Concrete Ron

[ciggiesnbeer]

Off the top of my head

tekkers, westwood, weimann, clark, guzan, baker.

not sure about the last one,

[RussellC]

How is typical when they have given out at least 7 new contracts to players already at the club in the last 12 months?

7 ? Really ? Who ?

Guzan, Lowton, Westwood, Weimann, Benteke, Gardner, Robinson and I think Grealish. Might be more but they are the ones I remember.

But doesn't the fact that these players have all had contract extensions in the last year support the worry that there's been a breakdown in the running of the club in recent months that's lead to the same not happening for Vlaar and Delph?

[PeterWithesShin]

No

Last summer we gave out a bunch of new deals, which drew criticism from some on here. Neither Vlaar or Delph warranted one at the time. One was called as the worst defender ever to play for Villa and missed a third of the season, the other was described as the worst player to ever play for Villa, and finally put in a decent 6 months after 5 years at the club and who has admitted "he went missing for a few years".

We are now at the stage that both are deserving new contracts, let's see what actually happens.

[Clampy]

How is typical when they have given out at least 7 new contracts to players already at the club in the last 12 months?

7 ? Really ? Who ?

Guzan, Lowton, Westwood, Weimann, Benteke, Gardner, Robinson and I think Grealish. Might be more but they are the ones I remember.

But doesn't the fact that these players have all had contract extensions in the last year support the worry that there's been a breakdown in the running of the club in recent months that's lead to the same not happening for Vlaar and Delph?

No, not at all. They were all offered new contracts at the time, which is what mattered at the time.

[RussellC]

No

Last summer we gave out a bunch of new deals, which drew criticism from some on here. Neither Vlaar or Delph warranted one at the time. One was called as the worst defender ever to play for Villa and missed a third of the season, the other was described as the worst player to ever play for Villa, and finally put in a decent 6 months after 5 years at the club and who has admitted "he went missing for a few years".

We are now at the stage that both are deserving new contracts, let's see what actually happens.

We all I can tell you is that I wasn't critical of the club for offering anyone an extended contract last summer and, if anything, given the way we ended that season, was optimistic going into last season. As for anyone who described either player as 'the worst ever' I wouldn't even have bothered to engage them in conversation.

[villan from luton]

Last summer we gave out a bunch of new deals, which drew criticism from some on here. Neither Vlaar or Delph warranted one at the time. One was called as the worst defender ever to play for Villa and missed a third of the season, the other was described as the worst player to ever play for Villa, and finally put in a decent 6 months after 5 years at the club and who has admitted "he went missing for a few years".

We are now at the stage that both are deserving new contracts, let's see what actually happens.

Worst defender to play for Villa, that is some statement lol. As for worst player to play for Villa re Delph that is even more laughable. Not many clubs let their best players winf down their contracts, but such is Aston Villa these days

[silhillvilla]

How is typical when they have given out at least 7 new contracts to players already at the club in the last 12 months?

7 ? Really ? Who ?

Guzan, Lowton, Westwood, Clark, Baker, Weimann, Benteke, Gardner, Robinson and I think Grealish. Might be more but they are the ones I remember.

Thanks.

[RussellC]

How is typical when they have given out at least 7 new contracts to players already at the club in the last 12 months?

7 ? Really ? Who ?

Guzan, Lowton, Westwood, Weimann, Benteke, Gardner, Robinson and I think Grealish. Might be more but they are the ones I remember.

But doesn't the fact that these players have all had contract extensions in the last year support the worry that there's been a breakdown in the running of the club in recent months that's lead to the same not happening for Vlaar and Delph?

No, not at all. They were all offered new contracts at the time, which is what mattered at the time.

I think you've missed the point.

Surely our pro-activity in offering contracts last summer makes our lack of doing so this yearmore of a worry this year

[PeterWithesShin]

Both statements made on here by posters. Both Delph and Vlaar got shedloads of stick on here even wthout the hyperbole. I know as I was one of the few defending Delph and saying there was a player there. However it is only the last 6 months he has been deserving of a new contract.
And how is it "such is Aston Villa these days" when we have given out so many new contracts in the last year?

[silhillvilla]

Issue with Delph is he's probably already on a high wage (he was signed at the height of the MON spending profligacy). Any new deal may involve a pay cut??

[Clampy]

How is typical when they have given out at least 7 new contracts to players already at the club in the last 12 months?

7 ? Really ? Who ?

Guzan, Lowton, Westwood, Weimann, Benteke, Gardner, Robinson and I think Grealish. Might be more but they are the ones I remember.

But doesn't the fact that these players have all had contract extensions in the last year support the worry that there's been a breakdown in the running of the club in recent months that's lead to the same not happening for Vlaar and Delph?

No, not at all. They were all offered new contracts at the time, which is what mattered at the time.

I think you've missed the point.

Surely our pro-activity in offering contracts last summer makes our lack of doing so this yearmore of a worry this year

Well Gardner, Robinson and I think Carruthers have signed improved new deals this pre-season and hopefully the same will apply for Delph and Vlaar eventually. This time last year we all expected Benteke to be on his way and he signed a new extension which everyone was delighted with when no-one expected him to. Let's just wait and see.

[dave.woodhall]

Last summer we gave out a bunch of new deals, which drew criticism from some on here. Neither Vlaar or Delph warranted one at the time. One was called as the worst defender ever to play for Villa and missed a third of the season, the other was described as the worst player to ever play for Villa, and finally put in a decent 6 months after 5 years at the club and who has admitted "he went missing for a few years".

We are now at the stage that both are deserving new contracts, let's see what actually happens.

Worst defender to play for Villa, that is some statement lol. As for worst player to play for Villa re Delph that is even more laughable. Not many clubs let their best players winf down their contracts, but such is Aston Villa these days

Such is Aston Villa that it hasn't happened yet so is there any chance you might save the hyperbolistic nonsense until it does?

[Clampy]

Issue with Delph is he's probably already on a high wage (he was signed at the height of the MON spending profligacy). Any new deal may involve a pay cut??

I can't see them offering less if they want him to stay. He may well be happy with what he's on.

[silhillvilla]

Issue with Delph is he's probably already on a high wage (he was signed at the height of the MON spending profligacy). Any new deal may involve a pay cut??

I can't see them offering less if they want him to stay. He may well be happy with what he's on.

Depends what his current deal is I guess and how that sits with the ever changing wage policy .

[Toronto Villa]

the wage policy has never been about how much we pay individual players. More that we don't pay players that don't deserve it stupid amounts of money to sit on their arses. It has also been a constituent of revenues. We have rewarded those players with new deals that deserved it and moved on in a number of instances those that didn't. Obviously one or two of those still remain and now will form a part of the squad this season. Vlaar and Delph will be offered good contracts with us because they have become important players, just as Guzan and Benteke were.