Spoony

£5m for Koumas....right.... As for Taylor, i agree that it is probably Portsmouth just talking up his price. We've seen it done before Ashley Young for example

i agree that Howard Webb is the best referee in the Prem. I have met him before now at an FA conference and he certainly knows his stuff and he is a cracking bloke (pretty irrelevant i know) There is a lot Poll has done wrong but i am hoping this criticism of the FA is the start of a massive backlash, because they are ruining football in so many ways. The lack of support for match officials, there blatant bias towards the top teams, there pathetic punishments etc etc

You are right to an extent thetrees. So are you ianrobo but the problem is that if a referee does caution for dissent (e.g. the refs decision to caution Rooney for sarcastic clapping directly after he had been cautioned) we are immediately accused of over-reacting, so we can't win! BOF, the thread is not really supposed to be about whether Graham Poll is a tosser or not, it is more about Poll's comments on the FA and whether or not there is enough support for officials. I don't think Poll was a particularly good ref but i certainly wouldn't describe him as a tosser People tend to be a bit narrow-minded when debating issues on referees because of this ref-hate culture in football. It has always existed, but not more than ever and it is time something was done about it because it is ruining the game

i wouldn't usually say this, but i would suggest you buy the daily mail. It has got an in-depth interview with Graham Poll about the lack of respect and the amount of abuse we get from players and managers and perhaps it will make some people realise that we may be referees but we are also people The abuse does hurt alot and sometimes it gets me down from a personal point of view. People think it is ok and that it is "part of the game" but thats bollocks. We are people, it does hurt a lot and it is something that has to be stopped. At the end of the day we are all just trying to do a job and it is not made any easier by cheating players and abusive managers. We are just becoming punch-bags and the FA are doing **** all about it whilst the world of football think it is ok to treat referees like shit Well it is not on and I am absolutely furious. I honestly think referees should go on strike until the FA get off their fat arses and do something, because referees are a dying breed and if there are no refs, there is no football

Theofanis Gekas? Scored 21 goals in 30 games, top scorer of Bundesliga, plays for a club called VFL Bochum and he is 27

aye but i think some of them would be keen on a move to England. Klose nearly moved to Fulham about 5 years ago!

the point i was trying to make was indeed that there is loads of time left, not that there is any barrier in place. That's why i said "officially" open because there is technically only 2 months to sign players yet there is a long time before that where deals can be made. Thats why i don't understand why people are panicing

I think Villa should go a bit German. There are so many good German players that could easily take us to CL and they haven't been snapped up i.e. Podolski, Klose, Mertesacker, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Friedrich etc etc

link Regardless of opinions of Graham Poll (i for one didn't think he was a very good ref), it is about time someone stood up to the FA about their corrupt and toothless system and lack of support for referee's. I myself am a referee and the FA are more or less the only people we can turn to, so when we lose their support we have very little. It is good to see a referee standing up to an organisation that is not fit to run football in this country, and i hope this is the first of many. I know referees are the least popular people in sport but they do have a very hard job and they have to put up with a constant lack of respect from moaning, cheating players whilst putting up with the scrutiny from so called 'experts' that aren't good enough to get a job as a manager. It's so different in rugby. This is one of the reasons i like MON so much tbh because he has learned to respect everyone on the pitch and if you read Clough's autobiography you will see that MON learned it all from him

old habbits die haarrrd. What song was that?

no offence Richard but i think you are putting two and two together and getting several million. I doubt that was a hint but i can't see why fans are getting depressed and panicy. The transfer window isn't even officialy open, hardly any teams have signed anyone and those that have haven't really signed anyone big So will everybody just calm down and be patient!!!

there are few teams i hate more than Everton. They always go after players we want and they always fecking win!

i'm not saying that at all VillaBoy. I will give them a chance but i would be dissapointed at first. I don't doubt MON's judgement but i wouldn't be overly excited by Kewell or Gravesen

agree MrSJ. I would be very distressed if we signed Gavesen. Imagine a midfield with Gravesen and Kewell in it. We would be pulled apart

i'm not sure ridgewell will be here at the start of net season but i agree we need some experience at the back. Someone like Primus would be perfect.

Giles Barnes? He has had a really good season and was extremely sharp yesterday. Only 18 although i think it could be another £5-10m job

You do get worked up over everything don't you mademan. Same could be said of you CyberVillan. Either yo uare both the same person or you are both doing all you can to wind people up

there is a great hotel down the road that future Villa players like to stay in if he wants to stay somewhere while his stuff gets moved in

the wise man has spoken ladies and gentlemen

I wouldn't be too fussed if we signed Kewell or not. If we do, he will be cheap, O'neill could probably get the best out of him and he would add depth. If we dont' sign him, i wouldn't care It might be worth noting that this rumour and consequent debate comes up every year so i wouldn't read too much into it

if we signed Cisse i would be absolutely disgusted and i would be embarrased to see him in a Villa shirt. He is a violent, whining little twunt with absolutely no ability whatsoever. He litteraly lives down the road from me as well and i have come across him once and he is one of those arrogant "do you know who i am" people

Bellamy, Kewell, Jagielka, Taylor and Boruc. Oh dear...

You could really push it and say "ASTON'S MARTIN DRIVES VILLA TO THE PARK" God we would be a press dream! "LUKE WANTS MOORE, BERGER RELISHES CHANCE, ASTON'S MARTIN DELIGHTED, DREAM MOVE FOR ASTON'S VILLA, JOHN'S HAPPY FOR VILLA TO JOIN THE CAREW" etc etc

I would love Villa to just make a £25m bid for David Villa, make it public and see what the reaction is

Reo-Coker in talks with villa Villa will start talks with Reo-Coker Reo-Coker moving to Arsenal And the daily mail inform us that he WILL sign for Villa, but i dont' have a link but no doubt you've all seen it Maybe there is some substance in this?