Hitzlesperger - Would you be Happy with the Return!

[Rick_avfc]

Anyway, we didn't struggle because of them, in fact a lot of our best players in that time were the kids. Albrighton, Clark, Bannan etc. It was the senior ones who were letting us down.

Too right it was.

The young players clearly weren't ready for the responsibility of playing every week and all of them, perhaps with the exception of Clark, dipped markedly in performance after a bright start. That's only to be expected but results improved once we didn't have to rely on them. I think this season they have to show that they're good enough regardless of age.

I dont entirely agree with all that but I agree that they have to show what they're made of soon, and blocking their way with average players who've had their chance and not been good enough is not the way.

To be fair to Hitz, he left us to go and play for a team that go into the Champions league and he then became a regular German international.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Anyway, we didn't struggle because of them, in fact a lot of our best players in that time were the kids. Albrighton, Clark, Bannan etc. It was the senior ones who were letting us down.

Too right it was.

The young players clearly weren't ready for the responsibility of playing every week and all of them, perhaps with the exception of Clark, dipped markedly in performance after a bright start. That's only to be expected but results improved once we didn't have to rely on them. I think this season they have to show that they're good enough regardless of age.

I dont entirely agree with all that but I agree that they have to show what they're made of soon, and blocking their way with average players who've had their chance and not been good enough is not the way.

To be fair to Hitz, he left us to go and play for a team that go into the Champions league and he then became a regular German international.

He was at his peak in Germany, since he got back and played for West Ham, he's looked more like his first spell for us. Anonymous.

I'll never forget the last few games for us when he knew he was leaving, he shirked every tackle and barely broke sweat.
It was a mystery as to why O'Leary picked him, knowing he was off.

[Rick_avfc]

Anyway, we didn't struggle because of them, in fact a lot of our best players in that time were the kids. Albrighton, Clark, Bannan etc. It was the senior ones who were letting us down.

Too right it was.

The young players clearly weren't ready for the responsibility of playing every week and all of them, perhaps with the exception of Clark, dipped markedly in performance after a bright start. That's only to be expected but results improved once we didn't have to rely on them. I think this season they have to show that they're good enough regardless of age.

I dont entirely agree with all that but I agree that they have to show what they're made of soon, and blocking their way with average players who've had their chance and not been good enough is not the way.

To be fair to Hitz, he left us to go and play for a team that go into the Champions league and he then became a regular German international.

He was at his peak in Germany, since he got back and played for West Ham, he's looked more like his first spell for us. Anonymous.

I'll never forget the last few games for us when he knew he was leaving, he shirked every tackle and barely broke sweat.
It was a mystery as to why O'Leary picked him, knowing he was off.

To be fair to him though, he was out for most of the season with a major injury and it can take time to get back to your "best".  With a decent preseason under his belt you never know, he might prove alot of the doubters wrong?

As for DOL, its a mystery why he was ever our manager!

[Dave]

If Hitzlsperger had never played for us before, and we were getting linked with him now, would the people most keen on his return still be as keen?

Or to flip that question on it's head, if he hadn't played for us in the past. If we were being linked with a different 29 year old international, with more than 50 caps for Germany and a record of scoring a goal every six games across his career who was available on a free transfer - would people be whinging about it so much?

As far as I can tell, people seem to think that he is the same player who left us. I wouldn't want the 21 year old Hitzlsperger back but I've be perfectly happy to have the 29 year old version in our squad.

[Rick_avfc]

When you put it like that Dave then im pretty sure a lot of people would take him, especially on a free! 

[KevinGage]

If Hitzlsperger had never played for us before, and we were getting linked with him now, would the people most keen on his return still be as keen?

That's football though innit?   He's a big fan of the area and the club, you would like to think he would try harder than others.   Might not happen that way and yes he is only average, however, we need squad cover that is cheap and if he fits the bill, why not?

If the main appeal is that he knows the club, then maybe we need to re-evaluate how we select our transfer targets.

How many of our previous signings have been targeted using that criteria?

For me, his past connection with the club, going to Villa games in his own free time et.c is a bonus. As someone said earlier in the thread, it won't be a Dunne or Ireland scenario -someone thinking they're doing us a favour just by turning up.

All that said, I have a feeling this won't happen. We were linked when GH was still manager and it would be unusual for the new manager would persist with the same targets.

[Dave]

All that said, I have a feeling this won't happen. We were linked when GH was still manager and it would be unusual for the new manager would persist with the same targets.

It's just as likely though that he was never a target under Houllier though. I don't think there was ever anything more concrete than invented newspaper gossip.

It's possible that he's still not a target now, but I'd say he's far more likely to appeal to McLeish who (with Gardner last year) at least has form for liking players who can wallop the ball.

[hilts_coolerking]

The 29 year old version looked pretty much the same as the 21 year old version: scored a couple of long rangers, ran around a lot in the middle to little effect.

[abc123cox]

Totally agree with Dave,

if he hadn't had the injury ravaged season then we could all of been sitting here saying how could we have let him go.

come home Hitz, most fans would love to see you back!!

[Rip Van We Go Again]

As for DOL, its a mystery why he was ever our manager!

CHRRRRIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
Customer here for you.

[Mazrim]

He IS the same player that left us. Just a bit older. I haven't seen a damn thing to say otherwise. Please quantify what it is he's improved at exactly and what he would bring to the party if we re-signed him.
I'm missing this crucial point. Why?

I couldn't give a toss about how many caps he has for Germany. I've seen him play in this league more than occasionally and he has never ever excelled in it. Michael Carrick has umpteen England caps and has a bag full of medals but I would rather boil my own head in a bucket of hot piss than see him wearing a Villa shirt.

The only plus side as I see it is that there would be no transfer fee, but his agent would be looking for a signing on fee to justify that and he'd be on a fair salary. So over the course of three years say, would cost Villa millions and for what? Just to be there in case somebody gets hurt? Be still my beating heart.

[Brend'Watkins]

The 29 year old version looked pretty much the same as the 21 year old version: scored a couple of long rangers, ran around a lot in the middle to little effect.

 

He has to be better than he was at 21, if not his ability then his experience of playing in Germany and Italy should amount to something.  I liked Hitz in his time with us, if I had a gripe it would be that he too often went missing for large parts of the game.  I wouldn't mind him being added to the squad though as he's every bit as good as Gardner who we were linked with.

[Surrey Villain]

http://www.footymad.net/storytext.asp?article=3706084

Does that armband mean he ever captained Germany or had somebody died?

[UsualSuspect]

he doesnt get in the German side now does he? Not sure if he makes the squad.

I wouldn't have him purely because he would be a squad player at best and I want to see Hogg, Delph & bannan and even Clark in the middle given a run.

Signing him just smacks of mediocraty

[Rick_avfc]

He IS the same player that left us. Just a bit older. I haven't seen a damn thing to say otherwise. Please quantify what it is he's improved at exactly and what he would bring to the party if we re-signed him.
I'm missing this crucial point. Why?

I couldn't give a toss about how many caps he has for Germany. I've seen him play in this league more than occasionally and he has never ever excelled in it. Michael Carrick has umpteen England caps and has a bag full of medals but I would rather boil my own head in a bucket of hot piss than see him wearing a Villa shirt.

The only plus side as I see it is that there would be no transfer fee, but his agent would be looking for a signing on fee to justify that and he'd be on a fair salary. So over the course of three years say, would cost Villa millions and for what? Just to be there in case somebody gets hurt? Be still my beating heart.

Just for the benefit of the audience, how have you managed to see him in this league more than occasionally?  Im talking about recent performances now not when he last played for us?  Are you going on stats that the press print or have you actually been to the west ham games ?  The people we should be asking right now about his performances are west ham fans.