SSN: "Downing won't commit to Villa"

[Mark H]

What has changed in 2 weeks - there is one big and simple answer IMHO , the manager "word" has it that they dont get along , 2 weeks ago he was delighted to sign as it looked for all the world as if the manager was off, now he may stay he has decided to review his position.  I will have a bet if GH moves up or out then Stewart will decide there is no better place to be blah blah

[Brend'Watkins]

It makes me laugh how fans get so upset when a player dares to want to move on from the Villa.
Usually the reason they joined us and moved up the ladder was because they were ambitious - so why do we expect them to stop being ambitious once they pull on a claret and blue shirt?

If you're lucky enough to have football as your job/career then you're going to try and play at the highest level you possibly can and make as much money as you can whilst doing it.

They're just men at work.

I absolutely agree with this. Most of the people on this thread are being absolutely hysterical.

The great irony is that so many of the people who are complaining about him being a disloyal little gobshite go on to suggest we replace him with N'Zogbia. A player who will have one good game and demand a move to Liverpool.

I don't see him leaving this summer if we sell Young but do have to concede there has been a marked turn around from his comments a few weeks ago. Even if he does go I can't bring myself to be too upset. It's football and if you were not a supporter of the club you would probably sign for Liverpool or Tottenham too. I would.

What annoys me is not the fact he wants to leave, but the fact two weeks ago he was going 'WHEEEYYYYYY!! I FUCKIN' LOVE IT HERE, WHERE'S THE PEN?!!', and all of a sudden it's a case of 'Hmmm ... I might not sign, actually.'

Precisely.

I would be less annoyed had he said nothing two weeks ago, would still have been annoyed though considering it's only one decent season he's given us in return for getting him back to full fitness.  That was a years salary the club forked out for virtually no return.  Downing owes us.

Either he's a cnut or his agent is or more than likely they both are.

[barrysleftfoot]

  This kind of approach from players will get more and more common.4 year contracts, play 2, if you do well don't sign and hope a bigger club come in for you, if you are shit you want to sign a new deal.

  FWIW play him for next season , and as per Ash, if he goes he goes.

  Might be worth signing them on a 5 year deal though.

[timeoutbigbar]

Well this news has certainly fucked me off.  Really liked the lad before this, it certainly has opened my eyes now.  What a cnut.

[Merv]

off course you are Merv. Maybe I've just become a little immune to it to be honest because I expect something like this every year (at least recently anyway), but it's not like it hasn't happened before. And it most certainly will happen again. Whether it's Barry, Milner, Young, or Platt, Yorke or McInally, history will repeat itself.

Yeah, I know. I'd hoped to avoid all 'Downing leaving' talk this summer, though. Like you, I've seen it happen time and time again at Villa but I hadn't even contemplated Downing going anywhere until a few whispers started doing the rounds about a month ago.

I'm not sure he's good enough for CL football, mind. Well, not playing for any of the 3-4 PL clubs who'll be in the CL next season anyway.

[Hopadop]

He'll probably want to leave if he gets a better offer. Why wouldn't he?

It does seem like we're a bit vulnerable at the moment. Wealthy enough to have some seriously desirable players, but unable to keep them when others come sniffing.

[The Situation]

Can't let this happen.

Why the fuck do we always sell our best players? Selling our best players will get us nowhere. It'll only make us weaker.

Everton seem to keep their best players fine.

The board need to start doing something about this, it's getting out of hand.

[TimTheVillain]

Can't let this happen.

Why the fuck do we always sell out best players? Selling our best players will get us nowhere. It'll only make us weaker.

Everton seem to keep their best players fine.

The board need to start doing something about this, it's getting out of hand.

Totally agree.

The club MUST show some steel and even some humility ( now that player power is so fucking painful).

Keep Downing, but:-

Sell Young for £20 mill

Buy N'Zogbia for £12 mill

£8 mill to add to the spending budget AND a very good player.

[Brend'Watkins]

Sell Downing to the highest bidder on the condition that he is dispatched to where ever in the same condition that we received him in.

[timeoutbigbar]

Realistically I can see that if we do get N'zogbia it would probably cost us everything we get from the Young sale (about £15m i guess).  I just hate the fact we get to this position and players run their contracts down to one year so that we get fuck all for them when they do go.  Two years ago we'd have been looking for (however realistically) twice what we're likely to get for Young, now we'll get a frenchman from wigan instead and no change to spare.

[timeoutbigbar]

Sell Downing to the highest bidder on the condition that he is dispatched to where ever in the same condition that we received him in.

Got a hammer? I'll do the honours...

(only joking)

[Rudy Can't Fail]

He'll probably want to leave if he gets a better offer. Why wouldn't he?

It does seem like we're a bit vulnerable at the moment. Wealthy enough to have some seriously desirable players, but unable to keep them when others come sniffing.

Wealthy enough to pay them stupid wages that they're more than willing to accept until they start thinking they're better than they are. You're right though, we are a bit vunerable at the moment.

[Dante Lavelli]

Everton seem to keep their best players fine.

Rooney, Lescott and Pienaar os probably comparable with Barry, Milner and Young.  Plus rumours that Jaglielka is off to Arsenal this summer.

I think our biggest problem is that we do not expect these players to want to leave.  They get to one year left on their contracts and we're surprised that someone is already lined up to buy them.

If we sold when we were in a position of strength then the team would not suffer so greatly.  For example Milner effectively allowed us to buy bent and Ireland, whereas selling young will probably get us a Nzogbia, and that's it.

Admittedly there is a huge flaw in this argument due to the monumental cock up that was Ireland but 7 times out of 10 9m would get you a decent premiership level player.

[Tom_Mc9?]

I'm bored of all this now. What's the best Villa can genuinely hope for if our best players keep leaving?

[damon loves JT]

He's got two years on his contract. he is going to leave at some point. Either

a) Now, for silly money

b) in twelve months' time, for a fair price

c) in two years' time, for nothing.

I am ready for any of (a), (b) or (c) provided that, for as long as he stays, he plays well.