NRC, Pires and Carew amongst Ten Players Released

[Rudy Can't Fail]

For the last few weeks NRC has been going on about moves to big Italian clubs and has never seemed to make much reference to staying at Villa. He probably made his mind up ages ago in the (probably misguided) belief that he could make a move to a bigger club

NRC hasn't opened his mouth, it was his agent barking on about Italian clubs. My guess is NRC was told we had put our final offer on the table a few weeks ago, thus his agent trying to drum up interest. Considering how much GH rated NRC, I can only assume we have somebody lined up to replace him.

[David_Nab]

I suppose there is also the crazy situation where NRC resigns later on when he doesn't get the offer's he is after..

Bottom line IMO if he was that wanted he would have signed for someone by now.The Club made him an offer he refused so we said ok byeThe situation with the clubs wages means we needed to make a stand and he is the first casualty.It also wouldn't suprise me if the attitude to buying players changes too.Clearly buying close to home is costing us alot of money in fee's  and wages and in terms of English player's as soon as they put on a white England shirt they think they are better than the club and want out.

[AsTallAsLions]

ATAL, it does help to be at least a little bit informed before wading in. He was out of contract because he turned down our offers no doubt aware through his agent of where he'll be playing next season. By doing it this way the money that the next club might have had to spend on a transfer fee will go in his pocket instead.

That's 110% gospel, is it? Do you believe everything that you read, or just the rumours that conform to your own prior opinions?

Consider this: Your belief proposes that Nigel is the 1 person on a list of 10 that was offered a contract, didn't want it, and so was released. That's far less likely than the club looked at the situation and decided he was one of a group of players that included the likes of Carew and Salifou who have no future at the club.

[Chris Smith]

Why would Villa allow a player to leave for nothing when if they had tied him to a contract they could have got a fee for him?

From the Birmingham Mail today, Kendrick is generally well informed:

Reo-Coker was offered an extension to his four year deal which expires this summer, but was looking for a significant pay-rise following his recent revival and refused to sign the extension.

He was Villa’s most improved player last season after his fall out with former boss Martin O’Neill culminated in the infamous training ground ‘contretemps’.

However, Villa currently have Stiliyan Petrov, Fabian Delph and Jean Makoun as defensive midfielders and have little scope in their budget for Reo-Coker’s wage demands.

[Dave]

A couple of minutes on Google...

“Yes, I hope he will stay with us,” Houllier said. “It’s too early to say but [chief executive] Paul Faulkner has started to have talks with his agent. But he knows I want to keep him.”

But Reo-Coker has rejected Villa's initial offer of new terms following a meeting last week.

NIGEL Reo-Coker has been released by Aston Villa after failing to accept a new contract offer with the club.

Reo-Coker apparently rejected Villa's initial offer last week and is prepared to hold out for as long as possible, using the prospect of leaving for nothing in the summer as a bargaining tool.

Doesn't really sound as though we ignored him and were trying to bundle him out the door, does it?

[AsTallAsLions]

Nor does it sound like we wanted to keep him. Since he's left for nothing.

I still don't think Houllier wanted him, which is the bottom line, and that's a disgrace given the effort he's put in this season, and how good he was in the last few months.

[LeeB]

Nor does it sound like we wanted to keep him. Since he's left for nothing.

I still don't think Houllier wanted him, which is the bottom line, and that's a disgrace given the effort he's put in this season, and how good he was in the last few months.

He was offered a contract and he didn't sign it, probably correctly presuming that some other club will given that he's a 'free'.

How in God's name can you blame the management for this situation?

[Dave]

I still don't think Houllier wanted him, which is the bottom line, and that's a disgrace given the effort he's put in this season, and how good he was in the last few months.

Which is clearly nonsense. Considering he played him in pretty much every game he was available for, made him captain and has said that he wanted to keep him.

Short of handcuffing him to Holte End gates, what more could he realistically do?

[Chris Smith]

Nor does it sound like we wanted to keep him. Since he's left for nothing.

I still don't think Houllier wanted him, which is the bottom line, and that's a disgrace given the effort he's put in this season, and how good he was in the last few months.

So, despite Dave providing a direct quote of Houllier saying "he knows I want to keep him" you still persist in claiming the exact opposite.

In that case despite you saying that you think he's been a good player I believe that you think he's useless.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I think it's more a result of the stupid wages we've been paying out over the last few years. If as reported NRC was on £30k a week and he's sees Petrov on £55k, what's he to think? Let's ignore the £70k rumoured to be offered to Ashley and Downing, creative players will always earn more. NRC will look around the dressing room and see players that don't even get in the team earning more than him, not to mention all the other senior players. Not for one minute do I believe he was asking for £80k, just to be put in line with other senior players like Petrov, Dunne etc.

As the General said last summer, we will pay top wages to top players but we need to work on managing the wage bill. I believe that still to be true but those players will be the exception rather than the rule. As good as NRC has been last season, he's a victim of our new realistic wage structure. It's a shame to lose him but we can't continue to pay stupid money on non-star performers.

[IRISHPHIL]

do people think that jonathon hogg can fill thr defensive midfield position

[TonyD]

Petrov on £55k a week.   I almost have a mouthful of sick.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

do people think that jonathon hogg can fill thr defensive midfield position

I had a look yesterday on a few Pompey sites to try and see how he got on there but with no luck. Clark for me is the obvious choice, I really think he can step up and make the position his own.

[Apyadg]

Does anyone know how much Salifou was on? Unbelievable he managed to get 4 years at the club.

[Dave Cooper please]

a player who wasn't offered a deal at a club and now has to look elsewhere with no guarantee of employment.

Yes of course I must have missed him down the Job Club yesterday, maybe he was signing on or finding out about free school meals.