After the seemingly rubbish stories about Benteke being a target for Liverpool, things have dried up a bit, to be honest.
Still there are some things worth talking about and the first is Ron Vlaar, where the Daily Mirror suggest that he’s going to start in the FA cup final even if we can’t nail him down to a contract.
I’m not convinced the quote by Sherwood even says that and it looks like it’s been taken out of context to me.
It doesn’t make sense either, as Sherwood definitely doesn’t seem to be the type of manager who would even tell a player he’s a guaranteed starter so early on.
Vlaar will probably be injured anyway.
Or then again, he probably won’t, given that it’s the final.
Am I being cynical there? Perhaps, but even though I don’t think he’s a bad defender, it really wouldn’t bother me too much if he doesn’t sign. He’s just too injury prone, given his time with us and can’t be relied on.
Jack Grealish has been in the news a lot lately and rightly so, because he’s really starting to look the player many of us thought he might become.
I’m surprised there hasn’t been some BS story that one of the big clubs are after him yet.
Anyway, the latest is that Delph and Grealish are training buddies, who stop behind and put in extra practice.
I know it’s a nothing story really, but it’s nice to know who the ones are putting in the extra effort.
I mean, it’s a hard life isn’t it, when you have to roll in for 9am, do a couple of hours training, have some dinner and then knock off at 2pm, just in time to get in for a few hours on the X-Box or a bit of gambling on the nags.
Now I am being cynical, I suppose, but well, you know what I mean.
Still on the subject of Grealish, Paul Scholes is quoted as saying that the lad is a million miles away from being a good player yet.
It’s actually a fair point and one Grealish might do well to read, as we don’t want him getting carried away with himself do we?
Next up, is Tom Ross having his weekly comment in the Mail talking about the paltry allocation of tickets for the cup final. Love him or hate him, he does of course have a point in saying that there will be 40,000 people at the game that won’t give a toss about the result.
Where I think he’s wrong though, is that many of the other tickets go to the grass-roots of the game.
He is though 100% correct when it comes to the corporate seats, in my opinion.
And to rub it in even more, it looks as though the cup is about to be officially renamed the Emirates FA cup (or similar) according to an article I read in the online Daily Mirror. The difference here is that it’s currently known as the FA cup (in association with Budweiser).
It seems to me the FA will do anything for money to pay off the enormous debt that was caused by them building a stadium where the majority of fans didn’t even want it in the first place.
And isn’t there some kind of conflict here, when they already sponsor Arsenal?
It just goes to show what those at the top think of the people who pay their wages, in my opinion.
Hopefully there will be howls of protest. But I doubt it’ll make much difference.
Comments
83 responses to “Bit of a news update.”
I wish I could be as disparaging of Everton’s chances as Saddened. Unfortunately I watched them demolish Manure and that looked a better performance than anything we have mustered this season. Everton may not look good away from home, we don’t exactly look good at home. I shall feel more confident when Given is given the starting slot, but if TS is intending that he won’t reveal it until he has to hand the team sheet to the Ref. It all depends on an improved defensive performance from Villa.
I was being all positive OLL, now I’m pooping myself.
I agree OLL I some how can’t see given between the posts Saturday as Tim’s post match comments regarding Guzan were to defend his mistakes more than knock them which I totally disagreed with.anymore costly fuckups by guzan then Tim on your shoulders be it.
I’m worried about Everton, I think a draw would suffice to be honest. Definitely capable of winning but the pressure on the lads is just mounting all the time. And Everton are always an end of season team so will be a very difficult game one I certainly can’t call.
The players know the score, its win or get stuffed, we cannot afford to sit back and let it happen, to me a win is a must, how many times have we all crossed our legs fingers and got down and prayed, no more for me, win, win win, and as for Sherwood’s sticking by Cuzan that’s a manager hyping up his player, we know he’s to blame.
Guzan should be dropped. Mistakes like that at this stage of the season could cost us our place in the league next season. Given is a far safer pair of hands, in my opinion. He would have organised his defence for City’s third goal too.
Guzan is looking a bit fallible at the moment, and I think as Shay will be in Cup final team it makes sense to give him a run. Let’s not ignore the defence though, it was pathetic the way they were passing the ball around the back in the build up to City’s first goal, they had several chances to get it upfield, or even launch a long ball to Benteke, but instead kept pissing about and ending up putting Guzan under unnecessary pressure. We all then slaughter Guzan, but they were almost as much to blame.
have villa ever beaten a Martinez team.
I can’ t remember
More news, Tom Fox says there is no sake imminent and that he hopes Randy stays at Villa for a long, long time. I wouldn’t mind that, so long as he makes reasonable funds available.
Think Sherwood will get money, says he’ll make the transfer decisions so I’m pretty happy with that. No idea what kind of players he’ll bring in. Obviously the usual Championship youngsters will get linked but the media don’t know as Sherwood’s never had a transfer window to ever make signings. Can’t wait till summer.
Our supposed top targets are Bamford, Caulker, Tom Carroll and Luongo. Now Luongo’s price tag is 5 million, and Spurs are interested too. Bamford would cost the same, 6 million at the very least. Tom Carroll I can’t see happening, because I just don’t think Sherwood will do any deals with Spurs, and we all know how Levy is when it comes to selling his assets. Caulker alone would still cost 10 million I think. I think if Lerner is interested again and with Fox having a word with him, we could get those players. They would strengthen us no doubt.
I’d take Bamford and Luongo out of them. Caulker’s awful defensively and I wouldn’t want him anywhere near the team. Tom Carroll’s a good midfielder but I can see him permanently moving to Swansea.
All easy links for me though, 3 former Sherwood players in Luongo, Caulker and Carroll, and then Bamford’s a young striker in which we want a striker and Sherwood doesn’t care about age. I do think there will be money to spend, but I don’t think the media has a clue of who our top targets are, bar Luongo who I do think we really do want as I believe Sherwood was pictured scouting him.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/apr/30/aston-villa-tom-fox-chief-executive-randy-lerner-fa-cup-final. interesting article don’t know how much is smoke and mirrors though
Fox is a Steely Dan fan..awesome!
No, I think that’s a very encouraging interview. Compare Fix with our previous CEO! No comparison, no argument we’ve secured the services of a very good senior manager.
On funds; TS has demonstrated that we do have a decent squad assembled at a realistic cost. PL takes credit for that, shame he had no idea how to get the best from them.
No way are we going to be challenging for top 4 but I’d take top 6 – 8 on a regular basis and exciting attacking football to watch
. “Compare Aston Villa in terms of global viewers who watch our matches to every other club in European football, excluding the top six in the Premier League, and where do you think we rank? Third. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Aston Villa. More people watched Aston Villa on a global basis last year than would have seen Bayern Munich. That’s the power of the Premier League.”
So we’re basically the ninth most watched team in the world.
And the seventh most watched in the Prem.
That’s bloody impressive, given some of the rubbish we’ve been playing and our struggles over the last few years!
The Evening Mail are suggesting that Gabby won’t be available for tomorow, but don’t really mention why.
I am beginning to suspect he has actually been dropped.
Looks like that could change with La Liga agreeing to now go the way of the Premier League and Serie A by evening out tv revenue when they agree a new TV deal.
But it’s not surprising. Living in the US, going to a few of Villa’s games over the past couple summers there were a fair few Villa fans at the games, we have a massive following outside of England.
Maybe, but I can’t see that many teams coming above us, even after that.
La Liga’s a two horse race and they’re head and shoulders above even Athletico and the likes, imo.
Italy, maybe the Milans and Juve?
Juve’s crowds are pathetic the last I saw (have they built the fourth side of their stadium yet?), so I’m not even convinced on that one.
Point taken though.
What’s interesting is who are the top 6?
Utd, Chelsea, Pool, Arse, Citeh and Spurs, I’d say.
Which means we beat the likes of Newcastle and Everton, clubs on an equal, if not better footing, some might say.
Again, given our recent history and lack of achievement over an even longer period, it’s an impressive fact (if true, of course).
The next question is what are the drivers for this?
It seems to me a lot of it must be down to our history overall, which somewhat makes a mockery of the “it’s all about the here and now” type comments.
Fair point, though Barca and Madrid are above everyone, even surpassed United on being the richest clubs in the world. Atletico’s about where Chelsea starts so La Liga’s not going to be easy to poach the likes of a Gil or Sanchez anymore.
I don’t know, a lot of the fans I know are older though, 40’s-50’s and such, or their parents were fans so they kinda grew up into that.
Badger I’ve often wondered that, we had the ex bank of England a fan ,Prince William, Cameron, how did they become fans? I was a fan by my father, my son through me, my grandson as well, so I’ve just Wonder its not that we have been a man utd type team.
Bill, I was a fan through my Father too and my son is a fan through me – is it child cruelty ??
Iol, wouldn’t think so Saddened, my son a company director 53 , grandson on my daughters side a keen Villa lad and so his his sister, they all sport Villa kits when going out with pride. I don’t think the blame on us, or is it??
Bill, Mervyn King’s a Brummie. Villa or Blues? is a no-brainer to anyone as educated as him.
Cameron’s uncle was a certain William Dugdale, who I’m sure you remember.
And Prince William supposedly chose Villa as an unfancied team, a “joke” club if you like, at his posh school. Apparently, that was the done thing, but he has turned out for a couple of games, iirc.
I really can’t see why people are dissecting the reasons why these people support our club,basically who gives a FUCK.
supporters can support a team for many reasons . my father never supported the villa neither did my grandfather . shocker i know , both supported derby county and chesterfield. but as a 6 year old child sitting in an army camp in west berlin my fathers mate bought me a villa scarf . i didnt even know who aston villa was or where they where in England .all’s i know he told me they where the best team in the world . what a lying bastard he was 🙂 but i was hooked
Nice story Domingo and gives some insight into how we pick fans up.
Maybe not the best team in the world atm, but certainly one of the best clubs, imo.
My dad came over from Ireland after the war and lived in Sparkbrook so he went to watch the Bluenoses (anyone remember the old St Andrews? It was like a scrapyard of rusty corrugated iron).
So one day at work a friend has a go at him and says he should try a real football club and so he went to see the Villa. In those days you got off the number 8 bus and walked past the HP factory and Ansells (interesting smells those days). Best was you walked past the beautiful Aston Hall and then down the hill to Villa Park where you got the most impressive view of the stadium. He said that once he saw the ground that was it.
He took me when I was 5 and, although I now live a couple of hours drive away now, its still in my blood.
3 points tomorrow lads…please!
UTV
Giddy, typically blunt and to the point, as per usual 🙂
I don’t know mate, I just find it interesting.
Man U are the classic example.
They had a lot of the sympathy vote after the Munich disaster, but then won little for ages, Yet still retained that massive support. Why?
Charlton and Stiles? maybe.
But what about West Ham?
Why didn’t they retain large support?
Of course, the Fergie years has helped Utd even more.
It’s more a Brummie/Manc thing in this sense.
Over the years, Utd have had much better competition in their own city, in Citeh, than we have had from Blues, hence you’d have expected Citeh to have taken some of that support.
But they didn’t until very recently.
Even then, most Mancs are Citeh, from what I’ve seen/heard.
Everton have a much better history than us over the last 30 years, but seemingly would still be below us in the global viewing figures. They were also founding members of the league.
Why is that?
What do we have over Everton?
The point is, that us locals, where we know what and who we are, really aren’t that important in the greater scheme of things.
The real money, as Fox suggests, is in a more global view, where massive markets are opening up.
I’m not saying I like it, but it’s the way the game is going.
If you can’t get the money in, you’re never going to compete.
I should have made this an article in itself really, but never mind.
Interesting read from fox, I would never have said villa were watched more than bayern! I don’t think there is 1 reason why a lot of people watch villa or pick them as a team, for me my father supports southampton and my older brother is Newcastle and at the age of 4 or 5 I wanted to pick a team, my brother told me to pick man u and my father said don’t haha. But I was already supporting ireland at the time and with GOD, ray Houghton, townsend, and Steve Staunton in the team I told them I wanted to be a villain and nothing has changed since. Then of coarse we had Yorke who was my favourite player until he did the unforgiveable. I’m actually surprised that there aren’t a lot more irish villa fans as all through the years villa have had some great irish players, even now we hav Given, Clark, grealish (hopefully) and Burke but instead they are all glory man u or pool fans. Anytime we are playing them and it’s on tv I’m the only villa fan in a pub full of pool or man u and in the words of kevin keegan I’m always thinking “I’d love it if we beat them just love it!!!”.
Badger, I feel I have to pull you up on the subject of Juventus, you are right to say that current attendances in Italy are pathetic, but not Juventus. Their stadium was opened in 2011 [and yes, all 4 sides are complete] and usually get 35,000 plus crowds. The capacity is just over 41,000 and is one of the best stadiums in Europe. Just felt I had to defend the ‘Old Lady’.
So very much on a par with Villa?
Who are currently struggling?
I
While Juve might be seen as a top club, I’m not seeing it in reality.
the main questions i have of this article is on the non-existence of a sale of the club,is he just hedging his bets, if we get dare i say it relegated then any takeover is defunct. so they ( the board) wont look inept, if we stay up win the cup and are taken over no one will remember this article, as i say smoke and mirrors.
Semi- finals of the Champions League, winning the Italian Serie A, again, in the final of the Copa Italia. Come on Badger, what more can they do, I wish Villa were struggling as bad as them.
So true, they’re even on the verge of putting out the FIGC and making them go bankrupt as they’ve been basically found not guilty for the majority of calciopoli. I’d take every single player at Juventus over ours in a heart beat, they’re an incredible side and will be dominating Serie A for at least 3-4 years still. Would probably be ahead of Chelsea in the Prem if they were in England instead.
No Everton preview LADS??
Interesting Sherwood commenting on a possible Director of Football, claiming he’ll talk to Lerner about what they believe the positives and such are, seeing Sherwood’s worked with Baldini before so he’ll give them his honest opinion. From the quotes he gave, I’d say he’s not for it, but then that’s just what I took away from it as he never said if he was for or against, just the wording of it.
““It’s maybe something that might be revisited – maybe, maybe not – in the summer.
“I’d be welcome talking to Randy and to the people who make them decisions at the club regarding why they think it’s necessary and what benefit it could have.”
Were the two main quotes that gave me the opinion he doesn’t want it.
Fox confirms we’ll be offering Benteke a new contract.
I have a strong feeling for 2-1 to Villa tomorrow so will have a little flutter. The same thing worked against the other Scousers at Wembley.
I started walking to the ground a different way. we beat wba wice. I thought I had sussed it then we lost to Swansea.
If it’s 2-1 tomorrow I’m becoming a professional gambler.
The London Lions Club I started in 1977 had over the years 144 members, and I reckon I asked most of them how the became Villa fans. For about a third it was easy they originated from Brum.
For the 100 or so who were Southerners the common denominator was a lack of a real interest in a London team, sometimes because they had to be different from a sibling or Dad – so why Villa? For a lot of them the colours were decisive – you could see this in the number of them whose favourite team in the Capital was West Ham. For several others it was the name, particularly the girls chose Villa on that basis.
Many cited a Cup Final. You know for a lot of people not really committed to football the league matches don’t provide a particular decision point, but a Cup Final does, One side wins, on the day, and collects the Cup. If you picked that side rather than the losers you may become a fan for life – as I did in 1957.
No preview so I’m going 3-1 VILLA I feel it in my bladder,only worry lawro’s got us down to win that could be a bad omen as he’s crap at predictions.UTV
Thanks to whoever sorted my posting problem out.
🙁
I cleared you from the spam box, but you went straight back in again mate.
Getting fed up of it now and will look into it.
MATE join the club
Why’s this happening MATE?????
Appreciate your help badger.