January Transfer Speculation (or lack of) Thread

[themossman]

The careful custodian spiel would have a bit more credibility if Lerner hadn't already let MON try the throw-money-away-on-mediocre-players approach.

[Risso]

The Fair Play rules are just a smokescreen for Lerner's lack of interest. The rules allow for losses to be offset by injections of equity by the owner. Lerner has just ballsed it all up, and is now implementing emergency austerity measures.

[Rick_avfc]

The FFP rules are a joke.  Can you imagine what the sponsors of the CL would say if UEFA decided to punish Real Mardrid, Barca and Man utd from the competition?  they would go mad as they are the biggest teams in europe! 

[Hoppo]

McLeish is promising new signings in the summer.

[N'ZMAV]

Rodallega would be excellent, Keane's off in 3 games and Heskey at the end of the season (hopefully) so Rodallega, Bent and Gabby would be 3 good strikers to start next season with.  He's out of contract at the end of the season so £4m now should do the trick.

I like Rodallega, he's a decent player. But, his goal scoring record isn't that good, is it? Ok, I admit, he is playing in a poor side, who don't create too many chances. I think once Keane has gone we'll probably see more of Ireland in an advanced middle position, and I'm hoping Gabby and N'Zogbia will be in good form.

Delfouneso is the interesting one for me....

[stubbsyandy]

Randy has definitly taken advise from Doug as I remember doug coming on talksport on the breakfast show sining Alex Mcleish's praise and still believed Villa would be a force in the coming years and priased our youngster like they were the best thing since slice bread.  Now, im not saying our youngsters / young men are crap but to believe that they are world beaters is a bit naive

One thing Doug is not is naive..

[N'ZMAV]

If we're looking at wingers & attacking options in the summer, I'd be looking at Victor Moses, looked really good when I've seen him so far this season. Also, the wingers at Swansea look good too, Sinclair and Dyer.

Also, Ryan Nelsen would have been useful for us till the end of the season after Blackburn cancelled his contract.

[Rick_avfc]

Randy has definitly taken advise from Doug as I remember doug coming on talksport on the breakfast show sining Alex Mcleish's praise and still believed Villa would be a force in the coming years and priased our youngster like they were the best thing since slice bread.  Now, im not saying our youngsters / young men are crap but to believe that they are world beaters is a bit naive

One thing Doug is not is naive..

Maybe not but believing our current crop of youth players are good enough to challenge at the top of the league is a joke.  im sorry - i hope im proven wrong, i really do so i can eat my own words and get abuse from people but I cannot see it happening, ever.

[Hoppo]

Forget Rodallega. James McCarthy is the player to get from Wigan.

[Mazrim]

Very worrying if that's the case. Ellis still goes on about that team he "bred", like its still possible to do now. If it was, ManU, Liverpool, chelsea etc... would all be doing it. Only have to look at clubs like West ham to see where a constant supply of talented youngsters gets you nowadays - relegated with their youngsters playing for the top clubs

Why not use the example of the Man Utd sides of the early mid 90s onwards? The team that swept all before them was mostly brought through their own ranks. I dont recall too many relegations with Arsenal using their academy players either. Plenty of champions league adventures mind you.

Now I'm not saying a club should rely solely on its academy but it should be the cornerstone to a successful dynasty and its the only way, short of rule changes and mega-rich backing, that Villa will ever be successful again. If we cant produce our own top players we certainly aren't going to go out and buy them from under the noses of Chelsea, Man City et al are we?

[Greg N'Ash]

Very worrying if that's the case. Ellis still goes on about that team he "bred", like its still possible to do now. If it was, ManU, Liverpool, chelsea etc... would all be doing it. Only have to look at clubs like West ham to see where a constant supply of talented youngsters gets you nowadays - relegated with their youngsters playing for the top clubs

Why not use the example of the Man Utd sides of the early mid 90s onwards? The team that swept all before them was mostly brought through their own ranks. I dont recall too many relegations with Arsenal using their academy players either. Plenty of champions league adventures mind you.

Now I'm not saying a club should rely solely on its academy but it should be the cornerstone to a successful dynasty and its the only way, short of rule changes and mega-rich backing, that Villa will ever be successful again. If we cant produce our own top players we certainly aren't going to go out and buy them from under the noses of Chelsea, Man City et al are we?

ManU did it 15+ years ago and haven't done owt since and frankly manu could promise them trophies and money. You know the score Mazrim, if Bannon or Gardner for example make the grade they'll be off.  They may be loyal to the club but they're not insane. They're not gonna hang around for four or five seasons watching the circus that is Warnock, Hutton and co, keeping us mid-table so you have to get in the top places fast or you loose them which means big spending. Even when we went the money route and paid good wages, it took the big clubs less than 3 years to poach all our best players barring gabby.

[Brend'Watkins]

Forget Rodallega. James McCarthy is the player to get from Wigan.

He looks a half decent player he does.   

[Mazrim]

I see your point but Greg then in answer I'd say it's still the best route to success. You have to keep producing the players and it's up to the club to keep them at Villa but even if some of the good ones leave they go for money. Money helps.

I don't know about "not done owt since" by the way. They still bring youngsters through to their first team from the youth set up. As do Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea and so on.
It will never be anything other than the right thing to do.

What we have to do is bring our best youngsters through and buy smarter in the transfer market to compliment them. Use whatever money we do have to best effect.
For instance I'd rather have 7 talented youngsters and 4 experienced quality players on the pitch than 3 youngsters and 8 mediocre players. Just an example.

[Risso]

Greg's right. The Man U team of 15 years ago attracted the best kids because Ferguson went round personally signing the likes of Scoles and Beckham.  We have some decent kids, but nobody that special (with the possible exception of Gardner jnr) but we've had loads of kids who have promised much as kids but not fully delivered on that promise, eg the Moores, Delfouneso, Davis, Ridgewell etc. Mostly the few youngsters who have broken through are decent mid table quality, but that's it, and I can't honestly see the likes of Albrighton, Clark or Bannan improving on that.

The only top quality players we've had come through the youth team in the last 15 years or so have been Barry, Gabby and Cahill.

[Greg N'Ash]

I'd agree that blooding youth players so they have a chance to make the grade is the way to go Maz but it needs to be backed up with substantial funds as well or it will end in tears for us at least, if not for Lerner's bank manager. I just don't want to be watching Gardner and Bannon in 5 years time playing each other in the Manchester derby