BigJim

IMHO this report is false. I believe they will talk to MON, if they havent already. PB, I always respect you r opinion because I know you are well informed and not inclined to speculate without a reasoned base. But this story rings true to me because this appears to be a "European" consortium. MON has a high profile in the UK, but apparently not in Europe. They talk about bringing in players from La Liga; sounds plausible - it has worked for other clubs anyway. If you believe that part, then MON might not be the man for the job. Of course, if you don't believe any of it, then fair enough

Don't think it's Bill's imagination this time. Seems to carry a quote from an AV06 rep - looks at least as credible as anything else I've read since this saga started, though that's not saying much I know.

icBrum today Bicks. "Villa consortium not keen on O'Neill"

Things seem to be going a bit downhill to me. 1. Neville says he doens't know if he will be able to make a bid (read he's struggling to get the cash together) 2. Ellis pisses off Randy 3. Neville says he would like to join forces with AV06 (read, he definitely can't get the cash together) 4. AV06 say they will drop out if MON is appointed I make that 3 down and Sven to go. Ellis must be laughing his socks off.

If this is true, isn't there a requirement that somebody make a public announcement? Or was the bid never announced in the first place??

there are valuations and there are dreams

I'm not knocking H&V or the poster on there who wrote that, but it seems like a statement of the bleedin' obvious. Bit harsh aren't you? Given that there has been a fair amount of scepticism about the Rothschilds appointment, with some saying on here that it might be no more than a publicity stunt, I for one was interested to see such a confirmation that the club is being offered around the globe. Whether I think anything good will come of it is another matter.

Some half doubters are now saying "give him to the end of the season" but really, what can he prove this season? If he manages a mid table finish, nobody will give him much credit unless we suddenly start playing sparkling football and banging in loads of goals. And I think we all secretly know that isn't going to happen. If we end up (nearly) relegated DOL will still have the excuse of insufficient backing and an injury hit squad. To find out for sure if he can cut it, we've got to give him at least until next Christmas. If he gets a respectable budget in the summer and we're not comfortably in the top half by then, he won't find one person on here to defend him.

Ellis really wants to sell, and if the problem is that he's asking too much for his holding, I believe he will lower his sights as time goes by and take a lower offer. He knows he's on borrowed time, and I'm sure he would prefer to oversee the change of ownership personally. He will sell before too much longer. Whether the Comers will be the buyers is anybody's guess.

Yes, but by the same poster! I still don't believe this is the case yet. Of course the players will catch the fans' mood eventually and turn on him if things get really nasty. He's still got my vote, but then I didn't see the Donny game . He CAN turn the tide, but he's left himself a tough few games to do it in.

Sorry to be awkward but I wanted Saviola when there was half a chance he would be available. But given the pain I went through when it looked like we wouldn't get anybody I'm happy with MB now.

Barry did miss one pre season. I wouldn't stick with Barry anyway because from what I've seen he always puts them in the same place. Only exceptional penalty takers can get away with this. Even if you thump them, if you always go the same way keepers will stop them. Alan Shearer's one of the best, but Tommy has stopped him twice. The best thing is to mix it, and I would expect KP to be first choice.

I don't feel it's his aerial game that is the problem. That's one area I would agree that he hasn't had the service. It's his movement that bothers me (slow reactions) and his lack of confidence in possession. He had one ball deep on the break on Sat, could have carried it 25 yards, but released it (to McCann I think, of all people) after about 5 yards, when under no pressure at all. As for him being the creative midfielder, I can't see it, whatever he may have done in S America. He hardly ever looks to play a ball forward, or do any damage with his passes. He almost always chooses the simple lay off, and frankly fcuks that up too often for my liking.

I would say JPA had better look very lively at Portsmouth if he wants to have even a chance of starting on Saturday. If they start together on Saturday and look dangerous I think Baros and Phillips will normally be first choice, but Juan will get plenty of chances when either is injured and as sub.

Isn't he a right back? If so, it seems highly unlikely as DOL has stated he wants to play Hughes on the right, and of course we've already got Delaney and UDLC.

Gone from pessimistic to suicidal after reading Juju's litany!

"He's set in his ways ..... I felt he needed a new challenge" Did it ever cross your mind to give him a new challenge? Isn't that what coaches are for? To make sure players don't go stale and are always on their toes? I have serious worries about a coaching staff who have effectively given up on not one but two England international strilkers.

People who have been concerned by how Peter C has developed since we let him go for 2mil had better get in for a big shock. I can take Baros or leave him, but if we let Darius go for 50% or less what we pay for Baros, I will sink into a very deep depression. I think it was Blandy who not long ago posted an excellent set of basic rules for running a football club, among which was something like "You don't sell your best players to your competitors" I sincerely hope someone at Villa Park applies this simple logic.

Not overly keen on Baros myself. And switching him for Vassell and losing money in the process would be sheer lunacy IMHO. But it's academic anyway. With all our near competitors in the hunt for a striker we wouldn't get a sniff. Surely this has been clear to everybody since the Beattie fiasco. Why can't we pursue a less fashionable target that we would actually stand a chance of landing?

Distin deal OFF, according to the Sun: DAVID O’LEARY has been forced to end his interest in £6million-rated Sylvain Distin. The Aston Villa boss does not want to use every remaining penny of his summer transfer budget on one player. And that means scrapping a planned move for Manchester City defender Distin.

I have never understood this connection, that if SWP is sold, it will pave the way for Distin to move on. It will provide funds to replace him, I hear. Yes, but if they receive a shed load of cash for SWP, why the hell do they need to sell Distin? I just can't see it.

Jagielka (again). The Blades just turned down 2.7m from WHam. Us and Charlton are supposedly in there. (Guardian rumours today). Never seen him play, but we still need a full back IMHO.

Bloody hell! Informed journalism at last. Watch out for the next issue chaps!

Do we really need another midfielder? At my last count we had 8 potential candidates for the first XI GM, PB, SD, NS, GB, MB, D2, LH

Malbranque is just the latest in a long line of high profile players who have allegedly turned us down. We should be looking at Europe, where perhaps the club has a better reputation. How about one of those Brazilian hotshots Olveira or Baptista? Or, perhaps more accessible, Benni McCarthy? Now Blackburn have dropped their interest we won't have to compete for his signature!