A working model for Aston Villa?

[paulcomben]

Apparently their fitness training regime is brutally demanding. Ged tried that on our overpaid old geezers and cause a right old kerfuffle with the lazy mercenaries led by Richer Bunne.

[Vanilla]

It's like an FA cup tie - lower league team, early round style. Pity their striker went off, they should have had a few more....

It was nothing like that. This AB team is full of zest and skill with a coach who has outwitted Fergie.

They simply used the Manure model to outwit Manure. Speed, movement and swift counter attacks. It shows that in the same way only the English people/media think the English national team can win a competition, only the English media think the EPL is the best in the world.

[Stu]

It shows that in the same way only the English people/media think the English national team can win a competition...

I think England can win the Euros? I wasn't sure before but now you've let me know what I think...

[Dave Clark Five]

It shows that in the same way only the English people/media think the English national team can win a competition...

I think England can win the Euros? I wasn't sure before but now you've let me know what I think...

Sandie Shaw won it single handed.

[Mister E]

Apparently their fitness training regime is brutally demanding. Ged tried that on our overpaid old geezers and cause a right old kerfuffle with the lazy mercenaries led by Richer Bunne.

Which says all you need to know about the choice of personnel and the team being bigger tahn the personalities.
Doesn't make the Bilbao model wrong.

So, who's prepared to chip into a fund to pay for McL to spend 2-3 weeks over with Bilbao this summer to learn the ropes? - might prove more valuable than going to learn from the Browns.

[Vanilla]

It shows that in the same way only the English people/media think the English national team can win a competition...

I think England can win the Euros? I wasn't sure before but now you've let me know what I think...

Well I didn't know I had mind control. It is actually a reference to the opinions of the foreign media regarding the quality of English football, and how we put it on a pedestal it doesn't deserve.

[LeeS]

It shows that in the same way only the English people/media think the English national team can win a competition...

I think England can win the Euros? I wasn't sure before but now you've let me know what I think...

Well I didn't know I had mind control. It is actually a reference to the opinions of the foreign media regarding the quality of English football, and how we put it on a pedestal it doesn't deserve.

I got what you meant, Vanilla

We (the English as a populace, not necessarily all individuals) are happy to buy into this "EPL is the best league in the world" bollox. That is a myth peddled by Sky and the extremely lazy printed press. Why it it that every time I pick up a tabloid and turn to the back page every story is about football - as though it was the only sport in existence. Dont they get bored of writing the same thing day in day out?

[Concrete John]

Why is it everytime a side does well, we're straight away talking about how their model should be adopted by Villa?  So far this season we've lurched from wanting to be like Newcastle, to wanting to be like Swansea and not we want to be like Bilbao.  Newcastle for their transfer policy, Swansea for the way they play and Bilbao for their localised youth development.

Certain elements can be adopted, but we need our own identity and philosophy.

 

[PaulWinch again]

Unfortunately at the moment we don't appear to have an identity or philosophy other than cost cutting.

[Concrete John]

Unfortunately at the moment we don't appear to have an identity or philosophy other than cost cutting.

Don't we?

Although I think it's the start as opposed to the finished article, the amount of youth players we have in the first team is maybe the start of a more longterm approach for us.  As is the sourcing of Bosmans, therefore making better use of funds. 

[PaulWinch again]

I appreciate the younger players are being brought it, but at the moment there doesn't appear to be a tactical vision for the future. Hopefully that'll change.

[KevinGage]

Why is it everytime a side does well, we're straight away talking about how their model should be adopted by Villa?  So far this season we've lurched from wanting to be like Newcastle, to wanting to be like Swansea and not we want to be like Bilbao.  Newcastle for their transfer policy, Swansea for the way they play and Bilbao for their localised youth development.

Certain elements can be adopted, but we need our own identity and philosophy.

 

Agreed John.

It's all a bit 'want that one,'  and ignores the individual circumstances of the clubs involved compared to ours.

Bilbao for example only recruit Basques as part of the cantera policy.  The fans were asked would they prefer to stick with cantera even if it meant relegation or drop it and sign players from anywhere.  Over 90% said they'd prefer relegation.  It's that important to them as part of their identity.

[Concrete John]

I appreciate the younger players are being brought it, but at the moment there doesn't appear to be a tactical vision for the future. Hopefully that'll change.

We're a bit of a hodge podge at the moment, with players bought by MON and Houllier for differ styles.  Once they are cycled out and the manager can put his own stamp on the squad, whatever that may ultimately be, then I'm hoping we will see some tactical game plan emerge. 

[Percy McCarthy]

This 'best league in the world' stuff. It depends what you mean by 'best'. To me it's the best to watch, and judging by the foreign TV rights, the world agrees.

Benitez has just said it's the best because in Spain, Italy and Germany all teams play the same style of football, whereas in England the teams play nothing like each other, making it more of a challenge for a manager.

[Pat McMahon]

It's 7v7 up to U-11s. I'll ask/find out on Sunday what it is for U-12s onwards.

Legion, what size football do young kids use these days? Are there different sizes through the age groups? I always find it frustrating to see little nippers trying to kick a full sized ball and only managingto punt it 5metres, or try keepie uppie with what is the equivalent of a medicine ball to them. On the plus side, it does stop the 40m hoofball mentality from the age of 4.

Good coaching, technique, movement are all so important from an early age. Football must be one of the few sports where so many British kids run off and have a go themselves without proper coaching.