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

[supertom]

In these times, high profile players will generally want a high profile club. Most times that means a CL club, or a London club, in the Prem.

I think the main reason we've not signed a lot of superstars, is the fact that they just won't come here. We tried for Snjeider, and he didn't want to come.

It's not squarely on O Neill. By the same token I don't think he'd sign a well known show pony. He's always gonna sign a player with a decent work ethic, or the right physicality for his style.

Has it hampered the German national side by not particularly having any high profile superstars? It may be they have a few by the time the tournement ends, but going into it, Ballack was their profile player. They have most importantly, built a team that ges and works.

On the whole, Martins main strengh has lied in making us play like a team. Having everyone putting the work in and fighting for the cause. As things stand, we just need 3-4 quality additions to improve the first 11, ad bench, and we'lll have the required depth, not to burnout.

[KevinGage]

So effectively our profile was so low, so pitiful that we could only hope to sign the likes of Harewood, Knight and Heskey? Really?

And only now, four years into the job are we in a position to sign better?

Sorry, don't buy it.

For one thing, we signed players of a far better standard than that during far darker times at the club.

[Chris Smith]

Oh he certainly does run the club from top to bottom (and I'm not convinced at all that that really is a good thing), but that's different to what Greg's suggesting. No, I agree with you, Paulie, but Greg appears to be saying that MON would rather sign bad players than good ones to make himself look bigger.

not at all. i think he'd sign pliable young good players given the choice, and established confident big name players a poor last. as i said look at our present squad - wouldn't say boo to a goose, not one big personality there

Are you saying you now don't think he's after Robbie Keane?

I like the idea that Friedel, Dunne, Collins, Warnock,Petrov, Heskey, Reo Coker, Carew etc are all wet behind the ears kids.

I don't think you've thought this one through, greg.

[supertom]

Okay Heskey etc were strange signings, but we've signed some players with a decent rep too, like Ash, Downing, Dunne. We beat a few to get Ashley at the time.

I don't see us ever signing someone like Snjeider, or Van Der Vaart. Two big names we were linked with last summer. If they were major damaged goods, perhaps, but they'd only had the one bad season.

Looking at our links, someone like Eduardo is the best we could hope for. When he broke into the national side he was one of the hottest properties in Europe before Arsenal snapped him up. Now, he's a player that needs to find his feet again. We might be able to pull it off.

But would O Neill sign him, knowing we'd be essentially a stepping stone? One good season and he'd be off. I think Martin would rather sign Keane, and get the last couple of decent years out of him.

[ozzjim]

Eduardo has a good season though and 6 million would be 20 million sell on, so well worth it in the club building stakes.

[supertom]

Eduardo has a good season though and 6 million would be 20 million sell on, so well worth it in the club building stakes.

Yep, there's always that. It'd still be slightly painful if he were to bang in 20, and be the best thing we've had since Yorke, and we lose him after a year. Not that I actually believe he'd have that sort of impact.

[Mazrim]

So effectively our profile was so low, so pitiful that we could only hope to sign the likes of Harewood, Knight and Heskey? Really?

And only now, four years into the job are we in a position to sign better?

Sorry, don't buy it.

Who said that? I'm not suprised you dont buy it because its nonsense.
You've basically picked three of the poorer, low risk squad signings as an example, two of which are no longer here and one who rarely plays.

We needed players then, quite a few of them. Resources werent there to buy players twice as good as Knight and so on in the numbers we needed. We have since upgraded on them significantly and the task continues. Now we need better again.
The point being MON will not pass up on good players he can realistically get because of some misconceived cult of personality.

[richard moore]

I take it there's no news then as we are all busy debating the last twenty years of transfers in and out (actual and wished for) on here...

Sidwell to West Ham rumour this morning

[KevinGage]

I think the cult of personality factor definitely plays a part, yes.

It's why a good chunk of our players fall into two camps, either promising younger players who are keen to make a name for themselves and are somewhat in awe of MON, or older journeymen types who realistically might not have expected to play for a club the size of Aston Villa. And are grateful for the chance to work for MON.

And is why we rarely (if ever) have serious interest in decent players from foreign leagues. His reputation doesn't travel too far beyond these shores. Like the bloke himself, in fact.

[Mazrim]

I think the cult of personality factor definitely plays a part, yes.

It's why a good chunk of our players fall into two camps, either promising younger players who are keen to make a name for themselves and are somewhat in awe of MON, or older journeymen types who realistically might not have expected to play for a club the size of Aston Villa. And are grateful for the chance to work for MON.

And is why we rarely (if ever) have serious interest in decent players from foreign leagues. His reputation doesn't travel too far beyond these shores. Like the bloke himself, in fact.

Our players range from very promising youngsters from a very highly rated and successful academy (Fonz, Albrighton, Clark..etc) to players considered as part of the future of English football by some (Gabby, Young, Milner, Downing etc..) to highly rated experienced professionals in their prime (Cuellar, Warnock, Dunne..etc) to the odd respected player approaching the final years of their career (Friedel, Petrov, Carew..etc)
In fact, not too much different from a lot of squads but obviously better than most.
Yes there is some dross but thats true of most squads too.

You make it sound like considering motivation in signing players is a bad thing. I disagree, strongly. It should be a major consideration and if we select youngsters because they are going to work harder and offer a chance of improvement, thats a good thing. I've often said, we are more likely to get a top side together by developing one rather than buying one ready made. Although clearly, you need more than just kids at any given time. Which is why he buys affordable experienced players
I suppose.
I'm not all that interested in MONs reputation abroad but I'm sure he's more famous than you suggest. He did contest a European final after all and manages one of the best teams in the world's most famous and popular league.

[Concrete John]

they don't have to be expensive signings. older players with big reputations. you'd never see an owen turn up or viera for example. never has never will

i mean Juninho's media profile. mon signed the clapped out free transfer 2004 version

Have you run so low on people to argue with that you're actually arguing with yourself now?

As for this 'media profile'/'big personality', thing I genuinely think it's rubbish.  How is it he wants to be top dog, yet proclaims Ashley Young as 'world class'?

It seems the players people are accusing him of not buying are exactly the players that are currently out of our reach.  So people that don't like the manager can make any shite they like up about why, but the truth is they wouldn't sign for us.

[Mazrim]

Its why I often get labelled a MON disciple or whatever shite term is doing the rounds. I'm really not and in many things he drives me nuts, but there is so much unfair shite talked about him its ridiculous so I feel obliged to put that straight.

It would be more refreshing if people came out and said they just didnt like him rather than make things up about him and propogate myths.

[Mazrim]

Eduardo has a good season though and 6 million would be 20 million sell on, so well worth it in the club building stakes.

I'd be wary though Oz, if Wenger was prepared to let him go for that much what would it mean for his injury situation?
Yes, he's a good player but I'd rather spend twice as much on somebody we know is fully fit.
I know any medical would put him through his paces but players can get through medicals easily yet struggle to perform in a match situation over the course of a season or three.

I just think we can do withot the hassle of more question marks hanging over a player. Its one position we need to get absolutely right.

[pauliewalnuts]

Its why I often get labelled a MON disciple or whatever shite term is doing the rounds. I'm really not and in many things he drives me nuts, but there is so much unfair shite talked about him its ridiculous so I feel obliged to put that straight.

It would be more refreshing if people came out and said they just didnt like him rather than make things up about him and propogate myths.

Speaking as one unconvinced of his ability to take us further, and one who doesn't like his brand of football, I can say that I actually like him a lot.

That's one of the things that makes him such an intriguing character - he's such a likeable, witty, erudite figure, and you don't get many of those in football. I don't think I've ever wanted a Villa manager to succeed more.

I suspect that, were it not for that personality trait, there would be a lot more moaning on here.

[ozzjim]

Even if that was Robbie Keane?


I think 6 million for a player with his finishing ability would be a snip.

See Louis Saha as an example and the amount of goals he has scored.