The Milner Novela... Final episode page 296

[Concrete John]

Way I'm viewing is that he's accepted he wants to go, so is now trying to force the issue and get it done quickly.

[Risso]

What my knowledge of Villa's finances are. Well, its true I know a few people who know a few people etc. But there's no need to go there as there is plenty of evidence for everybody to see.

Sorry, but what "evidence" are you talking about?  Are you saying you've posted verifiable information rather than just opinions?

[PaulTheVillan]

I think Randy has decided that MON has had enough cash for players and wages and now needs to be more sensible.

[ozzjim]

MON is playing brinkmanship to get as much as he can, which is quite right, but we won't be massively active until Milner is sold IMO.

It is clear he is the axis around us spending any decent money, as well as freeing up the wage bill with the likes of Heskey, Young, Shorey, Davies, Harewood, Sidwell being moved on. Get 350k a week off your wage bill and you have saved a hell of a lot of money.

[Mazrim]

I have to say, I don't think there's much evidence of him really wanting to keep Milner from his few statements on the issue.

He's repeatedly said he wants to keep his best players and who could argue Milner isnt one of those? Why would he not want to keep Milner?

The fact they're looking for £30m is evidence, to me, that he's making it as hard as possible to facilitate Milners move to City. Then the recent statement has a mood of relief and cautious optimism to me. He cant say "thats it, he's staying" if City come back in with the offer they've said is acceptable. A ridiculous offer I might add.
Randy also said he doesn't want to lose Milner. I dont see what else they can do to show it.

They have an MO of letting players go if they really cannot be pursuaded to stay but that's not anything like looking to sell them or not wanting them to stay.

[alan_clarke]

at the end of the day, its quite simple.

If we can get £30m for Milner, it is worth selling him.

£20m it isnt.

£20m and Stephen Ireland it is.

I think MON is thinking along similar lines.

[Risso]

I have to say, I don't think there's much evidence of him really wanting to keep Milner from his few statements on the issue.

He's repeatedly said he wants to keep his best players and who could argue Milner isnt one of those? Why would he not want to keep Milner?

£25m is an awful lot of reasons.

[Mazrim]

What my knowledge of Villa's finances are. Well, its true I know a few people who know a few people etc. But there's no need to go there as there is plenty of evidence for everybody to see.

Sorry, but what "evidence" are you talking about?  Are you saying you've posted verifiable information rather than just opinions?

The evidence, which I have already mentioned is the article by Lerner with quotes suggesting we have to sell to buy but that there is money to spend on the team, that we dont have to sell players to raise transfer fees for new players.
Then General Krulak repeating we have to sort the wage bill out but that Randy will spend, has spent money.
General Krulaks son refuting that, wage issue aside, we have to sell to buy.
Then you have other characters like Mysteryman on VT backing this up.
All pointing towards the suggestion that we have to sort the wage bill out, NOT that we have no money to buy players with. I'm sick of hearing this repeated everywhere when there is not one shred of evidence to support it.

[Concrete John]

The price we get for him is a separate issue to whether we want to sell him or not.  I think it's a matter of him not being for sale unless he states he wants to go, which he has, then we start thinking of the money and drill them for as much as possible.

If they offered £30m at Jimmy said he wanted to stay, they'd be told to stick it up their oil well!

[Mazrim]

I have to say, I don't think there's much evidence of him really wanting to keep Milner from his few statements on the issue.

He's repeatedly said he wants to keep his best players and who could argue Milner isnt one of those? Why would he not want to keep Milner?

£25m is an awful lot of reasons.

Now we've agreed before that Milner going isnt a disaster and we could use the money well and come out stronger but I dont think MON is keen to sell him. Not for one minute. Because as I've already suggested, we can still keep Milner AND buy new players. Maybe not an extravagant amount but enough to strengthen in the areas we need AND keep Milner.

[Risso]

I don't think he wants him to go as such, just that he's decided that Milner is on his way, and so has mentally decided to spend the moeny.

To use an anology, it's like being told that your girlfriend is leaving you for another bloke, and at first you're gutted and really upset.  But then you start to imagine nights out with the lads on the pull again, and suddenly it doesn't seem so bad.  Then you find out her new bloke doesn't want her after all, so while you're glad she's going to be staying, in the back of your mind the imagined nights out seem oh so sweet!

[john e]

What my knowledge of Villa's finances are. Well, its true I know a few people who know a few people etc. But there's no need to go there as there is plenty of evidence for everybody to see.

Sorry, but what "evidence" are you talking about?  Are you saying you've posted verifiable information rather than just opinions?

The evidence, which I have already mentioned is the article by Lerner with quotes suggesting we have to sell to buy but that there is money to spend on the team, that we dont have to sell players to raise transfer fees for new players.
Then General Krulak repeating we have to sort the wage bill out but that Randy will spend, has spent money.
General Krulaks son refuting that, wage issue aside, we have to sell to buy.
Then you have other characters like Mysteryman on VT backing this up.
All pointing towards the suggestion that we have to sort the wage bill out, NOT that we have no money to buy players with. I'm sick of hearing this repeated everywhere when there is not one shred of evidence to support it.

so why doesnt MON go and buy Ireland or whoever then,
if ireland is available and looks like leaving, as you say. why dont we just buy him ?

or anyone else for that matter, all we ever see regarding Villa is Milner Milner Milner,
why doesnt MON get cracking on building the team for the new season, if money is no object tio buyiong players within reason ?

i dont know if we do have to sell to buy, and you might weell be right, in that we dont haqve that policy, so lets get going,
this Milner thing has all the hallmarks of a last day move, which will be crap for Villa

[Mazrim]

No, he'd be a fool not to plan for the eventuality. Especially when you have agreed a player can go if certain conditions are met.
The issue I had was with the suggestion MON is trying to sell him or encourage a sale. I strongly disagree with that.

[Concrete John]

I don't think he wants him to go as such, just that he's decided that Milner is on his way, and so has mentally decided to spend the moeny.

Haven't we all?

[Mazrim]

so why doesnt MON go and buy Ireland or whoever then,
if ireland is available and looks like leaving, as you say. why dont we just buy him ?

or anyone else for that matter, all we ever see regarding Villa is Milner Milner Milner,
why doesnt MON get cracking on building the team for the new season, if money is no object tio buyiong players within reason ?

i dont know if we do have to sell to buy, and you might weell be right, in that we dont haqve that policy, so lets get going,
this Milner thing has all the hallmarks of a last day move, which will be crap for Villa

Well, who knows why we havent bought anybody yet. Maybe because we need to get some more players off the wage bill, because negotiations typically take ages, agents taking the piss, because we're typically tardy...etc. Its not like we have to have a Milner issue to take our time is it? But unless Man City are the biggest twats of all time they will hold selling Ireland to us until the Milner issue is resolved one way or another.