Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Rip Van We Go Again on May 06, 2011, 09:30:08 AM
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sportinglife.com
Gary McAllister admits the lure of Champions League football may make it difficult for Aston Villa to keep hold of Ashley Young after this season.
Caretaker-manager McAllister refuses to accept it is inevitable Young, who has only year left of his contract, will move from Villa Park.
But he knows what it means to play on the biggest club stage after tasting it with Liverpool at the tail end of his distinguished career.
McAllister, who continues to deputise while manager Gerard Houllier recovers from his heart problems, said: "I don't think it's inevitable Ashley will go.
"We will do everything we can to keep him here. He has become an England player playing for Aston Villa.
"The partnership of him and Darren Bent has looked exciting for Fabio Capello, for sure. The grass is also not always greener somewhere else but we are not silly. We have to be realistic.
"All players have ambition to play in the Champions League.
"We can't give them that. It's a goal but we all know how difficult it is to get up there.
"You can always understand the lure of playing in that competition. I managed to get a touch of it as a balding old man (with Liverpool) and it is a great experience."
McAllister knows Young will have to come to terms with being more under the microscope if he joins one of the top four clubs compared to at Villa.
He said: "It's difficult because you know how high the expectation levels are here.
"But when you go to these other clubs - I'm talking about the top four or five where the pressure is on - then the microscope becomes even greater.
"The criticism becomes greater because each and every little move is under scrutiny. Some people can't deal with it."
McAllister is quick to praise Young for the way he has remained focused on helping Villa in their relegation battle.
He said: "The facts are that Ashley could have been distracted with all the talk.
"There's not a day passed when he hasn't been linked with somebody but he is a good professional.
"Maybe in games he's been a wee bit up and down - but he gives 100%"
McAllister confirmed Villa plan to hold talks with midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker, who is out of contract in the summer, over his future.
He said: "We spoke the last time in November, December but we're fully aware of the situation and we'll be looking to speak to Nigel over the next two or three weeks.
"He's a player who's been very committed since we've arrived, when he's been in the team and out of the team.
"He's actually won his place in the team by the way he's gone about his training in the week and I applaud that."
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Is it just me or is GMac getting lots of media time at the moment? - he really ought to buutton it and get on with the job of preparing to win 3 points on Saturday.
I suspect this is his way of positioning himself into the role in advance of any announcement from Mr. GHou.
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Is it just me or is GMac getting lots of media time at the moment? - he really ought to buutton it and get on with the job of preparing to win 3 points on Saturday.
I suspect this is his way of positioning himself into the role in advance of any announcement from Mr. GHou.
Our manager is recovering from illness. He is the assistant so steps into all media sessions etc. Obvious really.
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Is it just me or is GMac getting lots of media time at the moment? - he really ought to buutton it and get on with the job of preparing to win 3 points on Saturday.
I suspect this is his way of positioning himself into the role in advance of any announcement from Mr. GHou.
Our manager is recovering from illness. He is the assistant so steps into all media sessions etc. Obvious really.
No, it's not obvious as you put it - do a quick media analysis of the number of press comments Mr GHou makes in an average week. I think you'll find that GMac has exceeded the average quite comfortably since he stepped into the breach.
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TBH Young has annoyed me this season with his inconsistency. He plays excellent for England a couple matches for us, then the rest of the time he's playing worse than an 8 year old in a park. Saying that, mind, I don't think it's his fault. GH seems to enjoy playing him in the centre, which obviously doesn't work.
At present I'm more worried about losing Downing than Ash if I'm honest.
Saying that, I will still be disappointed if, or when, he goes.
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Is it just me or is GMac getting lots of media time at the moment? - he really ought to buutton it and get on with the job of preparing to win 3 points on Saturday.
I suspect this is his way of positioning himself into the role in advance of any announcement from Mr. GHou.
Our manager is recovering from illness. He is the assistant so steps into all media sessions etc. Obvious really.
No, it's not obvious as you put it - do a quick media analysis of the number of press comments Mr GHou makes in an average week. I think you'll find that GMac has exceeded the average quite comfortably since he stepped into the breach.
The day before a game the manager is obliged to give a press conference.
That is where the comments have come from.
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Paving the way for Young's exit, seemingly
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It's all lip service to make it look as though the club are doing their upmost to keep him.
He's leaving and the club knew that months ago.
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Is it just me or is GMac getting lots of media time at the moment? - he really ought to buutton it and get on with the job of preparing to win 3 points on Saturday.
I suspect this is his way of positioning himself into the role in advance of any announcement from Mr. GHou.
So would you prefer him conduct his press conference in silence?
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I reckon he will leave i don't want him to go but i think he will.
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"All players have ambition to play in the Champions League. We can't give them that."
This is all we need to know about where we are now as a football club. As for Ashley, he'll certainly go, as will any other player with a sniff of CL football.
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Is it just me or is GMac getting lots of media time at the moment? - he really ought to buutton it and get on with the job of preparing to win 3 points on Saturday.
I suspect this is his way of positioning himself into the role in advance of any announcement from Mr. GHou.
So would you prefer him conduct his press conference in silence?
He's been verbal all week. I know there is a scheduled Press conference; it's just my observation that he has been far more vocal in the media than GHou normally is.
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This Ashley Young stuff is getting boring if you ask me
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Is it just me or is GMac getting lots of media time at the moment? - he really ought to buutton it and get on with the job of preparing to win 3 points on Saturday.
I suspect this is his way of positioning himself into the role in advance of any announcement from Mr. GHou.
So would you prefer him conduct his press conference in silence?
I'd like to see him do it through the medium of mime.
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This Ashley Young stuff is getting boring if you ask me
agree..
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This bloke has the ability to say the wrong things, he's nothing but Houlliers yes man, playing Pires at completely the wrong time on Saturday proved that and i believe it cost us the match.
I was always worried when we employed this bloke...
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"All players have ambition to play in the Champions League. We can't give them that."
This is all we need to know about where we are now as a football club. As for Ashley, he'll certainly go, as will any other player with a sniff of CL football.
It's just a statement of fact.
He added "It's a goal but we all know how difficult it is to get up there", which again is something we all know.
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This Ashley Young stuff is getting boring if you ask me
agree..
And its not even started yet.
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This Ashley Young stuff is getting boring if you ask me
agree..
And its not even started yet.
It started months ago!
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As Fletch pointed out, sounds like lip service and preparing us for the inevitable. Ashley leaving has probably been known to the club for yonks.
I'm more concerned with McAllister's media comments that seem to say that he will be with us next season!
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Considering we have been through this twice in the last 2 seasons, i think we can all guess how this will play out, and who will say what. Gary Mc is only trying to say the right things, in these cases the only person to stop all the speculation is the player himself, and the silence is defeaning.
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Ash hasn't signed a new contract, it's in BOLD and ITALICS UNDERLINED what's occurring !
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Why did he need to say anything? Yes, the reporters are going to ask but he does have an option to deflect it. Why not just say that "all these matters will be decided at the end of the season" and trot out a couple of cliches? He and Houllier do seem to have a knack of saying the wrong thing more often than other people.
He really does seem to believe he and Houllier will be deciding these matters which is frankly a bit weird considering the AWFUL campaign we've had. That's either bullish optimism, a nod form the board we don't know about or some kind of kidology to get the players believing GH / McCallister are going to be in charge of their futures and so playing for the manager. I hope it's the latter.
I'm not overly bothered as I'd argue it's been flaming obvious Young's off since last year.
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It won't be as bad as when Milner left.
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As Fletch pointed out, sounds like lip service and preparing us for the inevitable. Ashley leaving has probably been known to the club for yonks.
I'm more concerned with McAllister's media comments that seem to say that he will be with us next season!
Reading countless football biographies over the years, it seems that deals are done months in advance of a player leaving, at least by verbal agreement anyway.
The club are coming out with the 'trying to get him to stay' bollocks to make it look like we're putting up a fight to keep him, but it's all Grade A bullshit, the fight was finished months ago.
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It's all lip service to make it look as though the club are doing their upmost to keep him.
He's leaving and the club knew that months ago.
even if it is that, they don't really have another option. If they say what they are saying we read between the lines. If they say "he's off and there's nothing we can do" they'd get royally and rightly slagged off by all and sundry for lacking ambition. Damned if you do and all that.
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I'd personally rather Houllier or McAllister just said nothing!
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and worked on those set pieces to defend better!
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Cash him in,take 25Million thank you very much,play Albrighton instead (who's better anyway imo) and buy a top class goalie and strike partner for Bent.
Maybe even buy Milner back since all he does at City is keep his arse warm on the bench.
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I think we'll be lucky to see more than £10m, nevermind £25m.
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As Fletch pointed out, sounds like lip service and preparing us for the inevitable. Ashley leaving has probably been known to the club for yonks.
I'm more concerned with McAllister's media comments that seem to say that he will be with us next season!
Reading countless football biographies over the years, it seems that deals are done months in advance of a player leaving, at least by verbal agreement anyway.
The club are coming out with the 'trying to get him to stay' bollocks to make it look like we're putting up a fight to keep him, but it's all Grade A bullshit, the fight was finished months ago.
The fight was over the minute he didn't sign that contract extension. He's off.
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This yet another one of those, "he's really for sale but don't think it'll be cheap" type statements from Mack. He's off. We all know it.
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Of course he is off.
Can you blame him. He can be playing in the Champions League next season or if he stays can be battling relegation again next season with those two clowns in charge. Well what would you do ? He's a Villa employee not a Villa fan.
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Ashley is gone, its just a question of who too and for how much
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Ashley is gone, its just a question of who too and for how much
I reckon Liverpool. I know they're not chumps league but I reckon he can be convinced to go there. He's just what they need as well.
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The way Liverpool are going they will qualify for the Europa league which will be added incentive,they are looking to offload Joe Cole and he could go our way as a make weight,he would be good for us and Villa would be just the sort of club he would need to kickstart his career.
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Joe Cole?
Dearie me I think that's even nuttier than your 9/11 theories ;)
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As Fletch pointed out, sounds like lip service and preparing us for the inevitable. Ashley leaving has probably been known to the club for yonks.
I'm more concerned with McAllister's media comments that seem to say that he will be with us next season!
Reading countless football biographies over the years, it seems that deals are done months in advance of a player leaving, at least by verbal agreement anyway.
The club are coming out with the 'trying to get him to stay' bollocks to make it look like we're putting up a fight to keep him, but it's all Grade A bullshit, the fight was finished months ago.
The fight was over the minute he didn't sign that contract extension. He's off.
Absolutely, and these comments are supposed to appease supports - I wish the club would stop treating the fans like morons. That said, most clubs do...
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I'm sure he will go, hopefully it is all done quickly and we can plan for the new season.
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He wants to go to a bigger club with higher aspirations than us, we are resigned to losing him. Get as much for him as we can and move on. I think they call it the food chain. We've lost better than him before and will do so in the future I'm sure.
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It's all lip service to make it look as though the club are doing their upmost to keep him.
He's leaving and the club knew that months ago.
even if it is that, they don't really have another option. If they say what they are saying we read between the lines. If they say "he's off and there's nothing we can do" they'd get royally and rightly slagged off by all and sundry for lacking ambition. Damned if you do and all that.
So, better to lie then?
Why not just keep schtum?
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It's all lip service to make it look as though the club are doing their upmost to keep him.
He's leaving and the club knew that months ago.
even if it is that, they don't really have another option. If they say what they are saying we read between the lines. If they say "he's off and there's nothing we can do" they'd get royally and rightly slagged off by all and sundry for lacking ambition. Damned if you do and all that.
So, better to lie then?
Why not just keep schtum?
Because it was a reply to a journalist's question in a press conference.
If he'd just replied 'no comment', we would be whinging about that as well.
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It's all lip service to make it look as though the club are doing their upmost to keep him.
He's leaving and the club knew that months ago.
even if it is that, they don't really have another option. If they say what they are saying we read between the lines. If they say "he's off and there's nothing we can do" they'd get royally and rightly slagged off by all and sundry for lacking ambition. Damned if you do and all that.
So, better to lie then?
Why not just keep schtum?
Because it was a reply to a journalist's question in a press conference.
If he'd just replied 'no comment', we would be whinging about that as well.
What's the point in saying 'we're hoping to keep him' when it isn't going to happen?
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Because that's the truth.
I'm pretty sure they do hope to keep him, however ridiculously unlikely it is that we actually will.
I really can't see any issue with what he has said here.
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Does he think we are all idiots? Ashley's going, no doubt about it. Let's haold out for as much as we can, do the deal in June and start rebuilding.