joeszwab

Come on Villa fans...for godsake....Lets not look at the negatives. I don't know, people complain, complain, complain that we havent signed anyone. They complain we are getting rid of our better players too easily because we are not providing them with longer contracts......Then suddenly, a signing which we were all expecting, finally happens, and what do you know; there is something to be annoyed or moan about. We have just signed in my opinion arguably on the best keepers in the Premiership, if not europe and we are finding ways to knit-pick something that doesn't sit quite well with us. Can't we just be happy we have signed a very hungry, profressional keeper who offers a great presence and is someone who is going to be a fantastic ambassador for our great club. He has taken a wage-cut so the contract was always going to be longer. I was expecting 4 years, but I am more than happy with 5. Contrary to what people think, he is not a keeper that is injury prone, and also goalkeepers can go on until their 40's now....just ask Brad Friedel who is still going...Or Van der Sar who has just retired at the age of 40. Lets just enjoy having him with us....It is a great first signing and for the £3.5m reported to be paid; is a fantastic coup and bargain for the club. For that price, I cannot think of anyone better. Well played RL & AMc for making this happen.

well done mate - thats the post of the day for me - sooooo many doom mongerers

Villa fans always seem to be doom mongerers. It gets me down sometimes. You would think we were languishing in league 1 or something.

Yes we have had great success in our history. It doesn't entitle us to anything. I could even understand if we'd done an Arsenal and were winning titles and FA cups etc until recently but had a drought. The last trophy we wone was the coca-cola cup in 96. Even Middlesborough and the scum have won the league cup more recently, we are in a better position than both of them, now. ffs the last league title we won was three decades ago, eight years before I, and I imagine many on this message board, were born.

I'm not trying to say that our club shouldn't aspire to trophies and higher league placement. But the last 3 seasons we have finished 6th, 6th and 9th and people are acting as if an apocolapse has happened. Not only that but they want to nit-pick every signing and every potential target.

I wasn't over-the-moon when we signed Mcleish, but was always willing to give him a chance. I'm very happy with Given signing. Not a world class keeper, but we aren't a world class club, as it is. The other players we have been linked with (not saying that there is truth to some of them), the likes of N'Zogbia, Parker, Hutton, Vargas etc are all players that will improve our squad and consequently improve our prospects. It's still early in the transfer window.

Let's get a bit more optimistic, shall we? I bet any fan who has followed Leyton Orient for 20 years would be shocked to see some of the doom and gloom on here.

Given is a great signing for us. Not a world class keeper, as some seem to think. But he only has the exact same problems as Friedal has, i.e his command of the area isn't top notch, but he's arguably a better shot stopper and he's younger. I, personally, think we've upgraded our keeper. That can't be a bad thing.

Seriosuly, people are winging because weve given him a 5 year deal, get a **** grip man, this guy is a massive coup for the club, hes proven, hes good, every other fan of every other club thinks weve done a top job, BUT NO some avfc fans still have to moan, go support another club!!!

yet another who wants to magically read into other peoples comments and then proclaims to be the worlds greatest supporter while trying to demand people who think for themselves support another club?

grow up

posters are pointing out the risks of paying a 35 year old huge sums of money for 5 years while we are supposedly on a huge cost cutting exercise

you carry on ignoring real life and the real world dream boy

But if he's not working out 2-3 years down the line we can always get rid. He'll still have enough clout to get another club. Especially in Turkey or somewhere; they'd accept his big wages, as well.

To be honest I have been wondering why everybody seemed to take Mat Kendrick's word as gospel, all of a sudden. Just cause he got one story right practically the day that it happened. He doesn't know anything. I guess we'll wait and see.

For all the anti McLaren and Raffa posts, both are good managers. Raffa in particular would be good for the club.

For me, with Ancelotti out of the frame, its Benitez 1st choice, with Jol or Moyes as second choice, and I would risk Rijkaard if none of those three were available. I don't want Martinez, Hughes or McLaren, but I do think McLaren would do a good job for the club. Is Claudio Ranieri available, he has some gravitas and would be popular with the fans?

Hadn't thought about ranieri. Wouldn't mind him.

2 x European Cups is good enough for me. Proves he's a 'winner'. I've always thought the Italian league to be a bit rubbish so don't take to much notice of what he's done over there. Gordon Strachan won leagues with Celtic, says it all.

But 2 Champions Leagues is very good going. Fergie only has two in over 20 years!.

Come on! Two champions leagues is very good. The reason that the team could win those titles was that they were in a tough league. The Italian league over the last couple of years is the weakest it's ever been in my memory. And it still has some of the world's top players. Comparing it to the Scottish league, even now, is completely ridiculous. In the early to mid 90's (when Ancelotti started) it was arguably the strongest.

Surely he'll make kaka his first signing?

haha. I know you're joking, and I also realise it's ridiculous. But as soon as I saw Ancelotti linked with us, that was the first thing that popped into my head!