Ollie Watkins

[lovejoy]

I can't see Unai saying these things if he wasn't certain of staying, otherwise he would lose credibility.

[Exeter 77]

Does anyone else get a strange feeling that Ollie basically didn’t get on with Duran and issued a “him or me” ultimatum?

I'd say very few players got on with him. 

With the possible exception of Morgan Rogers maybe.

[Brend'Watkins]

He's the main man, no doubt about that. I do think the club are happy to see the back of big Jhon mind you, a bit too much of a handful.

I get the feeling the club loved the player but didn't like the person very much.

Like most Rock Stars it's about them not the band. Tolerated by the manager if they're getting the hits and the dough. That goal V BM was pivotal to our CL success so far.  Nobody else would have had the audacity or execution to pull it off that night.

[Dante Lavelli]

Does anyone else get a strange feeling that Ollie basically didn’t get on with Duran and issued a “him or me” ultimatum?

Ultimatum?  Unlikely.

However the fact the bid materialised suggests his people put feelers out.  If Arsenal had bid at the beginning of the window - when Watkins was second choice - then he could easily have left. 

One way or another, that Burns incident feels like it could be a sliding doors moment for the club.

[kippaxvilla2]

According to sky's website one of their 'sources' said that the proposal came from us to Arsenal as we thought Duran was staying.  Now, before you say BULLSSSHHHIT BOLLOCKS etc it is not me saying it.  I thank thee.

[olaftab]

BULLSSSHHHIT BOLLOCKS, why are you saying that😂? Anyway their proposal was £60M made up of Jesus and some other twat.

[Exeter 77]

Sky 'sources' are starting to look like a bloke reading Football Insider.

[Dante Lavelli]

According to sky's website one of their 'sources' said that the proposal came from us to Arsenal as we thought Duran was staying.  Now, before you say BULLSSSHHHIT BOLLOCKS etc it is not me saying it.  I thank thee.

I'm okay with that, or at least not offended by it.  The club have to find ways to optimise the income and selling players at their ceiling prices and buying low is one way of doing that. 

Mind you, the theory will have greater credibility if a striker signs from nowhere in the next few days, as they wouldn't offer Watkins without a replacement.

[AV84]

Does anyone else get a strange feeling that Ollie basically didn’t get on with Duran and issued a “him or me” ultimatum?

I'd say very few players got on with him. 

With the possible exception of Morgan Rogers maybe.

I think Rogers probably got on with him, and they seemed to enjoy playing together, but Rogers seems to play well with Watkins too, and that's what's important to us. Rogers, and even Ramsey when he plays, seems to fit the team mentality way more than Duran ever did.

As far as Ollie is concerned, I think he at least made the effort to make it work with Duran, but the same as Uni, and all the coaching staff, there's only so much you can do when the other person isn't making the same effort. I wouldn't be surprised if Olie was open to a move if Duran was just making the situation more difficult than it needed to be.

Keeping Ollie and getting a massive return on our investment in Duran, without strengthening our opposition, seems the best outcome we could hope for. (I still think the red card was the turning point for all involved)

[The Edge]

BULLSSSHHHIT BOLLOCKS, why are you saying that😂? Anyway their proposal was £60M made up of Jesus and some other twat.

No use. He can't play on Sundays.

[Drummond]

Ollie Watkins is the least selfish Striker going. The number of assists he has attests to that. Giving Rogers his hattrick on Wednesday was a prime example and there's no way Duran would have done that.

[kippaxvilla2]

BULLSSSHHHIT BOLLOCKS, why are you saying that😂? Anyway their proposal was £60M made up of Jesus and some other twat.

Mary Chain?
Joseph Carpenter?

[john2710]

Watkins is a perfect example / role model for every young footballer. He represents the very opposite of the self centered Duran. He's been good for us & we've been good for him. He would be the last person in the squad to rock the boat.

We are half as effective when he's not on the pitch. He will become our record premier league goal scorer over the next few weeks & replace the embarrassment that somehow currently holds the record.

[Exeter 77]

I've just read Ollie has 82 goals in 201 games for Villa which is not far short of one in two and better than I thought.

[Drummond]

I've just read Ollie has 82 goals in 201 games for Villa which is not far short of one in two and better than I thought.

When you add the assists in to that record, he's invaluable.