The Milner Novela... Final episode page 296

[Ross]

Why are we always on the back foot in the transfer market? We sulk and protest when one of players wants to go, then end up dragging things out 2 months, negative stories in the press all the time, sell him anyway and have no time to replace them properly.

It does my head right in.

Its testament to where we have progressed to.

Before Randy took over,there was never any worries about our stars being snapped up by top 6 clubs-we are knocking on the door,loosing players goes with the territory-Milner had a good 6 months,thats all.

I don't see us on the back foot over this at all-We are not Portsmouth

From the top of my head, even since I started to go to VP from about '87, I can think of H0dge, McInally, Platt, Yorke, Barry - possibly 3 of whom have left in prolonged and increasingly bitter moves. So, sorry don't agree this is a new phenomenon with Villa.

I know losing players comes with the territory, my point is other clubs (and bigger clubs than us) accept it, move the player on and then spend the money to poach an equally good player. When was the last time we made a signing to make anyone sit up? When have we ever bought a player before selling one of our stars?

Its always the same. I bet anything that Milner is still at VP in August, but at Man City by September, and we'll not replace him until next summer. That's what I mean by being on the back foot.

[Monty]

I know, better to accept less money straight away surely...

As for The money coming in covering the wages of x,y,z it doesn't work like that.

The sell to buy comment that all the papers are using to say we're skint was related to the fact that our wages are far too high a % of our turnover and the club want to run on a more stable footing so the wage bill need to stay the same or go down.  This has absolutely no bearing on the transfer fees and numerous sources at the club have confirmed it.

Now as the whole thing is a percentage based thing the extra 10m (ish) from fx pro means this has already been achieved to an extent as that sees a 10-15% increase in our turnover.  With Harewood, Bouma already off the wage bill we've already made a big cut as well so once Milner is sold there's going to be 100k-ish of weekly wages available and 25-30m to go towards the transfer fees before Randy has to dip into his pocket.

If we can then get rid of the likes of Beye, Heskey, Sidwell and Shorey who everyone on here would be happy to see the back of (except possibly Beye who we've barely seen the front of) that's be 150k more which would be more than enough to play with for us to sign whoever we need, particularly if we go for younger players.

Terrific post, Paul, 100% agree. I would also add that Beye is meant to be on £40k a week which, if removed from the wage bill, could have a great impact on our ability to offer better wages for one or two players.

[TheSandman]

I find it utterly hilarious people are moaning that we will end up spending £30Million on wages for various players that we don't need over the next two years.

Whilst no one is knocking our doors down YET at least some of these players will leave. Most of them will want first team football (If Beye was content to sit on a bench and not play why would he be desperate to leave?) and will except lower pay to do so. The only one who seems to be content to stay on is Reo who we'll could probably use. We've already seen firm links for Sidwell, Heskey and Luke Young so that will be something like £6million off the wage bill. People seem to have this doomsday notion that we will not be able to sell at least half the 6 or 7 who are for sale.

Now Randy will probably release funds as every reliable source seems to suggest, we will sell some of these players, we will sell Milner and we have the new sponsorship deal.

[nechells]

Why are we always on the back foot in the transfer market? We sulk and protest when one of players wants to go, then end up dragging things out 2 months, negative stories in the press all the time, sell him anyway and have no time to replace them properly.

It does my head right in.

Its testament to where we have progressed to.

Before Randy took over,there was never any worries about our stars being snapped up by top 6 clubs-we are knocking on the door,loosing players goes with the territory-Milner had a good 6 months,thats all.

I don't see us on the back foot over this at all-We are not Portsmouth

From the top of my head, even since I started to go to VP from about '87, I can think of H0dge, McInally, Platt, Yorke, Barry - possibly 3 of whom have left in prolonged and increasingly bitter moves. So, sorry don't agree this is a new phenomenon with Villa.

I know losing players comes with the territory, my point is other clubs (and bigger clubs than us) accept it, move the player on and then spend the money to poach an equally good player. When was the last time we made a signing to make anyone sit up? When have we ever bought a player before selling one of our stars?

Its always the same. I bet anything that Milner is still at VP in August, but at Man City by September, and we'll not replace him until next summer. That's what I mean by being on the back foot.

I've been going even longer than you me old pal-The first real heartache I encountered was Bruce Rioch leaving us for Derby.

Milners worth about £15mil max-chill out,we're never going to breach the top 4 with him running the show so lets see how much we can shaft Man City for?

[Mazrim]

God, there's a lot of old cobblers being talked about our finances.

[Dr Butler]

Bruce Rioch to Derby...........never really ever got over that day.
Great player.

UTV
The Doc

[sid1964]

If Milner stays, and we cant sell any of the other 6 players

Then there will not be any new signings this summer - due to us having to reduce the clubs expenditure on wages

We may get a couple of players on loan but that will be it!!

[DB]

You know that for a fact sid1964 ????

[sid1964]

You only have to read various things that have been said throughout the summer!!

Even MON has not said that we are looking to bring players in!

[BannedUserIAT]

[shakes head]

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

OUT: Sidwell
         Young
         Heskey
         Reo
         Davies
IN:
         Ireland
         Keane
         
Wage Bill improved and would actually leave room for possible loan big player ..........

[Pete3206]

God, there's a lot of old cobblers being talked about our finances.

Do you know something we don't?

[saunders_heroes]

If Milner stays, and we cant sell any of the other 6 players

Then there will not be any new signings this summer - due to us having to reduce the clubs expenditure on wages

We may get a couple of players on loan but that will be it!!

That's a massive 'if' though isn't it? Even if it were to happen I'd still bet my last penny we'd still make a couple of decent signings.
To listen to some on here you'd think we were about to go out of business.

[sfx412]

God, there's a lot of old cobblers being talked about our finances.

Do you know something we don't?

Be the first time

A report by a leading liquidator this morning on the box reckoned most PL clubs were working with a wage bill 103% above turnover a recipe for disaster. Few clubs appreciated the mess they were in and only a few enlightened ones were now doing something about it.

Could ours be one of them ?

Even Harry suggested few clubs apart from Man city were buying because they had no money beyond their high wage bill, so were very reluctant to buy but are preferring to loan players. He hoped to loan out 2 and loan in 3 before kickoff in 19 days time. But we know what a bullshitter he is :)

I'd suggest the chances of Milner staying are increasing, from 2% to 10%, but think the more important transfers are the deadwood, none of whom seem to have picked up much interest. Perhaps as Harry suggests when Milner's deal goes through it will free up money for others. ie sell Milner, buy from Harry, Harry buys from someone else and so on.

[Mazrim]

God, there's a lot of old cobblers being talked about our finances.

Do you know something we don't?

Depends who you mean by 'we'.
I know some of the suggestions put forward on our financial state are absolute bollocks though, yes.