Selling the 'deadwood' and their 'high' wages

[old man villa fan]

I would be very interested to read your analysis of each players purchase as I outlined above.

to achieve what perchance.

The manager sinks or swims by the way he acts, and that includes buying and selling players. The prevailing circumstances of those transfers have little credence as excuse paragraphs for his failures, just as they have little credence to the ones he has got right.

To understand what your feelings were towards the purchases at the time without the benefit of hindsight and to see if you considered them to be a total waste of money/good gamble/good buy etc.

Totally agree with your statement about the manager 'sinks or swims' etc.  Some players are a success, some not but it is the overall view on all transfers that should say whether the maanger has got value for money from what he has spent i.e. if our net spend has been around £80m, is this a fair amount to get from where we were to where we are now.

If you are not willing to give an opinion on each of the transfers (for whatever reason - does suit your arguement?), I will.

Harewood - It looked at the time that MON wanted a back up to Carew, somebody that was strong and imposing to take the pressure of the young/less experienced Gabby and Young.  Harewood had had a good season with West Ham the year before in the PL and had torn us apart at Upton Park.  My preference at the time was that we went for a player that was an alternative/challenger to the front two.  Spending another £2-4m would have been my choice.

Reo-Coker - Looked a good young prospect for improving the team.  Very experienced for his age and had captained the England U21s.  Main attributes were that he was physical and would add the energy to our midfield, something that we were lacking at the time.  Season before he p***** all over our midfield at Villa Park.  Negative point was that he came with 'baggage' - his attitude but MON had been known for taking players and sorting them out.  For me, at the time, I was excited by this purchase.

Davis - Looked at top young player and recognised as potentially a future England captain.  He was raw and lacked PL experience but looked as though he could have been polished into a 'diamond' in the bright, young Villa side at the time.  I thought that the price was about £2m over what we should have paid but sometimes you have to pay to get your man.

Sidwell - Had looked a very good player at Reading (agian another player that had played very well previously against Villa - common theme here).  Chelsea had bought him as he looked as though he could be a potential first team player and England international.  At the time when we signed him I thought he could have gone one of two ways.  Firstly, he could have become the new 'Dennis Mortimer' or he could have failed, having lost is enthusiasm after a year (or was it two) on the bench.  I was still of the opinion that Reo Coker was the better bet and that £8m was too much to pay, again £2-5m over the top.

Shorey - Again looked good playing for Reading, on the verge of playing for England.  At the time it looked as though Bouma would be the left back for the season but his injury preseason was tragic.  If it had been a less serious injury I would have used the squad players to cover but as it was long term we needed an experienced player.  The best around at the time and available at the right price was Shorey.  I thought he would add the attacking play from full back position that we had lacked in the early MON years.  Looked a good buy to me.

Beye - Due to the failings of Shorey the previous year, Young moved to left back.  MON was in the market for a new left back with Warnock being his prime target.  Blackburn were playing hardball and it looked as though he was being priced out of the market.  With the view that Young would stay at left back, we needed a right back and also extra strength/experience at the back.  Beye looked a solid player and had come off the back of a good year at Newcastle (one of the few that year).  Remember also that this purchase was pre Collins and Dunne and Beye could also player centre of defence.  For the money, he looked a good squad player but nothing more.

Luke Young - I had always been impressed by him as a right back and if we were after an English player he was the best around that was available.  I was disappointed that we had not bought him the year before and so when we did buy him it was £2m over the top.

These were my views at the time and it has turned out that I was probably too optimistic but I am not a paid football manager.

I would be very interested on other peoples views on each of the players.

[Greg N'Ash]

Harewood;West Ham reserve. Never good enough.
Sidwell: chelsea reserve. never going to work in MON's midfield. why buy him?
nrc: never going to work in MON's  midfield. why buy him?
Shorey:Agreed, he had a decent pedigree, but the reality was as a modern leftback he didn't suit us
young:looked the business till he killed MON's dog. or something.
Davies:Came straight out of a relegated defence which should tell you something.
Beye: see Davies

[MoetVillan]

Sidwell: engine room for Reading when they qualified for Europe, looked class.
NRC: An important part of the England U21 squad that got to a final.
Davies: Last time I looked defence depends on a back four, a goalie and some cover from midfield.  To blame Davies for WBA for their relegation is somewhat bizarre.  I think there is a really good player in him
Beye: See Davies, and his achievements before he went to the barcodes.
Young:  I like him, MON doesnt so much, and I think I would start Cuellar over him on what I have seen.
Harewood: Nothing to see here, move along

[PaulTheVillan]

Reading actually qualified for Europe?

Harewood is off to Rangers, 2 year deal.

Harewood in the Champions League?

[Merv]

Why offer a left back, that you aren't sure about and think is too slow, £43k a week though?

It's nuts

Again, with hindsight it looks a rotten deal. At the time, it looked a perfectly good deal and a sound signing, given we had no fit left-back with the season a month away.

Which alone is poor management, and a sign of no forward planning.

Do me a favour. Yes, although O'Neill had a team of coaches telling him to expect his Dutch international left-back to shatter his ankle in a pre-season friendly and never play again for the club, the stubborn eejit refused to spend big on a new left-back earlier in the summer.

[JUAN PABLO]

Reading actually qualified for Europe?

Harewood is off to Rangers, 2 year deal.

Harewood in the Champions League?

Can scottish teams still go into Chumps League, I thought they could only go into the Johnsons Paint trophy or something like that after winning the league.

[PaulTheVillan]

They go into the qualifying for the champions league.

Only the winners do now though (I think)

[TheSandman]

Rangers will enter the Champions League in the group stage as they did last season due to being Scottish champions. It was during this great period that they lost 4-1 at home to giants of the European game Unirea Urzicheni.

Celtic as Second placed team in the SPL face a qualifier against Sporting Braga.

As of next season (11/12) the top placed team will face a qualifier due to shit performances from Scottish teams against giants like Unirea Urziceni and Sigma Olomouc.

[SoccerHQ]

Sidwell was worth the gamble I think, he actually did play well in his early games, chipped in with a couple of goals and played very well at Arsenal when we won down there before rapidly turning invisible there after so not a signing I'd burn MON at the stake with.

Same for NRC who has played a part in us going from mid table to 6th. But he isn't a player who will turnyou from 6th to top 4 as he's too limited.

Shorey, never really rated him at all tbh. Beye was a signing most were calling for as squad cover.

The thing with the wages is that Beye and Sidwell were earning shed loads at their previous clubs, Sidwell 50 + given he went to Chelsea on a free and given some of the wages Newcastle were rumoured to be paying out wouldn't surprise me if Beye was on that sort of figure aswell. So even with Both coming here and taking a 10k per week pay cut or thereabouts they're still both earning comfortably 2m + a year.

That's the economics it comes down to, do you pay Sidwell and Beye a combined 80k a week or do you decide the squad will cope without both as couyld happen in the next few weeks and sign a very good player on 80k a week. But then the rest of the better first 11 players will start demanding parity.

Ah modern football.

[Guy M]

Bit of an old thread to resurrect but seems most appropriate seeing as I can't find the answer with the aid of the 'search' function.

A friend who shall remain nameless texted me the other day saying that Curtis Davies had a clause in his contract which meant that if he played another competitive game, we'd be forced to negotiate a new deal with him.

I can't find any reference to that on here, but wondered whether anyone else had heard the same? Or is there a thread about this that I've just managed to miss completely?

[villasjf]

I believe there is a clause in his contract thats why he hasnt been played much since returning from injury. Out of the 'DEADWOOD' I wont be too dissapointed if Davies stays along with Reo and Luke. As long as the manager is fair with all the players and gives them all a fair crack. on the other hand why hasnt he tried offloading Salifou and Osbourne?

[Guy M]

So my friend's not the only one to have heard that then? Bit of a coincidence him getting injured pretty much 1 game away from a new deal then.

I don't get why people are so bothered about Salifou being on the payroll and not really being anywhere near the first team. Does anybody know how much he's getting paid, weekly or annually?

Around the time of the attack on the Togolese national team in Angola, MON commented on how popular he was with the other players. Managed to find this article and this one too where he goes so far as to call him "an exceptional fellow".

He might not be PL-standard, but he has international experience and MON clearly sees him of benefit to the kids in the reserves. So, especially in light of what he went through last year, if RL is quite happy to keep paying him what (comparatively) little I assume he's on, then I personally couldn't give two hoots and wish the bloke well. Having said all that, I actually thought he looked quite good last night.

[sfx412]

just read,its probably old nws, that Hughes has stopped the Sidwell deal, so another bites the dust. You'd think players from a side that won the Peace Cup finished 6th and went to Wembley would be in demand.

Wonder if the Albion deal will go through can they pay that sort of wage, I wonder.

[smudger]

All the players linked with moves;

Davies - Came with a good pedigree, looked good alongside Laursen, looked piss poor afterwards. In hindsight we paid far too much and i would now sell because we are well covered in that dept.

Beye - OK for the money, decent cover at right back, but would now sell because we have Lichaj coming through.

L Young - One of the best full backs i've seen in over 20 years at the club. Some strange goings on behind the scenes on this one, but personally i would say selling him would be a certifiable decision. So keep.

Sidwell - Again i was delighted when we signed him, but he's been disappointing. Seen far worse in a Villa midfield but i would sell, especially if we sign Ireland.

Reo-Coker - Every team, or certainly squad needs a Reo-Coker. Dogged performer, breaks up the opposition well, and sometimes breaks well out of midfield. On the back of his stance that he wants to stay and his performance last night, i would not only keep him but start him against West Ham.

Shorey - Needs too much time on the ball, and suspect to high balls, but to be honest i'd keep him as back up to Warnock.

Harewood - We were all underwelmed when we signed but he deserved a chance. Had a good first season when called upon, but done nothing since. In hindsight we paid too much, but again i've seen worse strikers play for us (ie Carlton Cole). Sell.

Milner - If we get £25m + i would snap there hand off for it. Very good player but no world beater, if we effectively get Ireland, McGeady and Keane for roughly the same money, we will be a better side this season without doubt. Sell (for that amount).

Heskey - Another one i was happy enough with when we signed, but has disappointed. Sell.

A Young - I thought he was going to be the new Dwight Yorke. Never got to that level, and i don't think he ever will, but he is still our most talented attacking threat and i would definately keep. Especially if Milner is going, i would not want to see that much disruption to the team.

[hawkeye]

Sidwell was useless at Chelsea, a slow one dimensional player not good enough for a top team- useless signing.
Downing lost his form edge 2 years ago, gets a broken foot and MON throws the cheque book at him, the worst £ for £ signing for a long time
Harewood decent lower prem nationwide player so why do we buy him
Davies had potential aparently, worse than Cahill but twice the money. Another great bit of business
Shorey not given a real chance but hasnt worked out, probably just not good enough.
Young decent player so why spend a season on the bench watching carlos slice the ball out of touch.
Beye i havent seen emough to know bt cant be worse than Cuellar at RB-baffleing.

All this proves that MON is not exactly king of the transfer market,