January Transfer Speculation (or lack of) Thread

[themossman]

After a predictable non event of a transfer window, I've been wondering this morning where we would be now if Houllier had stayed. Was the plan then really to fund an overhaul of the team as it seemed to be? Or was all the talk of new continental signings just idle speculation? In other words did Houllier leaving mark a further lowering of expectations from Lerner or was he really here to do the same shitty hatchet job AM is doing?

[Matt C]

50% of the money spent in January exchanged hands on the last day - says something about the transfer window.

[ROBBO]

After a predictable non event of a transfer window, I've been wondering this morning where we would be now if Houllier had stayed. Was the plan then really to fund an overhaul of the team as it seemed to be? Or was all the talk of new continental signings just idle speculation? In other words did Houllier leaving mark a further lowering of expectations from Lerner or was he really here to do the same shitty hatchet job AM is doing?

I think he would have moved quicker but in the same direction, he was better connected to get cheaper imports.

[Rick_avfc]

Is it time to lock this thread down as it will only get more depressing considering the lack of movement we had :-(

[MarkM]

I'm sure once we clear some deadwood we will buy players in the summer ..and thi stime hopefully give out more realstic wages and contract lengths

I'm not so sure, I dont get the impression that we are cutting back now in order to spend later.

I think this is a 5 year strategy of spending very little and trying to hand onto PL status.

That is what they saw in McL a manger who can operate under those constraints. [If he can do it is another question]

I will be very suprised if we spend much in the next transfer window, we will continue to reduce the squad size down but add very little

[Greg N'Ash]

After a predictable non event of a transfer window, I've been wondering this morning where we would be now if Houllier had stayed. Was the plan then really to fund an overhaul of the team as it seemed to be? Or was all the talk of new continental signings just idle speculation? In other words did Houllier leaving mark a further lowering of expectations from Lerner or was he really here to do the same shitty hatchet job AM is doing?

Think he wouldn't have joined if he'd been offered the same remit as AM. Its very clear that whats happening now is far more than a general lowering of the wage bill, more cuts across the board to a club size smaller than before MON arrived. And they've been very disingenuous the way they've hid that behind this wage bill smokescreen

Just as they didn't have a clue what they were doing when we had the money, its looking increasingly the same position now we're potless. The whole club's strategy seems to be fixed on some short-sighted phoenix like rise from the ashes based on our youth team and its not gonna happen - with luck 1 or 2 of the current crop will be top players, the rest average plodders at best.


The future's bleak.

[TimTheVillain]

And Barcelona spent more on ONE player than Randy spent on buying the whole of our club.

Quite amazing.

[RickySlade]

Didn't Garry Thompson also play for Villa-Baggies-Blues?  Actually, I'm not sure if I can recall him playing for small heath.

[themossman]

The problem is that's a false choice because if we try and stay still we will go backwards, and on the form of this and last season we are not far off being in real danger. If that really is the plan and we don't replace some of the higher earners with decent, Nzogbia-level singings then Bent, our last big player, will go. We will end up in a self perpetuating spiral of losing players, dropping places, finding it harder to recruit, having to pay more to get out of it. That is why I have to believe Randy, even if he is entirely self interested, won't run us into the ground like that.

[MarkM]

The problem is that's a false choice because if we try and stay still we will go backwards, and on the form of this and last season we are not far off being in real danger. If that really is the plan and we don't replace some of the higher earners with decent, Nzogbia-level singings then Bent, our last big player, will go. We will end up in a self perpetuating spiral of losing players, dropping places, finding it harder to recruit, having to pay more to get out of it. That is why I have to believe Randy, even if he is entirely self interested, won't run us into the ground like that.

I'm sure Ellis didnt want to run is into the ground in the lead up to 86/87 but it happened anyway. [or maybe he did???]

Things can tend to run away from you if you are not careful.

[Greg N'Ash]

The problem is that's a false choice because if we try and stay still we will go backwards, and on the form of this and last season we are not far off being in real danger. If that really is the plan and we don't replace some of the higher earners with decent, Nzogbia-level singings then Bent, our last big player, will go. We will end up in a self perpetuating spiral of losing players, dropping places, finding it harder to recruit, having to pay more to get out of it. That is why I have to believe Randy, even if he is entirely self interested, won't run us into the ground like that.

I think Randy's convinced himself with the fairplay rules that this is the way to go.  It's very reminiscent of the Ellis one where he was sure all the clubs spending money would go under like Leeds leaving Villa to take their rightful place at the top of the tree. That ended up with him posting massive (for him) losses and having to sell. I can't see this ending up any better. As you say, its ever-decreasing circles.

[themossman]

Very true. Ironic that we ended up with Ellis redux when we thought we were getting the opposite. Although  maybe not surprising considering he hand picked him.

[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

[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

[Merv]

Someone made a valid point about the UEFA Fairplay guidelines the other day - of course, they only affect you if you're playing in European competition.

Anyway, the point about Swansea signing the lad from Wrexham - he sounds technically capable, a good example of a club signing perhaps the right kind of footballer. But I'll guess we have some players/defenders of that ability in our reserves already - it's just whether we have the manager/coaching staff/ethos in place to give these players a chance and exposure to PL football.