Concrete Ron

[Toronto Villa]

Savage is self publicist, first and foremost, so saying something against the grain comes completely naturally towards him. That and appeasing the nose masses gives him extra pleasure. He doesn't need to make sense, he just needs to draw attention to himself. It's the Robbie Savage way.

[chrisw1]

Savage is alright.

I know he's a bit of a wind up merchant, but I think he's generally pretty fair.  I don't sense much anti-Villa in what he says most of the time.

As a pundit he's ok.  Not particularly insightful but he's prepared to say what he thinks and a reasonable amount of the time I agree with him.

[Dante Lavelli]

If Vlaar played for another middling side who had just reached the FA Cup Final, he wouldn't pass comment at all. He is just sticking his oar in because it's Villa. The prick.

He probably would, but we would not have noticed it or cared.

[Brend'Watkins]

Savage is alright.

I know he's a bit of a wind up merchant, but I think he's generally pretty fair.  I don't sense much anti-Villa in what he says most of the time.  You're wrong on that

As a pundit he's ok.  He's awful, his delivery and whiny voice are particularly annoying Not particularly insightful not insightful at all but he's prepared to say what he thinks he says what he thinks people want to hear, his research and knowledge are lacking for the job he's in a reasonable amount of the time I agree with him.  Have a look at yourself.

[chrisw1]

I don't expect him to be popular on here, but that's not what he's employed for.  He's quite good at putting down some of the morons who phone up the talk shows and I think he does a reasonable job of putting forward a point from a players perspective. 

I know I'm in the minority, but I just don't have the vitriol for him that most of you have.

[Brend'Watkins]

Good at putting down morons is he?  I don't know about that as when I hear him on the radio now I switch to another channel.  What I do know is that when he first started the phone in thing any caller's opinion didn't count as they'd never played the game at his level.  That's how much of a twat he is.  I resent the fact that some of my license fee goes to pay his wages.

[danno]

I thought the "not good enough for a top 4 club" remark was just Savage referring to Vlaar's age and injury record.

Phil Jones/Johnny Evans are both injury prone, but they have far more time on their side.

[chrisw1]

Good at putting down morons is he?  I don't know about that as when I hear him on the radio now I switch to another channel.  What I do know is that when he first started the phone in thing any caller's opinion didn't count as they'd never played the game at his level.  That's how much of a twat he is.  I resent the fact that some of my license fee goes to pay his wages.

Well if you never listen to him you're hardly qualified to comment on whether he is any good as a pundit are you?  There are lots of pundits who started off very ropey but have grown in to their role.

Savage is no Gary Neville, but he's not as bad as your obvious bias makes out.

[OCD]

Since when is putting down morons a required skill for being a pundit? I just don't know what he did in his career (in a positive way) that qualifies him to be a pundit. Play for a top club? No. Won lots of trophies? No. Have a keen intellect and have an incisive insight? No. Make controversial comments to raise his profile? Yes. He's the Katie Hopkins of the football world.

[chrisw1]

Since when is putting down morons a required skill for being a pundit? I just don't know what he did in his career (in a positive way) that qualifies him to be a pundit. Play for a top club? No. Won lots of trophies? No. Have a keen intellect and have an incisive insight? No. Make controversial comments to raise his profile? Yes. He's the Katie Hopkins of the football world.

No he's not.  If you take the time to listen to him he's far more reasonable than that.  I understand he is widely disliked and I also understand why.  But just chucking any old shit at him like that does not do you credit.

In terms of his football career, there are many, many pundits and managers who have been hugely successful without having Messi like skills.

[old man villa fan]

Gobby Cabbage - sums him up perfectly

[Toronto Villa]

I have always wondered how all this went down. A very mature response from Vlaar

Aston Villa: Ron Vlaar has his say on losing the captaincy to Fabian Delph
12:00, 5 May 2015 By Mat Kendrick

'I would have still liked to do the job - but Fabian has developed as a leader.'


Ron Vlaar admits he would still like to be Aston Villa captain after losing the armband to Fabian Delph.

But the former skipper acknowledges that Delph has developed the leadership qualities to do the job.

Delph was handed the captaincy by Tim Sherwood during Vlaar's latest injury-enforced absence.

And the new manager decided to stick with the England midfielder as skipper even when Vlaar returned to action.

The honour had been the Dutch international defender's since he took over from Darren Bent in September 2012.

"I did the job with honour and pride for nearly three years and I gave everything - but I still give everything," said Vlaar.

"It doesn't matter whether I wear the armband or not.

"I would still have liked to do the job but it doesn't make a difference to me. "I haven't been fit for most of the season which has been frustrating because I want to play and I want to play well. I want to be important for the team. We are all in this together."

Vlaar, whose contract expires at the end of the season, believes Villa are in safe hands with Delph as captain.

"When I came back into the team Fabian was captain, and that's no problem," he added.

"I think Fabian has developed as a leader of the team. He's ready for it now; you can see that on the pitch and you can see it off the pitch.

"He has grown as a leader and he's the right person for the job. But it's not about me or about Fabian being captain. It's about the team."

[nodge]

Yes, good to read that is.

[brontebilly]

Said for a while, there are very few top drawer centre backs in the league. A solid, reliable, steady player is worth keeping hold of because even most of the ones at the top sides have serious issues. Terry and Cahill are considered the best in the league, but both are shown up in Europe and at times at home by mobile strikers that turn a defence, while Cahill has never been great in a physical battle. The Man City lot are pretty woeful and make a lot of seriously silly errors. All at Liverpool apart from Skrtl make basic mistakes almost weekly. Koscielny is a really good player now, but Mertesacker is incredibly slow and gets caught out. That Gabriel looks a decent player, could be interesting to see how he goes next season. But all in all, if any of them outside Chelsea came in for Vlaar it would not shock me at all, because if they found the magic elixir to keep him fit, he is a pretty steady, solid defender.

You cant keep Vlaar fit though so there wouldnt be any real point in those clubs bringing him in. Agreed on the standard of defending in the league, its average at best (as is the BPL generally). But playing centre back is all about the partnership, with Vlaar he wont ever be fit enough to develop a partnership with anyone. Plus it takes him a number of games to get back to his best after his regular injuries. He was very good at the start of the season but his form has been mixed since Sherwood has come in. Thought he was our worst player against Everton, wasnt great at City, cost us a point against Stoke balanced against good displays against Liverpool and Tottenham. As a captain and leader, thought he was woeful under Lambert. Will never forget the way the Bradford centre forward bullied him or even Bobby Zamora at QPR earlier this season.

[PaulWinch again]

Excellent words from a true leader in Vlaar there.