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

[PeterWithesShin]

Again, he played just over 100 minutes. Most of that was in the FA Cup surrender. Do you really think it's fair to judge him on that? Just about every Villa player was anonymous in that City game, should we judge them all on that as well?

[dave.woodhall]

The coaching staff will have seen him in training for all that time as well.

[PeterWithesShin]

The coaching staff will have seen him in training for all that time as well.

Considering it was McLeish who let him go, i'm not giving that much credibility. After all, he thought Hutton was a good move.

I just find it ridiculous that some fans decide that 100 minutes of first team football was enough to write off a bloke who has spent the last 6 or 7 years more than holding his own in the Dutch, German and Italian top divisions.

[dave.woodhall]

I don't know, but was it McLeish or did he just slip away in the hiatus between Houllier going and the Great Mistake?

[PeterWithesShin]

"New manager Alex McLeish decided against picking up the option to make the player's loan switch to Villa Park permanent, leaving the player looking at his options"

[dave.woodhall]

Seems conclusive enough. Presumably though, he would have taken advice from Sid & Kev Mac.

[Aston Villa]

I do seem to remember reading something quoted to Houllier saying that he wanted to play Bradley more but was reluctant because we never really pulled away from the relagation battle. Or something along those lines.

[curiousorange]

I was disappointed Bradley wasn't more of a hit than he ended up being. One thing that did surprise me was how slight he was. I could only remember him from the World Cup and he seemed like a little terrier bloke, but then when he arrived at VP he was this gaunt American.

[oldtimernow]

according to some Norwegian site I came across Charlie Austin of Burnley is a target for next year

[DrGonzo]

The only other name I've heard any link with is another striker, Dynamo Moscow's Aleksander Kokorin, probably just the papers trying to justify their Bent out story.

[Merv]

The coaching staff will have seen him in training for all that time as well.

Considering it was McLeish who let him go, i'm not giving that much credibility. After all, he thought Hutton was a good move.

I just find it ridiculous that some fans decide that 100 minutes of first team football was enough to write off a bloke who has spent the last 6 or 7 years more than holding his own in the Dutch, German and Italian top divisions.

I'm always bemoaned the fact we passed up a deal for Bradley. He seemed/seems to have the qualities we lacked in midfield, and still do. He's playing for Roma now, of course, which suggests to me that whoever ultimately made the call on him at Villa (and it was reported at the time that McLeish did so, though I'm sure he'd have taken advice and if there was a bit more financial freedom it could have been a different decision) didn't get it right.

You win some, you lose some.

[Holte L2]

I'll be honest enough to admit, I saw him in the flesh away at Blackpool and at Man City. and If I had to judge him on those performances, I would have let him go.

I still want Reo-Coker back mind.

[Aston Villa]

One theory I always had (probably way off), was that the American signings were more to do with owner rather then manager. I mean is it coincidence that we get an American owner then end up with four American players?

[PaulTheVillan]

I'll be honest enough to admit, I saw him in the flesh away at Blackpool and at Man City. and If I had to judge him on those performances, I would have let him go.

I still want Reo-Coker back mind.

If Lambert wants to play the passing game, then NRC is the last player he'd buy.

[pauliewalnuts]

One theory I always had (probably way off), was that the American signings were more to do with owner rather then manager. I mean is it coincidence that we get an American owner then end up with four American players?

If there was any truth in that, they did it in a particularly low key way.

One of them had already had a long, successful career in this country prior to joining, one was a kid playing university football, one was a rookie goalkeeper and one was taken on loan and then sent back.

I think the most astonishing thing in all that is that Martin The Blessed Saviour actually signed a player who'd never played in the UK before. Staggering.