Summer transfer rumours, speculation and out-and-out b*ll*cks.

[mazrimsbruv]

Faulkner has been in charge for us to Sell 3 top players Milner, Young & Downing All of which wanted to leave and All of which we made a healthy profit on.

Sold :

Milner - £18M
Young - £18-20M
Downing - £20M

Bought

Bent - £18-24M
Makoun - £6.5M?
Ireland - £0M

Potentially Will Buy

Given - £3.5M
N'Zogbia - £10M

Plus I should think others to come.

I don't really see where he's going that far wrong in 'running' our club.

Nice figures. Not sure what your point is though. This is Aston Villa Football Club, not an episode of The Apprentice.

If you're judging him on balancing the books then: "Paul. You're hired!"

If you're judging him on taking a club from genuine top four challengers to avoiding relegation in the penultimate game of the season then: "Paul. You're fired!!" 

[midnite]

I would rather have the player leave than having him skulking around bringing the moral of the team down. Contracts mean sweet f.a nowadays. All a contract means is how much you can sell the player on for depending on the length of contract left. Wouldn't be surprised if modric goes in January if he doesn't go this summer as he seems the kind of person to really pull a face and have a strop. When a player doesn't want to play theres nothing you can do. Spurs like us won't want a player bringing the club down. This is just their chairman giving a bit of PR to the fans to say thy're not a selling club and can say they tried everything to keep the player. When he does eventually go

[Concrete John]

No, my opinion would not change. These signings are the minmum I would expect if they even serious about fending off relegation next season.

And I don't care if Downing wanted to leave. He had two years left and his transfer request could have been refused if the Club were serious about keeping him. I would even bet they told him to submit a transfer request, once their valuation had been met, so that they saved a bit of face and didn't have to pay his bonus. Spurs have told Modric that there's no point in him submitting one.

They've sold Downing because they don't want to give the Manager any transfer funds.

And are you saying that he had lined up replacements before selling Ash & Downing?

I think those three, added to what we've already got, would do more than just 'fend off relegation'.

We could have kept him, yes, but then we'd have had to sell him next summer anyway or he goes for nothing in 2013.  So do we do that, and risk an unhappy player whose value might therefore fall further if out of the side, or maximise his value so we can re-invest?  IMO the club took made the right decision.  And I still reckon Modric will go aswell!

They've sold Downing because they don't want to give the Manager any transfer funds.

I'm afraid you'll have to explain that one to me??

And finally it depends on what you mean by 'lined up'.  I'm not sure it's been confirmed officially yet, but if we have bid for N'Zogbia it says to me that we had at least planned for what we'd do if he left and indentified a replacement. 

[Toronto Villa]

I don't disagree withe the assessment that Faulkner has made some decisions that I bet he wishes he could have back. What annoys me is when something is perceived as bad it's because of Faulkner. When something is good Faulkner never gets the praise. Instead it's all Randy/Houllier/The General or the tea lady. I really don't understand that logic.

[UsualSuspect]

I do like parker for his workrate and his commitment but surely if he is such a fantastic bargain a top 6 club would be in for him??

[Smoke]

If you're judging him on taking a club from genuine top four challengers to avoiding relegation in the penultimate game of the season then: Paul. You're fired!!" 

Holy sensationalism batman.

here's me thinking we finished top half of the table after beating liverpool and arsenal.

are you sure you're not gregnash'sbruv?

[eastie]

I do like parker for his workrate and his commitment but surely if he is such a fantastic bargain a top 6 club would be in for him??

maybe the top 6 have players already who can do that job , we dont.
parker flew home from west hams tour last night to sort out his future so i expect something is happening behind the scenes.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't disagree withe the assessment that Faulkner has made some decisions that I bet he wishes he could have back. What annoys me is when something is perceived as bad it's because of Faulkner. When something is good Faulkner never gets the praise. Instead it's all Randy/Houllier/The General or the tea lady. I really don't understand that logic.

The club did very well to keep the Bent deal quiet for so long. I'll praise Faulkner on that.

[UsualSuspect]

So Liverpool paid more for Adam than Parker would cost.

Arsenal have been crying out for that kind of midfielder since Viera left

man United are weak in central midfield as are Chelsea with essien out

Spurs will be losing Modric

man city are man city


So i reckon he could fit into all those sides so why aint they bidding??

[Concrete John]

They know it's pointless once the Might Sons of Aston are interested

[Chris Smith]

If you're judging him on taking a club from genuine top four challengers to avoiding relegation in the penultimate game of the season then: Paul. You're fired!!" 

Holy sensationalism batman.

here's me thinking we finished top half of the table after beating liverpool and arsenal.

are you sure you're not gregnash'sbruv?

We "avoided relegation", i.e. had enough points to stay up, when we won at West Ham on 15th April

[Ryu]

Have you forgotten about Chelsea?  I think their a top 6 club and they've been strongly linked with parker. Bloody hell they paid 10 million for him a few years ago and he's improved as a player since then! 

I'm very surprised anyone can question the signing of parker based only on his ability. We've badly needed someone like him in the middle since Milner left. 

[pauliewalnuts]

We "avoided relegation", i.e. had enough points to stay up, when we won at West Ham on 15th April

Whatever the reasons and circumstances, that Gabby goal is up there with any goal we've scored in the last ten years for sheer elation / relief / punch-the-air emotion.

[mazrimsbruv]

No, my opinion would not change. These signings are the minmum I would expect if they even serious about fending off relegation next season.

And I don't care if Downing wanted to leave. He had two years left and his transfer request could have been refused if the Club were serious about keeping him. I would even bet they told him to submit a transfer request, once their valuation had been met, so that they saved a bit of face and didn't have to pay his bonus. Spurs have told Modric that there's no point in him submitting one.

They've sold Downing because they don't want to give the Manager any transfer funds.

And are you saying that he had lined up replacements before selling Ash & Downing?

I think those three, added to what we've already got, would do more than just 'fend off relegation'.

We could have kept him, yes, but then we'd have had to sell him next summer anyway or he goes for nothing in 2013.  So do we do that, and risk an unhappy player whose value might therefore fall further if out of the side, or maximise his value so we can re-invest?  IMO the club took made the right decision.  And I still reckon Modric will go aswell!

They've sold Downing because they don't want to give the Manager any transfer funds.

I'm afraid you'll have to explain that one to me??

And finally it depends on what you mean by 'lined up'.  I'm not sure it's been confirmed officially yet, but if we have bid for N'Zogbia it says to me that we had at least planned for what we'd do if he left and indentified a replacement. 

We 'just fended off relegation' last season, with Friedel, Ash & Downing in the side. On what basis do you say that replacing them with N'Zogbia, Parker & Given means that we'll significantly improve on last season?

I don't believe Downing would have under-performed as he would have wanted to push for a place in the European Championships.

The rest is easy to explain. We didn't have a replacement lined up because we didn't bid for N'Zogbia until yesterday. Why? Because the manager didn't have a transfer budget, other than to sign a keeper, until they'd agreed the sale of Downing. 'Sell-to-buy' in its purest form.

[eastie]

We "avoided relegation", i.e. had enough points to stay up, when we won at West Ham on 15th April

Whatever the reasons and circumstances, that Gabby goal is up there with any goal we've scored in the last ten years for sheer elation / relief / punch-the-air emotion.

still have to go for ashleys winner at everton!