Summer Transfer Thread: Speculation, Lies, Absolute Cr*p and Bosman Rumours

[FatSam]

Apologies double post!

[FatSam]

I was thinking today about the partnership we established with a Danish club during Graham Taylor's second time as manager, and I found this article:

March 8th, 2002, 04:58
Thursday, March 7, 2002
Villa unveil partnership with AB Copenhagen

Premiership club Aston Villa and Danish outfit AB Copenhagen today announced a deal to work together to improve youth development, international scouting and training methods.

Taylor: Copenhagen link
(DaveTyrrell/Allsport)
Villa chairman Doug Ellis and manager Graham Taylor were at the Hilton Hotel in the Danish capital for the official press conference and expressed their delight at the arrangement.

'We have been trying to find a partner in Europe for a long time and have looked at clubs in Belgium, Spain, Switzerland and Italy,' said Ellis.

'But when we saw the possibilities presented by AB there was no doubt that they were the right club.'

The Villa chairman's counterpart Mogens Flagstad said: 'We are happy to announce our co-operation with a Premiership club rich in tradition like Aston Villa.'

The first evidence of the new deal will see AB's Denmark Under-19 international Thomas Guldborg Christensen and Under-17 international Casper Abildgaard both training with Villa.

AB Akademisk Boldklub Copenhagen were a university team until the 1960s and, after a dip in the 80s and 90s, have recently returned to the Danish top-flight.

They won the Danish cup in 1999 but the last of their nine championship successes came in 1967, while capital rivals FC Copenhagen have lifted the title twice since their formation in 1992.

Obviously nothing has come of this, and moreover there hasn't been any over-arching structure to the footballing side of the club that has survived successive changes of management. I think at the time this was an attempt to follow similar arrangements that other English clubs were establishing. I'm not sure how successful other partnerships have been to English clubs, or whether these sort of arrangements are still thought to be beneficial. 

IMO it would be good to have some structure in relation to scouting etc. that doesn't need to be re-built everytime the manager is replaced. Perhaps this starts to involve a Director of Football though?

[Dave]

Perhaps this starts to involve a Director of Football though?

I really think that it's one of those things that is a good idea in principle but nothing more.

It can't be a coincidence that there has never been a successful manager/Director Of Football relationship in the Premier League despite several attempts to make it work.

[SoccerHQ]

Pretty sure early in Randy's reign we approach Reading's DOF Nicky Hammond who at the time was working very well with Steve Coppell.

[nigel]

Can you lot sort out your epic quote fails please.

Is this better for you? 

[Monty]

Perhaps this starts to involve a Director of Football though?

I really think that it's one of those things that is a good idea in principle but nothing more.

It can't be a coincidence that there has never been a successful manager/Director Of Football relationship in the Premier League despite several attempts to make it work.

It's because they try to combine the 'traditional British manager' role with the continental-style DoF role, which are two fundamentally incompatible roles. The best example of the success of the DoF, at Lyon (where Lacombe is called the 'sporting director') is over the head of often almost interchangeable head coaches, who come and go without much changing.

[Shoody]

Think Martinez would work well as a head coach. Even Di Matteo. Would never take him as manager could be convinced if he wasnt buying the players though.

[JUAN PABLO]

I was going through the papers at my mums , I see we want Jonas Olsson for £5 million .

[N'ZMAV]

But do we know who will be the manager?

[Mazrim]

And do we really want Jonas Olsson? I suggest not.
We should go ahead and get Douglas though even if we don't have a manager.

[Risso]

Maz, I would bet a large amount that we cannot afford Boswingas wages.

Depends on how his wages would fit in with everybody elses and how important his signing would be considered but I'm not really arguing that we're likely to sign him anyway. I dont doubt he wouldn't be considered a priority or worth a huge contract.

In short, the overall wage issue is the problem, not individual contracts.

I'd say the overall lack of money issue is the problem.  With net liabilities of tens of millions of pounds, Lerner is going to have to chuck money in just to keep the club meeting its running costs.  Transfer money will have to come second to that.

[Mazrim]

I dont really want to get embroilled with another debate on finances but Randy can invest again if he wants to.

[Merv]

Perhaps this starts to involve a Director of Football though?

I really think that it's one of those things that is a good idea in principle but nothing more.

It can't be a coincidence that there has never been a successful manager/Director Of Football relationship in the Premier League despite several attempts to make it work.

It's because they try to combine the 'traditional British manager' role with the continental-style DoF role, which are two fundamentally incompatible roles. The best example of the success of the DoF, at Lyon (where Lacombe is called the 'sporting director') is over the head of often almost interchangeable head coaches, who come and go without much changing.

Yes. It doesn't work with that old school kind of manager who wants to have the full and perhaps final say on budgets, contracts, etc (so it would never have worked with O'Neill, for example, who expected total control), but it would work with a head coach responsible for coaching, tactics, selecting the team, selecting transfer targets.

Said back in the summer, Houllier would have been ideal in this role - using his influence in the game and contacts to establish relationships around the globe, have a positive effect on transfers, assist with overall strategy, etc.

I wouldn't rule it out, if we identified a promising young coach relatively untried at PL level who would welcome and benefit from experienced guidance.

[tomd2103]

Olic, fletcher, pogbreynak, Would be decent shouts upfront

Olic has signed for Wolfsburg.

As for Rafael on loan, why would we want to do that rather than playing Lichaj?

I like lichaj's commitment. But he's looked poor on the ball and positionally to me.

But if we have issues with a right-back with positional problems, signing Rafael is like a team signing Heskey to deal with their goalscoring problem.

We are probably going to need a new right and left back next season.  Noticed that Luke Young was on the bench for QPR yesterday.  If they go down, I wouldn't mind seeing him back at Villa Park if it could be sorted.  I know there were rumours that he moved because he wanted to be back in London, but for me he is a much better player than Hutton.  The lad playing RB for QPR yesterday also looked pretty decent and I'm sure we have been linked with him before. 

As for LB, I really like Izaguirre from Celtic, but not sure about the defensive side of his game in the Premiership.  I also like Taylor at Swansea, but not sure that he would want to leave there.

[JUAN PABLO]

Poldoski signs for Arsenal