First off, I suppose I have to say congratulations to Man City for winning the Champions league and a rare treble.
Not that I think it’ll remain such a rare achievement.
Man City are quite frankly, ridiculously dominant and if they manage to keep hold of Haarland and keep him fit, it’s hard to see how they won’t win loads more silverware in the next few seasons.
Did Grealish really make a major mistake in leaving Villa? It’s certainly hard to suggest he did.
The only comforting thought is that no matter how dominant a team/club is, it will only be temporary. Arsenal of the 1930’s and indeed the Villa of the late 1800’s spring to mind.
Nothing lasts for ever.
It still wrankles though, that they have simply bought their position, as much as they might protest that they’ve complied with FFP for years.
I can’t rember how many dozens of charges of FFP breaches they face, but it’s all a bit laughable and we all know they won’t face the only really just punishment, which would be a 10 year transfer embargo and demotion of at least two leagues.
I much preferred Man City when they were on our level.
What to say about our season, then?
A roller coaster is probably the best way to sum it up.
It’s easy to say “I told you so”, but it doesn’t help.
I knew Gerrard would be a disaster and he was always a bad signing, on a par with Spurs messing up again in engaging Postecoglou (how long does Levy have left there?).
But I suppose you have to see the bad to appreciate the good and at least our owners didn’t stick with him way longer than some do.
Enter Emery the messiah, then and we’re all much happier.
The funny thing is I’ve been working with a Leeds fan this week. The rumour there is that they are chasing him. He is terrified that the rumour might turn out to be true.
You don’t need me to tell you how previously decent players (McGinn springs to mind more than any other for me) looked awful under Gerrard, yet suddenly started to look okay again, once Emery came in. I honestly can’t wait to read the stories about how poor Gerrard was, particularly as a man manager. It takes some doing to make such a grafter as McGinn look so poor.
I believe there’s a new rumour where Gerrard is supposed to be in Leicester’s sights.
My guess is this is more his media friends trying to talk him up and no sensible chairman/owner would go anywhere near him.
A title for Rangers might entitle him to a Championship post, I guess, but even so, I’d say bottom half.
So the donkey was gone and a thoroughbred was employed.
And we probably pushed our expectations in achieving qualification to the Conference league.
I know it’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but to me it’s better than not achieving it.
It’s a nightmare, because of stupid thursday night games and there’s the possibility of an extra 18 games. Which is a lot.
But in the early stages, no-one plays full strength sides, so it’s a chance for the second string to get experience. We know how it works nowadays and very good young players just don’t get a look in because it’s deemed as too risky for most managers. Well, now they will get a chance.
I’m all for it, particularly now we have a manager who has such good experience in Europe.
I’m happy that he’ll know how to handle it.
And finally, we have an actual signing.
I’ve mentioned it more than a few times, but I give no credence whatsoever, when it comes to rumours about transfers in and out.
And my stance on that looks correct yet again, as it was announced that we’d agreed to sign Youri Tielemans when his contract runs out in July.
I actually heard about this last night, while I was out at a football presentation night for the grandson’s league, but thought little of it, apart from what an astute signing it would be.
He’s always struck me as an energetic type, who will surely add plenty of energy in the middle of the park, which is exactly where we need strengthening the most. He can also take a decent free kick, if I remember correctly.
Let’s say he’s on £150 k a week.
A four year contract and that adds up to £30 million in total. The player is 26 years old, so he won’t be clapped out at the end.
Throw in Emery coaching him and it’s like I said. Astute.
We already look to have competition in midfield and I expect this is probably the route that we might take this year, in decent players of the right age, but not headliners being signed.
I actually prefer this approach, I think.
You get more level headed types, who are more willing to work and learn.
Arggh, I struggle to get away from thinking I’m seeing the Saunders era all over again.
Seeing those halcyon days at such an early age spoiled me, I think and I doubt I’m alone.
Fans half my age have seen next to nothing in returns for supporting the Villa.
Just as I said at the top of the post, “nothing lasts for ever”.
Hopefully, our time is coming.
Meanwhile, I still content myself in laughing at the papers who plain and simple guess at our transfers.
UTV!
Shame on NWSE for allowing a gambling company to sponsor our shirt. Also it looks shit and spoils the look of the home shirt. £70 too for what basically is a t-shirt! It might be worth looking at the training kits which hopefully won’t have sponsors name scribbled across the chest.
On a positive note though is Meatball signing a contract extension till 2027. Although we all know that doesn’t mean he will be here till then, I’m hopeful that he does and gets a testimonial which are as rare as rocking horse shit these days, and prove a Villa legend. Shame that Grealish will never have the same adoration.
Holte – I really don’t get this agonising over the sponsorship deal.
Betting companies advertise all over Sky and other TV channels – and then there’s Sky Bet – no one makes a big deal of it – so why on football shirts. And please don’t tell me football have some moral obligation to be seen as ‘above betting’.
NSWE are business men running a business in which they’ve invested £m’s. They are entitled to secure as much sponsorship as they can when they can.
There is a massive difference in value between the sponsorship deals the Sky 6 can secure and the rest of football. Outside the Sky 6 the best deals that clubs can currently secure is with betting companies – just a fact of life. There should be more outrage from football fans against the ridiculous incestuous sponsorship deals secured by teams like Citeh that bend the ‘at arms length’ rule to the point of breaking. And then there’s West Ham handed a 65,000 stadium at the tax payers expense!
Anyway, enough of my ranting views which I suspect most will disagree.
The excellent news, as you say, is that McGinn has signed a new four year deal. Hopefully the club will soon also tie Ollie to a new long term deal.
Going to be an interesting few weeks.
Don’t disagree at all.
In my ideal world there’d be a complete ban on all betting adverts and sponsorships, but while I’d personally prefer us to be ‘noble’ and avoid them (go back to the Acorns days…) I can see why we can’t be so choosy.
And on the subject of dodgy deals – watch what the Saudi’s are doing to help Saudi-related clubs get rid of over-priced surplus players. or to acquire expensive players on ‘loan’ for next to no cost…
Hitch, gambling wrecks lives and I have witnessed it amongst family. Would it be okay to have a cigarette sponsor if they paid more?
I know it’s not the first time we have had a gambling sponsor and with the ban in a few years to coincide with the conclusion of our sponsorship deal, it seems like a last opportunity to milk the gambling disease while it exists. Sky and Skybet doesn’t make it right and they should be ashamed too for advertising this especially when there is an economic squeeze on earnings.
Maybe it’s because one of the great things Randy Lerner’s tenure brought was Acorns on our shirts which brought pride amongst the fans. Perhaps the club will offer a sponsor free option on the shirt like the kids version for those of us who don’t want the shirt but don’t want to advertise gambling.
Holte, of course you are right from a philanthropic point of view – and that’s not meant as a criticism in any way.
As Ardent says, if there was a blanket ban on gambling advertising – as there is for smoking – it would be a clearer statement of intent from the Government and a level playing field.
We should though recognise that, as part of the deal, the sponsors are investing money back into the local community.
As a fan, I would love to see Villa being both successful at the top and in Europe whilst being a shining philanthropic club leading the way both financially and sustainably.
Sadly we live in a World that doesn’t work like that; one only has to look at where the money comes from to fuel Citeh and the Bar Codes and the lack of criticism or concern from their fans – or, for that matter, from the EPL!
I agree though – it doesn’t make it right.
At a toss of a coin you both have points, I’m not a betting man and never will be, my take on this is that football should not get into bed with gambling. I’ve seen people ruined and broken over the game of betting, even now where I live we have more betting shops than shops for the everyday people. I’m a person that walks away from gambling like bet Fred and any of the others. Unfortunately it’s where the money is today and you have to understand the pain and damage betting can do to people’s lives. It’s up to the individuals to stop and think it’s what I do.
Fair points Bill.
My daughter had a problem with gambling – mainly slot machines – when she was younger. She managed to deal with it following a couple of hard lessons learnt.
With her partner, they still enjoy a bet – mainly on football – controlled to a small amount per week. It’s something then enjoy doing.
There are so many things in todays World that negatively affect peoples lives, gambling and alcohol are just two.
Personally, I think social media is also a much greater threat and causes far more damage to people’s lives – especially young people – than many people think or perhaps realise
But it’s not the ‘product’ itself it’s the way it’s used – or is that abused – that’s the issue.
Blame Tony Blair. New Labour ripped up all the restrictions on gambling, like betting shops used to have to be 300ft apart. In our town centre now we have 4 and 2 slot shops. All they do is take money out of the local economy.
They claimes stopping cigarette advertising would kill F1 but it’s never been stronger.
And it’s done nothing to reduce smoking or vaping!