Alan McCafu

[RussellC]

I don;t think the idea was ever to ostracise the high-earners, it was just to get rid of them. We just made an absolutely fuck-up of doing that. Whether that's Lambert, Lerner or Faulkner's fault, we'll never really know, although my suspicion is that it's Lambert's.

[Ron Manager]

I just don't see why Lerner would have instructed Lambert to ostracise the high wage earners and leave them rot while their transfer fees devalue and they become completely demotivated. Surely it is far more plausible that Lambert swaggered in from Norwich, having over-achieved with a group of lower league players, assumed he could do the same at Villa, had little experience of managing big names anyway, and decided to discard them himself. Two years of struggle and he's finally realised the error of his ways.

You're nearly right. Except that Bent, Hutton et al have been "given another chance" on the instructions of the owner.

Lets say the owner has instructed the club manager 'to play' certain players he patently does not rate or does not think their attitude is right, surely Mr Lambert being very financially stable would do the honourable thing and hand in his notice. I for one would have more respect for him than I do now. I think ,after some consideration, that Lambert just cannot handle players who have attained some kind of stature in the game and are capable of answering him back, as is their right.

We need new people to come in who have experience in running a football club.Perhaps we will be lucky with Mr Lerners choice. He may sell to the right person/s. What if he doesnt?  That worries me.

[john e]

John, point communicated, but you might want to calm it down a bit.

Ok Paulie thanks, sober now

But my point is that if you sold every player that Lambert bought whilst at Villa,
Even the ones we would get nothing back for I reckon he would double his money on the lot

Yet he's bought in mainly dross ?

[mr underhill]

it doesn't matter who instigated the bomb squad. it was the most idiotic marketing strategy ever; completely alienate and demoralise higher wage earners by forcing them to play with academy kids/ go out on loan (not so stupid) or simply kick their heels at home. That really was going to get  prospective buyers salivating! And when we do get some interest which might actually see some money coming in we turn it down. Total bobbins. If I were Hutton it would  take a herculean effort of self control not to tell the club to do one.

[Ads]

Surely it is far more plausible that Lambert swaggered in from Norwich, having over-achieved with a group of lower league players

That is the reason Lambert was given the job, so that he could do the same. Lambert saying that Hutton was left out because of wages, having been loaned out along with Bent, is evidence enough that it was club policy. Lambert will have agreed to these conditions when he took over the job, but the remit will have come from upon high.

Orders may be orders, but there is no Nuremburg defence to this though, but it's worth considering that it cuts both ways; if not Lambert, then it would have been somebody else.

I thought Hutton had a really poor season under McLeish and I wasn't keen on some of his thuggish tackles. If he was a corrosive element amongst the dressing room, and in fairness there is no evidence to suggest he is a Steven Warnock character, then I wouldn't have wanted him anywhere near the first XI.

That said, having seen Lowton's off the field issues strongly affect his performance (ironic that his positional deficiencies on the field is matched by them off!) and while Bacuna looks great attacking, he is horribly unawares as to how to defend, then why not bring him back?

As many have argued we are paying his wages for better or worse. Can he be any worse than Lowton and Bacuna, defensively of last season? Probably not. We have finite resources, so I would rather the money be spent on the midfield.

[RussellC]

it doesn't matter who instigated the bomb squad. it was the most idiotic marketing strategy ever

Then surely it does matter? I'd love t know who's idea it was because, as you say, it was sheer stupidity.

[ROBBO]

There must be a book in it.

[Olneythelonely]

How can you despise someone you don't know? He's not premiership grade but he may be a very decent individual off the field.

He glassed his Dad apparently.

[Phil from the upper holte]

However you look at the bomb squad its Fucking criminal not to sell Hutton the man is a joke, extremely Shit and despised by the fans

Despised by the fans ? Are you the voice of the fans ?

Yeah I am, didn't you know?

In all seriousness when he was a regular under the scottish manager I went to all the away games, everytime he touched the ball he would have been told to get fucked etc.

He's hardly popular on here or any other forum and if you think people will be glad to see him back in the team then I think you'll be disappointed

[achilles]

Next thing is Hutton will be offered a new contract... and to be honest it wouldn't surprise me at all (nothing does anymore)!

[RussellC]

Or a role on the coaching staff...

[supertom]

I guess we'll never know 100% for sure who really instigated the bomb squad. It was a monumental balls up though and the about turn sums up just how badly the club has been run top to bottom.

It does seem though that Lambert has obviously stated he needs more experience in the squad. I would imagine Randy's response was that, due to a limited budget, he would have to re-instate those experienced players that we've essentially ostracised and treated like shit.

[Dave Javu]

Maybe it got to the point that it's more expensive to get rid of Hutton (loyalty bonuses, subsidising lower wages at new club, bring in replacement even on a free that might not be any better etc.) than to actually just keep him.

Oh dear.

[ozzjim]

I thought that this morning when trying to make sense of it all. If we sold now, without him actually asking to go explicitly, having made it clear we want rid, we may well have to pay him out the last year of his deal in any case as some kind of "loyalty" bonus. Thus meaning even if Albion paid 500k, we would be effectively paying 750k plus on top of that to be shot of him. At which point, if he can play and be useful, might as well keep him.

[Toronto Villa]

they all may as well play now. It makes a mockery (beyond the mockery that it already is) of not playing them at all last season. In a year devoid of depth and experience we excluded these experienced players. I'm no fan of Hutton, but might he have been an option instead of Lowton or Bacuna at times? Bent instead of Holt, or when Benteke goes down, or Kozak, or when Weimann isn't doing it, or Gabby? And now we are signing experienced players. I've stopped trying to work it out.

Anyway, deep breath, fresh start (again). If they can help let's use them until an offer comes in that's worth looking at or their contracts expire and they are gone once and for all.