If Grealish goes, should he have our blessing?

I’ve been thinking about this one for the last couple of days, but my thoughts have been somewhat superceded by the speculation that Leicester might be willing to go to £40 miilion to get Grealish.
Not that it matters, as although Grealish’s sale would probably ease our FFP worries at a stroke, it quite simply isn’t going to happen; at least at that money.
Ok, the footballing world is totally mad, when it comes to money, but why would anyone pay anywhere near that amount?
The answer is you simply wouldn’t if you believe the stories that say we are right on our uppers and have to get the money in at any price.

I’m sure we said we were skint last season, yet we still managed to sign John Terry at around £3.6 million a season, if you believe what the Birmingham Mail says. That’s £70k a week. For a championship player!
As much as he might have improved things around the club, that’s massive money.
You can argue about if it was well spent or not, but the point is that considering we had very little to spend, we still managed to come up with a contract like that.

Shenanigans at play, to say the least.

Moving back to the important point, when we were talking about Grealish being looked at, at around the £20 mill mark, it seemed to me, that it was a Birmingham Mail led thing, that was suggesting that we should sell him because we’d be holding him back wrt his aims of playing for England and he’s simply too good for the Championship?

But as much as I like Jack as one of our own, so I also have to ask why we’d let him go so easily?

The simple answer is I wouldn’t.

Let’s look at the facts.
Ok, Jack had a great Semi-final game against Liverpool, but what else had he done before and up to christmas just gone?
Yes, he’s been a revelation in the second half of this season and has looked our only threat at times.

But is half a season enough for us to say he’s served the club brilliantly, as is being made out?
I believe Jack’s agent is his dad, isn’t he?
Maybe that’s why the Mail are suggesting he should leave, because there are things being whispered in ears?
Surely not.

But I’m not wearing it, by a long chalk.

I’d say it’s the total opposite and Jack owes us big time, for bringing him though.
It wasn’t so long ago that I was slating Jack as a bit-part player, because of his lack of effort, after all.

The way things are being portrayed, Jack’s time is running out if he wants to make the England squad and he’ll never do it in the championship.
I say Bullshit!
If he consistently plays well enough, he’ll be picked, because he’ll be be promoted with us or bought by a Prem club further down the line.

But do you know what the annoying part is?
He’s only 22.
If he was 28-30, I could understand the concern.

Of course, if it’s really true that we have no choice but to sell him, that’s a different thing.
He gets a fat contract, we get good money and it’s all good.

Except we’ve just lost every sign that we’re aiming upwards.

If we let Grealish go, I’ll know that Xia has given up and wants out.

Hence Grealish will stay, in my opinion.

78 Comments

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  1. Ardent Villain
    Ardent Villain June 5, 2018 at 8:31 pm . Reply

    As H60 pointed out earlier, in any normal business it would be the Finance Director who’d get the bullet for missing a tax-payment deadline, so the few details we have so far don’t really add-up for me.

    1. Hitchens 60
      Hitchens 60 June 5, 2018 at 9:01 pm . Reply

      Ardent – looks like the media have pit 2 and 2 together to make 5. We agree it would be highly unusual for a CEO to be suspended for a missed tax payment.

      I wonder if Xia / Wyness have had a major bust up over the state of the club and its got out of hand.

      All round on the face of it, it’s very bad news. It will be interesting (or should that be frightening) to see if Board (or manager ?) resignations follow

      1. Ardent Villain
        Ardent Villain June 5, 2018 at 10:08 pm . Reply

        There are just too-few ‘facts’ so far on which to base any speculation, but history suggests that senior execs of any sort being ‘suspended’ rarely go back to their desks, so whatever the cause I’d imagine that Wyness is out of the door.
        Question remains whether this is about finance, the future of the manager, or something ‘just’ to do with “HR-type” disciplinary matters only involving him directly?

        1. Hitchens60
          Hitchens60 June 6, 2018 at 7:20 am . Reply

          You’re right Ardent. The other question is – was this a Board decision or did the Chairman act unilaterally. Normally it would be the former and relate to misconduct or serious failures in performance of some kind requiring further investigation.

  2. badger123
    badger123 June 5, 2018 at 10:40 pm . Reply

    Wow, this tax thing is the first I’ve heard about it.

    A missed tax payment isn’t the end of the world and is no reason to suspend Wyness.
    This is either 100% about a lack of money or a major disagreement on which way the club has gone/should go.
    Either would result in Wyness’ immediate resignation (sacking), I’d have thought.

    I’m confused.

  3. Bum Bum
    Bum Bum June 5, 2018 at 10:47 pm . Reply

    If it is because of the ‘Disability’ tweet, then that’s understandable, especially in this hyper PC climate.

    1. Ardent Villain
      Ardent Villain June 5, 2018 at 11:15 pm . Reply

      That was 12 months ago, wasn’t it?

      1. Bum Bum
        Bum Bum June 6, 2018 at 10:13 am . Reply

        I thought it was during the play off final. That’s what I read. There’s no way this would be over a missed tax payment…HMRC don’t give a shit about this sort of thing if yr a big organisation. Only if you’re an individual submitting the annual SA return….

  4. nath
    nath June 6, 2018 at 6:35 am . Reply

    is there a media hunt for our great club. or are we being run by a bunch of imbeciles, we are being turned from a once great club into a soap opera. i just wonder what next will be dished up in next episode at villa street

  5. Villain1
    Villain1 June 6, 2018 at 8:28 am . Reply

    The one thing we know for sure is that there is a very serious cash flow problem – too many good sources have confirmed this and this known to be a direct result of increased and stringent regulation around Chinese overseas investment. Both Milan clubs have similar issues with their ownership albeit on a far lesser scale
    The only way out now is the sale of the club by Dr Tony – which needs to happen asap IMO. This will not solve our FFP issues but it will improve our liquidity.
    Without a sale we cannot cover our costs and that means a) a firesale (likely to happen because of FFP anyway) b) administration and a points deduction. We need a buyer and fast – otherwise I don’t see anything other than a very miserable 12 months ahead. Forget the discussions around Bruce, Grealish etc, they are all gone. We will be starting again either way

  6. Adam
    Adam June 6, 2018 at 9:31 am . Reply

    This is all very worrying. We are quickly becoming a laughing stock in English football and ive not seen or heard anything from Xia which gives me the confidence he has the money or brains to save our club from a sobering fall from grace. Whats next? Likely a mass exodus, players being sold less than their value to make a quick buck. Probably more fall out at the top Bruce will then walk and Xia will spend the next two years cutting back whilst searching for a buyer?…This feels like deja vu!!

  7. Hitchens60
    Hitchens60 June 6, 2018 at 10:35 am . Reply

    Suggest you all read the following.

    As suspected the restrictions in China and our failure to achieve promotion means Xia has to sell.

    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/american-peter-b-freund-lines-up-75m-bid-to-buy-aston-villa-2wpdkfwzd?shareToken=a080596968d54d34f2579fac10cb2d0b

  8. Rocky1
    Rocky1 June 6, 2018 at 3:37 pm . Reply

    Hitch Interesting reading but this all points to an issue with cash flow and the lack of funds coming in. Reading a lot of the posts and press statements I think Wyness has stood his ground for the good of the club and this is why he has been suspended. I doubt it has anything to do with gross misconduct or the Tax
    bill as he would have gone straight away. Xia has obviously suspending him to give him time to justify the reason which is common practice. He could well end up paying him off?
    I think in all of this Xia needs to come out and explain the situation as the media merry go round will only increase and the long term damage this will do is irreparable.
    We all know that promotion was key to the financial side of the club, but then to be in this position 10 days after the final is inexcusable from the hierarchy.
    If this means he has to sell at a loss to save his so called beloved Villa then so be it, as we do not need this shit.
    What really hurts is the comments made by other supporters that have no interest in Villa that really does put in to reality and how low we have come and we are now perceived.
    I for one never though that a return to the PL was a good thing so soon,. so I blame the Chairman for expecting this knowing that it was always going to be a 50 – 50 roll of the dice in the final especially knowing how inconsistent we have been throughout the season, and then going in to the final on the back of some average performances. It will be a difficult summer but unless we have some sort of explanation very soon then it make the situation even worse.
    UTV
    We will still be there when they have all gone so FFS sort it Xia.

  9. Saddened
    Saddened June 6, 2018 at 4:42 pm . Reply

    From various reports Wyness was trying to personally chase debt just to pay staff on payday, I personally think this situation is far worse than any of could have comprehended.
    We cannot afford to function as a club without Xia’s monthly contribution and he cant get that money to us any longer – unless Xia sells there is no other alternative but administration or worse !!! And who is going to buy is in this state.

    Very,very frightening times to be a Villan !!

  10. Hitchens 60
    Hitchens 60 June 6, 2018 at 5:47 pm . Reply

    And this is the stupidity of FFP rules exposed. The most damaging aspect of any business that puts it into financial difficulties is cash flow. Of course unfinanced losses have the same effect. Villa’s main issue is the lack of funds available from it’s owner due to financial restrictions in China.

    Interesting that the report refers to additional investors so Xia may want to dilute his 100% ownership rather than sell outright.

    Of course we are all speculating right now.

  11. Bill Pearson
    Bill Pearson June 6, 2018 at 5:50 pm . Reply

    That’s right saddened, he’s just got back 4.5 million from Burnley, they now selling ground by Villa park estimated at 5 million. , Villa are pulling in what’s owed. Sad state of affairs this.

    1. Bill Pearson
      Bill Pearson June 6, 2018 at 6:11 pm . Reply

      Aston Villa will not be going into administration and are confident of solving their cash-flow crisis, sources have told BirminghamLive.

      Owner Dr Tony Xia has today received positive news that a £2million loan has been approved so the outstanding tax bill will soon be cleared.

      It’s understood that Xia is doing everything possible to keep hold of the club he purchased in 2016 having invested over £150m.

      Several leading football finance experts have backed up claims from sources close to the club who are adamant Villa’s current crisis will not see them file for administration.

  12. Originallondonlion
    Originallondonlion June 6, 2018 at 6:30 pm . Reply

    The last 6 posts sum it up. Shooting the messenger because you don’t like the message was a mistake by Xia. It moved the story from the back page to the front page. My guess is he has no option but to sell.

    My business has a lot of connections with China and the story about the money restrictions was telegraphed to those in the know several months in advance. The seller of one huge Indonesian company told me the Chinese buyers weren’t bothered about the price, just the speed with which the deal could be done.

    I think the word went round China amongst those sitting on piles of cash they could not have honestly acquired. ‘Get the money out of the country before you are investigated and you can keep it, but if it is still in China at your bank or under your mattress it will be confiscated and you will go to jail.’ The rush was on to buy any overseas asset that would be easy to resell. Once the curtain came down, even funding a previously-bought asset was unlikely to be permitted.

    The money invested in Villa is now clean cash and legitimately external if the FC is sold. It could belong to several people for whom Xia is the front man – hence the delays between steps while several people have their say.

    1. Ardent Villain
      Ardent Villain June 6, 2018 at 9:08 pm . Reply

      Very interesting post OLL.

      Xia needs to start making clear statements again – and soon.

    2. DSVilla
      DSVilla June 6, 2018 at 9:30 pm . Reply

      At the time Xia bought Villa I raised my concerns on here. The excitement of getting rid of lerner coloured a lot of opinions. The reality is, we would not be in this financial position under Lerner. We would have been struggling on the pitch. Not sure what is worse. Actually I am. We don’t need the financial mess we are in.

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