Djemba_Villan

Good call…but a I am finding out playing this game there’s always a gotcha They played UEL qualifiers against Dundalk yesterday.

Could well be called off for COVID too.

Ah there seems to be a German Cup tomorrow. Bayern aren’t in that round though so wildcard FC Bayern.

Club confirms its in negotiations with replacement. 3 guesses each…I’m going for…Wolves, Leicester and Leverkusen

This is the new Villa. We will have planned for this.

For me it’s simply a question of how long it takes us to adapt. by January I expect us to be a better all round side.

I think as the Ings transfer has shown us… the journos in this day and age know best to sod all. It’s a bygone profession - the investigative part. The numbers we have seen printed, with the exception of the release clause are fictional.

It takes two parties to sign these clauses. Jack’s advisors aren’t idiots. They’d have been demanding a lower one. The club probably had to argue hard to get it to £100m - else he wouldn’t have signed it at all.

I said a few days ago on the Grealish thread - but got a great deal of stick for it (in the period many were in denial I think) footballers - and their agents in particular - hold the keys these days. You only have to listen to Simon Jordan (Palace) who talks about this openly. They bleed clubs absolutely dry. All a contract acts as, is a way to preserve the value of a player, nothing to do with how long you can hold onto a player. There is barely a player alive who will not down tools, put in less effort in training, cause unrest in the camp if they are being ‘held against their will’ including boyhood fans like Jack/Kane. Jack would have never signed that contract without the clause. Meaning he’d have had 2 years left now (3 last year) and our negotiating position much weaker.

My hope is that he ends up there soon. I would be able to appreciate him a lot more then. I will struggle to watch him for City truthfully - despite not having any real anger towards him or anything.

United Spurs City ( before they met the clause) Dortmund (Sancho money) Chelsea maybe I reckon.

Also a difference between the Emis and many of those others….they are actual WINNERS

Honestly wouldn’t get wound up by anything like that. Their media people will have given him those stock lines - aligned to their targeted club ‘image’ much like every signing we make echoes the standard ‘big club, history, family club’ shpeel. It’s the same at every single club.

Think Samatha had a £5.5m fee agreed at the end of his loan. A small loss overall, nice to see that now we’re run properly even the unsuccessful signings aren’t total disasters!

Very sporadic posting. I bet he just deleted the stuff that proves wrong.

Agreed. Also salary is only one component of a (top) footballers income. The Nike deal and various other commercial deals are part of the magnet.

I genuinely think that with the way we are acting we are trying to convince Jack to stay. he’s stated a million times how much he loves playing with Kane and vice versa - we sign Kane mk2. - the way it happened I.e. announcing the signing at the same time Saints announced the bid being accepted…unusually premature by us. Bailey…it’s unusual how we announced him. Prior to terms and medical. We all thought it. The whole unusual saga with ESR. Again - not like us. Was this another sign of demonstrating ambition - for Jack? Jack has complained we don’t have anyone to convert free kicks (whilst away with England m) - BAM we appoint a FK coach and are seriously in for JWP. im just saying, we are behaving nothing like we have before. It’s hasty and could all be in aid of trying to give Jack something to seriously consider.

Flipping random that Love this club

But but ,my baggies has been telling me for ages he’s better than grealish who is just an overrated cheat. Al Hilal must be breaking the world transfer record!!!

Imagine if the holdup is FIFA/UEFA/FA approval of the transfer under FFP reasons (given there is ongoing litigation). how would we all react to Jack then? Worst case scenario IMO.

Wonder if there is a FFP angle to this. If Jack is recognised as a £100m asset, can we use this to our advantage for the purpose of FFP?

Take it with the pinch of salt it deserves but my mate working at the club gave me the distinct idea today that things are gloomy on the ‘he’s staying’ side today. Comms team being primed for the worst. not what I wanted to hear as someone who impulsively lumped on £150 at 5/2 last night…

I don’t think he fully expected the meteoric rise in his marketing profile that happened in the buildup me during the euros

Bugger. That is a good point. good job we have Bertie too - who I really rate. Love the unpredictability we have up top.

IMO - evidently yes. Probably reluctantly (advisors convincing him that this is his moment to shine for the various commercial deals he will get playing in the CL for a club challenging the title) No rebuttal by him Previously acknowledged that he had his head turned by Spurs. No rebuttal last year when it was rumoured and no bid was made. It’s not like I want to sell him. I am absolutely gutted at the idea of him leaving to such a plastic team, I remember how gutted I was as a kid losing Yorke….and then later on losing Barry/Young. I just think turning on the club..who also I don’t think want to sell him in an ideal world is helpful. I can’t hate Grealish even personally….my disdain is reserved for - His advisors - FIFA for not regulating City - The lack of romance in the sport I love. - the rival moron fans who will pile in now having told us how crap and overrated he is for years.