In all the fuss about Milner these comments have been missed a little
“As the chairman mentioned, maybe it is a case of probably having to sell to buy. That is something I’m delving into at the moment,” he said.
Before people go off on one it is not a case of we HAVE to sell to buy but more a case of keeping things in balance. That may sound contradictary to many of you and indeed on the surface they look clear.
However the facts are that with the wage bill we have to clear space to bring people in and if we want to bring 4/5 players in the unlimitless pot that Randy had is not there any more.
So yes if we hung onto Milner we could still buy but the options would be reduced both in fees and wages and therefore like Tottenham did with Berbatov, Carrick and Keane when the bids are so big that sometimes you have to accept them and use the money.
Besides that it can be used as a way of keeping prices down, if other teams thought we had Milner’s money plus loads more what do you think would happen ?
Also MON commented on McGeady
“Aiden McGeady, I think he has got the ability to be able to play in the Premiership – without question. I had him when he was a kid at Celtic. I played him without worrying too much about his youth at the time. He played against AC Milan one night at Celtic Park in the Champions League and he was absolutely fantastic.”
Well without saying he is Villa bound this is as good as that. Please look at my post a few days ago for reasons why this may not be as bad a move as some of you would think.
Finally in a joking way Richard Dunne has said that the whole of the Ireland team will be at Villa.
However would anyone be really unhappy to see us use the Milner money for Ireland, Keane and McGeady ?
Aston Villa News 24/7
I wouldn’t be “unhappy.” But I would certainly prefer to have Milner than to have Ireland, Keane, or McGeady. It would make us deeper. But the addition of Keane would guarantee that we would continue playing in MON’s preferred 4-4-2 — which doesn’t suit Ireland. Indeed, a central midfield partnership of Petrov and Ireland would be literally overrun. I would much prefer Flamini over Ireland (but I doubt that rumor’s veracity).
Sounds good to me. Villa used to have a great Irish connection, Townsend, McGrath, Houghton, Staunton, etc.
I have a funny feeling (ooh Matron) that we won’t play 4-4-2 next season
No way would I be unhappy. Those 3 players are the type of players we need. Finally we can get the depth we should have had. If Milner went and those 3 players came in, we can change the formation into anything we wanted and play any style we wanted (based on who we play). Right now we’re 1 dimensional, and we hope on corners and free kicks someone can get a head on it, or we get a break away and Milner or Heskey make that great pass we know they both can t Gabby to score one and we try to hold onto that.
Am I the only person who doesn’t think Milner is amazing? Hard working, yes. Amazing, no. I thought our biggest problem last season was a lack of penetration from central midfield, relying too heavily on the wing-men.
So Ireland would be a welcome addition. A proper box-to-box attacking midfielder. Something Milner definitely is not.
So in short, show us the money!!!!!!!! (and Ireland).
The major downside is that we now percieved to be a selling club. What’s the point in signing young talent just to make a quick buck?
Anyone we sign better not be any good or they will be on their way in 12 months.
Man City sees everyone else as a selling club and in some ways them buying our players suggests to me that they see Villa as serious rivals. Although like many I would like to see Ireland as part of the deal, I just don’t think he is MON’s type of player – hope I’m wrong.