Apologies for not having posted for a good while. The truth is I’ve quite enjoyed not really having to think about football at all. The Buendia signing seems an excellent one and that nearly nudged me into writing something, but somehow I just didn’t get round to it. The Ashley Young signing didn’t do anything at all for me, although it seems pretty popular amongst the fans generally.
Even England haven’t really inspired me much. I enjoyed our first half performance on Tuesday, but struggle to see how it’s going to be any different from our usual losing to the first decent team we face. That said, I actually think we can beat Germany if we perform.
The news today is that Aston Villa have agreed a £100 million fee to sell Jack Grealish to Man City as soon as he has come away from the Euro tournament.
It’s just too big a story for me to pass up.
I’m usually very sceptical about any press speculation, but I have a very sneaky feeling there’s something in this story. There’s no vagueness or guesswork in the wording and it all seems very definite.
I think I’ve voiced my opinion before, quite recently that I could partly see Jack leaving this year with the thought being that after the money that Edens and Sawaris have spent, I couldn’t really blame them for wanting to recoup some of it.
If the sale does happen, I can see it all being spent and the reality is that £100 million will buy some very decent players. There’s debate to be had about whether getting those players in will make up for losing a player who has opened all football fan’s eyes, but I very much doubt the club have taken the decision lightly and there must have been a lot of thought put into it.
There’s also the fact that we don’t know how the player himself feels. I don’t think for one minute Jack would hand in a transfer request, but you can’t blame him if he wants to win silverware at Man City. And given that it seems Pep still wants Harry Kane as well, you’d have to think that that silverware will be forthcoming this season.
We also have to consider that Jack was supposed to be leaving last season and we apparently managed to dissuade him from going by saying that we would allow him to leave when the time was right.
So of course I’ll be gutted if Jack does go, but I can mostly understand it.
My biggest complaint is that I personally think it’s too cheap and I’ve always had £130 million in my mind. I also think if it does happen, we’ve let it all happen too easily and I’d have liked to see the club put up a bit of a fight and at least on the face of it, reject the bid.
I also have a concern that the team look decidedly average without Jack. That said, I think Dean Smith knows a decent player and can overall improve the team.
Let’s see if it happens, eh?
Comments
89 responses to “Grealish to Man City for £100M; Thoughts”
NO . I really should read what I write.
I think this brilliant from Southgate.
He is trying to bore the germans to death.
Shocking
Absolutely pathetic 8 defensive players.
We will lose!
Well, we’ve all been proved wrong in that we won and I suppose Southgate got his game plan right but I still don’t like him.
At least he put Grealish on.
As an England fan how can I complain?
Well I’m ecstatic, what do I know about football , nothing. Southgate got it right by useing Grealish, I thought it was going to put Rashford on and either he had a message from him above or he has seen the light. Is football coming home? Well I’m the first to say we have a chance . Well done the team,.
Love it Bill – William telling his loyal subject to put Grealish on – brilliant.
Grealish comes on and we score 2. Jack involved in both goals.
Stunning!
Come on England!!!!!!
What more does Grealish have to do to get a starting role? I still expect Gareth Horseface to drop him for the next game.
As for Saturday, it looks like England are getting lucky with Sweden and Ukraine going into extra time with red card and injuries, both teams will be finding it difficult to be fully prepared for us.
Ukraine in the QF – have to keep watch for the big banana skin with this one.
Uncompromising side who will make a lot of every challenge. Need to be on our game but honestly it’s a game we should win if we’re serious contenders.
Ah, just realised we’re entertaining Saturday evening. Hope our guests don’t mind if I put the footie on 🙂
Men huddled around the TV – wives sat in the garden complaining 🙂
Why was the Ukraine player wearing a bra?
Guys, I have to say, reading some of the comments after the match about Southgate and the team he picked before the match is a bit embarrassing. Why does every one who has is English and likes football think they can manage the English national team better than the man who’s paid to do it? What exactly is the problem? Do we want to win the tournament or play fantasy football and get our arses handed to us like a Kevin Keegan team? We were playing Germany, FFS. Germany. And people expect the manager to go gung-ho as if we’re so much better then them. Southgate is consistently proving that he knows what he’s doing. He is qualified to do the the job. He has been in the job long enough and is intelligent enough to have learned a few things along the way. The disrespect he gets from fans and the press is staggering.
I heard a very interesting broadcast with Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink explaining to some half-wit on Radio 5 live that you don’t win tournaments playing open attacking football. He made the brilliant point that Holland’s ’88 winning team had only two flair players: Van Basten and Gullit – everyone else was a grafter and a good player. Other pundits keep referring to ‘tournament football’, which basically means do what it takes to get to the latter stages and don’t worry about putting on a show. Of course, we want it both ways, but this is real life, not FIFA on the PlayStation. Personally, I’d take a shit performance and a semi-final spot come 10 pm on Saturday.
Regardless of whether England win the tournament, surely Southgate’s earned more respect than he’s being given?
P.s. I’d rather Jack came on as a sub as late as possible to help England through every match. If he started he’d no doubt break down and be sent back to us, probably missing the start of the season and screwing England’s chances of success. If we take our biased hat off, Southgate’s use of Grealish has been near perfect. We often talk about Bert being an impact sub for Villa rather than a starter. Perhaps, Southgate sees the same role for Grealish for England for a lot of the matches? Maybe he knows Jack’s still fragile and wants to make sure he’s got him available for the latter stages? Again, it appears Southgate knows what he’s doing, although I appreciate the entertainment would probably be enhanced if Jack started games.
I see gary neville hasn’t included grealish in his team again. Can anybody remind me how long he lasted as a club manager.
No Start for Grealish , Mount Sancho in suppose Southgate knows best.
Bloody hell. Southgate seems to be getting something right!
Let’s look at the fact, he wasn’t needing a ball player but one tap football game with fast wing play, Grealish was on a yellow card and wouldn’t have been able to take part in future games if carded, I’m not a fan of side passing and back passing but football to me is what it says ! Playing with your feet and beating the opposition. I’ve never thought Southgate would get us far but he has, I take my hat off to his thinking and hope we bring the game home to where football was invented. But let’s face it ,we had an easy entrance with the league teams and still have my doubt on his abilities, football to me is boring without players that take other players on with skills like Saka, Foden, Grealish, as for Mount he was average on the day. Sterling is something different! ! Talented player beyond words. I’m English and proud of the lads, they’ve done England a service by being a nation’s footballing side against Europe, Well done England..
I see Wes Eden’s is one of the key buyers of Morrison’s. Does this mean a multi million pound sponsorship coming Villa’s way.
Previously our deals have been small fry in relation to the top six. Whilst not expecting any potential deal to be hundreds of millions, it could be a few. Further, is it an opportunity to push Villa merchandise through the hundreds of U.K. outlets.
I do believe it could be another incremental improvement to Villa’s increasing revenues.
Not sure on that Sid. As I understand it, Wes Edens no longer owns Fortress (which he created and developed) having sold it a few years ago which is the main reason he’s now a billionaire. He is, however, as I understand it, still CEO – that, of course, may preclude him recommending to the board a multi million $ sponsorship of a UK sports club of which he is a major owner / investor.
Be interesting to see what develops though.
Milwaukee Bucks owned by wes edens qualified for the NBA finals last night for the first time since 1971.
Our owners know what they are doing.
Absolutely Steve and they are successful in business and they want to win!
Just to add a note to the outcome of the court case for the manslaughter of Dalian Atkinson; it seems the CPS has decide to retry the police woman involved in his death (the jury in the original trial failed to reach a decision).
It appears that another highly rated Baggies youngster has turned down an improved contract to move to Villa – Tim Iroegbunham. I don’t know anything about him – anyone know anything?
Another easy name to pronounce though 🙂
Here’s a link about the player -might be nothing in it though – originally on Twitter.
https://www.wba.co.uk/player/91
Aston Villa have awarded professional contracts to seven Academy players in the club’s Under-23s.
Kaine Kesler Hayden has signed a five-year contract and Mungo Bridge, Akos Onodi, Viljami Sinisalo, Myles Sohna, DJ Sturridge and Tyreik Wright have all signed new deals at the club.
Right-back Kesler Hayden, 18, made his impressive first-team debut against Liverpool in the third round of the FA Cup in January and was subsequently named in Villa’s matchday 20 for four Premier League matches. The England Under-19 international duly captained the club to FA Youth Cup glory in May.
Centre-back Bridge, 20, was one of 16 players to make his senior bow against the Reds and spent the majority of the campaign with the U23 squad.
Hungarian goalkeeper Onodi, 19, was outstanding when he also made his first-team debut against Liverpool and made 16 appearances in Premier League 2 last season.
Fellow keeper Sinisalo, 19, has represented Finland at various age groups and spent the 2020/21 season on loan at Scottish Championship side Ayr United, where he kept nine clean sheets in all competitions.
Centre-back Sohna, 19, made seven appearances for the U23s in PL2 last season and enjoyed five consecutive starts for Mark Delaney’s side from January through to March.
Striker Sturridge, 19, featured heavily for Villa in PL2 during the opening part of the campaign but his season was unfortunately curtailed by injury in November.
Winger Wright, 19, was an ever-present for the U23s in PL2 in the first half of last season before joining League Two side Walsall on loan, making 16 league appearances and providing three assists. He also made his debut for Republic of Ireland Under-21s in March
Good news that. It’s shows we mean business. ..
I recommend todays
The holy trinity show aston villa on you tube.
This bloke is very good.
A regular watch for me now.
Steve
I took your advice and watched The Holy Trinity Show on YouTube- it is excellent.
A must watch for any Villa fan!
Martinez saves three penalties to send Argentina to Copa America Final against Brazil.
What a sensational piece of business by Villa last season.
Now for Emile Smith Rowe
Maybe Martinez can bring out of contract Messy back with him
🙂
While Southgate continues to take England further than previous managers, it’s silly to criticise the decisions he has made. Some fans moan that tactics are negative while Villa fans (like myself) will groan about Grealish and Mings lack of game time, despite performing well. I was told by a mate to take off my claret and blue tinted specs and view it as if I was a fan of a club without any players represented.
As for Sunday, although Grealish will be on the bench, I will be cheering on England and supporting Southgate and admit I was wrong to criticise him previously. Hopefully though Grealish will come on and score the winner! 🤞