Summer 2010 Transfer Thread: B*llsh*t, Rumours & Wishes

[Mazrim]

We do look at and buy overseas players but it seems to be the younger ones with promise. We have a pretty impressive academy/reserve team because of it. That also backs up what ISM said about scouting the U21 tournaments.
It makes sense to me. Get them before they're expensive. Less risk.

Maybe we dont take gambles on senior players without PL experience. I would rather we did occasionally but if its something MON doesnt like doing well, fair enough. Its his call I suppose.
But there are several examples of MON buying players who dont have PL experience so I wouldnt be over concerned.

[dave.woodhall]

But Storey-Moore admitted Villa boss Martin O'Neill would only be interested in men with Premier League experience.'

That's depressing to read. How myopic a transfer pre-requisite is that?

Harry Redknapp works in a similar way, rarely buying players who haven't already got experience in this country. It's just the way they prefer to operate, I don't see why it should depress you.

Gullit, Henry, Zola, Bergkamp, Fabregas, Viera, Drogba, Juninho, van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo, Schmeichel, Klinsmann, Tevez, Torres, van Persie. Doesn't the fact that our manager wouldn't consider buying any of them depress you even a tiny, little bit?

[Dave]

It does also beg the question how the likes of Cuellar, Guzan and Carew ended up at Villa if the quote is true.

I think 'based in Britain' is more accurate.  Guzan, Carew and Salifou are, I think, the only exceptions in 4 years.

I think you're right.

But don't those very exceptions prove that the statement that everyone is getting worked up about is wrong?

There's no way on earth I'm going to argue that he loves foreign players or does as much shopping abroad as most others and I fully expect most of our signings this summer to be same but the few exceptions do suggest that the statement "Villa boss Martin O'Neill would only be interested in men with Premier League experience" is not true.

[hilts_coolerking]

There's no way on earth I'm going to argue that he loves foreign players or does as much shopping abroad as most others and I fully expect most of our signings this summer to be same but the few exceptions do suggest that the statement "Villa boss Martin O'Neill would only be interested in men with Premier League experience" is not true.

Well no, it's not 100% true.

But it's very very close to it.  Close enough to be fairly described as a general policy.  I'm struggling to understand why he thinks this is to the club's advantage.  Or, to put it another way, why he thinks limiting his options is to the club's advantage.

Given the strength of the competition we face for Champions League qualification, surely we've got to be giving ourselves every possible chance to to do well.

[tomstlh]

Steven Fletcher just signed for Wolves.

[Concrete John]

Gullit, Henry, Zola, Bergkamp, Fabregas, Viera, Drogba, Juninho, van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo, Schmeichel, Klinsmann, Tevez, Torres, van Persie. Doesn't the fact that our manager wouldn't consider buying any of them depress you even a tiny, little bit?

Slightly different argument as the players you mention, other than the ones in bold, were established international stars that ANY manager would take, regardless of where they play.

It's those in bold that came in as lesser known players and made their name that I think we should be after.  But then we HAVE done that with UK players such as Ash and Milner, so it's not all depressing.

[Greg N'Ash]

a fairer statement would be "Villa boss Martin O'Neill would only be interested in spending significant money on men with uk based League experience"

[Dave]

a fairer statement would be "Villa boss Martin O'Neill would only be interested in spending decent money on men with Premier League experience"

I'd say that is a very fair way to put it.

[Greg N'Ash]

heh. even more refined now

[Concrete John]

a fairer statement would be "Villa boss Martin O'Neill would only be interested in spending significant money on men with uk based League experience"

Yep, you're noted for your fairness in all things MON related.

[dave.woodhall]

Gullit, Henry, Zola, Bergkamp, Fabregas, Viera, Drogba, Juninho, van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo, Schmeichel, Klinsmann, Tevez, Torres, van Persie. Doesn't the fact that our manager wouldn't consider buying any of them depress you even a tiny, little bit?

Slightly different argument as the players you mention, other than the ones in bold, were established international stars that ANY manager would take, regardless of where they play.

It's those in bold that came in as lesser known players and made their name that I think we should be after.  But then we HAVE done that with UK players such as Ash and Milner, so it's not all depressing.

If he doesn't want players without Premier League experience he won't want the ones you outlined either.

[hilts_coolerking]

It's those in bold that came in as lesser known players and made their name that I think we should be after.  But then we HAVE done that with UK players such as Ash and Milner, so it's not all depressing.

Milner was hardly a "lesser known player".  He'd made over 150 Premier League appearances before we signed him.

[hilts_coolerking]

a fairer statement would be "Villa boss Martin O'Neill would only be interested in spending significant money on men with uk based League experience"

Yep, you're noted for your fairness in all things MON related.

You're not exactly Mr Balance yourself in that respect.

It was only the other day that you were arguing Marlon Harewood was the best possible signing we could have made at that time.

[Concrete John]

Gullit, Henry, Zola, Bergkamp, Fabregas, Viera, Drogba, Juninho, van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo, Schmeichel, Klinsmann, Tevez, Torres, van Persie. Doesn't the fact that our manager wouldn't consider buying any of them depress you even a tiny, little bit?

Slightly different argument as the players you mention, other than the ones in bold, were established international stars that ANY manager would take, regardless of where they play.

It's those in bold that came in as lesser known players and made their name that I think we should be after.  But then we HAVE done that with UK players such as Ash and Milner, so it's not all depressing.

If he doesn't want players without Premier League experience he won't want the ones you outlined either.

I'd disagree with that as it would be the equivalent of him being asked "Martin, would you like David Villa to come play for us" and him saying "No."

I think too much literal meaning is being read into an comment by a scout where we don't even have a direct quote.

And for the record, I do think he should shop abroad more.

[Concrete John]

You're not exactly Mr Balance yourself in that respect.

It was only the other day that you were arguing Marlon Harewood was the best possible signing we could have made at that time.

Believe it or not I do try to be, but I make no apologies for the fact I like and rate our manager and think he's doing a good job.

As for Harewood, I agreed he was a poor signing, but just trying to put it into the perspective of what we could attract as a 3rd choice striker at the time.  Even if was univerally agreed to be the best we could have gotten, he'd still be a poor signing based on what he did/didn't do in a Villa shirt.