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

[atticus snood]

its weird, how names get mentioned all day and you think no way do we want him and then might end up with Hawkins . Then you think , I wish we had that WP etc now .

I'm sure a few on here are thinking that Curtis Davies was'nt a bad idea after all.

I would sooner play Vlaar and Clark than Davies so that would not have worked as far as i'm concerned.

And if one of them get's injured?

Then it's Baker. In a 4-4-2.

[john2710]

The most worrying thing for me is if Lerner is in a right old mess financially and is struggling to sustain bankrolling the club anymore. I'd much rather he'd just decided enough was enough for the time being but the cost cutting has been so quick and severe it certainly doesn't look good does it? and we all know what happened to last club that fell apart at the seams this quick, they still haven't come back now.

I still can't lay the blame at managers feet for the state we're in. No one would have sorted this shit out with the money and wages available.

One thing Lerner isn't is struggling financially.  He's a stirling billionaire, not just $ billioanire.  How much of that value is liquid and instantly usable is another matter, as is if he has funded us directly or through the Lerner family trust - I think he needs agreement from other family members to access these funds.

That's the only thing that could possibly make a modicum of sense - the trustees have blocked him.

More likely that he's had enough of throwing good money after bad.

[Risso]

The most worrying thing for me is if Lerner is in a right old mess financially and is struggling to sustain bankrolling the club anymore. I'd much rather he'd just decided enough was enough for the time being but the cost cutting has been so quick and severe it certainly doesn't look good does it? and we all know what happened to last club that fell apart at the seams this quick, they still haven't come back now.

I still can't lay the blame at managers feet for the state we're in. No one would have sorted this shit out with the money and wages available.

One thing Lerner isn't is struggling financially.  He's a stirling billionaire, not just $ billioanire.  How much of that value is liquid and instantly usable is another matter, as is if he has funded us directly or through the Lerner family trust - I think he needs agreement from other family members to access these funds.

That's the only thing that could possibly make a modicum of sense - the trustees have blocked him. 

And they do have that power, and may well use it if other beneficiaries object to the money being spent.  However, even in those circumstances, surely even some corporate trustee in Delaware can see that the value of the TRUST'S investment is going to get hammered if we get relegated.

It's the only idea I can come up with.

You'd also think that a billionaire would keep a few million in personal cash for eventualities.

[Lobsterboy]

Can we at least allow any new signings to arrive at Bodymoor Heath before we decide they're shit?

Orient loanee who has a nodding acquaintance with Spurs?

If it looks like shit, smells like shit and tastes like shit.

Then it probably IS shit.

We bought a former Nantwich trainee who played for Crewe in the summer and he seems to have done okay

[citizenDJ]

Well, you'd have to think that's our business done for the day.

Sylla and Dawkins. Wow. Fingers crossed, everybody.

[Greg N'Ash]

At least this transfer window removes any lingering reason for keeping lambchop. A new manager can't do any worse than him with only the additions of a geriatric spurs youth player and a french 2nd division kid.. He's already failed to motivate the existing players so might as well give a new guy a go

[Villa in Denmark]

Which is probably fair enough from their point of view.  After pouring £200 - 250M into a black hole and getting nowhere and the only return being whatever they've taken back as interest and management fees why would you continue to say yes to more if you had no interest in the "project" and could see other "more deserving causes"

Still hurts like a bitch on this side of the Atlantic.

At least we don't owe all that money to a bank.  Problem comes if someone has to borrow money to but Lerner out.

Trust's have to do impairment reviews of their investments for audit purposes.  I once audited a billionaire's network of trusts, and one investment was a game reserve in South Africa.  They had to write down the investment because the lions had eaten too many of the zebras and gazelles.  The Lerner trust is going to have to write down the value of their investment in Aston Villa by tens of millions because we have a squad full of donkeys.

Fair enough - as long as they understand the concept and consequence of relegation

because we have a squad full of donkeys. - Led by a bunch of asses

[dave.woodhall]

The most worrying thing for me is if Lerner is in a right old mess financially and is struggling to sustain bankrolling the club anymore. I'd much rather he'd just decided enough was enough for the time being but the cost cutting has been so quick and severe it certainly doesn't look good does it? and we all know what happened to last club that fell apart at the seams this quick, they still haven't come back now.

I still can't lay the blame at managers feet for the state we're in. No one would have sorted this shit out with the money and wages available.

One thing Lerner isn't is struggling financially.  He's a stirling billionaire, not just $ billioanire.  How much of that value is liquid and instantly usable is another matter, as is if he has funded us directly or through the Lerner family trust - I think he needs agreement from other family members to access these funds.

That's the only thing that could possibly make a modicum of sense - the trustees have blocked him. 

And they do have that power, and may well use it if other beneficiaries object to the money being spent.  However, even in those circumstances, surely even some corporate trustee in Delaware can see that the value of the TRUST'S investment is going to get hammered if we get relegated.

It's the only idea I can come up with.

You'd also think that a billionaire would keep a few million in personal cash for eventualities.

I have no idea yet how billionaires arrange their financial affairs. 

[Clampy]

its weird, how names get mentioned all day and you think no way do we want him and then might end up with Hawkins . Then you think , I wish we had that WP etc now .

I'm sure a few on here are thinking that Curtis Davies was'nt a bad idea after all.

I would sooner play Vlaar and Clark than Davies so that would not have worked as far as i'm concerned.

And if one of them get's injured?

Then it's Baker. In a 4-4-2.

But Baker seems unable to play more than 3 games in a row without picking up a knock. Let's just hope Dunne is not too far away from fitness.

[Risso]

Can we at least allow any new signings to arrive at Bodymoor Heath before we decide they're shit?

Orient loanee who has a nodding acquaintance with Spurs?

If it looks like shit, smells like shit and tastes like shit.

Then it probably IS shit.

We bought a former Nantwich trainee who played for Crewe in the summer and he seems to have done okay

Yeah he's been fantastic, setting up no end of goals and being a brilliant defensive wall in front of the defence.

[damon loves JT]

Bloody hell, not *the* Simon Dawkins?

[PaulWinch again]

I'm fine with Sylla signed, yes not remotely high profile but he is in exactly the position we needed a player and hopefully he'll do well. Dawkins however makes absolutely no sense.

[OzVilla]

Just woken up here and turned on to H & V in eager anticipation to see who we've signed.  For about the 100th time in the last 3 years i wake up to abject disappointment and a feeling of dread for our future.

We are well and truly fucked and we will finish bottom of the league.  F*** off Randy.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I'm convinced that i'm going to wake up to find that I passed out just after Carew's brilliant goal to go 2-0 up against Stoke.

I had a bizarre biological reaction to the Bovril and i've been comatose for the last few years.

In reality we're chugging along quite nicely in the Champions League.

All this just isn't fucking happening.


CLARENCE. PLEASE I WANT TO LIVE AGAIN (sob) JUST LET ME LIVE AGAIN.

[Jockey Randall]

Ive suggested this before but nobody showed any interest. Why dont we play Benteke at centre half . Big, physical, wins most of the headers
and his passing is good. Leaving Bent and Weimann up front and Agbonlahor under orders to stay out on the wings and provide the crosses.

If he doesnt buy a centre half I suppose he will stick with Vlaar and Clark...which shows how stubborn and stupid he is.

I presume you are joking about Benteke!

No Im not.  Think about it Dion moved back with ease, Allan Evans moved back with ease, Dick Edwards moved back in the sixties
Benteke might do well short term and we have to come up with something.

I could imagine a similar scenario to when that Middlesboro fan ran on and chucked his season ticket away if he dropped this bombshell at home to West Ham. Even I would say sack him then.