The Milner Novela... Final episode page 296

[Risso]

Everyone thought it would be the end of the world when Platty left, but BFR invested that £5.5m really well and we were a much better team as a result.  If we get loads of cash and/or players as a result of this then hopefully MON can do the same.

It may not be quite as simple as this, but what would be better:-
Villa with James Milner?
or
Villa with Stephen Ireland and a new £20m striker?

Even as someone who has argued on this thread that Ireland isn't as good as Milner, I'd still go for Ireland and the striker every time!

Me too John, absolutely.

[pmk1981]

i have seen all the paper talk this morning and it does look positive.  The only paper story i have seen where it states that milner wants to leave is the sun.

Nearly every other tabloid is saying that the talks were apparantly positive.

So to me that says that there must be some truth in it as apart from the sun every other paper is saying the same thing which is that milner looks like he wants to stay

[Brend'Watkins]

Everyone thought it would be the end of the world when Platty left, but BFR invested that £5.5m really well and we were a much better team as a result.  If we get loads of cash and/or players as a result of this then hopefully MON can do the same.

It may not be quite as simple as this, but what would be better:-
Villa with James Milner?
or
Villa with Stephen Ireland and a new £20m striker?

Even as someone who has argued on this thread that Ireland isn't as good as Milner, I'd still go for Ireland and the striker every time!

I maintain that this would see us progress greatly.  

The loss of Milner would be big but with Ireland playing to the level we know he can and hopefully the emergence of say Albrighton to provide that up and down energy that would be missing I think we would improve greatly if of course we could get in that quality striker.  I might not even be adverse to Keane short term.

[The Villan On The Wirral]

Everyone thought it would be the end of the world when Platty left, but BFR invested that £5.5m really well and we were a much better team as a result.  If we get loads of cash and/or players as a result of this then hopefully MON can do the same.

It may not be quite as simple as this, but what would be better:-
Villa with James Milner?
or
Villa with Stephen Ireland and a new £20m striker?

Even as someone who has argued on this thread that Ireland isn't as good as Milner, I'd still go for Ireland and the striker every time!

Me too John, absolutely.

and me.ireland is quality

[Willie Anderson]

As I've stated before, Milner & his agent are not going to commit themselves to ANY club whilst negotiations are on-going & thus weaken their bargaining position.

I'd be more worried if Tottenham or Arsenal were sniffing around a move to either of them would make more sense.

I can't see JM moving to Citeh at all, where he would not be guaranteed a starting position. Macini could be out on his ear if they have a wobbler next season & if this spending cap comes in in 2012 they may have to ship out any number of players.

As long as we offer him a decent contract I expect him to stay.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Everyone thought it would be the end of the world when Platty left, but BFR invested that £5.5m really well and we were a much better team as a result.  If we get loads of cash and/or players as a result of this then hopefully MON can do the same.

It may not be quite as simple as this, but what would be better:-
Villa with James Milner?
or
Villa with Stephen Ireland and a new £20m striker?

Even as someone who has argued on this thread that Ireland isn't as good as Milner, I'd still go for Ireland and the striker every time!

Me too John, absolutely.

And then it all comes down as to which striker we sign.....

[Olof's Beard]

As long as the football club still exists and remains extremely competitive, then I don't care how leaves us each summer. The last time I go cut up about a player going was when Yorke left.

Abso-flippin-lutely.  We've lost better players than James Milner in the past and will do so in the future.

Everyone thought it would be the end of the world when Platty left, but BFR invested that £5.5m really well and we were a much better team as a result.  If we get loads of cash and/or players as a result of this then hopefully MON can do the same.

My thoughts too.  I feel like I SHOULD be more distraught about the prospect of him leaving because we all love him but I don't actually feel that way unless I make myself.  That's because a) anything over 25million is seriously good business and b) good player that he is, this is no Yorke or Platt we're talking about.  If and it's a big if admittedly, we looked in the right places, we could get a player of the same ability for not much more than half of what we receive for Milner.

My anger towards this whole saga is more directed towards what it means for football in general and the way Man City are suddenly able to bully bigger clubs but that's a separate argument.

[boboonthecorner]

There could be a bit of a knock on effect developing now with Barca submitting a written offer for Fabregas??

[Concrete John]

My thoughts too.  I feel like I SHOULD be more distraught about the prospect of him leaving because we all love him but I don't actually feel that way unless I make myself.  That's because a) anything over 25million is seriously good business and b) good player that he is, this is no Yorke or Platt we're talking about.  If and it's a big if admittedly, we looked in the right places, we could get a player of the same ability for not much more than half of what we receive for Milner.

My own view is that should he stay he'd be as important to the side next season as either of those two.  I rate him very highly and think he's about to step it up another level with a full year in the centre and the added confidence/belief all these plaudits and the World Cup will give him.  The ironic thing is that I don't think that will happen at Man City as he'll be in and out of the side and asked to play different roles, such as maybe one of the holding players Mancini likes to play with.  With us, he'd play as the box to box midfielder he naturally is and we'd build a side around him.

That having been said, £30m is a good price and probably worth more to us than Jimmy is.  Yet if Man City played him right, which I don't think they will, he could prove to be good value for them even at £30m!

[cheltenhamlion]

£30m is too much to knock back in my view. If we can screw a cash plus players deal that would improve the team then so be it.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

£30m is too much to knock back in my view. If we can screw a cash plus players deal that would improve the team then so be it.

Agree.
Good as he is, he's not worth £30m.
If it happens, I get the feeling it will be either £25m in straight cash or £20m + a player.

[ROBBO]

I get the feeling that top european and continental players are no longer looking to play in the prem, that means quality British players will very expensive.

[Concrete John]

I think the concept of 'worth' goes out the window in terms of transfers these days.  It's a matter of how much the buying club are prepared to pay and how much the selling club want to say yes to the deal.  Whether or not the player is actually worth it is secondary.

IMO, Milner may not be worth £30m, but that doesn't matter if Man City are prepared to pay it.

[BedsVillain]

I get the feeling that top european and continental players are no longer looking to play in the prem, that means quality British players will very expensive.

I think they already are aren't they? Even some not so quality British players seem more expensive than their continental counterparts!

[pauliewalnuts]

I think the concept of 'worth' goes out the window in terms of transfers these days.  It's a matter of how much the buying club are prepared to pay and how much the selling club want to say yes to the deal.  Whether or not the player is actually worth it is secondary.

IMO, Milner may not be worth £30m, but that doesn't matter if Man City are prepared to pay it.

I agree.

The issue with Man City is that they're paying over the odds for players. That's an issue primarily for them, but also for the rest of the market as it has a knock-on effect.

Is Milner worth 30m? No.

Was Lescott worth 24m? No.

Did Man City pay 24m for Lescott? Yes.

If they paid 24m for Lescott, should they be willing to pay 30m for Milner? Yes.

That's the poisonous effect they're having on the game, and it'll be ten times worse when you bring into play the wages factor.