Johan Lange - appointed

[Footy-Vill]

Big Sam on SSN saying the agents have the connections with the owners and sporting directors and that's where the deals are these days and not managers.
Managers are just head coaches.

Interesting because what has Lange brought us this summer window. I mean I like the signings but
What's he been working on ?
Ashley Young - "once I heard villa were interested" to quote Young indicates we moved in for him when he was open to moving back to Premier league . Burnley and Watford were after him

Buendia And Bailey are exciting and I think are 2 positives
Though hardly needed major scouting

Ings - this one I'm dubious that it was a long term plan to be signing . Seemed a move to quell the Grealish departure.

Tuanzebe - obviously have good relations to re sign him but again no scouting there

Where are these hidden gems? Scandinavian or otherwise.
Or is it a case we sign up these not ready for 1st team young and up and coming players , develop them and either play or sell them

Is that the strategy?

[KRS]

I have no idea how or why they are employed on a full time basis (well I presume they are). What does Lange do on a day to day basis? Is it a simple case of weekly reports from scouts, watching games and managing some kind of spreadsheet. Sounds like a kushdy job!

[paul_e]

Finn Azaz
Tim Iroegbunam
Caleb Chukwuemeka
James Wright
Finlay Munroe
Jayden Barber
Josh Feeney
Kyrie Pierre
Ajani Burchall
and probably Finlay Thorndike

All signed and added to our U23 and U18 squads this summer.

That's a big part of what the scouting team does, alongside watching our own players out on loan and watching/valuing various other players that we haven't heard a peep about all window.

[Footy-Vill]

Finn Azaz
Tim Iroegbunam
Caleb Chukwuemeka
James Wright
Finlay Munroe
Jayden Barber
Josh Feeney
Kyrie Pierre
Ajani Burchall
and probably Finlay Thorndike

All signed and added to our U23 and U18 squads this summer.

That's a big part of what the scouting team does, alongside watching our own players out on loan and watching/valuing various other players that we haven't heard a peep about all window.

Are we going down the Chelsea route of taking talent and basically making sure other clubs can't buy them then we do as we please either promotion to first team or sold off

There's only so many talented highly rated players needed at the club.
Spend a lot of money in some ways on these young talents but what about today and the European ambitions.
Even if these players win the EFL trophy bs League one or two teams how many are gonna be Villa 1st teamers.

[Ian.]

Well the u23 is becoming a huge success story, we have numerous players who look like they may not just make it but actually play at a very high standard. If that’s partly down to Lange then fair play.

[KRS]

Chelsea are selling their youngsters on for £10-15m. I think one of them joined a European club for £15m+ today so it’s a clearly a good business model and generates income that can contribute to buying players like Lukaku.

[Footy-Vill]

My fear with that is what we saw with Grealish we end up selling our best home grown talent
Just building up a savvy business model.
Sell on for big money
And our team is just an entertaining football outfit with one of own as manager and comfortable in the Prem from relegation bit not really threatening top 4 because ultimately they have better squads.

[Footy-Vill]

Chelsea are selling their youngsters on for £10-15m. I think one of them joined a European club for £15m+ today so it’s a clearly a good business model and generates income that can contribute to buying players like Lukaku.

And there has been plenty that have fallen by the wayside too. English and otherwise. Wasted stuck in Chelsea system.

[Brazilian Villain]

Are we going down the Chelsea route of taking talent and basically making sure other clubs can't buy them then we do as we please either promotion to first team or sold off

I bloody hope so.

[Ian.]

Well that’s better than the years of stinking out the league year like we have done.

[Footy-Vill]

Ridiculous seeing Saul loaned and going to Chelsea when they just plan out all these existing players.
I hope the home grown players as in local lads or who have affinity and affection for Villa hang around for a while.
Archer is someone who clearly Villa and guess the Ramsey are too. These are the players that should be rewarded.
The Agbonlahors , JWP and Mark Nobles are few and far between.
I'm sure Albrighton and Baker would have stayed Villa whole career.

[Footy-Vill]

Well that’s better than the years of stinking out the league year like we have done.

That's fair. Improving strategy I guess.

[SoccerHQ]

Chelsea are selling their youngsters on for £10-15m. I think one of them joined a European club for £15m+ today so it’s a clearly a good business model and generates income that can contribute to buying players like Lukaku.

Yeah I've said this the other day. When we still can't sell Hourihane despite him more than proving himself a capable top end championship player and Gulibert gets loaned out yet again it's clear we haven't got more sellable squad players.

Two years ago we signed Wesley, Nakamba and Gulibert for nearly 40m. Fair to say we wouldn't get even half of that for those three now.

We can't keep spending 100m + every summer and recoup very little as it's simply not a sustainable policy. Different circumstances but it panned out like that under Lerner.

Of course this summer was different but we also don't want to go down the route of having to sell a key player every summer given we're only mid table at this point.

So really the only strategy I can see is doing what we're doing with the young players, hopefully 2-3 will break into first team squad every season as happening now while other 2-3 will do well on loan and move on for 5-10m.

It might not to be to everyone's taste but ultimately no different to our previous crops and likes of Cahill, Davis, Bannan, Weimann etc moving on after a couple of seasons. Chelsea have got the formula done to a T and to a lesser extent Man. City do o.k with it aswell when you think they sold Jack Harrison to Leeds for around 12m despite him never playing a game for them.

I assume the Las Vegas Villians thing being proposed is part of the strategy given Man. City had the sister clubs in New York and elsewhere around the world.

[KRS]

I would like to think that’s one of the processes being put in place. Obviously we get solid contracts in place for the best of the crop and fast track them in to the first team where possible, but over the years we seem to either let them leave with our best wishes for free or nominal amounts…or simply terminate their contracts. As you say, both Chelsea and Citeh have successfully exploited this part of the club and created a revenue stream from it, however I would have to question whether or not part of the fees paid are inflated like designer clothing having been bought from a Scab6 club rather than merely based on talent.

[sickbeggar]

I would like to think that’s one of the processes being put in place. Obviously we get solid contracts in place for the best of the crop and fast track them in to the first team where possible, but over the years we seem to either let them leave with our best wishes for free or nominal amounts…or simply terminate their contracts. As you say, both Chelsea and Citeh have successfully exploited this part of the club and created a revenue stream from it, however I would have to question whether or not part of the fees paid are inflated like designer clothing having been bought from a Scab6 club rather than merely based on talent.

That's the problem really. The view is the youth from the likes of Chelsea and City are the best of the best, and are being blocked from the 1st team by world class players. Youth players from clubs further down the food chain haven't got that reputation so have to play games to establish a reputation. And if they are good enough to get in the first team why would you sell them? There's not 2 world class players between any of our youth and the first team. Its a nice idea really but unless we're regularly in the top4 with 22 quality players blocking their path, we not gonna get clubs offering us 10-20m for youth players. 1-2m maybe.