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Jimzk5  |
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Post subject: JPA - villa hero or villa flop?
 Posted: Apr 11, 2007 - 02:13 AM
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Star Player
Joined: May 02, 2005
Posts: 6749
Location: Cradley heath
Status: Offline
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it seems like only yesterday that John Gregory paid £9.5million on the striker who was unkown outside of south american football, indeed it was probably the longest transfer in history, the deal was on, then it was off after the news that his agent owned part of his contract, which under uefa laws is illegal. it looked like the deal was off until his then club, river plate brought his contract and allowed the deal to go through.
JPA arrived at VP on January 13 2001, spoke little to no english and was immiedietly thrown into turmoil when his new born child (whom he named hugo) became ill, the club was not very sympathetic toward Juan and not long after the manager who signed him resigned, to be replaced by Graham Taylor.
under Taylor JPA was told he had little to no future at the club and he became resigned to leaving, a swap deal with real betis was on the cards (Joey Gudjohnson coming the other way) but Taylor also resigned, giving JPA a second (or third) chance at VP.
David O`Leary was put in charge and immiedietly gave Juan a chance, putting him in the starting line up at the start of the 03/04 season, then the player who had cost so much come to light, scoring 21 goals including this goal against chelsea in the carling cup. JPA signed a new 4 year, 40k a week contract in 2004.
in an interview with ITVs "on the ball" programme, Juan revealed why he grew his hair, and why he kisses his wedding ring everytime he scores. (taken from on the ball)
"i couldnt speak a word of english, so i couldnt go to a hair dressers, i didnt know what to tell them i wanted, so i just let it grow"
"when i was at river plate i wanted to get married, i asked the manager for a day off training and he refused, but i didnt go to training that day anyway, and since then ive dedicated every goal to my wife"
things started to go downhill for JPA during pre season 2004/5, he went into hospitle to have surgery on his knee, while there he contracted an infection and was admitted back to hospitle.
he was a reletive success in 04/05, until the game against fulham, villa won a penalty and Juan stepped up but missed, minutes later villa won another penalty, and despite David O`Leary telling JPA not to take the pen he stepped up and missed again, villa drew the game, a game that we would have won had he not missed 2 pens.
David O`Leary was sacked and O`Niell was brought in, and again he had another chance, scoring a pen on the first home game of the season against reading, goals against newcastle, blackburn and portsmouth were ruined when he failed to score another penalty in the game against spurs, and just minutes later he scored an own goal. since then he has vanished off the radar, failing to make the 16 in the last 7 games, it seems JPAs days are numbered at Villa.
for me JPA is a villa hero, for all the villa fans who moan at him, this is a man who joined villa under the belief that we could contend for honours, only to find that we were a club in turmoil, he never moaned, he never bad mouthed the club in the press and he always tried his hardest whenever pulling on the claret and blue.
if this is to be Juans last season at villa, i wish him all the best for the future, and hope he gets success somewhere else, cus he deserves it. |
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rjw63  |
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Post subject: RE: JPA - villa hero or villa flop?
Posted: Apr 11, 2007 - 02:19 AM
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Monk de Wally de Honk
Joined: Jan 09, 2007
Posts: 30506
Location: At The Cider Farm Drinking AmberJack
Supported VT in 2010
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Can of worms about to be opened, eh???
IMO, Angel was a hero for Villa. Talented player. Great person. |
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Minister Of Sillyness
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brummybloke |
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Post subject: RE: JPA - villa hero or villa flop?
Posted: Apr 11, 2007 - 02:32 AM
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International
Joined: Mar 04, 2004
Posts: 3553
Status: Offline
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Jimzk5 |
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Post subject: Re: RE: JPA - villa hero or villa flop?
Posted: Apr 11, 2007 - 02:34 AM
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Star Player
Joined: May 02, 2005
Posts: 6749
Location: Cradley heath
Status: Offline
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brummybloke wrote:
thought angel named his child geronimo or something?
he has 2 i think, one called hugo the other geronimo. |
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from the faraway stables
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BangkokVilla |
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: JPA - villa hero or villa flop?
Posted: Apr 11, 2007 - 02:39 AM
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Reserve Team
Joined: Aug 17, 2005
Posts: 563
Location: Bangkok
Status: Offline
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In response to the thread title, I'd imagine somewhere between the two. He has enjoyed periods of success and also tougher times, especially over the past couple of years.
Undoubtedly a gentleman though, and a good representative for the club. |
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jasthevillan |
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 11, 2007 - 02:42 AM
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Red Card
Joined: May 03, 2005
Posts: 5392
Location: Bodymoor Heath. I'm the new right back!
Status: Offline
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I thought the oldest was Geronimo and the newest addition was Thomas.
As much as he is a nice guy, for that money I expected better, a flop for me over the duration of his stay. I will never forget two missed pens at Fulham! |
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''Trying to restore it to its days of former glory seems a long way away - but why not try? It is nearly 25 years since they won the European Cup but that is the dream." MO'N on AV, 4/8/06
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TheSufferingVilla |
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Posted: Apr 11, 2007 - 03:37 AM
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Player Manager
Joined: Jun 16, 2005
Posts: 7562
Location: Irishman in New York
Status: Offline
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 11, 2007 - 03:49 AM
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Red Card
Joined: Dec 17, 2003
Posts: 17234
Location: .. Edit, not worth it :D
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| Hero and a great player, shame there were no other great players at the club at his peak!! |
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Aston John Rogers
DOB. 11/12/07
Weight. 6pounds 10ounces
Length. 50cm
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nick76  |
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 11, 2007 - 03:52 AM
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First Team
Joined: May 16, 2005
Posts: 1328
Location: Brum born, now in Sydney!!!!!
Status: Offline
Supported VT in 2008
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| For me, JPA will be forever a hero |
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ThunderPower_14 |
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 11, 2007 - 04:13 AM
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First Team
Joined: Aug 16, 2006
Posts: 2156
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Status: Offline
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Hero for Villa.
We never quite had the team to make best use of his talent. If he was 24 now and we signed him in the summer, he could have been that 20 goal a season striker every team is looking for. |
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Oaks |
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 11, 2007 - 05:04 AM
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Star Player
Joined: Jan 27, 2004
Posts: 7483
Location: Landen
Status: Offline
Supported VT in 2010
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| Somewhere in between for me. The 2 seasons at his best he was wonderful to watch, but never lived up to the massive price tag. I like him alot, but would never class him as a Villa Hero. |
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Just When I Thought I Was Out, They Pull Me Back In.
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CBGB |
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Posted: Apr 11, 2007 - 06:30 AM
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First Team
Joined: Jan 27, 2004
Posts: 1225
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I love the bloke, but JPA has always been more of a symbol than a hero. When we bought him, it felt like the one time Ellis relented to fan pressure, was forced to get his cheque book out and show some genuine ambition. He cost 9.5 million -alot, but at a time when everyone cost alot (not just John Gregory's signings).
The other thing is his good patches have always come when Villa were doing well - even including earlier this season - so there is this added euphoria surrounding him.
To be honest, against Wigan on Monday I would rather have seen him come off the bench than either Ashley Young or Luke Moore. To have had that bit of experience and nous up front would have been telling IMO. As it was, it was all youthful headless chicken stuff.
But clearly he's not in this manager's plans so that's that... |
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"Aston Villa a beautiful club is."
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Posted: Apr 11, 2007 - 07:46 AM
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International
Joined: Aug 01, 2005
Posts: 4616
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| Not quite a hero, but a cultured player, the type I'm more than happy to pay to watch. MON has pushed him aside too soon IMHO, shame on him. Ahh well we shall look to the bright new future, I for one and hope we get a few more cultured players in in the coming years, we win a few trophies and create a few real Villa heroes. |
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Jol or Sven.
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thetrees |
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 11, 2007 - 07:50 AM
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Plane Spotter
Joined: Jul 24, 2006
Posts: 3717
Location: BHX
Status: Offline
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I've gone for hero.
The guy has only ever conducted himself with honour, particularly taking into account the difficulty that he suffered when he first arrived.
If we look back in history, the signing was a reaction to supporter unrest at the time (probably why the price was too much). The Man City game at VP, when the police stopped the stewards from removing the 'Ellis Out' banner was the first time that I felt we were finally getting to Ellis, and that his days were effectively numbered. It took a few more years, but for me Angel will always be a symbol of the revolution! |
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'It was an average football game' - Arsene Wenger 26/12/08
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theboyangel |
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 11, 2007 - 08:38 AM
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Star Player
Joined: Dec 15, 2003
Posts: 5753
Location: Sunny Ivybridge
Status: Offline
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Villa hero IMO.
He's always given 100% and is one of most skillful players. He's scored some stunning goals and genuinely looks proud to wear the Villa kit.
Because of his pricetag I feel that a lot of fans expected more from him..... I don't care how much he cost, he has a great touch, great heading ability and deft finsihing - if only we could've strengthened the team around him whilst he was at his peak, maybe then everyone would have seen the best of JPA. |
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limpid
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