Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: wolfman999 on February 01, 2013, 05:14:11 PM

Title: What if...
Post by: wolfman999 on February 01, 2013, 05:14:11 PM
Assuming we are playing in the Championship next year, which for some unfathomable reason appears to be Lerner's plan (so it will cost less to run the club maybe), what if we have a great year and look like getting promoted back.

Is he going to scupper any promotion push?

Sounds crazy but no more so than the decisions of the last three years.

Opinions please.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: not3bad on February 01, 2013, 05:16:41 PM
So assuming he wants us in the championship and assuming we go down and then assuming we do well in the championship then guess why he'd would possibly want to do something.  Can we include a few more what ifs in that question?
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: wolfman999 on February 01, 2013, 05:20:16 PM
IF IF IF IF IF IF IF  There are you happy now ::)
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: supertom on February 01, 2013, 05:28:45 PM
I'm looking forward to being a mid-table club again next season. At least will win as many as we'll lose.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: N'Zimidy on February 01, 2013, 05:33:51 PM
I was just going to make this topic. In all honesty we NEED to get rid of the deadwood and have a proper clear-out. If we chuck £50k a week on two or three players each January to make sure we stay up, the cycle of depressing seasons would continue and continue. If we can pull off a Newcastle by getting rid of the deadwood and having a young squad start afresh in the Championship then, with some astute foreign signings, we could be in the same position we were 3 years ago with a much cheaper, younger squad.

You never know, this squad of ours might still cling onto survival and we would have done so without bringing in any overpriced rubbish like Parker / SWP / Palacios who would command wages of 60k+. Making us much healthier in the summer and able to invest in some quality like Vlaar / Lowton / Benteke all over again for very little wages.

If we were to go down then all of these players would be off the books almost immediately:

Given (50k), Vlaar (30k), Dunne (50k), Ireland (75k), N'Zogbia (50k), Makoun (35k), Petrov (40k), Bent (80k) and Benteke (25k).

Might leave:

Agbonlahor, El Ahmadi, Guzan, Holman

So we will probably end up with a squad looking like:

Guzan, Lowton, Baker, Clark, Bennett, Stephens, Sylla, Westwood, Delph, Bannan, Herd, El Ahmadi, Gardner, Carruthers, Dawkins, Weimann, Agbonlahor, Holman, Bowery

In all honesty, that squad isn't god awful. Our midfield / defence would be the same as it is now, we'd only really lose Benteke and Vlaar from the starting line-up and we would have most of our wages cut from the wage bill. A bit of investment from selling players or even from Lerner and we would be in a very strong position to finish top of the Championship. We do have to be smart about our wage situation from now on in and I think a manager like Lambert would do very well with a clean slate and an opportunity to have free reign over the wage bill rather than having to work to lower it considerably.

Relegation would be awful but it wouldn't kill us. I don't welcome it but I think it might be good for us in the long run.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: supertom on February 01, 2013, 05:39:44 PM
Think we'd need a couple of older, reliable heads in. West Ham did great business signing Nolan when they went down. It's paid dividends in getting them back up and keeping them there. A signing or two of that ilk would not only have helped us this season, but next season could be invaluable in jumping straight back up and having someone to help keep us up.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: atticus snood on February 01, 2013, 05:40:44 PM
I'm sure Forest, Leeds, Sheffield (Wednesday and  United) Blackburn, Leeds, Leicester, Derby and Wimbledon all thought it might make them stronger if they were relegated.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: wolfman999 on February 01, 2013, 05:45:31 PM
I can understand the logic of saying a year out to re-group etc. but that takes no account of the TV money on offer next year. £60M to the team finishing 20th has been quoted.

The potential for those clubs in the Premiership to strengthen their squads surely means it will be much more difficult for promoted teams to compete and get established.

It's tough enough as it is, and if you look at the last few years, often the relegation places are filled with sides that only came up the year before.

Title: Re: What if...
Post by: supertom on February 01, 2013, 05:46:32 PM
I'm sure Forest, Leeds, Sheffield (Wednesday and  United) Blackburn, Leeds, Leicester, Derby and Wimbledon all thought it might make them stronger if they were relegated.
We haven't put ourselves in the financial mess some of those clubs have. And if we can make a decent appointment in the summer we should be able to put ourselves in the Newcastle bracket and come back up.

Of course our finances could suddenly look troublesome come Sept and if Randy is still here, the chances of the right appointment would be slim.
I think we should come straight up. Mid-table at worst. I don't see a Leeds style implosion.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: N'Zimidy on February 01, 2013, 05:53:27 PM
I can understand the logic of saying a year out to re-group etc. but that takes no account of the TV money on offer next year. £60M to the team finishing 20th has been quoted.

The potential for those clubs in the Premiership to strengthen their squads surely means it will be much more difficult for promoted teams to compete and get established.

It's tough enough as it is, and if you look at the last few years, often the relegation places are filled with sides that only came up the year before.

The teams around us like QPR are spending beyond their means to try and scrape together a rescue attempt. Even with the new TV deal they can't afford the wages they're putting out. We spend £150k a week on three news players this January and the new TV deal still wouldn't cover that expenditure. We are simply spending too much right now.

However, if we go down, we will keep our first team together and when we get promoted the year after, with the new TV money, we will be able to have a field day in the transfer market and really establish ourselves as a top half side.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: supertom on February 01, 2013, 05:59:20 PM
I can understand the logic of saying a year out to re-group etc. but that takes no account of the TV money on offer next year. £60M to the team finishing 20th has been quoted.

The potential for those clubs in the Premiership to strengthen their squads surely means it will be much more difficult for promoted teams to compete and get established.

It's tough enough as it is, and if you look at the last few years, often the relegation places are filled with sides that only came up the year before.

The teams around us like QPR are spending beyond their means to try and scrape together a rescue attempt. Even with the new TV deal they can't afford the wages they're putting out. We spend £150k a week on three news players this January and the new TV deal still wouldn't cover that expenditure. We are simply spending too much right now.

However, if we go down, we will keep our first team together and when we get promoted the year after, with the new TV money, we will be able to have a field day in the transfer market and really establish ourselves as a top half side.
Randy is that you? Where the hell have you been!?
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: Rip Van We Go Again on February 01, 2013, 06:05:04 PM
When we go down, we won't be coming up anytime soon with Retard Lerner and Skidmark Faulkner pulling the strings.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: IronDukeVillain on February 01, 2013, 06:12:52 PM
Who is going to take all those players off our hands? i did read somewhere that it would cost us £17 million in wages as we have not included relegation clauses in contracts? A Friend of mine was a Derby fan and he always said at least we will win matches when we get relegated and play in the Championship. Not an easy league to play in at all.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: Mortimer's Bear on February 01, 2013, 06:14:56 PM
McGrath was one of us?
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: tomd2103 on February 01, 2013, 06:18:40 PM
I was just going to make this topic. In all honesty we NEED to get rid of the deadwood and have a proper clear-out. If we were to go down then all of these players would be off the books almost immediately:

Given (50k), Vlaar (30k), Dunne (50k), Ireland (75k), N'Zogbia (50k), Makoun (35k), Petrov (40k), Bent (80k) and Benteke (25k).


Absolutely no guarantee we would be able to get rid of all of those.  Why would Given and Ireland go anywhere when they are unlikely to get the kind of money we are paying them?   
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: garyellis on February 01, 2013, 06:22:17 PM
I can understand the logic of saying a year out to re-group etc. but that takes no account of the TV money on offer next year. £60M to the team finishing 20th has been quoted.

The potential for those clubs in the Premiership to strengthen their squads surely means it will be much more difficult for promoted teams to compete and get established.

It's tough enough as it is, and if you look at the last few years, often the relegation places are filled with sides that only came up the year before.

The teams around us like QPR are spending beyond their means to try and scrape together a rescue attempt. Even with the new TV deal they can't afford the wages they're putting out. We spend £150k a week on three news players this January and the new TV deal still wouldn't cover that expenditure. We are simply spending too much right now.

However, if we go down, we will keep our first team together and when we get promoted the year after, with the new TV money, we will be able to have a field day in the transfer market and really establish ourselves as a top half side.
Randy is that you? Where the hell have you been!?
If it is anyone at Villa it would explain a lot it's a right load of bollocks
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: Ger Regan on February 01, 2013, 06:38:12 PM
When we go down, we won't be coming up anytime soon with Retard Lerner and Skidmark Faulkner pulling the strings.
You should really think about refraining from using terms like retard as an insult, it makes you look like something that, from my past experience of you on this board, you are not.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: levico on February 01, 2013, 06:52:02 PM
Frankly I think Lerner will allow us to keep on going down until the club is run on a shoestring. Haven't got a clue what division that will be although I suspect League1.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: Rip Van We Go Again on February 01, 2013, 07:19:06 PM
When we go down, we won't be coming up anytime soon with Retard Lerner and Skidmark Faulkner pulling the strings.
You should really think about refraining from using terms like retard as an insult, it makes you look like something that, from my past experience of you on this board, you are not.

You're quite right and i'm quite wrong.
It's sheer rage that makes me say it, I shouldn't let it get to me.

I still believe this is all a bad fucking dream.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: Ger Regan on February 01, 2013, 07:39:11 PM
I figured as much, didn't want it to come across as having a go either......
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: N'Zimidy on February 01, 2013, 07:50:45 PM
I was just going to make this topic. In all honesty we NEED to get rid of the deadwood and have a proper clear-out. If we were to go down then all of these players would be off the books almost immediately:

Given (50k), Vlaar (30k), Dunne (50k), Ireland (75k), N'Zogbia (50k), Makoun (35k), Petrov (40k), Bent (80k) and Benteke (25k).


Absolutely no guarantee we would be able to get rid of all of those.  Why would Given and Ireland go anywhere when they are unlikely to get the kind of money we are paying them?   

Relegation clauses.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: Trinitymiddle on February 01, 2013, 07:55:00 PM
I was just going to make this topic. In all honesty we NEED to get rid of the deadwood and have a proper clear-out. If we were to go down then all of these players would be off the books almost immediately:

Given (50k), Vlaar (30k), Dunne (50k), Ireland (75k), N'Zogbia (50k), Makoun (35k), Petrov (40k), Bent (80k) and Benteke (25k).


Absolutely no guarantee we would be able to get rid of all of those.  Why would Given and Ireland go anywhere when they are unlikely to get the kind of money we are paying them?   

Relegation clauses.

There are several players at the Villa, including Dunne and Ireland and Bent with no relegation clauses in their contracts. It was in the papers a few weeks ago. Article below from Daily Mirror:

Aston Villa are sitting on a ticking time bomb that will force the club into a major cut-price clear-out if they are relegated.

Sunday Mirror Sport understands top-paid Villa players Darren Bent, Stephen Ireland, Shay Given and Charles N’Zogbia do not have relegation clauses in their contracts.

With Gabriel Agbonlahor and Alan Hutton also on healthy deals that run to 2015, Villa cannot afford to go down without slashing the wage bill.

Villa’s annual wage bill for those six alone – who have all been dumped or demoted by manager Paul Lambert – is just under a staggering £17million.

A Villa Park source said: “The big earners do not have relegation clauses and the club cannot afford to keep paying them if they go down. Their only option will be to find new clubs for them.” The expensive contracts of Richard Dunne and Stephen Warnock expire in the summer and they will not be renewed if the club cannot find buyers for the pair this month.

But Villa are terrified of the double threat of being relegated and stuck with an enormous wage bill for players who are not part of Lambert’s plans.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: Rip Van We Go Again on February 01, 2013, 08:08:59 PM
I figured as much, didn't want it to come across as having a go either......

I was pretty much told what would happen by a journo at 11am yesterday (bar the players names) so why it still puts me in a rage, I don't know.
Denial I guess.
Somehow hoping that we would get some experience and quality in.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: tomd2103 on February 01, 2013, 08:56:25 PM
I was just going to make this topic. In all honesty we NEED to get rid of the deadwood and have a proper clear-out. If we were to go down then all of these players would be off the books almost immediately:

Given (50k), Vlaar (30k), Dunne (50k), Ireland (75k), N'Zogbia (50k), Makoun (35k), Petrov (40k), Bent (80k) and Benteke (25k).


Absolutely no guarantee we would be able to get rid of all of those.  Why would Given and Ireland go anywhere when they are unlikely to get the kind of money we are paying them?   

Relegation clauses.

There are several players at the Villa, including Dunne and Ireland and Bent with no relegation clauses in their contracts. It was in the papers a few weeks ago. Article below from Daily Mirror:

Aston Villa are sitting on a ticking time bomb that will force the club into a major cut-price clear-out if they are relegated.

Sunday Mirror Sport understands top-paid Villa players Darren Bent, Stephen Ireland, Shay Given and Charles N’Zogbia do not have relegation clauses in their contracts.

With Gabriel Agbonlahor and Alan Hutton also on healthy deals that run to 2015, Villa cannot afford to go down without slashing the wage bill.

Villa’s annual wage bill for those six alone – who have all been dumped or demoted by manager Paul Lambert – is just under a staggering £17million.



That is a concern.  Those are the kind of wages that have resulted in Portsmouth being in their current position. 
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: Fergal on February 01, 2013, 09:15:07 PM
I figured as much, didn't want it to come across as having a go either......
Ger Regan the voice of reason...
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: N'Zimidy on February 01, 2013, 09:19:29 PM
I was just going to make this topic. In all honesty we NEED to get rid of the deadwood and have a proper clear-out. If we were to go down then all of these players would be off the books almost immediately:

Given (50k), Vlaar (30k), Dunne (50k), Ireland (75k), N'Zogbia (50k), Makoun (35k), Petrov (40k), Bent (80k) and Benteke (25k).


Absolutely no guarantee we would be able to get rid of all of those.  Why would Given and Ireland go anywhere when they are unlikely to get the kind of money we are paying them?   

Relegation clauses.

There are several players at the Villa, including Dunne and Ireland and Bent with no relegation clauses in their contracts. It was in the papers a few weeks ago. Article below from Daily Mirror:

Aston Villa are sitting on a ticking time bomb that will force the club into a major cut-price clear-out if they are relegated.

Sunday Mirror Sport understands top-paid Villa players Darren Bent, Stephen Ireland, Shay Given and Charles N’Zogbia do not have relegation clauses in their contracts.

With Gabriel Agbonlahor and Alan Hutton also on healthy deals that run to 2015, Villa cannot afford to go down without slashing the wage bill.

Villa’s annual wage bill for those six alone – who have all been dumped or demoted by manager Paul Lambert – is just under a staggering £17million.

A Villa Park source said: “The big earners do not have relegation clauses and the club cannot afford to keep paying them if they go down. Their only option will be to find new clubs for them.” The expensive contracts of Richard Dunne and Stephen Warnock expire in the summer and they will not be renewed if the club cannot find buyers for the pair this month.

But Villa are terrified of the double threat of being relegated and stuck with an enormous wage bill for players who are not part of Lambert’s plans.


Well that's just shocking. I highly doubt that source is accurate though. Relegation clauses are a must have for any club outside of the top four. Anyhow, Bent will find a suitor. Dunne is gone. N'Zogbia has probably shown enough to get a new club. The only one's we would be left with would be Given and Ireland. Ireland's contract is up at the end of next year so the need for Premier League football probably means he'll take a transfer out so extend his career another 5-6 more years. I really do think we'll only be stuck with Given and he's not even a bad option to have.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: eamonn on February 01, 2013, 09:48:55 PM
What If...Lightning Seeds wasn't it? Harmless guitar-pop but feckin' ear-candy all the same. Fair dos. They're not Evertonians, are they? Feck 'em, then.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: TonyD on February 01, 2013, 10:01:18 PM
If we go down, cut the costs to the bone, look like coming back up and RL deliberately screws it up - well that would ridiculous.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: danlanza on February 01, 2013, 10:14:06 PM

Says it all to me this tune.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: ozzjim on February 01, 2013, 10:46:40 PM
I think Given would go because he is a top pro and would take a free transfer out.

Ireland - again nominal fee someone will take the nutter.

Dunne/ Warnock both not going to be here.

Hutton - 2 clubs have taken him on loan- 500k he would be gone.

Bent will still go aroun 8 million

Benteke will go for 15 ish relegated or not.

Vlaar - Maybe go but would get our money back.

About what - 25 million a season?

Gabby would re-negotiate a lower deal or be sold too, and there would be takers.

Then Lerner would have to give the man in charge 10 million of the proceeds to get a couple of centre backs, a big battering centre forward and an old head in the middle of the park to keep it all under control.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: not3bad on February 01, 2013, 11:15:43 PM
If we go down, cut the costs to the bone, look like coming back up and RL deliberately screws it up - well that would ridiculous.

You'd have to work out what his motivation would be. Can't think of one myself.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: olaftab on February 02, 2013, 12:52:24 AM
Assuming we are playing in the Championship

Opinions please.
Fuck off. Just don't say it.
Title: Re: What if...
Post by: martin o`who?? on February 02, 2013, 05:51:27 PM
Actually, i`m quite looking forward to getting......actually.. no, im not.
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