The Milner Novela... Final episode page 296

[Concrete John]

If we get £25-£30m plus for this sponsorship deal, which is quite feasible

You reckon we're getting close to £10m per season? I'd be astonished if it were close to that.

I reckon £5m-£7m per year over 4 or 5 years is reasonable.

So we wouldn't be getting £30 million to spend this summer, and if we couldn't get £2 million two years ago, £7 million now would be at the top end of optimistic.

I think that's comparable to clubs around us though, isn't it?

[Osbourne4England]

Oh come on, let's face it. Milner is off and there's not a great deal we can do about it...I'm not being funny but I think us fans have to shoulder some of the blame if he does leave. The sorts of discussions on here must be read by some of the players. I'm not on about the discussions regarding Milner's future, I'm on about people's expectations.

I see loads of people on here saying how they're happy with 6th place! 6th for christ's sake. I gave up supporting Man Utd to start watching the mighty Villa 2 years ago, so I feel I'm in a good position to say that these sorts of fans saying 6th is okay, we don't want you at Villa Park. Of course Milner is going to want to leave if he thinks we're just going to settle for 6th year in year out.

Good God, show a little ambition! We need a winning mentality, and this negativity shown from some fans saying that the best we can hope for is 6th is unbelievable. Without this winning mentality though sadly I fear you may be right that our team won't be progressing.

[pauliewalnuts]

Oh come on, let's face it. Milner is off and there's not a great deal we can do about it...I'm not being funny but I think us fans have to shoulder some of the blame if he does leave. The sorts of discussions on here must be read by some of the players. I'm not on about the discussions regarding Milner's future, I'm on about people's expectations.

I see loads of people on here saying how they're happy with 6th place! 6th for christ's sake. I gave up supporting Man Utd to start watching the mighty Villa 2 years ago, so I feel I'm in a good position to say that these sorts of fans saying 6th is okay, we don't want you at Villa Park. Of course Milner is going to want to leave if he thinks we're just going to settle for 6th year in year out.

Good God, show a little ambition! We need a winning mentality, and this negativity shown from some fans saying that the best we can hope for is 6th is unbelievable. Without this winning mentality though sadly I fear you may be right that our team won't be progressing.

Nice attempt at a comedy login, but you're going to have to find another one.

[KevinGage]

Oh come on, let's face it. Milner is off and there's not a great deal we can do about it...I'm not being funny but I think us fans have to shoulder some of the blame if he does leave. The sorts of discussions on here must be read by some of the players. I'm not on about the discussions regarding Milner's future, I'm on about people's expectations.

Aye.

It's the paying spectators wot did it.

It's a flawless argument, I'll give you that.

[Mazrim]

A little bird tells me I'm in the right area with my guess. Interesting.

[KevinGage]

I heard that RL's approach to it was it had to be £3 million + per annum or we'd stick with Acorns.

Not sure if this deal is £3 million on the nose or more based on performance though.

[Chris Smith]

Without selling Milner.
We could probably just about replace him but we could and should build a side around him for years to come.

I agree with this 100%; all I'd add is that I would be concerned about trying to find someone who could have the same impact as Milner did last season.  Because if we don't, then straight away we've weakened the side in one position.

I just don't believe our finances are such that we need to accept even a silly money offer.  £28M would be over the odds, but only by about £8M-£10M at the most.  We don't need it that badly do we?

That's all assuming that the player himself has no say in the matter.

[hilts_coolerking]

That's all assuming that the player himself has no say in the matter.

That's not my assumption.  Of course the player's wishes come into it, but they're not the only factor.  

There's very little point in keeping a player who isn't happy but then there's no evidence to suggest Milner is unhappy.  What would he be unhappy about?

[Chris Smith]

That's all assuming that the player himself has no say in the matter.

That's not my assumption.  Of course the player's wishes come into it, but they're not the only factor.  

There's very little point in keeping a player who isn't happy but then there's no evidence to suggest Milner is unhappy.  What would he be unhappy about?

He doesn't have to be unhappy to be tempted by what Man City have to offer.

[AsTallAsLions]

That's all assuming that the player himself has no say in the matter.

That's not my assumption.  Of course the player's wishes come into it, but they're not the only factor.  

There's very little point in keeping a player who isn't happy but then there's no evidence to suggest Milner is unhappy.  What would he be unhappy about?

Presumably he's unhappy that he's not earning closer to £100,000 a week and having his Christmas bonus delivered down a purpose-built chimney by an Arab Santa Claus.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Oh come on, let's face it. Milner is off and there's not a great deal we can do about it...I'm not being funny but I think us fans have to shoulder some of the blame if he does leave. The sorts of discussions on here must be read by some of the players. I'm not on about the discussions regarding Milner's future, I'm on about people's expectations.

I see loads of people on here saying how they're happy with 6th place! 6th for christ's sake. I gave up supporting Man Utd to start watching the mighty Villa 2 years ago, so I feel I'm in a good position to say that these sorts of fans saying 6th is okay, we don't want you at Villa Park. Of course Milner is going to want to leave if he thinks we're just going to settle for 6th year in year out.

Good God, show a little ambition! We need a winning mentality, and this negativity shown from some fans saying that the best we can hope for is 6th is unbelievable. Without this winning mentality though sadly I fear you may be right that our team won't be progressing.

Nice attempt at a comedy login, but you're going to have to find another one.

It's David Cameron, innit?

[hilts_coolerking]

He doesn't have to be unhappy to be tempted by what Man City have to offer.

It's possible but it would go against all that we've learned about Milner as a person to believe that his sole motivation is money.

[Chris Smith]

He doesn't have to be unhappy to be tempted by what Man City have to offer.

It's possible but it would go against all that we've learned about Milner as a person to believe that his sole motivation is money.

I didn't suggest it was just money, although it would be naive to think that it wasn't a consideration.

[KevinGage]

He doesn't have to be unhappy to be tempted by what Man City have to offer.

It's possible but it would go against all that we've learned about Milner as a person to believe that his sole motivation is money.

See I've never quite bought into that.

He might not be as big a twat as Ashley Cole and the other bling merchants, but he was quite open about the fact that part of the reason he left Newcastle is that he wanted parity with their top earners and they wouldn't bend.

He was a popular player there, playing in front of big crowds et.c. But he came to us primarily because we'd pay him more. The situation at the time of the respective clubs and the idea that there might be more stability here perhaps also played a part, true.

But we're not his boyhood club (who he also left to progress his career, lets not forget) and he's already moved at least once for money.

Lets not kid ourselves that he's hugely different from most footballers. On interview he sounds as monosyllabic as the rest. He's probably just less flash and less ostentatious than most of the other dickheads in the England squad, so looks better in contrast.

[Namlod]

It's possible but it would go against all that we've learned about Milner as a person to believe that his sole motivation is money.

Sorry but what have we learned about Milner?

When has he ever said he is in it for the love of the sport and not the money?

He is like every other footballer, a mercenary living in a land where money talks. I'm not saying this is a bad thing as every one on here would move jobs if the were offered double their salary.

James Milner is not a Villa fan and will only look after number one and anyone who thinks different (in my opinion) is completely deluded.

If he wants to go for the money, good luck to him. ManC or Chelsea, cough up the cash and we’ll all move on.