Players should step up & take their share of responsibility

[darren woolley]

I think it is disgraceful that a player can say that about our club he should just be concentrating on getting out of this mess.

[Salsa Party Animal]

It make me wonder what the original Old Big Head Cloughie would do if he is Villa manager today.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

It make me wonder what the original Old Big Head Cloughie would do if he is Villa manager today.

Not a lot.
Players have way more power now than they did in his day.

[jonzy85]

Reactions to Downing's comments a bit over the top no??

I dont think he is being anything but honest.

Let's hope he and all the others on international duty come back rejuvenated from their break from the relegation struggle........and le spoofer.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Cant say Downing has said anything out of turn here.
I think theres a bit of over reaction here. With the anger flying about at the moment, if I was a Villa player I wouldnt say anything to anybody abaout anything.....but even then some supporters would call you a disloyal wanker.

[Mister E]

Wasn't sure where else to put this.
-----------------

Stewart Downing glad to swap focus:

Stewart Downing has admitted the chance to join up with the England squad is a welcome relief from the stress of Villa’s current Premier League plight.

Downing is preparing for England’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales with Villa team-mates Darren Bent, Ashley Young and Kyle Walker.

And the 26-year-old is happy to swap his Villa shirt for an England one and revealed the break from club football will benefit all those on international duty.

He said: “It does help you. You are going into a different environment with a different kind of pressure so obviously if you go there and do well it can help bring confidence back to club.

“Sometimes the break does you good, we can also regroup and get some players back from injury and suspension so it has probably come at a good time.

“Then we can get focused and go again because we missed some of those not involved against Wolves.”

If he plays, Downing is likely to come up against Villa defender James Collins, who is set to captain Wales at the Millenium Stadium, and the Middlesbrough-born midfielder could not resist a bit of banter in the build-up to the game.

The winger said: “There are a few Villa lads in the squad so hopefully we can all play a part. Obviously James Collins is in the Wales squad so there will be a bit of rivalry there.

“I’m sure there will be a few texts flying around this week about what is going to happen but that’s what you like in a way. It is enjoyable to play against your mates and wind them up if you can get one over on them.

“I’m looking forward to it because it is a big game and hopefully I’ll be involved.”

http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2011/03/23/stewart-downing-glad-to-swap-focus/

This was also in today's Times. Depressing but inevitable that a player seemingly with a reasonable attitude cannot be more supportive of the club.
It all looks like a concerted campaign against Hou ... whether orchestrated by loaded media questioning or a deliberate effort by the palyers. Either way, the club's status might change as a result of players apparently not being able to rally around and save their P'ship status, regardless of their feelings about the Manager.

[jonzy85]

Wasn't sure where else to put this.
-----------------

Stewart Downing glad to swap focus:

Stewart Downing has admitted the chance to join up with the England squad is a welcome relief from the stress of Villa’s current Premier League plight.

Downing is preparing for England’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales with Villa team-mates Darren Bent, Ashley Young and Kyle Walker.

And the 26-year-old is happy to swap his Villa shirt for an England one and revealed the break from club football will benefit all those on international duty.

He said: “It does help you. You are going into a different environment with a different kind of pressure so obviously if you go there and do well it can help bring confidence back to club.

“Sometimes the break does you good, we can also regroup and get some players back from injury and suspension so it has probably come at a good time.

“Then we can get focused and go again because we missed some of those not involved against Wolves.”

If he plays, Downing is likely to come up against Villa defender James Collins, who is set to captain Wales at the Millenium Stadium, and the Middlesbrough-born midfielder could not resist a bit of banter in the build-up to the game.

The winger said: “There are a few Villa lads in the squad so hopefully we can all play a part. Obviously James Collins is in the Wales squad so there will be a bit of rivalry there.

“I’m sure there will be a few texts flying around this week about what is going to happen but that’s what you like in a way. It is enjoyable to play against your mates and wind them up if you can get one over on them.

“I’m looking forward to it because it is a big game and hopefully I’ll be involved.”

http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2011/03/23/stewart-downing-glad-to-swap-focus/

This was also in today's Times. Depressing but inevitable that a player seemingly with a reasonable attitude cannot be more supportive of the club.
It all looks like a concerted campaign against Hou ... whether orchestrated by loaded media questioning or a deliberate effort by the palyers. Either way, the club's status might change as a result of players apparently not being able to rally around and save their P'ship status, regardless of their feelings about the Manager.

Where, oh where do you get a "concerted campaign against Hou" from the above comments?

[Phil from the upper holte]

Good post spot on.

I saw what Downig said, I don't think it's worth getting upset over. What's collins said? I missed that

[Ian.]

I can't see anything wrong with what Downing has said. We can all do with a break from it all after the last result.
Hopefully that will be our rock bottom and the squad can take a long look at what is going on and turn it around.
I'm sure people are making up scenarios in there own heads now to help fuel a fire in themselves.

[Blackcountry Villa]

The players are just as much to blame, they're shit. Especially that little tosser Ashley Young, yet the fans still sing his name every game mainly when he's about to take a free kick. Feck knows why, he'll either hit the wall or lamp it out of play.

[citizenDJ]

I honestly cannot see what Downing has said there that has caused offence to people! It struck me as quite a positive remark, really.

[Mister E]

Jonzy, read the Times piece - I'm not trying to make shite out it but there is a strong sense of (i) the players not taking any responsibility for the position that the team is in, (ii) little / no support for an embattled manager / club, (iii) a line of questioning from reporters implying that Villa / Hou are in the shit, and (iv) everyone revelling in the situation we're in.
My post above expressed my 'take' on all of this by using the words "looks like" - if you don't like my reading of it, well tough shit!

[cdward]

It has to do with the money.
Billionaire owner buys club and starts to splash the cash, with the aim of getting richer.
Manager signs players for large fees and pays them handsomely.
Team fails to break into the big money, billionaire gets cold feet, and tells manager to stop spending money
Manager leaves.
New manager arrives and is told by billionaire, to reduce the amount of money being spent, promote the cheaper younger players and sell the expensive players.
Manager tries to follow through with these orders.
Expensive players do not want to leave, as they will not be paid as handsomely elsewhere (L.Young), some go out on loan, some decide to take a wage drop and transfer away (Davies, Sidwell), others decide to dig in, and see out their contracts.
Manager does not have players on side, they resent being forced to take a drop in income, results go badly, less income generated, the loanees come back, the wage bill is not reduced....
I fear there is only one outcome, if the players dig in their heels, they will stay.
I doubt it, but i hope to God all these players have clauses in their contracts in the event of relegation, their income gets cut, otherwise we will be like Leeds, paying off debt for years.

[Percy McCarthy]

It has to do with the money.
Billionaire owner buys club and starts to splash the cash, with the aim of getting richer.
Manager signs players for large fees and pays them handsomely.
Team fails to break into the big money, billionaire gets cold feet, and tells manager to stop spending money
Manager leaves.
New manager arrives and is told by billionaire, to reduce the amount of money being spent, promote the cheaper younger players and sell the expensive players.
Manager tries to follow through with these orders.
Expensive players do not want to leave, as they will not be paid as handsomely elsewhere (L.Young), some go out on loan, some decide to take a wage drop and transfer away (Davies, Sidwell), others decide to dig in, and see out their contracts.
Manager does not have players on side, they resent being forced to take a drop in income, results go badly, less income generated, the loanees come back, the wage bill is not reduced....
I fear there is only one outcome, if the players dig in their heels, they will stay.
I doubt it, but i hope to God all these players have clauses in their contracts in the event of relegation, their income gets cut, otherwise we will be like Leeds, paying off debt for years.

Where does 'new manager spends £30m in a week' fit in to this scenario?

[stevenjos]

It has to do with the money.
Billionaire owner buys club and starts to splash the cash, with the aim of getting richer.
Manager signs players for large fees and pays them handsomely.
Team fails to break into the big money, billionaire gets cold feet, and tells manager to stop spending money
Manager leaves.
New manager arrives and is told by billionaire, to reduce the amount of money being spent, promote the cheaper younger players and sell the expensive players.
Manager tries to follow through with these orders.
Expensive players do not want to leave, as they will not be paid as handsomely elsewhere (L.Young), some go out on loan, some decide to take a wage drop and transfer away (Davies, Sidwell), others decide to dig in, and see out their contracts.
Manager does not have players on side, they resent being forced to take a drop in income, results go badly, less income generated, the loanees come back, the wage bill is not reduced....
I fear there is only one outcome, if the players dig in their heels, they will stay.
I doubt it, but i hope to God all these players have clauses in their contracts in the event of relegation, their income gets cut, otherwise we will be like Leeds, paying off debt for years.

Where does 'new manager spends £30m in a week' fit in to this scenario?

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