R.Bear

The danger is now whether N'Zogbia would even consider Villa a step up from Wigan...

No, it isn't. So what do we do? Say to Downing "you're not going anywhere". He bitches and moans. We go through the same thing in January, then again next summer when he leaves for a fraction of the fee. He's left because as a club we are going absolutely nowhere and he's right. He's just had his best season in the Premier League, why would he want to spend the next couple of years scrapping for 12th position for half the money he's probably getting at Liverpool?

Look, when a player wants to leave the club, that's all that matters. The rest is just paperwork, PR, spin and bollocks. As much as I hate the clearing in the woods right now, the more important thing to consider is why our best players want to leave. The answers are obvious and are hard to take but that's football. One thing though, has Ash signed a new contract and stayed, there is no way Downing would have said a word.

A penny for Darren's thoughts right now He's probably scouring Birmingham looking for a DeLorean to travel back to January... :shock:

Do you know what the worst thing is about this? What players of any glass would want to come anywhere near Villa Park right now? We are an utter joke.

Only in a BUSINESS sense was it a good thing. Of course for the squad it isnt. I'm saying we didnt get fleeced by these players leaving. They didnt leave on frees like many stars have done at other clubs. When a player wants out then all you can do as a club is get the most money you can for him. We have done that three times with these players.

So "we wont accept anything less than 20m" then? Tbf it's a great price for a player of his ability. Milner - Bought for 12m, sold for 26m Young - Bought for 9.65m, sold for 18m Downing - Bought for 12m, sold for 18.5m Not bad business really, all things considered. of course its bad business. because we havent replaced any of them with better players and have thus gone backwards in what world could that be considered good business ? not that we've agreed to sell Downing for 18.5m of course It's good in a purely business sense. Three players wanted to go, and we got good prices for them. Never forget that people laughed at the time for the fees we paid for all three.

So "we wont accept anything less than 20m" then? Tbf it's a great price for a player of his ability. Milner - Bought for 12m, sold for 26m Young - Bought for 9.65m, sold for 18m Downing - Bought for 12m, sold for 18.5m Not bad business really, all things considered.

Because our manager is Alex McLeish and not Craig David.

It really is a sad indictment of how far we have fallen in 12 months that we cant even keep hold of Stewart Downing...

So nothing like the last 20 years then

So it looks like this one is as good as done. About goddamn time.

I think Weimann may have a lot more first team football this season, could be a useful squad player.

I hope he goes now. He wants out so I dont want him here. It's like finding out your missus cheated on you, she admits it but you keep her anyway. You may still be together but its never the same after that point.

I have to be honest, I'm amazed that clubs bigger than us arent making a concerted effort to sign N'Zogbia.

Of all the big names that have left us in the past, Yorke, Ehiogu, Southgate, Barry, Milner, Young etc. I can safetly say that I resent this piece of shit more than any of them just for the timing of it and the way he has manufactured this move. Dirty, coniving little scrote.

Dont ask me why but I'm starting to believe this waste of space may have a part to play next season. *Doesnt use use "like a new signing" cliche*

This has gone all too quiet. He should be our absolute number one priority this summer.

Same old shite. If he wants to leave then so be it. Yes it sucks, yes he's a prick, yes he's selfish but he's no use to us if he wants out. This summer gets better and better.

No way in a billion years will we pay him 80k/week. I would prefer him over Foster though 100%.

Has a relegated manager ever walked into a more prestigious job before? A manager who wins a club its first trophy for 40 years takes charge of its biggest rivals within 3 months who is pretty much hated by both sets of fans. You could not make it up.

We haven't ever been IN with a shout of the top four. Why do people keep saying this. We should be happy to be in the top 6 (or 7 now really) and that's that. We wont finish any higher, its impossible on the budget we have. Plain and simple. Forget Champions League, a decent cup and a few memorable victories is all we ever hope to achieve without a sugar daddy. Have absolutely no illusions about that.

If Randy gives that idiot the job then he should go back to America and remove that tattoo. I thought this was a bad joke until I saw it on BBC. I actually cannot believe we have done this.

Meh. Until something is on the BBC homepage I dont care anymore.

If it really is true. That we only needed to provide 60m to get Benitez and didnt because of that reason then I'm really disappointed with Randy. 20m of it will come from Young.