Remi Garde’s frustrations in the transfer window can be revealed further after it emerged the Aston Villa manager clashed with sporting director Hendrik Almstadt over the transfer of Mathieu Debuchy.The Arsenal right-back was a target for Garde during January and it is understood talks were held between the two Frenchman at Bodymoor Heath with Arsene Wenger’s blessing in the middle of last month.Almstadt, though, is thought to have been angry at his limited role in negotiations and told Garde as such, prompting a riposte.In the end the deal did not progress because Villa’s financial team, including head of recruitment Paddy Riley, were reluctant to spend more than £1million on any loan fee and Garde prioritised bringing in a goalkeeper and striker, now known to be Lovre Kalinic and Seydou Doumbia.Almstadt denies there was a conflict over the prospective move for Debuchy, who ended up joining Bordeaux on loan. Garde has spoken publicly about his deep disappointment at failing to bring in any players during the winter window, having been promised funds to make signings upon his appointment in November.Garde believed an injection of fresh faces would reinvigorate his squad’s attempts to claw themselves to an unlikely position of safety, off the back of a three-match unbeaten sequence.But new chairman Steve Hollis, chief executive Tom Fox as well as Almstadt and Riley reasoned any incomings had to be balanced out against the likelihood of relegation to the Championship, a view that hardened after earlier defeats to Norwich and Sunderland.Supporters view a failure to land any targets as the club giving up on this season and accepting dropping a division was inevitable. Garde took a highly active role in transfers over January, speaking at length with Doumbia in an effort to convince the Roma centre-forward to join. Almstadt and Riley also flew out to the Italian capital to talk through a deal. But Doumbia opted to move to relegation rivals Newcastle instead. Garde’s attempts to sign Bordeaux winger Wahbi Khazri failed on money grounds, and he subsequently joined Sunderland for £9million. Villa also failed to get a work permit for Hadjuk Split goalkeeper Kalinic despite agreeing a £4.9m fee and personal terms.Garde will consider his position at the end of the season after his experiences last month, but the Villa board are understood to maintain faith the 49-year-old will not walk out before then. ‘As a new manager I would have expected new faces to support my change,’ Garde has said. 'Not only for me but the club. We missed these targets.
If and its a big IF, but if any of that story about transfers is true, EVERY sinlge one of the management team is an absolute fucking wanker, with the total exception of Remi.If I were him, I'd tell the the lot of them to shove it up their arse and walk away.
But new chairman Steve Hollis, chief executive Tom Fox as well as Almstadt and Riley reasoned any incomings had to be balanced out against the likelihood of relegation to the Championship, a view that hardened after earlier defeats to Norwich and Sunderland.
This:QuoteBut new chairman Steve Hollis, chief executive Tom Fox as well as Almstadt and Riley reasoned any incomings had to be balanced out against the likelihood of relegation to the Championship, a view that hardened after earlier defeats to Norwich and Sunderland.Talk about short sighted. It's like they don't fully understand the financial hit of being in the championship.Still, so long as it doesn't affect the new shirt deal and improved commercials elsewhere, that's all fine.What a basket case of a club we are.Even Newcastle are prepared to spend to stay in the top flight. Our useless "leaders" don't even seem to understand that.They've hung Garde out to dry.
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Topic: Remi Garde - Departs Aston Villa (Read 943118 times)
