SSN: "Downing won't commit to Villa"

[eastie]

If a bid of around £18m comes in let him go if that's how he feels. I'd rather have players committed to Aston villa than an unsettled player looking for a way out, bring in a couple of quality players with the money and move onwards- we have lost far better than downing and progressed and will do so again.

[Chris Smith]

If a bid of around £18m comes in let him go if that's how he feels. I'd rather have players committed to Aston villa than an unsettled player looking for a way out, bring in a couple of quality players with the money and move onwards- we have lost far better than downing and progressed and will do so again.

I'm sure you were saying the same last season about Milner and will be doing so again next summer regards Bent.

[andym]

it would be nice for footballers to show a bit of loyalty- we spent big money on downing when he was injured, we gave him a platform to get back in the england team etc. maybe he could repay that by signing a new contract.

but i guess footballers are just not like that. they are selfish and never take responsibility. its always the clubs fault for poor results and a lack of success. never mind that the players poor performances on the pitch are actually the main reason.  they seem to think they have some divine right to go and play at the top clubs and at the highest level, even if their talent, attitude and performances don't deserve it.

that said, i think downings comments from this week are more than a little influenced by his agent/adviser.  the other week downing was happy to stay, could see where the club was going etc. doesn't put you in as strong a position when negotiating a new deal.  so his agent tells him to back track a bit, give it the old "champions league ambition, key point in my career" etc etc.  you make villa scared they will lose the player and they are going to give up more in negotiations. namely more money for downing (and for the agent). no doubt hes also been shopping downing around other clubs as well, unsettling downing. after all, if he gets downing a nice big money move somewhere, mr agent is also going to be picking up a nice fat bonus. 

[JJ-AV]

I'm on page seven of the thread - but my immediate thought would be get rid of Ash and Downing and get Larsson and N'Zogbia.

[eastie]

Come on chris, we both know there is no future in holding onto players if they are not committed and have an eye on the door, it just unsettled people and causes problems , if downing is inkling for a move it makes sense to cash in now and get the big money for him and get players who are committed to Aston villa.

The players hold all the aces these days and clubs have no real
Power once a player gets into the last 2 yrs of his contract, downing joined us as serious condensers for champions league and we are now a long way from that situation.

Sadly we have little option if he is not interested in extending his deal.

A good shout jj, get nzogbia and larsson to provide with along with Marc, and we'd still have £20m plus leftover to strengthen the squad plus whatever else we raise in sales.

[Chris Smith]

It's the bit about progressing that I disagreed with, Eastie. Until we find a way of holding on to our better players we're always going to be also rans.

[Villa'Zawg]

This stuff about players having their heads turned is a bit wishy washy if you ask me - mainly becauase they don't need their heads turning - that implies some about turn in the way they view things, as if they were perfectly happy to be here forever until someone pointed out to them that clubs like Man City and United win trophies and play in the CL.

The fact is that they all want to play at the highest level, and if they can't do it here, they'll do it elsewhere. Until we can provide at the very least evidence of establishing our credentials in the league (being "in amongst it") this will always happen.

What I don't understand - and I've only read it on this thread, so maybe it is incorrect - is why we give players like Downing and Young four year rather than five year contracts, as it makes that awkward "two years left" mment happen sooner than you'd like.

I wouldn't disagree with any of that.

The staff that are choosing to leave (Milner, Young, Downing) are the ones who joined us when the club was unequivocal about its ambition to be "in amongst it" and no doubt believe in their own ability to play at that level.  Why wouldn't they? We bought them in on the basis that we also believed they could play at that level.

I don't know why we tend to offer 4 year contracts rather than 5 and don't know if other clubs do things differently.

[eastie]

I accept that chris, but we are in a catch 22 situation, I agree until we are successful and in the champions league we will have this problem when a player gets into the final 2 yrs of a deal.

Sadly that's the way the game has gone and players hold the power , the gap is growing and the finances are such that I really do not see us getting into the champions league without massive investment as man city have done.

I have resigned myself to top 6 being as good as it will get for the foreseeable future, but that is not enough for ambitious international players and the champions league is their holy Grail.

[Rigadon]

If as expected DOwning goes to Liverpool it will primarily be for money firstly.  Just as it was when he left Boro to comer here. 

Secondary reasons would be that they look more likely to be heading upwards than we do.

[Villafirst]

It's the bit about progressing that I disagreed with, Eastie. Until we find a way of holding on to our better players we're always going to be also rans.

In the summer of 2009 when he signed, Downing bought into the 'Proud History, Bright Future' vision of the board. Sadly, 5 years on, we haven't progressed according to the plan having just avoided relegation - that's why Downing will move on. After all, it's a short career and ambitious players want medals and cups to reflect back on. It's the same pattern with Barry, Milner, Young and now Downing.

[UsualSuspect]

None of the top 4 will touch Downing, he might win a cup with Liverpool but then he could win a cup with us.

His agent is trying to engineer a move or trying to get him a nice pay rise at the Villa which quite frankly he doesnt deserve.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

The problem with our anger is that we expect the players to have the same feelings towards the club as we do, or at least some degree of it.
Almost all players couldn't give a toss about the club they play for.

Football is such a strange industry, surely the only one where the core workers dictate to Management on a near total level.

[UsualSuspect]

The problem with our anger is that we expect the players to have the same feelings towards the club as we do, or at least some degree of it.
Almost all players couldn't give a toss about the club they play for.

Football is such a strange industry, surely the only one where the core workers dictate to Management on a near total level.

I agree

Most footballers would be stacking the shelves at Lidl if they had to find another job.

We get told football is a business but most business would have 75% plus of their turnover going on wages.

Players sign a 5 year deal but break it at the drop of a hat but clubs can't move players on if the player doesn't want to leave

We're doomed.....

[barrysleftfoot]

  I'm afraid Chris we might already be alsorans.

  Financially we can't compete, and probably never will.Our status now, i believe is to buy good up and coming players, and accept that if they are successful they will want to move on.

  If i was GH now, if i could get Walker, and a good LB for the money off Downing, then i would do it.

  The good thing is, we have plenty of good young players coming through.

[saunders_heroes]

If a bid of around £18m comes in let him go if that's how he feels. I'd rather have players committed to Aston villa than an unsettled player looking for a way out, bring in a couple of quality players with the money and move onwards- we have lost far better than downing and progressed and will do so again.

That's true, but what isn't true is that we haven't lost so many of our better players in such a short time. Milner, Barry, soon to be gone Young, and now Downing looking for a move. This isn't good for the club.