Lambert in or out? Poll reset with majority 'in', 7th May

[Risso]

This poll is not pointless.  It was an attempt by disaffected non-believers to whip up support and try to evict yet another manager

Can I respectfully point out for the 10th time, as the person who started the topic, that the poll was added later by a mod and the title changed, and wasn't part of my original post at all.  It was simply a rant after another defeat, and the adding of the poll which has been reset several times over the course of the season was nothing to do with me and therefore not an attempt to whip up support for anything of the sort.  Ta.

[Mazrim]

No you may not. You're a trouble making roustabout and that's all there is to it.

[Steve R]

.....

I'm sorry but no.  Treble their wages to £105k a week and you've got two players on over £50k a week putting us right back to square one.

.......

At some point we're going to have to. Not just with Weimann and Benteke, but Guzan, Lowton and others if they develop as they should.

If they are worth it, we will be able to afford it. It's paying such wages for non-contributors that has screwed us.

[supertom]

We can afford to put our better players on wages more fitting of top 8 worthy players. Benteke is the standout one of course. I think we'll need to treble his wages.

As for Wiemann, Lowton etc. It's case by case. Andy deserves a little more, but he's got a long way to go before he'd warrant 40k+ Same with Lowton. We have to see him develop over next season, as well as improve defensively.

What we'll never do again, and can't. Is have 14-18 players in our squad, averaging around 30-40k. Wasn't Marlon Harewood on something ludicrous like 30 odd? Heskey, reportedly 60k.

Sooner or later though, to develop. We'll need a first 11 that's capable of being solid top half table minimum. That is, long term, going to require bigger wages.

The beauty of Lamberts ethos though, is that we'll always refresh our side, with new, young talent. They won't be on big money. They'll take 2-3 seasons, if they make the grade, to earn it.

Sooner or later, other clubs will have to follow our example. If the F.A actually starts enforcing the financial fair play rules properly, then even ridiculous clubs like Man City will have to change their tactics.

[Mazrim]

You get the big money if you deserve it. Which is as it should be. And if you're more motivated by money than anything else then you're not for us. I reckon Lambert is pretty canny at managing this from the things he's said in the past.

[Risso]

No you may not. You're a trouble making roustabout and that's all there is to it.

Bah, and I'd have got away with it if it wasn't for you pesky kids.

[pauliewalnuts]

You get the big money if you deserve it. Which is as it should be. And if you're more motivated by money than anything else then you're not for us. I reckon Lambert is pretty canny at managing this from the things he's said in the past.

Exactly.

I don't have any issue with, say, Benteke picking up 65k a week or whatever we pay him if he stays, because he has proved he's worth it this season.

What I have an issue with, and what I suspect Randy resented most, is the number of players we've had on our books who were picking up big money (not necessarily 65k big, but your NRCs, utterly average players, on 40k a week, too) and contributing absolutely nothing.

I'd imagine our three biggest earners this season are Ireland, Given and Bent, and we could very easily have got through this season, and been exactly where we are, with no intervention from those three at all. They've hardly featured.

We are going to have to pay big money to the really good players. There's no escaping that if we want to progress.

What we need to get significantly better at is identifying which are the really good players who deserve that big money.

[Risso]

I'd imagine that if we're going to have a chance of keeping Benteke that he'll be in for a bit of a rise.

[pauliewalnuts]

I'd imagine that if we're going to have a chance of keeping Benteke that he'll be in for a bit of a rise.

Of course he will. And fair enough.

If we stay up, given that there's a world cup at the end of the season, I think we've got a chance of keeping him for a year. Another good season, then a decent world cup (and Belgium are more than decent), and he can get himself a move pretty much anywhere he wants.

All this bollocks about Tottenham, he shouldn't even be considering. He should be aiming much higher than that, and another season like this, and he'll get it.

[danlanza]

I'd imagine that if we're going to have a chance of keeping Benteke that he'll be in for a bit of a rise.

Of course he will. And fair enough.

If we stay up, given that there's a world cup at the end of the season, I think we've got a chance of keeping him for a year. Another good season, then a decent world cup (and Belgium are more than decent), and he can get himself a move pretty much anywhere he wants.

All this bollocks about Tottenham, he shouldn't even be considering. He should be aiming much higher than that, and another season like this, and he'll get it.

Benteke will be the first 100k a week player at Villa. He will go fucking nowhere when we qualify for the Champions league next season.
and i will put a fucking bet on that with anybody on this site. UTV.

[Michel Sibble]

No you may not. You're a trouble making roustabout and that's all there is to it.

Rob Curling's finest game show.

[PeterWithesShin]

In an ideal world we'd give players a decent but not OTT basic wage but add in a bunch of performance clauses. If they and the Villa do well they get very well paid. Well in my ideal world anyway.

[rob_bridge]

In an ideal world we'd give players a decent but not OTT basic wage but add in a bunch of performance clauses. If they and the Villa do well they get very well paid. Well in my ideal world anyway.

Mine too

[danlanza]

In an ideal world we'd give players a decent but not OTT basic wage but add in a bunch of performance clauses. If they and the Villa do well they get very well paid. Well in my ideal world anyway.

Mine too

Me to. Sounds quite sensible that does. Makes a refreshing change.

[Damo70]

As regards the wages, I think if you are going to pay big money to people then it helps if you are actually going to play them rather than pay them a fortune for the odd appearance and also helps if they are in the young and ambitious bracket whereby if they do the business for you are relatively easy to move on if necessary. Like Young or Milner as opposed to Beye, Ireland, etc.

As for Lambert, it's nice to have a manager that doesn't think he is doing us a favour by being here and also has the SGT mentality of 'if you are going to lose a game, make sure you did so whilst at least trying to win it in the first place'. I know on the whole I have enjoyed games/performances far more this season than last.