Summer 2024 Transfer Window - hopes, speculation, rumours etc.

[purpletrousers]

Blimey that is scary re: the podcast cited jaunts

[edgysatsuma89]

I have a problem with them having the mentality that being able to buy lots of nice things means they've "succeeded" in their chosen career.  There are plenty of multi-millionaire ex-footballers without a single trophy to their names. I don't think we want players who will retire with a nice property portfolio, but an empty trophy cabinet, and be comfortable with it.

For years I've felt that too many Villa players just became 'comfortable' playing for us. Obviously much comes from the expectations by the club and even the fans but we've also had too many managers over the years, appointed way above their capability who seemed happy to live in a pressure free environment.

As if to prove your point...
https://twitter.com/PeterCrouchPod/status/1784987015915646984

A mate sent me that the other day and my blood pressure has just about returned to normal. I nearly resurrected an old MON thread to moan about him again but I’ve decided life’s too short.

Jesus. How weak was MON to allow that?

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I have a problem with them having the mentality that being able to buy lots of nice things means they've "succeeded" in their chosen career.  There are plenty of multi-millionaire ex-footballers without a single trophy to their names. I don't think we want players who will retire with a nice property portfolio, but an empty trophy cabinet, and be comfortable with it.

For years I've felt that too many Villa players just became 'comfortable' playing for us. Obviously much comes from the expectations by the club and even the fans but we've also had too many managers over the years, appointed way above their capability who seemed happy to live in a pressure free environment.

As if to prove your point...
https://twitter.com/PeterCrouchPod/status/1784987015915646984

A mate sent me that the other day and my blood pressure has just about returned to normal. I nearly resurrected an old MON thread to moan about him again but I’ve decided life’s too short.

Same here but I first heard it last week in a James Collins interview. Also MON on a matchday would only appear in the dressing room to say "Same team" or pin up on the board a different team selection. That was it. He walked out and left them too it. I guess he needed all his energy for pointing and jumping about on the touchline. I'd imagine he spent more time preparing his post match interview than he did on tactics. "Scintillating football", my arse.

James Collins..36m40s in.

[Risso]

My opinions on O'Neill have mellowed over the years.

I now just think he's a pube-headed fucking wanker who deserves to roast in hell for all eternity, the c***.

[Smithy]

I have a problem with them having the mentality that being able to buy lots of nice things means they've "succeeded" in their chosen career.  There are plenty of multi-millionaire ex-footballers without a single trophy to their names. I don't think we want players who will retire with a nice property portfolio, but an empty trophy cabinet, and be comfortable with it.

For years I've felt that too many Villa players just became 'comfortable' playing for us. Obviously much comes from the expectations by the club and even the fans but we've also had too many managers over the years, appointed way above their capability who seemed happy to live in a pressure free environment.

As if to prove your point...
https://twitter.com/PeterCrouchPod/status/1784987015915646984

A mate sent me that the other day and my blood pressure has just about returned to normal. I nearly resurrected an old MON thread to moan about him again but I’ve decided life’s too short.

Jesus. How weak was MON to allow that?

To be fair to MON, that was what he did.  He wasn't a hands on coach. The players barely saw him in the week.  If they came in a the weekend and performed, he was happy.  The polar opposite of what we have now.

It does show, though, that for all the criticism MON gave the club for not backing him to make that extra step into the top four (and had all of us complaining with him), there were things WELL within his control that he could have done to get those marginal gains required to take the next step.  They talk about being off all week for beating Everton, but fail to mention that Everton finished 5 points ahead of us that season.  You never hear the serial winners talking of four days off because they won a league match.

[Baldy]

Thanks for posting it, but still raging about that Twitter link (Crouch etc).

And now the parasites are getting paid even more for boasting about it on social media.

[Smithy]

Thanks for posting it, but still raging about that Twitter link (Crouch etc).

And now the parasites are getting paid even more for boasting about it on social media.

I do feel the game has moved on a lot in the 15 years since that time.  The players are certainly more professional. That's not to say there aren't still a fair few slackers who only care about money, but now they have to put the work in during the week, or they don't play, and then don't get the financial rewards.

I sometimes wonder what would have happened to someone like McGrath if he'd been born 25 years later.  All the talent in the world, but a body that simply couldn't train hard midweek and still play at the weekend. 

[pablo_picasso]

I have a problem with them having the mentality that being able to buy lots of nice things means they've "succeeded" in their chosen career.  There are plenty of multi-millionaire ex-footballers without a single trophy to their names. I don't think we want players who will retire with a nice property portfolio, but an empty trophy cabinet, and be comfortable with it.

For years I've felt that too many Villa players just became 'comfortable' playing for us. Obviously much comes from the expectations by the club and even the fans but we've also had too many managers over the years, appointed way above their capability who seemed happy to live in a pressure free environment.

As if to prove your point...
https://twitter.com/PeterCrouchPod/status/1784987015915646984

I don't know why but I genuinely despise Sidwell.

I think it was him that showed how we were devolving as a squad as the better players were being sold & replaced with dog-shit like him.

And his best contribution to the Villa cause was as a ball-boy.

Twat.

[OCD]

I bet Gerrard was the same.

[Drummond]

Thanks for posting it, but still raging about that Twitter link (Crouch etc).

And now the parasites are getting paid even more for boasting about it on social media.

I do feel the game has moved on a lot in the 15 years since that time.  The players are certainly more professional. That's not to say there aren't still a fair few slackers who only care about money, but now they have to put the work in during the week, or they don't play, and then don't get the financial rewards.

I sometimes wonder what would have happened to someone like McGrath if he'd been born 25 years later.  All the talent in the world, but a body that simply couldn't train hard midweek and still play at the weekend.

The game has moved on for us, but for others, they were already there. See Wenger at Arsenal; it's part of why we were so shit.

We did, of course, have Dr Jo and he was ahead of his time; just imagine where we'd be if that had worked for us.

[astonvilla82]

My opinions on O'Neill have mellowed over the years.

I now just think he's a pube-headed fucking wanker who deserves to roast in hell for all eternity, the c***.

Mine haven't and I having leaning towards Celtic, can't stand the arse hole

[astonvilla82]

I have a problem with them having the mentality that being able to buy lots of nice things means they've "succeeded" in their chosen career.  There are plenty of multi-millionaire ex-footballers without a single trophy to their names. I don't think we want players who will retire with a nice property portfolio, but an empty trophy cabinet, and be comfortable with it.

For years I've felt that too many Villa players just became 'comfortable' playing for us. Obviously much comes from the expectations by the club and even the fans but we've also had too many managers over the years, appointed way above their capability who seemed happy to live in a pressure free environment.

As if to prove your point...
https://twitter.com/PeterCrouchPod/status/1784987015915646984

I don't know why but I genuinely despise Sidwell.

I think it was him that showed how we were devolving as a squad as the better players were being sold & replaced with dog-shit like him.

And his best contribution to the Villa cause was as a ball-boy.

Twat.

I want none of those players ever to set foot in Villa Park, sure heard Gobby slagging off Salah for his attitude the other day , thought yea mate you f ING hypocrite

[Forge10]

Callum O’Hare being linked on a free 🤔

[eamonn]

Talking of young players and early riches, I must have recounted before of when Michael Mancienne was on loan at wolves back in the noughties as a twenty-ish year old, he was put up in the house next door to my youngest brother. When Mancienne left, he left everything behind. Took nothing. Huge telly in every room, gadgets, games consoles, wardrobes full of clothes, the fucking lot.

There was a story about Jermain Pennant coming back from a spell at a Spanish (I think) club, having bought himself a Porsche over there, he didn't know what to do with it so just left it at the airport car park, keys in ignition.

Real Zaragoza

[Forge10]

Probably shouldn’t have posted this….. looks half decent but we do t do half decent anymore.