Delph contract worry

[CJ]

I like Delph as a player - one of the few in the current squad who can actually get past players and look to create something. Sadly the paucity of talent in the rest of the squad limits the potential for him to have more goals or assists. I'd be sorry to see him go but can well understand the reasons why he might be off at the end of the season - we may be relegated; if not relegated this season, and the Lerner/Lambert axis is still in control, the likelihood is we'll be in for yet another year of dross and relegation battle next season, and why would he stay in either of those scenarios? On the other hand, if Lerner manages to sell the club, and/or Lambert is off, and/or an owner looks to invest in the squad so the future looks rosier, he may stay. Sadly I can't see any of those things happening before the end of the season, by which time he'll be off.
 
As to where  - although he'll look a different and much better player in a decent team, he's not a top 4/CL player, but I could see him rocking up at maybe Spurs or Everton, or, perhaps more likely, Southampton who are starting to look like a decent top half team playing good football under a second good manager in spite of losing a number of their better players after a good season last time out. Not so long ago we were on a par or better than these sort of teams, and that just shows how far we've fallen under Lerner and Lambert

[Tom_Mc9?]

I swear players get worse in the eyes of some fans at the faintest whiff of them moving clubs. Delph is an excellent player for us and we'd be worse when he leaves.

[eamonn]

Yeah, been a while since I've seen so much criticism of Delph as player over the last couple of pages on here. It's good for the blood pressure to pre-empt another shit thing happening at our club but the fact is he's our best player after Benteke and we're likely to lose him for feck all.

[Tony Erdington]

I like Delph as a player - one of the few in the current squad who can actually get past players and look to create something. Sadly the paucity of talent in the rest of the squad limits the potential for him to have more goals or assists. I'd be sorry to see him go but can well understand the reasons why he might be off at the end of the season - we may be relegated; if not relegated this season, and the Lerner/Lambert axis is still in control, the likelihood is we'll be in for yet another year of dross and relegation battle next season, and why would he stay in either of those scenarios? On the other hand, if Lerner manages to sell the club, and/or Lambert is off, and/or an owner looks to invest in the squad so the future looks rosier, he may stay. Sadly I can't see any of those things happening before the end of the season, by which time he'll be off.
 
As to where  - although he'll look a different and much better player in a decent team, he's not a top 4/CL player, but I could see him rocking up at maybe Spurs or Everton, or, perhaps more likely, Southampton who are starting to look like a decent top half team playing good football under a second good manager in spite of losing a number of their better players after a good season last time out. Not so long ago we were on a par or better than these sort of teams, and that just shows how far we've fallen under Lerner and Lambert

best read on here ive had in a long time, 100% agree sorry for us.

[aj2k77]

Well we were talking about a spine of the team being Guzan, Vlaar, Delph and Benteke being a good foundation for a decent manager to build from, most likely we will be losing half of that spine for the princely sum of fuck all, another case of Lerner fiddling whilst Villa burns.

[martin o`who??]

It just simply defies belief that we can - as is looking likely, let our best players/most saleable assets go for free and yet give probably the worst manager we`ve had in a generation a new four-year contract. has anyone traced back RLs family tree?, does he come from a long line of Birmingham city season-ticket holders by any chance because he is doing a fantastic job of wrecking the club from within.

[mr underhill]

I knew he was a plant all along.

[ronshirt]

Plank surely?

[martin o`who??]

Delph is probably the best of a a fairly modest bunch of players and not as good as we kid ourselves he is, goes missing in some games, has had injury problems at times, and only gets in the England squad because everybody else is French/Argentinian/Dutch/Brazilian/from Mars etc`, i`m not so sure there will be a huge queue to sign him apart from the fact he`ll probably "Bozzie" us, and fuck off on a free.

[peter w]

To be fair its a huge decision for him. He's 25 this month and his next contract should see him playing at his peak. does he want to commit to Aston Villa, where I think he would stay, if he thought it meant the same as we have had for the last 3 years? He may simply be keeping his options open. I think he is fairly level headed from listening to him so i don't think he's just chasing money. He knows he can get more elsewher but is already on a decent wedge at Villa.

I don't see him as an Ashley Young type to just fall for the Man Utd hype but he'll judge the move and whether its the right thing for him. I seriously doubt whether he'd go to a Chelsea or a Man City but how could you turn them down? What does that say about you as a footballer and your ambitions? That you don't think you're good enough to compete in a big pond? How many of us in whichever profession we may be in would turn down the chance of a big move up the ladder just because it would mean we aren't relied on as heavily?

[silhillvilla]

Disagree, I think it will simply come down to a cold decision around money. Whoever offers the most is where he will go.

[supertom]

Delph is probably the best of a a fairly modest bunch of players and not as good as we kid ourselves he is, goes missing in some games, has had injury problems at times, and only gets in the England squad because everybody else is French/Argentinian/Dutch/Brazilian/from Mars etc`, i`m not so sure there will be a huge queue to sign him apart from the fact he`ll probably "Bozzie" us, and fuck off on a free.

Being on a free will probably significantly increase his suitors. Clubs who probably wouldn't have been interested this summer, will consider a freebie worth a gamble with Delph. If only because, as Chelsea did to us with Sidwell, they can sell him for a fee back to a club below in a year or two.

[pauliewalnuts]

Disagree, I think it will simply come down to a cold decision around money. Whoever offers the most is where he will go.

I don't think it'd be that simple.

I think he'll be looking to play somewhere where he can compete for silverware, play in the Champions League, too. Two things which he clearly has zero chance of doing here.

[PGW]

Hope i'm wrong but i think young Mr Delph has already played his last game for the club as if he does refuse to sign a new contract we will
flog him in January at least to get some sort of cash for him, he is still out for another month isn't he which takes us till mid December then
he has to get match fit.....

[silhillvilla]

Disagree, I think it will simply come down to a cold decision around money. Whoever offers the most is where he will go.

I don't think it'd be that simple.

I think he'll be looking to play somewhere where he can compete for silverware, play in the Champions League, too. Two things which he clearly has zero chance of doing here.

Really don't see him as a top 5 player. Probably 6th -12th PL type player.