibility for the running of the business, the equivalent of a Managing Director. I’ve never in my life come across a serious American business where the person with the title of CEO is anything other than the person who runs the business and I’ve no doubt whatsoever that Faulkner has been running this club for the last 12 months.
The decision to appoint Faulkner as CEO and his introduction of a strategy to reduce wages and rely on inexperienced youth players has been an unmitigated disaster.
I still don’t understand how Randy Lerner, who had been such a safe pair of hands, decided to appoint an inexperienced 32 year old relationship manager from a credit card company as managing director of Aston Villa. It hasn’t worked and needs to be addressed.
Get rid of Faulkner. Get rid of Houllier/McAllister, whose results have been truly appalling considering the resources at their disposal and put in place a senior team befitting of one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Let the new senior team decide which players should come and go.
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Villadawg, not sure you can say that it's Faulkner's fault that our senior pros have let us down this year. It wouldn't have been a 'strategy' that injuries to those players caused us to have to reply on the kids. The club did good business in the transfer market too.
The failures of this year have been down to high expectation not being satisfied, bad luck, bad management and a playing staff who let themselves and the club down more often than not.
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Villadawg, not sure you can say that it's Faulkner's fault that our senior pros have let us down this year. It wouldn't have been a 'strategy' that injuries to those players caused us to have to reply on the kids. The club did good business in the transfer market too.
The failures of this year have been down to high expectation not being satisfied, bad luck, bad management and a playing staff who let themselves and the club down more often than not.
Spot on. Saved me the trouble.
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12 months ago we were completing a season where we had challenged for both domestic cups and come within a couple of wins of qualification for the Champions League. In terms of results and performances against top teams, it was one of our best seasons in 20 years.
We then appointed Paul Faulkner as Chief Executive Officer to run the club. I know whenever this subject is raised people try to downplay Faulkner’s role but CEO isn’t an honorary title. It denotes the person who has legal and operational responsibility for the running of the business, the equivalent of a Managing Director. I’ve never in my life come across a serious American business where the person with the title of CEO is anything other than the person who runs the business and I’ve no doubt whatsoever that Faulkner has been running this club for the last 12 months.
The decision to appoint Faulkner as CEO and his introduction of a strategy to reduce wages and rely on inexperienced youth players has been an unmitigated disaster.
I still don’t understand how Randy Lerner, who had been such a safe pair of hands, decided to appoint an inexperienced 32 year old relationship manager from a credit card company as managing director of Aston Villa. It hasn’t worked and needs to be addressed.
Get rid of Faulkner. Get rid of Houllier/McAllister, whose results have been truly appalling considering the resources at their disposal and put in place a senior team befitting of one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Let the new senior team decide which players should come and go.
Agree completely, it's been an utter shambles both on and off the pitch. There's been no leadership from the top, and that has a lot to do with the choice of CEO, who from where I'm sitting, doesn't seem to have had a lot go right under his watch.
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I'd ship out
Friedal
Dunne
Collins
Petrov
Heskey
Salifou
L.Young
Beye
Osbourne
Ireland
Warnock
Delpth
Guzan
uncle bob
Osbourne
Delfouneso
NRC
Gary Mac
Harsh but fair.
Nothing Harsh about that
I would keep Delph thou
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If they all go, can we field a side ??
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12 months ago we were completing a season where we had challenged for both domestic cups and come within a couple of wins of qualification for the Champions League. In terms of results and performances against top teams, it was one of our best seasons in 20 years.
We then appointed Paul Faulkner as Chief Executive Officer to run the club. I know whenever this subject is raised people try to downplay Faulkner’s role but CEO isn’t an honorary title. It denotes the person who has legal and operational responsibility for the running of the business, the equivalent of a Managing Director. I’ve never in my life come across a serious American business where the person with the title of CEO is anything other than the person who runs the business and I’ve no doubt whatsoever that Faulkner has been running this club for the last 12 months.
The decision to appoint Faulkner as CEO and his introduction of a strategy to reduce wages and rely on inexperienced youth players has been an unmitigated disaster.
I still don’t understand how Randy Lerner, who had been such a safe pair of hands, decided to appoint an inexperienced 32 year old relationship manager from a credit card company as managing director of Aston Villa. It hasn’t worked and needs to be addressed.
Get rid of Faulkner. Get rid of Houllier/McAllister, whose results have been truly appalling considering the resources at their disposal and put in place a senior team befitting of one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Let the new senior team decide which players should come and go.
Because paying the likes of Beye, Shorey, Davies, Sidwell, etc to do fuck all but take money out of the club was a good idea wasn't it.
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12 months ago we were completing a season where we had challenged for both domestic cups and come within a couple of wins of qualification for the Champions League. In terms of results and performances against top teams, it was one of our best seasons in 20 years.
We then appointed Paul Faulkner as Chief Executive Officer to run the club. I know whenever this subject is raised people try to downplay Faulkner’s role but CEO isn’t an honorary title. It denotes the person who has legal and operational responsibility for the running of the business, the equivalent of a Managing Director. I’ve never in my life come across a serious American business where the person with the title of CEO is anything other than the person who runs the business and I’ve no doubt whatsoever that Faulkner has been running this club for the last 12 months.
The decision to appoint Faulkner as CEO and his introduction of a strategy to reduce wages and rely on inexperienced youth players has been an unmitigated disaster.
I still don’t understand how Randy Lerner, who had been such a safe pair of hands, decided to appoint an inexperienced 32 year old relationship manager from a credit card company as managing director of Aston Villa. It hasn’t worked and needs to be addressed.
Get rid of Faulkner. Get rid of Houllier/McAllister, whose results have been truly appalling considering the resources at their disposal and put in place a senior team befitting of one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Let the new senior team decide which players should come and go.
Are facts still sacred even when they're only speculation?
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Well, for a business losing about 100k per day, something needs to change
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12 months ago we were completing a season where we had challenged for both domestic cups and come within a couple of wins of qualification for the Champions League. In terms of results and performances against top teams, it was one of our best seasons in 20 years.
We then appointed Paul Faulkner as Chief Executive Officer to run the club. I know whenever this subject is raised people try to downplay Faulkner’s role but CEO isn’t an honorary title. It denotes the person who has legal and operational responsibility for the running of the business, the equivalent of a Managing Director. I’ve never in my life come across a serious American business where the person with the title of CEO is anything other than the person who runs the business and I’ve no doubt whatsoever that Faulkner has been running this club for the last 12 months.
The decision to appoint Faulkner as CEO and his introduction of a strategy to reduce wages and rely on inexperienced youth players has been an unmitigated disaster.
I still don’t understand how Randy Lerner, who had been such a safe pair of hands, decided to appoint an inexperienced 32 year old relationship manager from a credit card company as managing director of Aston Villa. It hasn’t worked and needs to be addressed.
Get rid of Faulkner. Get rid of Houllier/McAllister, whose results have been truly appalling considering the resources at their disposal and put in place a senior team befitting of one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Let the new senior team decide which players should come and go.
Because paying the likes of Beye, Shorey, Davies, Sidwell, etc to do fuck all but take money out of the club was a good idea wasn't it.
What's the alternative? Get the PFA to agree that your squad players are not paid when they aren't in the first team and the players to agree to join on that basis? Don't have senior well-paid squad players in reserve?
Having expensive squad players who aren't getting in the 1st team is a fact of life in the Premier League.
Those 4 players have made 174 appearances for Villa, I bet every club in the top 6 has similarly well paid experienced players who have played as few or fewer games.
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12 months ago we were completing a season where we had challenged for both domestic cups and come within a couple of wins of qualification for the Champions League. In terms of results and performances against top teams, it was one of our best seasons in 20 years.
We then appointed Paul Faulkner as Chief Executive Officer to run the club. I know whenever this subject is raised people try to downplay Faulkner’s role but CEO isn’t an honorary title. It denotes the person who has legal and operational responsibility for the running of the business, the equivalent of a Managing Director. I’ve never in my life come across a serious American business where the person with the title of CEO is anything other than the person who runs the business and I’ve no doubt whatsoever that Faulkner has been running this club for the last 12 months.
The decision to appoint Faulkner as CEO and his introduction of a strategy to reduce wages and rely on inexperienced youth players has been an unmitigated disaster.
I still don’t understand how Randy Lerner, who had been such a safe pair of hands, decided to appoint an inexperienced 32 year old relationship manager from a credit card company as managing director of Aston Villa. It hasn’t worked and needs to be addressed.
Get rid of Faulkner. Get rid of Houllier/McAllister, whose results have been truly appalling considering the resources at their disposal and put in place a senior team befitting of one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Let the new senior team decide which players should come and go.
Because paying the likes of Beye, Shorey, Davies, Sidwell, etc to do fuck all but take money out of the club was a good idea wasn't it.
What's the alternative? Get the PFA to agree that your squad players are not paid when they aren't in the first team and the players to agree to join on that basis? Don't have senior well-paid squad players in reserve?
Having expensive squad players who aren't getting in the 1st team is a fact of life in the Premier League.
Those 4 players have made 174 appearances for Villa, I bet every club in the top 6 has similarly well paid experienced players who have played as few or fewer games.
There are two alternatives -
1. Play them and give the first team regulars a bit of a rest every now and then.
2. Reduce the wage bill to stop the club losing money hand over fist.
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12 months ago we were completing a season where we had challenged for both domestic cups and come within a couple of wins of qualification for the Champions League. In terms of results and performances against top teams, it was one of our best seasons in 20 years.
We then appointed Paul Faulkner as Chief Executive Officer to run the club. I know whenever this subject is raised people try to downplay Faulkner’s role but CEO isn’t an honorary title. It denotes the person who has legal and operational responsibility for the running of the business, the equivalent of a Managing Director. I’ve never in my life come across a serious American business where the person with the title of CEO is anything other than the person who runs the business and I’ve no doubt whatsoever that Faulkner has been running this club for the last 12 months.
The decision to appoint Faulkner as CEO and his introduction of a strategy to reduce wages and rely on inexperienced youth players has been an unmitigated disaster.
I still don’t understand how Randy Lerner, who had been such a safe pair of hands, decided to appoint an inexperienced 32 year old relationship manager from a credit card company as managing director of Aston Villa. It hasn’t worked and needs to be addressed.
Get rid of Faulkner. Get rid of Houllier/McAllister, whose results have been truly appalling considering the resources at their disposal and put in place a senior team befitting of one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Let the new senior team decide which players should come and go.
Spot on. It's become apparant that Lerner's been poorly advised by Faulkner in the recent interview's he's given. Faulkner led the persuit of the manager, and rightly so in his position of CEO. He's got to go with Houllier. That and don't listen to Sir Graham again
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Faulkner doesn't advice Randy shit. He's just a yes man.
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Some of us are clearly living in dream world if they think we're going to be shipping out 15 odd players in the summer. You can not move on and replace that many players in three months, and even if you did, you'd have to be an absolute genius to get anything out of such turmoil.
From the midfield forwards, there's not a huge amount wrong with us. True, we don't press home our advantage when we have it, and whilst we enjoy a lot of possession, we frequently do not make the most of it, but the fundamentals are there. More than the fundamentals, in fact.
I would classify them as:
Ship out and replace with a natural first choice in their position - Dunne, Collins, Friedel
Ship out, they're bad news: Warnock, Ireland.
Ship out, because they're going whether we like it or not: Ashley Young.
Ship out, because his winter fuel allowance will kick in later in the year, so he won't need the money anyway: Pires
The above are bound to happen.
Then we have the following from which the odd one or two will be moved on, but nothing like all of them: Beye, Salifou, Osbourne, Heskey
Why not? Providing we wheel and deal in the transfer market and act quickly it can be done. Redknapp did the same at Spurs.
We could even use existing players as part of any potential deals. We've already agreed that this pre-season echo's 1994/1995. Not forgetting that Little did it in 994/1995 shipping out:
Barrett,Teale,Richardson,Parker,Houghton,Saunders,Atkinson,Fenton,Fashanu,Lamptey
Bringin In:
Johnson,Charles,Taylor,Draper,Southgate,Wright,Milosevic,Tiler,Carr
And BFR brought 11 in when he replaced DR .
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Agreed, Holte L2: I think a thorough clear-out is essential in order to get rid of the bad apples and give the kids we want to keep the chance to fight for their place and learn from some new (and better) role models.
But until the management team issue is resolved, we're all just speculating.
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Apart from Bent I wouldn't bothered seeing any of the others go, I couldn't care less about most of them it's been a long time since I felt like this about a Villa squad.
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Apart from Bent I wouldn't bothered seeing any of the others go, I couldn't care less about most of them it's been a long time since I felt like this about a Villa squad.
Same as me, and we are stuck with beye for another season as he just wants his 40k per week.
To thinkk habib Beye has cost us 8 million and the money spent on salifou knocks it up to 10 million.
Disgraceful
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I'd also ship out about 12 players, but the first is without any doubt Richard Dunne.
I can't stand that such an average player (that every game uses to concede one or two goals to the opponents) not only doesn't show any committment to the club but also earns the astronomic amount that he earns every week: www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/mar/17/...-dunne-collins-fined
In my long football-watcher carreer I have obviously seen many average players, but nobody that earned similar wages. I find that frankly outrageous.
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Apart from Bent I wouldn't bothered seeing any of the others go, I couldn't care less about most of them it's been a long time since I felt like this about a Villa squad.
What he said.
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Apart from Bent I wouldn't bothered seeing any of the others go, I couldn't care less about most of them it's been a long time since I felt like this about a Villa squad.
What he said.
Hmm. Downing? Albrighton? Clark? Would you really want them to go? I wouldn't, no chance.
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Apart from Bent I wouldn't bothered seeing any of the others go, I couldn't care less about most of them it's been a long time since I felt like this about a Villa squad.
What he said.
Hmm. Downing? Albrighton? Clark? Would you really want them to go? I wouldn't, no chance.
I wouldn't be bothered if they did.
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I'm looking forward to next season if some of the posters get their way. We'll be without a CEO, Manager or Coach and have a starting line up of.....er....... Marshall and Bent.
Well you can't mess with the spine of the team now can you.
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I'm looking forward to next season if some of the posters get their way. We'll be without a CEO, Manager or Coach and have a starting line up of.....er....... Marshall and Bent.
Well you can't mess with the spine of the team now can you.
The team is spineless. That has been proved time and time again this season.
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Spineless, yes. But they're not all a load of shit. What they have been, generally, is a bunch of whiny children all to quick to forget that they actually get paid to play football, its not just a bit of a giggle with their mates.
We need to replace some key players and accept that some are just going to want to move on, such is the way of the game. The complete dismantling of the team suggested here though is nothing short of reactionary crap that would either bankrupt us or relegate us.
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My assessment on what we need is;
First choice goalkeeper (Robinson), young goalkeeper (Westwood) as back-up or keep Freidal
First choice left back, right back (Walker) & experienced centre half (Samba!!?)
Midfield - someone with a presence (NRC), replacement for A Young (Nzogbia)
Upfront - someone who can play in the hole, target man to replace Heskey (Doyle)
Out
A Young - has shown in the last 2 games that his heart is no longer here. Talent deserves a bigger stage.
Osbourne -
Salifou -
Pires - pointless signing
Walker - make a sensible offer to Spurs but I can't see him being here next season
Marshall -
Out if we get offers
Ireland - can't see anyone offering anything of value
Warnock - can go back to the North West
Dunne - think he is still a top class defender but think he may have overstepped the line
Collins - think his general decision making & defending at set pieces is a major contribution to our goals against this season. Should never be a first choice player.
Guzan - not good enough for the premiership
Heskey - hope rumour of Leicester wanting him is true
Beye - pay the fcuker off, we won't get any offer for this bloke
Offer new contract
NRC - at a sensible level
L Young - squad player offer 1 year
Friedal - not first choice 1 year
Keep
Petrov - still a good player & leader.
Bent - we can't rely on his goals
Gabby - needs to stay fit & a good run of games
Downing - best player this season
Albrighton - good in patches, ordinary in others. Not convinced.
Bannan - top class footballer pre-season is his opportunity to step up.
Delph - top class, has all the attributes. Another one who's pre-season is a big chance to step up.
Makoun - great touch & vision, needs to be stronger when in possession
Clarke - top class footballer, will become a first team regular
Cuellar - been unlucky not to get more games, maybe not a good enough footballer for our new style
Fonz - has the ability, an eye for goal but not convinced he has the desire
Hogg - could be a long-term replacement for NRC
Lichaj - not seen enough of him to judge
As good as the young players are, they have shown that they are need to be brought in slowly. We can't expect Bannan, Albrighton and Clarke to replace Petrov, A Young and Dunne for a full season. I get the impression that plans are already in place for those staying / going / coming and that the manager appreciates that the pre-season is vital to how the season pans out (baring injuries etc..) I don't think we'll be waiting until the last few days of the window to do our business.
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more outs than ins, and a reliance on youth is the order of the day
Our debts cannot spiral any further out of control
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This would be my Plan A:
Release:
Carew
Salifou
Osbourne
Pires
Marshall
Sell:
Heskey
Beye
Warnock
Dunne
Petrov
Ireland
New deals offered to:
Friedel (1 year with coaching role)
Reo-Coker (3 years)
Ashley Young (4 years)*
Sign:
No.1 keeper
No.1 RB (Walker ideally)
CB
LB
Attacking midfielder
Centre forward (not necessarily a 'targetman' type but in that kind of style to give us an extra dimension)
I'd also consider signing Bradley if the price is reasonable (£3-4m) as he's only 23 and has decent potential.
On paper, those new signings add to the following squad:
Friedel
Guzan
L Young
Collins
Clark
Cuellar
Baker
Lichaj
Delph
NRC
Makoun
Albrighton
Downing
Bent
Agbonlahor
A Young
Bannan
Hogg
Weimann
*If Ashley Young doesn't sign a new deal - and I don't expect him to, this is my Plan A scenario here - I'd obviously sell him but not necessarily spend big on a direct replacement; Downing and Albrighton would be my starting wingers next season and it may be that Seb Larsson on a free transfer fills the role as cover/competition.
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Fonz is not good enough imo. young is on the way out anyway, delpth we got seriously ripped off by leeds
Fonz's development would have been helped by him going out on loan a couple of seasons ago. However, at the time, Villa needed him as the reserve forward and had to keep him in house.