AVFC statement - McLeish sacked.

[N'ZMAV]

Totally agree, John.

[Monty]

The issue with the kids is not so much relying on them, but being able to use them.  We have limited funds, so why go and spend £5m and £20-30K a week on an average midfielder who is no better then Herd?  What that then does is leave that £5m and £20-30K a week to be used in other areas, such as added to a similar amount earmarked for a striker and then get a £10m and £60k a week man in.  If you look and Man Utd, they really haven't produced their own superstar since the Beckham/Giggs generation, but they've still been able to get the likes of O'Shea out of their accademy, who have filled up squad places.  So that's what I see us doing with our kids - using them and then using the money they save us to make sure we don't rely on them.
 

Spot on John. If your academy's good enough, at best it can save you a lot of money by producing real talent for the first team, but at worst it can save you money by producing squad players - squad players who have been at the club for longer, have more of an affinity for the place than someone brought in and have greater affinity with the other youth team graduates in the squad. Even if we sell them we have, by it's nature, made an infinity% profit. It's win-win.

[Merv]

Yep, that's how we should be viewing the younger lads. Not necessarily expecting to find the next big thing (though one or two may well turn out to be pretty special) but using them to contest for starting places, add strength to the squad - and save us needing to spend money on average players who will fill the bench.

As John says, the major plus will be having players who can come in when needed, and therefore avoid having to spend small fortunes on back-up types such as Beye, Sidwell, Routledge, etc, like we have done in the recent past. We can then focus on making the most of out of what will be a limited transfer budget on 2-3 higher quality players who will come to us as nailed-on starters, capable of making a significant impact.

That would be the plan, anyway.

[villajk]

Do you protest or not, chance for Chelsea game
Posted by ianrobo on March 28, 2012 in Aston Villa Blogs, Match preview and reaction, News, Submitted Piece
So Chris from Mcleish_out campaign has issued the following press release.

I have said before the time for protesting is when we are officially safe, is this the time ?

At a time when injuries are striking or illnesses (whether genuine or not) is the time we should protest or not ?

When Mcleish said what he did at the weekend, when he gave up and admitted other games he would give up, is this the time to protest or not ?

your choice

It is safe to say now that it is a very large majority of fans that want Alex McLeish sacked as manager. A number of fans are happy to moan and groan online but when it comes to taking part in any planned action to show their discontent they refuse to take part.

Why is that? Its all well and good us moaning on here, twitter and facebook but does that really grab the clubs attention, No!

We need a large, strong and vocal ANTI-MCLEISH presence at Villa Park on Saturday. The larger the number present at the protest, the more serious we will be taken.

People are worried about how they look if they attend a protest, why? It shows you care, have passion and still want to fight for the best interests of your club. The protest will be peacful and non violent so what is the problem?

What else should we do, just sit back and do nothing and accept this and let it run on in to next season? Keep paying a small fortune to watch us go down?

I love this club and refuse to sit back idly and watch this manager destroy us.

So if you dont want to put up with this rubbish anymore join a peaceful protest on Saturday before the game at 2.15, by the McGregor Statue, Trinity Road Stand.

People say its pointless, but could they really ignore thousands of us? and how could the press try and spin it.

[dave.woodhall]

Robo's got an obsession with 'spin'.

[bertlambshank]

Robo's got an obsession with 'spin'.

He can spin on this!!!

[john e]

i shall not be protesting...............because i'm not going.

so i suppose i am in a way

[Ian.]

What did I miss at the weekend? I know we lost and we should have been really stuffed but what did I miss regarding these quotes from AM? My computer was down for a while due to a incident with my daughter, a cup of tea and the laptop.

[TheSandman]

Is it just me or is that blog post clear as mud?

Maybe the sun has dried out my brain.

[Greg N'Ash]

What did I miss at the weekend? I know we lost and we should have been really stuffed but what did I miss regarding these quotes from AM? My computer was down for a while due to a incident with my daughter, a cup of tea and the laptop.

Just said the defenders couldn't pass (and lets face it, they can't) so he told them not to take on one of the best passing sides in the league and also the players have difficulty doing what he tells them to. Overall subtext was - "this team is shite" - probably true but no-one wants to hear it.

[Ian.]

What did I miss at the weekend? I know we lost and we should have been really stuffed but what did I miss regarding these quotes from AM? My computer was down for a while due to a incident with my daughter, a cup of tea and the laptop.

Just said the defenders couldn't pass (and lets face it, they can't) so he told them not to take on one of the best passing sides in the league and also the players have difficulty doing what he tells them to. Overall subtext was - "this team is shite" - probably true but no-one wants to hear it.

Thanks Greg. It does sound like he was speaking the truth then.

[Eigentor]

What did I miss at the weekend? I know we lost and we should have been really stuffed but what did I miss regarding these quotes from AM? My computer was down for a while due to a incident with my daughter, a cup of tea and the laptop.

I think it was along the lines of: "The team was shit. But I can't do anything about it, because the players won't listen to me. But I'd like them to play better."

Some of it could be interpreted as: "Ideally, when we play a better team, we should have a game plan that works to their weaknesses and our strengths. But, as the players won't listen to me, there is no point in trying that."

[TonyD]

Yes to a strong vocal protest at the game on Saturday.

[Dante Lavelli]

The issue with the kids is not so much relying on them, but being able to use them.  We have limited funds, so why go and spend £5m and £20-30K a week on an average midfielder who is no better then Herd?  What that then does is leave that £5m and £20-30K a week to be used in other areas, such as added to a similar amount earmarked for a striker and then get a £10m and £60k a week man in.  If you look and Man Utd, they really haven't produced their own superstar since the Beckham/Giggs generation, but they've still been able to get the likes of O'Shea out of their accademy, who have filled up squad places.  So that's what I see us doing with our kids - using them and then using the money they save us to make sure we don't rely on them.
 

Spot on John. If your academy's good enough, at best it can save you a lot of money by producing real talent for the first team, but at worst it can save you money by producing squad players - squad players who have been at the club for longer, have more of an affinity for the place than someone brought in and have greater affinity with the other youth team graduates in the squad. Even if we sell them we have, by it's nature, made an infinity% profit. It's win-win.

I just read that Barca's Masia costs 5m a year to run.  That's the equivalent of Beye and Heskey's wages.

[Monty]

The issue with the kids is not so much relying on them, but being able to use them.  We have limited funds, so why go and spend £5m and £20-30K a week on an average midfielder who is no better then Herd?  What that then does is leave that £5m and £20-30K a week to be used in other areas, such as added to a similar amount earmarked for a striker and then get a £10m and £60k a week man in.  If you look and Man Utd, they really haven't produced their own superstar since the Beckham/Giggs generation, but they've still been able to get the likes of O'Shea out of their accademy, who have filled up squad places.  So that's what I see us doing with our kids - using them and then using the money they save us to make sure we don't rely on them.
 

Spot on John. If your academy's good enough, at best it can save you a lot of money by producing real talent for the first team, but at worst it can save you money by producing squad players - squad players who have been at the club for longer, have more of an affinity for the place than someone brought in and have greater affinity with the other youth team graduates in the squad. Even if we sell them we have, by it's nature, made an infinity% profit. It's win-win.

I just read that Barca's Masia costs 5m a year to run.  That's the equivalent of Beye and Heskey's wages.

Now that's perspective for you.