I’m keeping it short, as I’m still on my phone.
First, thoughts on the “no bank loan’ statement.
I think this is strictly speaking, a true statement.
While it’s true that we’ve taken money from Macquarie, I think it’s more of a forward sell, as opposed to a typical bank loan. The difference is subtle, but I believe it’s there.
Next is the statement that Xia has converted his loans to equity.
I don’t understand this one.
Yes, we’ve see a share allotment, but there’s been no value attached to them. It’s purely to improve the balance sheet, to suit FFP requirements,imo, which is good.
So if we’ve taken £40 odd million off the books, how much FFP trouble are we still in?
This is not made clear at all and it troubles me.
Do we really still need to sell Grealish?
I’m now not convinced, although it seems to me the Birmingham Mail are more than telling us that he actually wants to go, which is disappointing.
My stance would be that he’s going nowhere unless we get the right price.
There’s no doubt, we have to cut costs though.
Another one I have doubts about is the fact that any other shareholding won’t make a difference to FFP.
As has been explained, new owners would be given another chance to improve things.
The big impression I get is that the club isn’t in as bad a state as was implied by the media.
Or at least it’s not going bust.
But we are of course being set up for a period of severe austerity, which means playing more kids.
Given that we can expect no more than mid table at best, imo, I wonder if Bruce is now the right manager for us?
I predict that if we’re struggling, his contract will be allowed to expire.
Good luck England!
i believe young was targeted in the second half both wing back were. croatia tried to make the wing backs play as fullbacks, so our 352 became 532. then we got overrun in the midfield and the rest was history.
i agree with mr pearson we lacked a ball carrier. a player like grealish would have brought what england was lacking, but for all our passing of the ball,our movement, all our pace throughout the team, we lacked the cutting edge and direct running which scares the shit out of defenders and draws defenders around him making more space for others.
i don’t think we score or created that manyy from open play. i was very surprised we caused some much danger from our set pieces. was refreshing to have a englishman be the manager of the national team and one who carried himself in such a nice mannered way.
we did more things right than wrong and i was pleased with what they showed us. we need to keep the style but introduce some more running from deep with the ball, like the good old days england was a wash with wingers that beat players with ball skills, every team had two wingers skilful and exciting to watch. grealish certainly has that special skills and its worth more than 15 mill spuds. ali never dribbled anyway or passed to create any goal chances i think he scored one goal but he was invisible.
ali in your team or grealish
You seen what I seen Nath, it stuck out a mile, they played on Young and cross balls to open up our defence, if we had had a midfield player like Modric we would have control the game, you only have to look at the second half they controlled the game.that’s why Southgate slipped up he look as if he knew but he didn’t change the game. They was allacking our two backs.
Or he didn’t have a player at his disposal that could solve the problem?
Attacking
Young was awful from the start. Strangely, Croatia swapped the guy who was up against him (Rebic??) to the other wing in the second half. He was a dirty player as well, and made at least 3 bookable tackles before finally getting a yellow for a foul on Walker.
Midfield was lightweight with only Henderson in a disciplined role. Croatia dominated that area in the second half. We could have done with Loftus-Cheek being brought on in the centre of midfield to help make life more difficult for Modric (class act) as he had too much time on the ball.
We looked to play long from the start and got results in the first half hour, but once Croatia sussed that out we had nothing different to offer.
Two defensive lapses but two good finishes from their players.
Alli was useless. Grealish would have given so much more.
Nice to have a distraction for a while from Villa problems though.
Another off topic rant.
FIFA fine us £50k for wearing the wrong socks – I encountered these ridiculous restructions on non approved advertising at the cricket World Cup in Barbados where fans were screened for non approved logos on shirts / hats etc. The level of stupidity was unbelievable – money and snouts in the trough.
Now it appears the FA are under investigation over chants of ‘no surrender’ by the fans. Whilst I don’t condone outright racism this extreme politically correct approach is beginning to sound rather like dictatorship. On the other hand perhaps I’m just an old bloke out of my time?
Perhaps these authorities would be better served first sorting out the problems we have all seen on the pitch like outright and blatant cheating by players.
I must say Hitch that if you’re Irish the chant ‘No surrender’ has a very dark and troubling history. It’s of course the motto of Ulster Unionists some of which are very right wing indeed and quite beloved by neo-Nazis..
I’m wondering what they meant when they chanted it and why they couldn’t have chanted something else?
I didn’t know that Pat and apologise if my comment was out of order. I don’t know how many fans were involved but if it was large numbers then possibly there were as many as ignorant as me.
My opinion, Hitch, is that “No surrender” is a very strong song from UK loyalists against the IRA.
It’s pretty profound, politically, regardless of any views any of us might have.
Possibly Rangers fans, who align with England fans at times.
Whatever, any mention of it again will we struck out.
Not a bollocking, it’s just that we don’t want to be siding, mate.
Already apologised Badger – my ignorance I’m afraid
What this VILLA sign a winger Tyreik Wright, never heard of him but highly thought of by clubs. He’s Irish I believe.
Only 16 so can’t sign a pro contract for another year. One for the future possibly.
Jedinak, even with all his injury issues and age, would be a big loss for next season – especially with the back line so thin.
Originally I was hoping the club would keep the following spine in the team for this season – Chester, Jedinak, Hourihane, Kodjia
But if Jedinak goes (and lets say Kodjia goes) I would hope the club could at least hold on to Bjarnasson – Chester, Bjarnasson, Hourihane, Davis
I suspect you’ve been reading the “Jedinak leaving” links, Marvin.
Now tell me which “non top six Europe league” that’s not America, club is going to pay his wages?
Total and utter bollocks.
That said, as much as I like him, I’d sell him at the drop of a hat to save his wages.
In the same vein, Bjarnason would be gone too.
The wages are too high, as much as it would be a loss to the side.
Tis true! The report I read was a bit like a “come get me” piece, but nevertheless I wouldn’t blame Jedinak, or Bjarnasson, if he told his agent to see what interest he could get. Overall though I think the club needs to have at least one of the two players to cover that back line. Given the money restrictions no way can Bruce replace either.
Ultimately I would curious to know what others think the spine of the team should be next season, given the players who should be staying.
I would like Bjarnasson to stay but I think after World Cup he will be gone soon. In reality we are stuck with Whelan as no one will be coming in for him. I hope Chester stays but again if a premier league club comes knocking then he will be gone too. So with luck our team could be Steer Bree Hutton Chester Elphick Lansbury Whelan Hourihane Green Hepburn Murphy Hogan. I think Adomah would feature if he stays but like Grealish, Kodja, Jedinak and Bjarnasson it looks like he will be gone before season starts. We also need Doyle Hayes and O’Hare pushing for starts although Bruce will probably bring on another clubs youngsters at their expense by way of loans, which is my biggest gripe about him.
Latest story to emerge is that Milan Mandaric wants to buy AV and has an offer refused. He was involved at Leicester, Portsmouth and Wednesday when they were in a similar mess to us and, according to reports, put them all on a sound financial footing. He’s reckoned to be very experienced and is quoted as saying ‘the real owner of a football club is the fans’ but has clashed with managers as he likes to build sustainable models based on youth.
No idea what to make of this?
One more thing he doesn’t see his ownership as long term but aims to leave the club debt free and financially sound.
Goal Hourhane.