First off I’d like to say “well done” to the young guns after they won their U-21 Premier league division 2 playoff against Swansea, by 2 goals to 1.
The official site report suggests the lads played well, with Hepburn-Murphy looking sharp after his lengthy lay-off.
The team now go on to face Arsenal or Blackburn in the final.
As for Okore, it seems I might have got this wrong, as apparently the player isn’t going to face any sanction after his Twitter comments the other night.
That can only suggest that Black has been at least economical with the truth or at worst straight out lied. Which is something I didn’t expect at all.
There’s obviously something gone on and Okore’s “leaked” comments about him wanting out haven’t helped matters.
No doubt the manager has just seen the comments as coming from someone who’s totally uncommitted to the cause, in which case I’d have expected that the manager calls the player in to clarify things.
It isn’t ideal, but if the player then states that he wants out, but will do his best in the meantime, that would have to be deemed as acceptable. I wouldn’t want to play the bloke, but at least you’d know he was available and hopefully trying.
At least that’s how I’d go about things if I were in Black’s position.
And in fairness, I suspect it’s probably not far from what happened.
Except that maybe during the meeting, Okore told Black a few home truths and probably asked a very logical question, which is one that us fans are constantly asking;
“Why do you keep playing the same players when they’ve persistently played so poorly and failed to win in ages?”
I think regardless of any player’s attitude, this is a legitimate question and you can see why any player not getting a start would be frustrated to say the least.
I’ve been consistent in saying that I don’t rate Black at all, but I’m wondering why even a poor manager has taken this particular stance.
The only two reasons that I can see are that either he’s a total idiot (something I lean to but have to doubt when I consider it seriously) or;
If we think the regulars aren’t trying/have bad attitudes, we don’t know the half of what’s really going on.
And a fair proportion of the squad are actually worse!
That couldn’t possibly be true.
Could it?
No, it can’t be that.
I obviously have to be missing something else.
Which is hopefully where you come in to put me straight.
An actual win.
That’s a rarity, isn’t it? 🙁
I can only say that from what I’ve seen of Okore he’s a bit more of a trier than players like Lescott and Richards So long as he’d been fit I’d have played him over those two any day.
Okore stated that – ‘I’ve said things straight out to him (Black), and it has then resulted in that I am not a part of the first-team squad right now.’
Sounds like it might be more about the player being totally exasperated than anything else and, as Villa fans, we all know how that feels.
Hope we find out exactly what the truth of the matter is before long but for the moment I find I’m more on Okore’s side in questioning a caretaker manager who has consistently picked shite week in week out.
I don’t think you’ll be alone in that view Pat.
As has been said, you’d have to wonder just how poor the manager thinks you are if you can’t get in over the crap we currently have representing us.
In other news, Sean Dyche is apparently interested in Westwood;
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3558625/Burnley-keen-Aston-Villa-midfielder-Ashley-Westwood-Championship-promotion-hopefuls-look-bolster-squad.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
Good god, no wonder Dyche doesn’t appeal to me.
Westwood is average personified imo and two goals at the weekend does nothing to change things.
Although in fairness, if you want to keep possession, while actually achieving nothing, he might be the perfect player if the aim is to just survive in the first season.
Perhaps Westwood might be a better player in a better team?
Er no, I don’t think so.
He’s been consistently average even when we were a better team, imo.
I do think he might look better in the championship though.
Hey, an early “dislike” to my above comment.
It’s all about opinions isn’t it? 🙂
It’s got to be a blue nose, he must like to be one of us but afraid to say. Yes great result for the young ones, I frantically looked around to see if I could hear the game, I could if I paid Villa web, sod that not a penny to from me till Lerner has gone. Okore, as ive said more to this than meets the eye, he didn’t refuse Blacks incompetent it running a football side and Okore said so.
westwood isn’t that bad. he gets bad press, because hes not a standout midfielder. if you had a team around him with good balance. but currently he nothing around him and everyone of them look worse for this.
all teams have similar midfielders lucas for pool, they do the things most fans never see, like keeping the ball moving, that might be side to side, but they move the ball to better players or better positions, but this is where westwoods problems lay, he is surrounded by shit players with hardly no movement and no quality
great win for the under 21’s :))
Westwood is what’s wrong with villa,people put into jobs not qualified to do be it CEO managers and championship players bought by Lambert to play in premier league
I don’t put wastewood in same bracket as Hutton Richardson lescott and Gabby
Yes he is aan honest player,triar but in all he is just not good enough
What’s going on 3 likes
Can someone disable the ‘dislike’ button on the blog? We obviously have someone playing silly games.
Yes and forgot to congratulate the U21s. Well done!
Also just wondering if Black in actually making Okore train with them was in fact doing him a favour and getting him away from the toxic fumes of the dross?
Just a thought.
Hey Pat just a thought but has it ever crossed your mind that might actually dislike your comments?
It appears Petrov wants to play for Villa again next year. Not sure what to make of it but if he’s fit enough he’ll be good enough and bring some real drive to the midfield.
And a real Villa man through and through unlike the imposters Flabby and co.
I’d have him just to sort out the dressing room and advise the kids we’re likely to have to field next season.
He’ll be a great asset whatever.
His fighting spirit is inspirational and shows how disgusting some other players have treated the club and their careers.
His personality in the dressing room could only be a massive positive.
Great if true, how old will he be now? Still that wouldn’t matter any age is better and faster with that shite we have, bring back the old school and show that lot what playing for the shirt means.
36 Bill. Should make him club captain.
Live in hope Hitch, 36 hey, that’s the time I stopped kicking a bag of air.
Still kicking my wife 🙂 🙂
Sorry – very politically incorrect but couldn’t resist it!
Now if only we could persuade Big Olly to come back for a season….!
Get its Midland news on lads, Petrov coming on with big news. ITV,
JUSTICE FOR THE 96 AT LAST.
Well what you think lads? Petrov coming back.He’s been training with the under 21s.
Petrov is a fighter and I take my hat of to him. At 36 coming back I don’t think so I could be proven wrong.
Dave – if he’s fit enough even coming off the bench I’d take him in an instant. Make him club captain – he would be an inspiration to everyone but especially the young players AND it would be a big move towards healing the rift between fans and players.
fair play to petrov but no thanks.
we need to look forward not back.
disappointed in the mirror today saying no takeover on the horizon.
we were just fed the usual shit last week to deflect from the shambles of king and bernstein quitting.
So you wouldn’t take any of our ex-players?
Steve – just read that in the Mirror as well. Bit of a downer. I think you’re wrong about Petrov though for the reasons posted above and Twitter response seems to be massively in favour. We need something to unite the fans behind the team next season and Petrov might just be an important element in that equation.
Hitch, I think so, ok Petrov 36 even at his age I’d back him in just intelligence of the game, them pricks don’t understand positions inside a pitch, 45 minutes of him playing will do me. I say yes bring him on, we’ve had to many players who don’t give a shit for the shirt, he would.
Didn’t swallow the imminent takeover shit at all. Shame we weren’t proved wrong…Still despise Lerner with every ounce of my being. He can stick his fake and useless excuse of an apology up his arse.
Regarding Petrov, glad to see him recover. Enormous achievement. He may be able to do a job an the Championship where there is less athleticism but at 36, any pro starts to struggle.
According to the Telegraph, Hollis is in talks with 3 consortium’s who want to buy Villa, and one’s Chinese. They want Damien Comolli as director of Football. Three negative signings he made for Liverpool were Carroll, Downing and Adams. Then again he also got them Suarez, Bellamy, Enrique and Henderson so I guess not all bad.
And I’d take Petrov back. Even in a player-coach role.
Andrew; Carroll – square peg at Liverpool but bet you’d take him at Villa!
Same with Downing to a certain extent, just didn’t fit at Liverpool but was good for us.
I did count him as a negative signing for them… but now I would. Ripped the Championship apart at Newcastle and so much better than Gestede
Henderson’s Shite, never £20 millions worth.
Petrov news is the first good news story associated with Villa for ages.
The guy has gone through hell in the past few years, and still has more to offer than the useless bunch of runts currently disgracing the shirt.
Send Petrov out as skipper v Newcastle, play 3 or 4 kids, recall Steer, Gardner, Bennett, Baker, Robinson, give Traore a game and there’s a team the crowd will get behind. Toxic atmosphere gone.
Then at half time get the rest of the over paid losers to do a lap of apology.
Far too much Pearson talk going around for my liking. I don’t think I could survive his appointment right now- I’d have to walk away and take up meditation or something.
Or medication even??? ????
Hope yr right about the take over Andrew…
Apparently there’s three different groups Hollis is talking too. Not a clue if true but I’d assume so