Ex- Villa Players still playing watch

[Dave]

Congratulations to Chukwuemeka on completing the first 90 minutes of his career for Dortmund yesterday.

[PeterWithe]

Not playing football but some action.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-15744709/Ex-Premier-League-star-boxing-knockout-Ross-McCormack.html

[Smithy]

Congratulations to Chukwuemeka on completing the first 90 minutes of his career for Dortmund yesterday.

That is a crazy stat.  Considering how highly rated he was at 17/18, the fact he's got to halfway through his 22nd year before completing 90 minutes in top-flight football is bonkers.

I thought he looked like he had the potential to be absolutely top class when he came through, and was very disappointed when he left.  He's still young, but you have to wonder if he's going to be one of those who never fulfils his promise.

[PeterWithesShin]

Should have subbed him off in added time.

[Dave]

He's still young, but you have to wonder if he's going to be one of those who never fulfils his promise.

I think there's always going to be that spurned lover feeling amongst Villa fans when it comes to Chukwuemeka.

He's 22, is becoming an important player for one of the biggest clubs in the world and is about to head off to the World Cup.

Considering he's been a bit unlucky with injuries as well, he pretty much is fulfilling his promise. He just took a scenic route in getting there.

[dcdavecollett]

...and a highly-remunerated one.

[eye digress]

...and a highly-remunerated one.

Wonder if it really was, compared to, say, establishing himself at Villa and then moving on? Did he join Chelsea before they implemented their low basic, high variable template? Do Dortmund pay PL style wages?

[Dave]

...and a highly-remunerated one.

Wonder if it really was, compared to, say, establishing himself at Villa and then moving on? Did he join Chelsea before they implemented their low basic, high variable template? Do Dortmund pay PL style wages?

Apparently Chelsea's contract was £100k per week (which reports at the time said we were prepared to match), and he's on at least that at Dortmund, probably a bit more.

[eye digress]

He could presumably have hoped for more as an established star in the PL than he's on at Dortmund, then. Had he not nixed himself in Chelsea's reserves (and treatment table).

[Dave]

He could presumably have hoped for more as an established star in the PL than he's on at Dortmund, then. Had he not nixed himself in Chelsea's reserves (and treatment table).

Maybe. Or maybe Emery comes in, decides that he doesn't fancy him and he's currently trying to get Ipswich promoted back to the Premier League on a third of his current salary.

As above, I think that back in 2022 people decided that staying with Villa meant that he would go on to be one of the best players in the world, and leaving Villa means that he's thrown his career away, whatever he goes on to do.

Perhaps the lad was just bright enough to realise before the rest of us that entrusting his formative years to the management of Steven Gerrard wouldn't be the best thing for his career?