Alan McCafu

[London Villan]

Worked a treat didn't it...

Hutton, CNZ, Bent, Given £200k-£250k a week on the bench... for a club with no money and breaking all the wrong records... utter madness. (add in Dunne and his injury and miraculous Whitsun recovery and it takes it up to £300k for that first year.)

[silhillvilla]

Given went from bomb squad to senior head coach overnight, as you do.

The other bit about bomb squad approach,
It's the effect on overall morale. Cannot be good, clearly wasn't.

[manic-road]

Fair play to Hutton, never once publicly moaned, he has praised Lambert for the way the manager has kept him informed about what's happening at the club for the last couple of years and now he has so far taken his chance this season with decent performances for club and country.

[Steve67]

Playing well. Takes no shit from the opposition. Glad he plays for us rather than against.

[john e]

Hutton was pretty poor, in fact worse than that up till this season,

Ok hes gone through some sort of supernatural conversion into a decent full back,
but anyone pretending that he was class and was dropped just because he was payed to much is laughable, he was absolute rubbish most of the the time

I know what Lambert said, but as with all the bomb squad they were not producing for their wages,
He is the only one who has made it back to any great degree, And credit to him, he has proved me totally wrong and I dare say many of the management team as well

So do you think we will be renewing Bents contract or Given, maybe bring Warnock back ?

This bomb squad thing is being exaggerated, it's one player that's turned it round, that's it, the others are just back in the training fold, but not really contributing even now for the money they are payed

Lambert would have been in full agreement with the young and hungry thing, so was I at the time, it didn't work and fair enough he's changed direction and it's so far come good
But to blame Faulkener for all past ills is just rediculous

[dicedlam]

We were paying his wages whether he played or not? Let alone no involvement for two years. Now he'll still be on the same deal? None of it adds up. It would be nice to get an explanation.

How do you know its the same deal?

I would hazard a guess and say that Hutton has taken a pay cut in exchange for a longer contract.


Nice one Alan and the way you are playing. Deserved.

[olaftab]

I think a 12 month  contract would have been ok not 36. Priority should be Delph and Vlaar not the right back.

[silhillvilla]

I think a 12 month  contract would have been ok not 36. Priority should be Delph and Vlaar not the right back.

Why ? If he keeps playing like he is Yanited or similar will be in With a £28m bid

[London Villan]

We were paying his wages whether he played or not? Let alone no involvement for two years. Now he'll still be on the same deal? None of it adds up. It would be nice to get an explanation.

How do you know its the same deal?

I would hazard a guess and say that Hutton has taken a pay cut in exchange for a longer contract.


Nice one Alan and the way you are playing. Deserved.

He has a year left on an existing deal, i would guess he wouldnt have signed a deal where he took a paycut before his current deal expired. Its probably a staged deal.

Yes he has played well in four games and has been rightly praised. My question is that what on earth has gone on for two years and why does a spell of four good games deserve a three year deal?

[silhillvilla]

The players are assetts though. On the balance sheet aswell as on the pitch. Letting players walk or leave for a pittance is not great business. Tom Fox is doing the basics first before moving on to other matters.

[dicedlam]

I think a 12 month  contract would have been ok not 36. Priority should be Delph and Vlaar not the right back.

Agree, but how do you know deals have not been put to both Delph and Vlaar?

Not for one minute do I think that Hutton has been a priority. It is just that the contract put infront of him at this time is acceptable to him at this stage of his career.

[Risso]

I think a 12 month  contract would have been ok not 36. Priority should be Delph and Vlaar not the right back.

Two things on that:

I don't think for a second that Hutton's negotiations will in anyway have slowed down any talks (if indeed, any have happened) with Delph and Vlaar, and in my opinion, the more players who sign new contracts, the more there's a feeling that people want to stay, the greater the chance that players like Vlaar and Delph might want to be part of it.

[pauliewalnuts]

I know what Lambert said, but as with all the bomb squad they were not producing for their wages,
He is the only one who has made it back to any great degree, And credit to him, he has proved me totally wrong and I dare say many of the management team as well

How are they meant to "produce" when they're not even being considered for selection?

And if we're going to start pointing at players who don't produce, that would have meant almost the entire squad after the McLeish year.

He's also not the only one to make it back. Given is the number two goalkeeper and Bent is available for selection and has featured this season.

[curiousorange]

The fact that Hutton has a new contract is somewhat surprising, but what's even more surprising is that he is playing well enough to justify the offer. Before this season, I was firm in my belief that he was one of the worst players I've ever seen at the Villa. Somebody said earlier that his conversion bordered on the supernatural, and the improvement is indeed impressive.

[silhillvilla]

Think we need an accountant to explain the business side of these decisions , particularly with a club up for sale, due diligence, the balance sheet , EBITDA tc etc.