The Randy way or Citeh's Trillions ?

[PhilGibson]

That latest interview to me sounds like a man who is losing the passion for the job he is doing, it sounds as if he is going through the motions and coming out with same tired sound bites year after year.

He comes across as negative a lot of the time, but this time feels different. If you look at the way Benitez was acting last season with the interviews from Yossi Benayoun, freezing players out, acting erractically etc. It appears from the outside looking in that Martin is doing the same. I feel as if he is reaching the end of his tenure with us and he knows it. He left Celtic with loads of older players on high wages and long contracts, I fear he is doing the same with us.

The question I have is if Heskey, Shorey, Sidwell etc are on the stupidly high wages suggested recently, then who signed off on these deals, because they appear to be madness!

[pauliewalnuts]

Didn't Luke voice his disagreement with our surrender in the Uefa Cup?  And that was the end of him.

If it is about that, the flip side of that is to say "well, he should have kept his mouth shut. who can blame the manager", which is the same thing you could say about Shorey's strop at Craven Cottage.

But ultimately, it is expensive to hold grudges like that.

[cdbearsfan]

Didn't Luke voice his disagreement with our surrender in the Uefa Cup?  And that was the end of him.

For a bloke who used to get booed playing for his country because of his religion, O'Neill is shockingly thin-skinned.

[TheSandman]

Here's something else worth thinking about.

Emile Heskey is our highest earner. We signed him from Wigan Athletic.

Wigan are nothing like big wage payers, yet two years after signing for Wigan, he's able to come to Villa at the age of 31 and become our highest earner?

Either Wigan were paying him superstar wages, or we've dropped a very large bollock.

Anyone who doesn't find that a bit disturbing must have balls of steel

I'd dearly love to know how much Carlos gets paid. He was on about £10K a week at Rangers and if we're paying him vast sums it will show something is awry with how our contracts are being negotiated.

Same with Shorey. Surely Reading weren't paying him anything like £43K a week.

Now let me get this straight amortisation is like depreciation right? So if I give someone a 4 year contract and pay £12million for him he will lose £3million Per Annam in amortisation? Therefore isn't a bit meaningless as the value of most of Spurs players will have increased due to their successful season?

[KevinGage]

I am only just digseting ( with the aid of copious amounts of Gaviscon) the fact that Ivanhoe is our highest paid player.

Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez a huge bollock dropped.

I've known for a while.

Not insider knowledge, as such. Just cobbling together various reports soon after his arrival that put his wages at £60-£62k.

A few months previous Ash had a new contract reported in various quarters to be anywhere between £50-55k.

No one -except perhaps Barry if he'd opted to stay- could have realistically commanded more than that.

We apparently did see off interest from Liverpool for Ivanhoe's signature -bizarre as that seems. And he was a few months away from quitting Wigan on a free.

But we stole a march on the competition, as we needed the type of surge only the Tumbling Bear could bring to the final part of our 08/09 campaign. That went well.

[eastie]

Can hardly moan about having no money to spend when he's wasted millions himself, I was beginning to doubt randy's commitment after hearing mon but the general has assured us randy is still up for it, which is good to know!

[Greg N'Ash]

If Ivanhoe's our top earner forget selling him. He's here till he retires as there's not a club on earth who will take him on those wages, unless Capello takes over at Citeh. :o}

[KevinGage]

Didn't Luke voice his disagreement with our surrender in the Uefa Cup?  And that was the end of him.

you mean this ?

It seems even his own players can not see the logic. Speaking after Saturday's defeat, Luke Young said: "I'm not sure how the manager views it, but I think  the lads feel it is a waste of time putting all the effort in on Wednesday if we are not going to go over there and try and finish the job."

[Mac]

That would be it.

[Risso]

Luke Young also spoke out about being played at left back.

[hackneyvillain]

I am starting to think I wouldn't mind a crack at doing it Citys way.

It must be fairly exciting I reckon.  On here, we're getting all worked up about possibly signing Keane, whilst they are trawling the world trying to throw money at whoever is worth over 20m.

[Mazrim]

I am only just digseting ( with the aid of copious amounts of Gaviscon) the fact that Ivanhoe is our highest paid player.

Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez a huge bollock dropped.

I've often defended MON (No honestly, I have) but I'm still reeling from this bombshell. I'm not sure if I want him sacked or shot for it.

[eastie]

I thought it was after luke expressed his displeasure at playing left back that things went downhill between them- o neill doesn't seem to like players speaking out of turn.

[Risso]

Is anybody (well, those who have previously argued that O'Neill deserves more time) thinking that maybe a clean break all round would be best for all concerned?

[Rudy Can't Fail]

If Ivanhoe's our top earner forget selling him. He's here till he retires as there's not a club on earth who will take him on those wages, unless Capello takes over at Citeh. :o}

Here's the good news - Heskey's only got two years left on his contract.
I said at the time we signed him, the contract length was pure madness. I wonder what length of contact is on the table for 30 year old Robbie Keane. 4 years?