Gary Gardner - Retired

[Pete3206]

Oh and who is making these decisions, isn't this how we ended up with Steven Ireland!

Eh?

[PaulWinch again]

Good luck to him but he needs to make an impact in the coming season.

[Villa in Denmark]

Oh and who is making these decisions, isn't this how we ended up with Steven Ireland!

Well unless Randy's sacked Lambert in the last 48 hours he's still the incumbent manager and presumably has the authority to sanction this, or at least recommend it to the CEO, who as far as I'm aware is also still in his position.

Even if that wasn't the case, it's still not a deal of Ireland proportions. A guy who's come through the academy, on what his second professional contract, after 3 years blighted by injuries.
I'll be amazed if he's on more than the first contract (pure guess £5K per week) as he's got no bargaining leverage.

[eamonn]

Good news, what is it, twelve more months?

[pauliewalnuts]

Oh and who is making these decisions, isn't this how we ended up with Steven Ireland!

That totally ignores the enormous difference in the sums of money involved, though. And the fact we actually have a manager at the moment.

[PaulWinch again]

I don't think there's any problem with offering a new contract to a young player regardless of the manager situation.

[Diablo]

Good news, what is it, twelve more months?

Two years (finally a little bit of good news) Hopefully he can make an impact now next season
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~3848084,00.html

[Toronto Villa]

Oh and who is making these decisions, isn't this how we ended up with Steven Ireland!

That totally ignores the enormous difference in the sums of money involved, though. And the fact we actually have a manager at the moment.

other than that exactly the same as how we ended up with a player we technically bought.

[Matt C]

Glad we've retained him, sensible decision. Let's hope he grasps the chance.

[bob]

It'll be tough for him, no doubt. He's already had to come back from one career-threatening injury and has to do it all over again.

He was starting to look like he could make an impact for us before the latter; his hattrick in the NextGen and his goals for England U21 were proof that he has real ability.

I think he's still a really exciting prospect. Trouble is, I think it'd be unfair to expect much from him in the next 1-2 years. He needs time and I think he deserves that.

Delph was similarly crocked and it took him a long time to regain the thread his potential had begun to sew. Now he's our best fit player and I love watching him improve in a Villa shirt.

If you're reading this, Gary, good luck mate, keep going and I hope to see you commanding the middle of Villa Park soon enough.

[Diablo]

It'll be tough for him, no doubt. He's already had to come back from one career-threatening injury and has to do it all over again.

He was starting to look like he could make an impact for us before the latter; his hattrick in the NextGen and his goals for England U21 were proof that he has real ability.

I think he's still a really exciting prospect. Trouble is, I think it'd be unfair to expect much from him in the next 1-2 years. He needs time and I think he deserves that.

Delph was similarly crocked and it took him a long time to regain the thread his potential had begun to sew. Now he's our best fit player and I love watching him improve in a Villa shirt.

If you're reading this, Gary, good luck mate, keep going and I hope to see you commanding the middle of Villa Park soon enough.

Superb assessment and message. What you said :-)

[brontebilly]

It'll be tough for him, no doubt. He's already had to come back from one career-threatening injury and has to do it all over again.

He was starting to look like he could make an impact for us before the latter; his hattrick in the NextGen and his goals for England U21 were proof that he has real ability.

I think he's still a really exciting prospect. Trouble is, I think it'd be unfair to expect much from him in the next 1-2 years. He needs time and I think he deserves that.

Delph was similarly crocked and it took him a long time to regain the thread his potential had begun to sew. Now he's our best fit player and I love watching him improve in a Villa shirt.

If you're reading this, Gary, good luck mate, keep going and I hope to see you commanding the middle of Villa Park soon enough.

agree on your sentiments but performances at underage are no indicator really of success at senior level as proven numerous times at our club e.g. Moores, Fonz etc.

Thought Gary Gardner always struggled a bit physically at senior level for us. Lacked mobility and presence. Seem to recall him having a decent showing away to Wolves on the right a couple of years back, think he came on in Lambert's first game at West Ham. Not sure if he has played a league game for us since.

If we play three in midfield next season he is likely to get chances under a new manager. Very surprised if Lambert authorised this new contract as he hasnt given Gardner a sniff this season instead having the likes of Kea and Sylla getting chances ahead of him. All the best to the lad but the odds are stacked against him making a successful career in the top division at this stage of his career.

[paul_e]

It'll be tough for him, no doubt. He's already had to come back from one career-threatening injury and has to do it all over again.

He was starting to look like he could make an impact for us before the latter; his hattrick in the NextGen and his goals for England U21 were proof that he has real ability.

I think he's still a really exciting prospect. Trouble is, I think it'd be unfair to expect much from him in the next 1-2 years. He needs time and I think he deserves that.

Delph was similarly crocked and it took him a long time to regain the thread his potential had begun to sew. Now he's our best fit player and I love watching him improve in a Villa shirt.

If you're reading this, Gary, good luck mate, keep going and I hope to see you commanding the middle of Villa Park soon enough.

agree on your sentiments but performances at underage are no indicator really of success at senior level as proven numerous times at our club e.g. Moores, Fonz etc.

Thought Gary Gardner always struggled a bit physically at senior level for us. Lacked mobility and presence. Seem to recall him having a decent showing away to Wolves on the right a couple of years back, think he came on in Lambert's first game at West Ham. Not sure if he has played a league game for us since.

If we play three in midfield next season he is likely to get chances under a new manager. Very surprised if Lambert authorised this new contract as he hasnt given Gardner a sniff this season instead having the likes of Kea and Sylla getting chances ahead of him. All the best to the lad but the odds are stacked against him making a successful career in the top division at this stage of his career.

2 years ago most of that would've been true about Fabian Delph, who was a year older at that point than Gardner is now.  GG also has 2 very good reasons why he hasn't broken through sooner and 21-22 is still a perfectly reasonable age for someone to have a breakthrough season.

As for lacking physicality, you're looking at a 19yo (at the time) being put into a very tough league, how many midfielders have come through in the premier league at that age?  Ross Barkley and Jack Wilshere did, but without a year out injured, I can't think of many more, certainly not in the last 5-6 years.  Jordan Henderson is a maybe, but he looked totally out of his depth for 2 years at Liverpool before getting back on track last year.

What i mean by all this is let's not write him off as not going to make it because he's nearly 22 and isn't a regular already, not many players are at that age.  The club renewed his deal so they clearly see enough there to give him a bit longer to make it.

[Matt Collins]

Agree 100% on the injury stuff and comparisons to Delph

It's not his physicality id worry about though, it's his lack of pace and lack of quick feet

Hopefully that's in part injury related and he will improve there or he's not going to make it

[Dante Lavelli]

Good news in my opinion, especially a 2 year deal.

Year 1 - got out on loan, play loads of games, get fit, start to play instinctively again and crucially get confidence back.

Year 2 - if successful above: Offer new deal and integrate into the squad. Unsuccessful sell and try and get a few £100k for him.

Good work by the club and now it's over to Gardner to prove himself.