So after Spurs’ defeat against Citeh it’s official. We’ve qualified for the Big Ears cup.
First off, congratulations to the players, the staff, the owners, but probably mostly Unai Emery, who whatever happens in the future has probably already established himself as one of Villa’s great managers. And rightly so. To take a team that looked doomed to be relegated just a short while back to the Champion’s League is a fantastic achievement.
But at the same time it begs a load of questions.
I posted a link last night that made for incredibly interesting reading. The takeaway line is this;
Our analysis shows that Villa will easily exceed £300m in revenue next season, obliterating their previous record of £218m in 2022-23, as well as West Ham’s record of £257m for a non-Big Six side.
And that is a conservative estimate. I highly recommend you read the article, if you haven’t already;
https://tbrfootball.com/aston-villa-poised-to-break-2x-financial-records-300m-windfall-now-all-but-certain/
But then, as soon as we think it’s all great news, so just tonight I’ve read that we may be £107 million over the FFP limit. Again interestingly, it’s from the same source, so hopefully there’s no agenda;
https://tbrfootball.com/aston-villa-up-to-107m-over-ffp-limit-cuts-needed-despite-champions-league-cash/
The new rules are all a bit vague, as there’s supposed to be some limit of an unknown multiple of whatever TV money the lowest club gets. It will all be voted on in the General meeting that’s due, but it’s probably correct to say that this is going to affect Aston Villa more than any other Prem club purely because just as we would normally be ramping up our spending so it justifies our CL position, we may actually have to sell players first.
How typical is that of Villa’s luck?
I profess to not understanding the rules regarding FFP, because the numbers are ridiculous, the game has gone financially stupid and I frankly am past caring.
And all I know is the clubs that spend the most money, get the best players and generally do the best, performance-wise. Man City and Chelsea might offer protestations, but we all know they bought everything they’ve achieved in the last 20 years or so because they spent fortunes. C’est la vie and I’m not convinced much is going to change. Or maybe that multiple I mentioned might at least partly reduce the gulf in club spends somewhat?
One thing I don’t get about FFP is that our owners were buying equity in the club, which I thought meant we weren’t adding more debt and were actually benefitting our ratios?
Whatever, just as the rumours of elite players being touted as possible targets for the club abound, does it mean that we have to sell our best players before we can entertain the thought?
And who are those best players?
Well, there are some standouts. Martinez, McGinn, Luiz and Watkins would pull in what? £300 million? (60, 60, 80 and 100 million is my pure estimate). But you’ve just ripped the backbone out of the existing side, so it just isn’t going to happen. In fact, I don’t see one of them leaving, let alone all of them. As for the Watkins to Man U rumours, that’s just laughable and I’m not even going into why, as much as they might be able to pay way more wages.
The even more worrying thing is what do we regard as a big enough spend that might put us in a position where we can at least hold our own for a while in the CL and not see the team ruined by the constant Thursday-Sunday thing that threatened us so much this season?
We saw that we couldn’t sustain our earlier exploits, as much as the lads actually did better than things seemed and managed to keep dragging points from games even when they didn’t look likely.
But would it be fair to expect the same in the ultimate cup? No, is the simple answer to that.
We might not do so bad with injuries next season, so you could say we in effect have new players coming in. But it’s clear that a one in, one out policy will not suffice.
And sadly, neither will a £200 million budget get you very far these days. Let’s face it, as obscene as it sounds, it’s a couple of decent players and one pretty good one. We haven’t even entered elite player level there either.
It seems to me we are going to have to go with what we’ve got, while adding some “cheap” gems that it seems Emery and the scouting team have an eye for.
Not yet elite, but possessing the ability to become so.
It’s going to be an interesting season. With the aim being that we manage to get into the CL the season after next. Sustainability will be the name of the game and that’s the hardest part of all. You have to be in it and stay in it to win it.
Up the European Villa!
Comments
133 responses to “At last, Champion’s league. But now what happens?”
I’d expect a few kids to get minutes today. Absolutely no reason not too.
I don’t think Duran and Ollie fit together and can see Ollie coming off quite early.
I can’t see past a loss either, but Palace don’t have much to play for either, so you never know.
Maybe all the reasons why we should not win this one are nullified by the fact that the same reasons apply to Palace. Maybe for the first time in ages Villa players can enjoy the freedom afforded them by having nothing to worry about. Maybe the teams
that Palace beat in their winning streak were not all that special or not playing well. Maybewe 6can 6win another one.
Horrible but typical Villa stats – Palace have beaten us more times than any other EPL club at home and in the last 25 times we’ve finished the season with an away game we’ve won just one!
And what did we say about records are there to be broken????
This really is the epitome of a pointless end of season game…
2-0 and game over. I think it’s what we predicted given how many fit players we have available.
Maybe not…
Yep but I can see us finishing the season as we started it.
Turned it off anyway – as you say Bum Bum pointless game but I’m fed up of listening to the commentators love fest with Palace!
They’re infuriating aren’t they…So bloody disrespectful. F^#k the lot of them.
Awesome season beyond expectations.
Love u AVFC!!!!!!!!
I really hope Villa have said ‘Get yr sorry asses off to the beach with your families for the next few weeks, fully paid for’.
And while you’re at it, put a bid in for Elise too…
Why put the players through agony knowing it’s a lost cause, play the young kids it’s making us a laugh being ripped open like this game’s going, What’s his thinking ? Play some of them on the bench . Our defence is crap been like that for weeks . Oli not in the game because no service it will ruin his season.
Just when I thought Olsen could not get any worse he surpasses my low expectations.
So Olsen concedes loads again.
Coincidence? I think not.
FFS get rid of this liabilty.
5-0. I expected us to chill but that scoreline is embarrassing. It also shows who needs to go out of the superfluous players…
Weirdly enough I’ve hardly seen Emery at all. Is he there???
Great season absolutely buzzing bur this is embarrassing
5 now ridiculous. Makes me wonder why
Our defence has been woeful most of the season. Olsen is a liability but you can say all the defence and midfield have allowed Palace to run riot and unchallenged all afternoon.
Just because we have qualified for the Champions League shouldn’t mean they can switch off for this game. We have suffered a lot of injuries yes, but the starting XI should put up a better performance than this.
You’re quite right Tom not a great end to the season we are already on holiday feel a bit for the loyal fans that have travelled there
I’m fuming 5.0 this is embarrassing and gives media chance to laugh at us and say we told you that we not good enough.
Why not play youngsters at least they might try.
Unai not as good as all the hype
I don’t care what anyone thinks I hate losing any game
What not play the youngsters? Because this Palace team at this moment may well have put 10 past them. What benefit would that be to anyone, most of all the youngsters?
The GD between this game and Spuds would have sunk us. Totally different mindset if we’d have not already got 4th, but still…It’s a bit duff today.
Oh well. At the end of the day it’s ‘Job Done, and a job done brilliantly’. UTMFV!!!!!!
See back here for the tittle tattle, gossip and downright nonsense!
Have a great summer Villians! Catch u in August and enjoy tour summer holidays!!!!!!
YEEESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WE ARE THE VILLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pity we didn’t score one then we could have perfectly book ended the season.
Not surprising really just annoying but the concern is our tendency to get hammered in the odd game or 4.
We will need to improve the squad but do we have the money
It’s weird that we start and end up with a five goal tonking but it’s what’s happened in between that really matters. Emery seems to be a real pragmatist as he sent out a team that was bound to lose but so what? Should he send out players who were carrying a niggle for a game that basically doesn’t matter? Absolutely not.
It’s been the most wonderful season since we were graced by the likes of Saunders and Barton and we should treasure the fact that our club has once more arisen from the ashes and is once again a real contender on the European stage. I trust Emery and Monchi to get the players we need to progress and I’m excited to see who we get in.
It’s great to be a Villa fan. COYL
Barton?
Mate that team run itself after Sir Ron left.
Ron’s assistant manager?
Well no, he was a scout and Ron Saunders only gave him that title do he qualified for a club car.
Funny how the match day programme for that final had miss printed Saunders as the manager but somehow apt.
Give your heads a wobble . Take out Newcastle 1st game and this we achieved 4th place over 36 games
Champions League . Semi Final – wow what a season – and how much moaning would have been if we had finished 10th .
Unai is a genius – he will get rid of players who CANNOT Play his way and bring in ones who can
Onwards and upwards UTV
Shitty yellow lion badge confirmed on Adidas promotional email this morning. A slap in the face for fans after all the ‘consultation’ on a new badge.
Sad news at happy time.
19 May 2024
Former Chelsea, Aston Villa and Sheffield United midfielder Ian Hamilton has died at the age of 73.
Hamilton became Chelsea’s youngest league player and goalscorer aged 16, and had a spell at Southend before joining Villa in 1969, going on to win the 1975 League Cup with the club.
Hamilton, known as “Chico”, signed for the Blades a year later and also spent time playing in the USA.
That’s really sad Gerry.
Loved watching him play.
‘Chico, Chico, Chico’
Holte Enders in the Sky.
RIP
Chico, McMahon, Lockhead
Followed by:
Little, Deehan, Gray
Followed by:
Morley, Shaw, Withe
All i can say is Villa supporters from those years (me included) were blessed to have been privileged to be a part of it.
Next chapter please Uni
Sad news on chico cracking player think he owned a couple of fashion shops in Birmingham at one point aw another hole ender in the sky
On the new badge bfr I like it mate really hope we deliver on the kit though
Sad news to hear about’Chico’ Hamilton. He was a bit before my time in watching Villa but my older brother said he was a great player. RIP Chico.
As BFR pointed out, we have ended up with the crest which is practically the same as the one that was ditched for the round badge CHOSEN by the fans. Typical of Heck to take no notice of fans thoughts. A yellow splodge drawn by a 5 year old is what it looks like rather than a lion.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cl7l7ndx9v9t
One very, very tired Boss. Doesn’t matter who you are, we all need to recharge our batteries…
Thought he was very honest in the interview – as he always is.
I didn’t realise we’d played 6 games in 17 days with a heavily depleted squad but he still didn’t offer any excuses other than the psychological one which I think most people would accept given all the other factors.
We will need to strengthen the squad and I think there will be goings as well as comings. Connor Gallagher hasn’t signed a new contract and the rumours are that Villa are very keen and will offer Duran as part of the deal. And with the lure of Champions League football and working under Emery woukd you bet against it happening?
Works for me – Gallagher is a very gifted player.
Barkley