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

[Greg N'Ash]

what was our wage bill in the last accounts? Something unbelievable i seem to recall, but there's hardly anyone remaining from the MON era now. Did they keep paying mental wages after he left? I don't get it.

I'm sure I'd heard that the wages situation was back to something like 50% of turnover now. Maybe I imagined that.

Well if thats the case i definetely don't get it.

Your right Greg,the people saying he has money to spend,if nobody comes in do they expect him to get the bullet first thing Friday morning?

I think whatever side of the fence you are regarding Lambchop's continued employment, you have to say the way the club is run under Lerner is baffling to the average person. It just defies logic so whatever happens in the next week, it wouldn't surprise me and i'm certainly not going to try to guess :0)

[saunders_heroes]

He said he was interested in certain players but they'd ended up at other clubs. That suggests that if he has got cash to spend it ant bloody much!

[Concrete John]

"I have no complaints about having very little money to spend - I knew the remit when I took over," added Lambert.

"He [Lerner] hasn't washed his hands of this club but there will be no splashing out like Darren Bent two years ago [who joined Villa for £18m]."

"We can only go with what we've got."

If he is playing poker he is very good at it.

Hes playing with our future - so lets hope hes not a busted flush.

If true, then it's Randy playing wit our future and not Lambert!

[saunders_heroes]

"I have no complaints about having very little money to spend - I knew the remit when I took over," added Lambert.

"He [Lerner] hasn't washed his hands of this club but there will be no splashing out like Darren Bent two years ago [who joined Villa for £18m]."

"We can only go with what we've got."

If he is playing poker he is very good at it.

Hes playing with our future - so lets hope hes not a busted flush.

If true, then it's Randy playing wit our future and not Lambert!

The pair of them have been an abomination.

[PeterWithesShin]

If I had to guess I'd say Lambert definitely has money to spend, is playing some sort of pokerface with whoever is still left in the game and it may or may not lead to him doing anything. I reckon this "signings unlikely" thing thats drip fed out to an increasingly ostracised local press is part of that. I hope so because the alternative is awful.

He's playing chicken, making out he can afford to lose it but really he can't. He knows it and probably so do any agents that we might be involved in. Maybe the haggling/posturing might lead to an extra player if it goes his way. Maybe.

Like playing poker with a mirror behind your back - everyone can see your hand, so making out you've got a royal flush is mental.

It's more a case of him making out he has a pair or twos when he actually has a prile.

Prile is only used in 3 card brag. Trips or a set in poker.

[eastie]

Roll on friday so we can kiss this thread goodbye, i used to think o neills windows were frustrating but this is worse.

[Mazrim]

what was our wage bill in the last accounts? Something unbelievable i seem to recall, but there's hardly anyone remaining from the MON era now. Did they keep paying mental wages after he left? I don't get it.

I'm sure I'd heard that the wages situation was back to something like 50% of turnover now. Maybe I imagined that.

Well if thats the case i definetely don't get it.

Your right Greg,the people saying he has money to spend,if nobody comes in do they expect him to get the bullet first thing Friday morning?

In a word: no.
I think Randy will let the dice roll until the summer at least. I'm not even sure its the wrong thing to do either.
Lambert has been pretty good in his career to date. This is surely the worst situation he's been in but its not unsalvageable. He has to get his team back from the brink, he has to find motivation from somehwere and he has to use what he has to get the players in who can help.

For what its worth, I dont think he's ever been inspirational in his press dealings. He's not blessed with a silver tongue let's face it. So I dont expect anything from these media snippets. I expect him to do better away from the cameras though.

The task to me is simple: we're a few players and some restored confidence away from a decent team. It might be enough, - it should be enough, to get through this season avoiding disaster. Get the players in and cut out some of the daft mistakes.
There was some momentum building in november and december. Find that "place" again and get back on track.

[Mazrim]

If I had to guess I'd say Lambert definitely has money to spend, is playing some sort of pokerface with whoever is still left in the game and it may or may not lead to him doing anything. I reckon this "signings unlikely" thing thats drip fed out to an increasingly ostracised local press is part of that. I hope so because the alternative is awful.

He's playing chicken, making out he can afford to lose it but really he can't. He knows it and probably so do any agents that we might be involved in. Maybe the haggling/posturing might lead to an extra player if it goes his way. Maybe.

Like playing poker with a mirror behind your back - everyone can see your hand, so making out you've got a royal flush is mental.

It's more a case of him making out he has a pair or twos when he actually has a prile.

Prile is only used in 3 card brag. Trips or a set in poker.

Yes, good point. Although we still use the term sometimes when my lot play.

[bertlambshank]

Roll on friday so we can kiss this thread goodbye, i used to think o neills windows were frustrating but this is worse.

'Very little money'.PL in the last hour.

[David_Nab]

I don't think he can turn it around myself too far gone and I just can't see any positive signs.

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

Let's say that Lerner was to give Lambert £20m to spend before the window shuts.. who the bloody hell would want to come to Villa anyway unless they had a relegation clause or a bloody great signing on fee?

The whole place stinks of neglect.

[Mazrim]

re: Very little money. He's not going to say otherwise though is he? Especially now.
All he has ruled out is another Darren Bent type signing. Well, fuck me, that comes as a shock.

[eamonn]

Lambert gives away nothing at press conferences regarding transfers (or much at all really) so it's futile to make a conclusive reading from them.

It's funny; reading his same quotes every time makes me want to punch him but actually watching the pressers on avtv and it's hard not to like him. A few self-deprecating laughs, body-language a lot more open than O'Neill who was equally cagey but that old pushing the glasses up the nose trick betrayed his Pinocchio ways.

Don't believe 'owt til 00:08 (allow for Mita Copier faxjambs) on Feb 1st.

[VILLA MOLE]

Roll on friday so we can kiss this thread goodbye, i used to think o neills windows were frustrating but this is worse.
[/quote

roll on May and have an end to the misery ]

[eastie]

He said he was interested in certain players but they'd ended up at other clubs. That suggests that if he has got cash to spend it ant bloody much!

Why does it?
We are not an exactly attractive  proposition right now, i think we may well be able to match other clubs financially but players may choose not to come here .