I know some of you have already discussed it, but this one puzzles me.
First let me say I’m pretty happy about this, as it seems, according to the Birmingham Mail’s poll, many Villa fans are.
I’ve seen comments that Hutton is simply too old and we should be letting the kids have a chance.
Which is fair enough, if there’s the prospect that the kids might be better.
De Laet isn’t at the club and Bree is the next best bet. Has anyone really been convinced about him?
He might be a prospect, but I’m not seeing much more than that, just yet.
And at Left back, we have Taylor.
Is he really a better prospect over Hutton?
Not a chance and I’d take the old-timer playing out of position all day long.
At the end of the day, yes, we want to massacre the wage bill, but surely it can’t be done at the expense of playing far inferior players.
We at least have to survive on the pitch next season.
Look, I’d love to play a really young side that takes the league by storm next season.
But the reality would much more likely be that they’d struggle to avoid relegation.
Which leads to us fans ripping them to pieces and furthering the seeming vicious circle we’re already in.
No, we need some stability and Hutton’s retention is a good sign of that, in my opinion.
And judging by some of the player’s tweets that I’ve seen, it’s a popular decision amongst them too.
You can at times (and I definitely have) slate his performances over the years, but not once has anyone been able to slate his effort and I expect this is exactly why he has been retained.
Quite simply, his effort is also shown in training and sets the right sort of example.
More interesting though, are the reasons behind this.
If you read Hutton’s words, he’s happy in the area and sees it as home, because of the support he’s had from us fans.
Really?
It would seem he’s quickly forgotten the stick he took as part of a failing team; although, in fairness he’s quite rightly had plenty of plaudits this season.
So while he might indeed be settled here, we have to look at the reality.
Given this might well be his last decent pay-off, I don’t believe for one minute that he would take the massive pay cut, that is being suggested.
Ok, he might not be able to justify the £40-50k a week, he was on.
But I’m pretty sure that given that he was available on a free, he’s worth more than half that.
Let’s face it, would you want to throw away 2, 3, 4, 5 or more hundred thousand quid towards your pension, if you had an option?
I wouldn’t. So while you’d expect Hutton has had to take a pay cut, I’m suggesting it won’t have been that much.
25-30% at the most is my bet.
And that’s the part that makes it interesting.
If we seemingly have no money to spend and we are gagging to get wages off the books, because we’re going boobs up imminently, this signing makes no sense whatsoever.
And then there’s the part where Steve Bruce said he wanted to keep Hutton.
Why would we sign Hutton up so early, if we were looking at changing the manager?
It wouldn’t make sense, especially if the new manager didn’t rate Hutton in the slightest.
You’d appreciate the player needs to get a contract and give him the option to look around, while we retain a chance to re-sign him.
Playing fair, both ways, without restrictions, if you like.
Just like Hutton was on the supposed “get rid” list as of May, so I yet again think shenanigans are being played out.
Here’s three predictions;
1) Bruce is retained as our manager.
2) Grealish isn’t going anywhere.
3) While we don’t suddenly come into a fortune, we’ll be okay money-wise and will have money to spend on the odd signing/loan.
Keep the faith lads.
I’m convinced things aren’t as bad as they seemingly are.
Even if I’m totally wrong, it’s still a case of UTV!
Just keep the faith lads 😉
Hutton does not go out of position as much as he did, I think that’s because we have played with wingers more and our teams are not as scared of the ball as they used to be.
Glad he signed we need to keep long standing professionals who are committed to the Villa which he clearly is.
I only have one issue with your post; I actually believe that Hutton has accepted a bigger pay cut than you have suggested – even accepting that 25 – 30% is substantial.
IMHO Hutton is a rarity – a true professional who puts loyalty above sheer money otherwise he could have gone elsewhere for that final payday. As I said one can only hope that mercenaries like Richards and McCormack are shamed into taking a pay cut or being prepared to move elsewhere on sensible terms – OK I’m being niaive but there’s no shame in hoping!
Possibly so Hitch.
But would you throw so much money away?
Of course, being settled counts for a lot.
If I was worth a few mill, I wouldn’t chase the extra money either, fwiw.
If he has accepted a massive cut, it’s even better than I’m hoping, as we need committed players.
Words fail me. Polite words anyway. I accepted the view of those of you that saw more Villa games than I did that Hutton had improved. His worst failing had been not reading the game and getting back in position after a foray up field, because he was ‘acting’ right winger in the absence of a real one.
So at Wembley he is on the left not the right, but responsibility not to let opponents you are marking run away from you carries over. It was Hutton who failed to track the Fulham scorer. The most expensive on field mistake in the club’s history and he gets a new contract. Farcical.
I think that’s harsh OLL. First off he is a RB, not LB so he was played out of position (all because Bruce didn’t trust the LB he bought (Taylor) and also got rid of Amavi).
Secondly, Sessegnon had all the time in the world to pick the pass for Cairney as we weren’t mobile enough in front of the back 4.
Yes Hutton could have done better but stuff like that happens. I admire Hutton for keeping his head down and sticking with the club despite the treatment he received, and the abuse from fans. I still blame Bruce. We should never have had to get promotion through the play offs.
Could we do with a better full back? Yes of course, but we are going to be struggling with very little transfer funds. We couldn’t sell Hutton as he was out of contract, and he costs nothing to recruit, and is presumably on a wage now that we would have to pay anyone else capable of doing the job. It makes perfect sense but it means we are sticking with Bruce. I’m far less comfortable with that.
Add to that DS – Hourihane should have picked up the run of Cairney and tracked back. As you say it was a critical defensive lapse with a number of defenders caught ball watching – not just down to Hutton.
Great News in my eyes. Yes he has his positional problems and lacks a bit of pace but he deserves this for his attitude and commitment to the club and he always wears his heart on his sleeve. I have seen him make some great tackles where by the opposition player has coughed up his cartridge, just ask Shane Long for the Baggies a few years ago.
He could have gone to Forest and not up rooted his family, so I say fair play to AH. He got dogs abuse some years ago and most players would never have won over the fans like he has done. I think he will be used sparingly and they may bring Bree and another player from the U23’S through with AH as back up.
It does seem to some this is not a good move for the future which I agree with, but it is a one year contract and who knows it not going to cost an absolute fortune.
UTV
Nobody more than me picked on Hutton by being out of his position, but when he was moved to fill in the leftback, he shined, Rocky got it right in saying he has his heart on his sleeve, if one or two of our midfield players had his aggression we would have had a few more points, OLL is correct the time it was needed to track back he made that mistake. You have to ask yourself why, he’s a player that like to move forward and get involved. That’s not a bad policymaking thing to have in a player into days game.I like Hutton but has to understand if you lose the ball defend.
the goal fulham scored was not just hutton fault as others already stated. dsvilla has pinpointed the most important point. villa had no closing down just in front of defence. lack of mobility down our spine was evident all season. but in the final game. we got undone by this and credit fulham manager, he spotted this weakness and exploited it. slow backline and time to slot a nice ball between the centres and fullback. i was amazed we never got found out more during the league campaign by this
i don’t want villa to sell grealish or chester. but somebody has to be sold to pay for our failures. today it was reported 50 million needs to be found. some players will have to be sold but which. if badger says grealish will stay. great,,,,, but who does he reckon will go, to cover the 50 million or whatever the real figure may be.
bruce would not have agreed to stay, if they told him he had to sell all his better players. so i am confused. i looked through all the squad and i can see only two players, which would can be sold for more than 10 million. we might get a windfall if traore is sold at boro
Dear o dear,
Aston Villa have been linked with a remarkable swoop for Stephen Ireland – a player they sold four years ago.
Midfielder Ireland, 31, has been released by Stoke City along with fellow experienced head Glen Johnson and is now a free agent looking for his next club.
Having signed initially for the Potters on loan from Villa back in 2013, he reunited with his former boss Mark Hughes – the pair worked together at Manchester City previously and their partnership was a fruitful one.
Stoke decided to make the loan move a permanent one, but the last couple of years have been particularly frustrating for him.
He’s played only five matches in the last two years because of successive injuries and worked once more under Paul Lambert at the end of last season – the man who famously bombed him out of Villa in the first place.
The Irishman, who also had a very short loan spell at Newcastle during his time at B6, is attracting interest from a number of Championship clubs, including Reading and Bolton Wanderers, according to reports.
Villa are expected to have to sell players in order to comply with Financial Fair Play, and so potential incoming signings this summer will likely be more loan deals and viable free agents.
They’ve also been linked with moves for Robert Huth and Moses Odubajo recently.
Stephen Ireland (R) of Stoke City tackles Craig Dawson of West Bromwich Albion
Bill I just think it is lazy journalism with all these players we are supposedly linked toO as until we get some sort off assurances from Xia on the current financial situation we have not got a pot to piss in, He is currently too quiet for nothing to be said about our plight and until he confirms who the manager is how do we know he will want these players.
Ireland would be a step back in my eyes as he is only just coming back from a serious leg break, so unless Stoke are looking at him as part of the deal for Chester who has been linked to Stoke. We are only just over 3 weeks away from pre season so I am sure Bruce will be aware by now should he have a job or not. Personally it sounds that he is prepared to carry on but when he does know what he will have to work with I think he could walk. Fans say Dean Smith but for me the Villa job may be too big for him at this time. It may not be everyone’s choice but given the options I think SB will start the season.
Jesus, Ronaldo’s free kick for his third, just then.
Wow.
Words fail me.
Incredible. It’s so great to watch brilliant football when you aren’t stressed about the result.
The quality in that game was out of this world Badger. Just reminds me being a Villa fan we are a million miles away from attracting players like those again.
that was best game i have seen in ages. two sides with different styles. but both matched each other, spain were brilliant moving the ball around, just as they always do. but portugal showed how to defend the movement with a brilliantly well marshalled midfield all mobile, every player worked hard without the ball. they also carried a massive danger on the break.
i totally enjoyed the game. goals were the icing on the cake.
Bill,
We will 100% NOT be signing Stephen Ireland.
Come on, why would we?
That’s a joke.
Nath,
Who will go?
Good question.
I don’t profess to have a crystal ball, but as I’ve said, if we have to reclaim £50 mill, there is no way on earth we would retain Hutton, even at £10k a week.
Think about it; it would just be impossible.
Let’s break things down;
We have to reclaim £50 mill.
Isn’t this over 3 years?
I’m not sure, but if so, that’s £17ish mill a year.
Or £340k a week.
That’s ten players on an average of £34k a week.
Or basically, the best part of the whole first team.
And we’ve just retained Hutton?
Really?
I call Bullshit.
If I’m wrong, I’d expect the club to be wound up in the next few weeks.
And if this £50 mill needs to be found straightaway, well, I’m afraid that anyone who has bought a season ticket has just lost their money., simple.
IT WILL NOT HAPPEN!
Badger, I totally agree with your sentiments if not completely with your reasoning. Isn’t this the Telegraph trying to rework their own story but with more hype? Cheap way to fill column inches by adding a hysterical headline?
FFP isn’t the real issue here but, from what little we truly know, cash flow is and that’s currently a serious problem for Villa.
hmmmmm i would have to disagree, its not just paper talk which is bulshit i know. their is real facts out there. a website floating around gives you hard truths about villa over spending. the address i forgot. its was touted on the youtube villaview blog.
we owe 11 million outstanding on transfers from years gone by, that has to be paid end of this month. plus the loss of 30 million tv, also small thing like wages outlay, still exceeding our income by massive margins.
the only real debate is how much is actually the figure we need to recoup, as for players it has to be chester and grealish going unless overnight our less fancied players become desirable. they both can clear the amounts owed to buy time.
the club needed to show outsiders we are not gonna have our pants pulled down over selling prices, but we will sell anybody that will command a decent price for that individual. until we lower wages and find the amount which prevents us being punished, for breaking rules that all championship clubs abide by.
if we break the ffp rules we will be punished. that punishment might be losing our promotion if we actually achieved it