Alan McCafu

[AV82EC]

Hutton has been very good, bordering on excellent in the last few games

Steady on.

[tomd2103]

I hope De Laet is going to come back ok from injury fully.

He is a  very good right back at championship level.

Yep and this news about Hutton means we will have 4 right backs next season if you include Richards.  Not ideal, especially as Richards and Hutton are probably on big wages. 

Hutton must have a very good agent or Lambert and co. must have been incredibly niaive for a contract like that to be agreed.

It's doubtful that Lambert agreed his contract... If he said he wanted him others would have agreed the salary

I just find it amazing that in the space of a few months, Hutton went from not having a future at the club to signing a new three year deal giving him the option of an extra year. 

[OCD]

A player coming good not long before his contract is about to expire? Surely not.

[sid1964]

can someone just confirm that it is a 1 year deal until next summer

Looks like I will not bother with a season ticket until 2018 - 19 as hopefully by then both Hutton and Gabby will be gone (the thought of watching these 2 in the side next season is horrendous)

[Ad@m]

can someone just confirm that it is a 1 year deal until next summer

Looks like I will not bother with a season ticket until 2018 - 19 as hopefully by then both Hutton and Gabby will be gone (the thought of watching these 2 in the side next season is horrendous)

You'd stop watching the Villa because you don't like the right back?!

[Pete3206]

can someone just confirm that it is a 1 year deal until next summer

Looks like I will not bother with a season ticket until 2018 - 19 as hopefully by then both Hutton and Gabby will be gone (the thought of watching these 2 in the side next season is horrendous)

Righto

[Gareth]

I really don't get the criticism over the contract, it has become standard in contracts since Bosman that you sign a player for a period and then the club have an option for extension based upon a clause, generally a good amount of appearances, being met...it's the club protecting its assets.

If they hadn't wanted Hutton to stay then he would have been left out before the clause was met...its not like we haven't had Bacuna sat there for half the season doing nothing that could have played there.

Personally I'm no Hutton fan because I think his constant marauding forward with little to no end product completely unbalances the defence when he is frequently out of position but I do believe that Bruce is happy to retain him for another year.

DeLaet will have been out for thick end of a year so he isn't going to hit the ground running, he'll take a good few weeks/months to get back to his best & every chance there will be the odd muscle injury in his rehab - and Bree might very well be seen long term as a centre half or defensive midfielder so seems sensible to keep Hutton around for another year....where it will be sad is if this time next year he is still first choice RB!

[sid1964]

I just don't understand how people can suddenly go from thinking Hutton is the worst right back in the last 20 years, to now thinking that we have the new Messi at right back? maybe I am just fickle like so many other football fans

He was awful the day we signed from Spurs (they could not believe they got so much for him) and he certainly has not improved.

But for me he would have to play a lot better than he is for me to change my opinion on him!

He runs forwards and then stops and either goes back or passes it square (not always to 1 of our players)

[peter w]

He's poor but he's not League 1 standard which many of our team (squad) are.

[Mister E]

He's poor but he's not League 1 standard which many of our team (squad) are.

Many of our squad are: really?

[adrenachrome]

I just don't understand how people can suddenly go from thinking Hutton is the worst right back in the last 20 years, to now thinking that we have the new Messi at right back? maybe I am just fickle like so many other football fans

He was awful the day we signed from Spurs (they could not believe they got so much for him) and he certainly has not improved.

But for me he would have to play a lot better than he is for me to change my opinion on him!

He runs forwards and then stops and either goes back or passes it square (not always to 1 of our players)

It is hardly surprising that you don't understand since not a single person on this forum, and most likely in any other forum or for that matter, in the whole wide world has gone through the mental process described in your first sentence.

[old man villa fan]

I really don't get the criticism over the contract, it has become standard in contracts since Bosman that you sign a player for a period and then the club have an option for extension based upon a clause, generally a good amount of appearances, being met...it's the club protecting its assets.

If they hadn't wanted Hutton to stay then he would have been left out before the clause was met...its not like we haven't had Bacuna sat there for half the season doing nothing that could have played there.

Personally I'm no Hutton fan because I think his constant marauding forward with little to no end product completely unbalances the defence when he is frequently out of position but I do believe that Bruce is happy to retain him for another year.

DeLaet will have been out for thick end of a year so he isn't going to hit the ground running, he'll take a good few weeks/months to get back to his best & every chance there will be the odd muscle injury in his rehab - and Bree might very well be seen long term as a centre half or defensive midfielder so seems sensible to keep Hutton around for another year....where it will be sad is if this time next year he is still first choice RB!

I just hope Gabby hasn't got a similar clause.

Seems a strange clause to have in a contract that was for 3(?) years.  Surely, with a player in Hutton's position, negotiating a new contract 1 year before the end would not have been difficult.

[Dribbler]

I just don't understand how people can suddenly go from thinking Hutton is the worst right back in the last 20 years, to now thinking that we have the new Messi at right back? maybe I am just fickle like so many other football fans

He was awful the day we signed from Spurs (they could not believe they got so much for him) and he certainly has not improved.

But for me he would have to play a lot better than he is for me to change my opinion on him!

He runs forwards and then stops and either goes back or passes it square (not always to 1 of our players)

As someone already said, no one has actually gone through the revisionary thought process you mention, which might be one reason for your lack of understanding.

The problem is whilst there have been people that have acknowledged his contribution and the limiting factors around that (playing in an overall shit team, playing in systems or roles that aren't suited to him etc) there are always people that will just continue to say he's shit no matter what (case in point). Numerous times i've seen Hutton be one of the best players in the side, and many acknowledge this, yet some people still single him out in the post match thread for abuse. It doesn't really tally up and to me it seems obvious that these people's preinstalled bias clouds their footballing perception.

What you've described is how a defender should generally play. He's not a wingback, and shouldn't be played as one, but he is a solid defender when played in the right team, and whilst his age now i think would preclude him from being premiership standard, he'll do us good for next season in the championship.

Very pleased for him extending his contract, he deserves it for the effort he's put in, and the attitude he's had in his time here, it's a good two fingers up to his critics as well!

[chrisw1]

I just don't understand how people can suddenly go from thinking Hutton is the worst right back in the last 20 years, to now thinking that we have the new Messi at right back? maybe I am just fickle like so many other football fans

He was awful the day we signed from Spurs (they could not believe they got so much for him) and he certainly has not improved.

But for me he would have to play a lot better than he is for me to change my opinion on him!

He runs forwards and then stops and either goes back or passes it square (not always to 1 of our players)

It is hardly surprising that you don't understand since not a single person on this forum, and most likely in any other forum or for that matter, in the whole wide world has gone through the mental process described in your first sentence.

excellent!

[Vegas]

I haven't read the last few posts, but I'd just like to say that over the last few games I've revised my opinion of Hutton from "gutsy but limited", to "the Messi of right backs". I actually think he may now be rivalling Ali for the title of greatest ever sportsman.