Friedel and Laursen on Goals on Sunday

[Irish villain]

Laursen: wouldn't say no to coming back to Villa one day and one day might go into management.

There's something great about Laursen. He was quite simply immense for us whenever he pulled on the claret and blue.... I'd love to see him at the club in some capacity. The comment about Man City is priceless!

[Chris Smith]

Friedel is an experienced guy, even if there was arguments etc behind the scenes with MON or a revolt against GH coming in, he'd hardly admit to it on the TV, would he?

Or, perhaps the reason he said there weren't arguments and no revolt was because it is the truth. Have you considered that outlandish possibility?

   

He's probably got more sense like most of us

You didn't see it did you?

He mentioned about how he'd been in touch with MON since. He wasn't lying, wasn't working to an agenda like silly sods like you do he was just giving his honest take on the situation.

[KevinGage]

Friedel is an experienced guy, even if there was arguments etc behind the scenes with MON or a revolt against GH coming in, he'd hardly admit to it on the TV, would he?

Exactly right.

Bannan (who is perhaps a little green in these matters) commented on the fact that a number of players felt something wasn't right pre season as MON had been less involved. He even went as far as to say that he felt it was something to do with the Liverpool link.

None of them were tripping over themselves to offer fawning tributes when he left, which might have been expected. Particularly from the first choice XI who he ran into the ground at the expense of others. Even Petrov spoke about how the players were delighted that Kevin Mac had got the gig and how they were pleased to be instructed to play "not just on the counter."

On a (vaguely) related MON theme, I found it interesting that both Everton and Tottenham were booed off this week. Tottenham after having the audacity to only draw with Sunderland at home and Everton after losing to Arsenal.

In Tottenham's case little over a week after their CL encounter with Inter Milan. If anyone might have a reason to feel insulated from criticism it would be Moyes at Everton too. Eight years at that club and he's delivered CL qualification, a cup final and regular top 6 finishes.

Yet neither 'arry or David Moyes saw fit to put the boot into their own fans in an attempt to deflect attention. Funny that.

Good manager is MON, in many ways. Despite what has gone on I can still say that. But I don't miss him at all.

[Somniloquism]

On a (vaguely) related MON theme, I found it interesting that both Everton and Tottenham were booed off this week. Tottenham after having the audacity to only draw with Sunderland at home and Everton after losing to Arsenal.

In Tottenham's case little over a week after their CL encounter with Inter Milan. If anyone might have a reason to feel insulated from criticism it would be Moyes at Everton too. Eight years at that club and he's delivered CL qualification, a cup final and regular top 6 finishes.

Yet neither 'arry or David Moyes saw fit to put the boot into their own fans in an attempt to deflect attention. Funny that.

Good manager is MON, in many ways. Despite what has gone on I can still say that. But I don't miss him at all.

You didn't read the papers then on Wednesday.

Telegraph

It left the Tottenham fans bemoaning another two points dropped in the league, on the back of a 4-2 defeat at Bolton at the weekend, but just a week after they stunned Inter Milan in the Champions League at White Hart Lane.

"What have they got to moan about? We couldn't have done any more tonight; we couldn't have tried any harder," Redknapp said.

[KevinGage]

I stand corrected, said the man in orthopaedic shoes.

Lets see if he brings it up at regular intervals over the next few weeks even if not prompted.

[Somniloquism]

I stand corrected, said the man in orthopaedic shoes.

Lets see if he brings it up at regular intervals over the next few weeks even if not prompted.

That I doubt although you never know with Arry. I haven't seen his remarks after the 4-2 yesterday which would have been a time to rub it in if he was going to.

[timeoutbigbar]

I stand corrected, said the man in orthopaedic shoes.

Oi Oi, i used that one not long ago on here...not that it's a particularly original joke but still!  And of the players glad to see the back of MoN, i'm sure Reo-Coker was top of the list.  He has been up there with Downing as our best players so far this season.

[The Left Side]

I love Laursen's quote about Man Citeh, what a legend!

[Monty]

Laursen: wouldn't say no to coming back to Villa one day and one day might go into management.

There's something great about Laursen. He was quite simply immense for us whenever he pulled on the claret and blue.... I'd love to see him at the club in some capacity. The comment about Man City is priceless!

There was some discussion on here recently about what makes a Villa legend. For me, Laursen proves that longevity isn't necessarily an issue, as he only actually played for us properly for about three years but, in my eyes, is undoubtedly deserving of legend status.

[KevinGage]

TBH I'd struggle with the legend tag being applied to a player like Laursen.

I take the point that it doesn't automatically need to be based on sheer number of games played.

But we'd be getting into Bluenose territory if we suddenly start acclaiming players who have played so few games for us as legends.

[Monty]

Without wanting to drag up the debate again, I think Laursen has contributed enough to be considered in some way legendary. Granted, he's not at God/Sid/Morley status or anything, but certainly a player I think many of us will remember with a degree of legend-like reverance.

[Shrek]

Well he is certainly the best CB we've had since God

[pauliewalnuts]

Do I think Friedel could have been telling the truth when he said what he said on Goals on Sunday? Yes.

Do I think he was? Probably.

If the truth was different, would he admit it? No.

[KevinGage]

I don't think it's any accident that he was part of a very good AC Milan squad early-mid noughties.

And we had a spell from him that was as good as any Villa CB since McGrath. I'd go as far as to say that during that spell he was as good as anything in the country.

But that's what, less than two calender years?

That's part of the frustration for me, he could have been a big part in a really successful spell for the club. Would we have gone on to qualify for the CL in 2008/09 with him ever present? No one can say for certain, but we'd have stood a far better chance.

It would also have probably meant that we'd have had the guts of £10 million to invest elsewhere in the summer prior to 2009/10 as the Laursen/ Davies partnership looked solid and there would have been little need to sign Collins and Dunne. All ifs buts and maybes.

But I don't see approx two good seasons and 84 games in total as befitting legend status, esp with no trophies won or tangible success. Just my opinion.

[N'ZMAV]

Friedel is an experienced guy, even if there was arguments etc behind the scenes with MON or a revolt against GH coming in, he'd hardly admit to it on the TV, would he?

Or, perhaps the reason he said there weren't arguments and no revolt was because it is the truth. Have you considered that outlandish possibility?

Yes. I never actually said I thought there was any arguments or revolts. Did I?