The Milner Novela... Final episode page 296

[old man villa fan]

James Milner is ambitious, he wouldn't have got where is is today without being so.  He is not the finished article and it will be how he sees himself becoming so.

He would appear to be an intelligent guy based on his school education and I would think that he has his career planned out to reach the top.  Some have suggested perhaps being a future England captain which must be the pinnacle for an English footballer.

To reach the top it invariably means using football clubs as stepping stones.  Too much loyalty to one club sees your progression stymied.  Jump too soon and too high can prevent the steady rise through experience unless you can make that stepped progression.

People have mentioned the money aspect and that does influence quite a lot.  If Milner reaches the top by the time he is, say, 26 or 27, he can still make his fortune and does not have to grab the big money move now.  Fairness in remuneration is always an emotive subject.  If you are being paid the most a club can afford, that is fair.  If you are being paid less than that comparative to your valuation, you consider that you are not being treated fairly.  A year in a young players football life is a long time and just because you agree to a contract one year, it doesn't mean to say that you shouldn't get more before your contract ends.  How many players actually sign, say, a 4 year contract and stay on the same terms for the duration.  It rarely happens, particularly when your career is on the up.

[BannedUserIAT]

Kevin, there's monetary reasons and there are monetary reasons.

Wanting to leave Newcastle because they didn't wish to pay him to a level that he felt he deserved (and, given their valuation of him of the time, he seems to be justified in that conclusion), and leaving a club where you ARE paid to the level you deserve just for even more money are very different.

No, I can't say that, without any lifelong loyalty to either employer that I'd be turning down the chance to make a few extra million. However, given that he'd be absolutley loaded anyway, has a good few years ahead of him yet and has been pretty well looked after at Villa (has the respect and utter faith of the manager, has gotten into the England side and has had his profile lifted massively), there is a very strong case for him to stay.

[KevinGage]

No problem with most of that OMVF.

But it doesn't exactly suggest that James Milner is breaking the mould when it comes to the values and integrity of most footballers.

In fact, I'd say that's pretty consistent with most of his peers.

Why is it so important to some to advocate that he is (or should be) different?
When did this myth become fact?

I might have been a bit harsh on Chris earlier, and apologies.
But I've heard similar from a few Villa fans in recent months and I genuinely wonder what they base it on.

[BannedUserIAT]

What will sell him is a dream.
He knows MoN's and Randy's dreams. If Man City blow him away with talk of nailed-on Champions League next season, showing him a list of their spectacular big-name  target players, promises of fully-loaded trips for the family to Dubai when he's not playing, shares in oil companies, etc and so on, he may well be off. How many of us at that age would say 'thanks but no'? I'd wager not many.

But maybe, just maybe, MoN and Randy have a vision that will appeal to him on whatever level. And they know that lad well by now. They know what drives him, what inspires him. They'll know which buttons to push to get him to sign.

Will it be enough? We'll find it in a few weeks.

[KevinGage]

No, I can't say that, without any lifelong loyalty to either employer that I'd be turning down the chance to make a few extra million. However, given that he'd be absolutley loaded anyway, has a good few years ahead of him yet and has been pretty well looked after at Villa (has the respect and utter faith of the manager, has gotten into the England side and has had his profile lifted massively), there is a very strong case for him to stay.

I don't think it's by any means a 'given' that he'll automatically quit Troy.

It's unlikely, but I still think (hope) there is an outside chance he'll remain. A lot can happen between now and the end of England's WC campaign. He could return a national hero or he might pick up a long term injury.

If he does remain, I'll be pretty certain it will be on vastly increased wages. And good luck to him.

We should just guard against deluding ourselves that he's more likely to stick around because of moral or ethical reasons. It will be finance that dictates that decision, as it generally does.

[villa1]

What will sell him is a dream.
He knows MoN's and Randy's dreams. If Man City blow him away with talk of nailed-on Champions League next season, showing him a list of their spectacular big-name  target players, promises of fully-loaded trips for the family to Dubai when he's not playing, shares in oil companies, etc and so on, he may well be off. How many of us at that age would say 'thanks but no'? I'd wager not many.

He may look at the likes of SWP going to Chelsea and his career going into reverse. Or the likelihood of Barry being replaced as soon as they hit the Champions League with someone better, something Man City are going to continually do with their players.

[pestria]

What will sell him is a dream.
He knows MoN's and Randy's dreams.....

But maybe, just maybe, MoN and Randy have a vision that will appeal to him on whatever level. And they know that lad well by now. They know what drives him, what inspires him. They'll know which buttons to push to get him to sign.

Will it be enough? We'll find it in a few weeks.

I thought Randy and MON had already tried to (re) sell Villa to him a couple of weeks ago and he was unimpressed.  

Milner might be well advised to seriously consider something like 'stay with us for one more season, we'll be bringing in a couple of decent players in the summer.  You'll be in our team rather than being part of the squad at Man C/Chelsea.  You don't want to end up like Cole/Wright Phillips etc ?'

But I wonder what they said when Milner asked 'who's likely to come in boss?'  Good training facilities and rebuilding pubs don't count for much when a player can see the chance of playing in a more competitive side and earn more money to boot ... especially when there's more than a whiff of deja vu

[Drummond]

You don't have to be a money grabbing mercenary to be motivated by an extra £2.5m a year.  I'd say that's perfectly understandable behaviour.

I'd say it's more than acceptable, it's sensible.

[Villa'Zawg]

“I'm not worried about losing James Milner. I think James will play for Aston Villa and should play for Aston Villa,” Lerner told the Daily Mail.

“I'm not dismissive of the realities that a player that has received the attention and acclaim of James is going to spark discussion and debate about a move and so on. The answer is "No", I don't worry about him leaving because he is wanted at this club.”


He has two years left on his contract. He can decide not to accept the new contract that will be offered this summer, he doesn't get to decide if he is signing for another club unless Lerner/MON accept the transfer fee offered.

[Brend'Watkins]

He has two years left on his contract. He can decide not to accept the new contract that will be offered this summer, he doesn't get to decide if he is signing for another club unless Lerner/MON accept the transfer fee offered.

I've said this all along.

We don't have to sell for any price.  But every player has a valuation that could prize him away.  Randy and MON know that price where it would be silly not to do the business.

[UK Redsox]

Milner starting for England v USA. That's got to add a couple of million to the price

[UK Redsox]

Milner starting for England v USA. That's got to add a couple of million to the price

[adrenachrome]

Added 4 Mill to the price then?

[Lowendbehold]

The reason Man C are apparently/reportedly willing to pay £28m (no such bid has yet been made) is because we do not have to sell, not because he is worth that amount.

[eastie]

If milner doesn't want to sign a new contract then it makes sense to sell him now rather than in a year when he would command a much lesser fee with only a yr left on his contract , James milner has been great for us but it's only natural given the opportunity and Money on offer that he would want to go- Rooney was everton through and through but even that didn't stop him moving on.

The key is that we get as good a deal from it as we can and spend wisely to strenghten the team .