The Milner Novela... Final episode page 296

[TimTheVillain]

we didnt get fourth.  Our "manager" that everyone is whinging at has trebled a players value that he got some stick for last year on these pages.  Here is my question.  Would you rather have Lerner in charge, that cant compete with telephone number prices for players, but obviously has a long term plan, or trade him for City's billions.  They, who will be able to buy success eventually.

I don't think lerner has a clue personally or a long term plan much more than "pray"

I think it is very hard to have a long term plan when the dynamics are changing so quickly.

Re. MON tripling Milner's value - I haven't seen £36 million mentioned anywhere ( accept maybe by us lot !).

[boboonthecorner]

we didnt get fourth.  Our "manager" that everyone is whinging at has trebled a players value that he got some stick for last year on these pages.  Here is my question.  Would you rather have Lerner in charge, that cant compete with telephone number prices for players, but obviously has a long term plan, or trade him for City's billions.  They, who will be able to buy success eventually.

I don't think lerner has a clue personally or a long term plan much more than "pray"

I don't think it's fair to criticise Mr Lerner. He is probably more annoyed than anybody, he's doing things the right way but let's remember at the end of the day 90% of footballers are mercenaries.

Nobody can compete with City......

[JUAN PABLO]

we could have finished 4th and kept the lad, If only we had had a substitute bench... and not wasted money.

Most players move for money but they will say trophies to keep at peace with the fans etc. eg Barry        JM could not say Im moving for trophies if we had finished 4th and then moved to that blue moon plie of shite.  Money talks Im afraid..  

well thats football today..   I mourn for those pre Sky days again most times..

[Taylor]

Its the cost of us not getting 4th. food for thought for all those who want to give the manager seemingly unlimited  time.

Are you the new Doctor? Is 4 years now unlimited time?

There are 3 possible domestic trophies that clubs can win in England. Chelsea and Man Utd won all of them. We came second in one and 3/4th in another. Get a grip.

[TimTheVillain]

In an ideal world, there would be a transfer money cap ( per transfer window) and a wage cap.

But we don't live in an ideal world.

I really do wish I could trust in our manager to handle £25 plus million properly.

[TimTheVillain]

Its the cost of us not getting 4th. food for thought for all those who want to give the manager seemingly unlimited  time.

Are you the new Doctor? Is 4 years now unlimited time?

There are 3 possible domestic trophies that clubs can win in England. Chelsea and Man Utd won all of them. We came second in one and 3/4th in another. Get a grip.

Welcome on board Ian.

[Greg N'Ash]

Well if he has a cunning plan its obviously very very long term.  Maybe he's borrowed Doug's opposition will go bankrupt by 2000 "Phoenix from the flames" millenium plan.

[MoetVillan]

sorry about the maths.  I guess I heard the Chelski 30million bid touted this morning, and thought City could probably afford another bid then.  No wonder it cost so much to fill my petrol tank at the moment.  Some dick told me it was because of the "Dollar to sterling" exchange rate.  Infact its just so they could afford Che Milner

[ktvillan]

Its the cost of us not getting 4th. food for thought for all those who want to give the manager seemingly unlimited  time.

I think you have a point here. The problem with building over time is that your better players are always likely to get plundered and even if you then sign the next James Milner you have to bed them in and bring them on a bit, which perhaps takes you backwards a little.  And if you don't achieve in the time it takes to develop them into top level players, they will be targeted too.  

Even being in the CL might not help - look at Arsenal, who have been plundered for a few players (whatever happened to Flamini?) and Fabregas might be next.  This might have something to do with Wenger's preference for developing younger players over time rather than buying a team in, and, as a result, not having won anything for a few seasons.

[pauliewalnuts]

Even being in the CL might not help - look at Arsenal, who have been plundered for a few players (whatever happened to Flamini?) and Fabregas might be next.  This might have something to do with Wenger's preference for developing younger players over time rather than buying a team in, and, as a result, not having won anything for a few seasons.

Currently at Milan but practically never gets a game.

Good player.

[Greg N'Ash]

Yep. if you don't fullfill your potential your best players will move on to clubs that will. i think we've even passed the old "Ferguson was nearly sacked too early" failsafe now. We re officially more patient than them. hooray!!

[PaulTheVillan]

No doubt he'll be linked with Spurs.

Triffic triffic player.

[Des Little]

In this day and age, if Milner and Ash want to leave, all we can do is hang out for as much money as we can and move them on.  Surely we have learned from the Barry debacle that money wins every time, sad but so true.

[pmk1981]

You have to bear in mind if we do lose them both we will have £55m plus what ever his summer budget is to replace so its not time to panic.  Lets assume we have 20m to spend in the summer, we would then have £75m to go out and invest in 7 real quality players.
we have £75m to spend and the current squad (minus Young and Milner)

GK – Friedel              Guzan
DR – Young              Beye
DL – Warnock           Shorey
DC – Dunne             Davies
DC – Cuellar             Collins
MR – Albrighton
ML – Downing
MC – Petrov              R-Coker
MC – Delph               Sidwell
SC – Gabby              Delfouneso
SC – Carew              Heskey

Now we assume Heskey, Sidwell, R-Coker, Davies, Shorey, Beye and Young are all being let go for right price, say combined £25m.  We will have £100m to get in10 players, could be an EXTREMELY busy summer in the market for MON.  Not happy with the thought of paying £15m for Carlton Cole, nor taking Jenas in any deal for Young.

[jonzy85]

I must be one of very few people on here who can't get that worked up about all this. Is that because I have seen it all before? Because Milner isn't all that, having had one good season and a number of very good games within that season but also some poor ones? Because of the stupidity of anyone thinking he is worth circa £30m? Because he won't actually improve much on what Man City currently have? Because Man Utd will come in and trump the deal at the last moment anyway? Because I am fed up with football and the inevitability of all of this? Probably a mix of all those things...

I agree Richard, with more or less everything there.

I cant help but think that since Capello's quotes about him being England's next big thing or whatever, he became the media's darling and was built up to more than what he is.

Dont get me wrong, he had a brilliant season, but it is crazy that on the back of that he is suddenly worth 30 million. If that's the case what is Fabregas worth??

Somebody mentioned a deal of 20 million and Stephen Ireland...I think we would be mugging City if that was pulled off. Ireland didnt feature much this year because of injury and then he didnt fit in Mancini's system. The season before he should have been young player of the year, but somehow Ashley got it, and it could be argued that he had a better season that year than Milner had this year.

If we had Ireland and then 20 million extra to spend on 1 or 2 strikers and one more creative midfielder, I genuinely think we would be better off.

But:
1. I dont think City would give us that deal.
2. I dont think Ireland would come to Villa, has his sights set on a move to Man Utd.
3. I dont think I could bring myself to cheer the little prick.

Also, on Milner's quotes...he is obviously trying to be as non-committal to anything at this time. Maybe Capello told him not to say whether he is staying or going. Or maybe he is happy enough to keep the story bubbling so he can use it as leverage in contract negotiations. The worst thing would be if he had said that he was going to stay, then in a couple of months time an offer comes in we cant refuse and MON and Randy tell him they are going to accept it.