cheltenham_villa

im a former union rep (all voluntary work), worked for a very large international organisation. in my 7 years their every single union convenor was made redundant. 25% of the work force was threatened with redundancy each year (this equated to about 50 people a year in the business unit i was part of) all under the guise of restructuring. I represented 10 people who had been made redundant at industrial tribunals (one of who was the HR director). id never seen stress on this scale, grown men reduced to tears because of the attitude of the companies. Most of which being not being given leave dates but made to work and train replacements. If they left to find other jobs they would have lost their redundancies. Of these ten cases 9 people received settlement slightly before tribunals, this was on average 2 years after the redundancy. the other unfortunately passed away. Employment law did nothing to protect these people. Eventually bigger bosses moved in and replaced the people in this company that were causing all this mis treatment. I often wonder if striking would have highlighted these problems much sooner and saved a lot of peoples jobs.

General, i understand this is all being looked into but can i make a particular comment about the web-site. A news item today advertises "Grab a Villa Bargain". When i followed the link to the villa direct site, everything i click to view tells me that their are no items available. Why are we advertising a sale on the official web-site if there is nothing to buy? Was i just late and everything sold out or is this a mistake?

get reo coker, thought he was the only player to stand out when we beat them this year, quality young english midfielder who was on the verge of the england squad only a year ago. a couple of years ahead of gardner in his development and is the exact sort of player we want gardner to be challenging to get ahead of.

think koumas would be a fantastic signing and great addition to the squad, wonder if MON is looking at Barry as his long term holding midfielder. I do believe the first time i saw Barry i think was as a sub against arsenal and played in that role.

i dont believe it but the only thing that worries my is ferguson has form with putting in bids a year before he wants players. Let Gaby know theirs interest, giving another year of development and then firm up the bid the next year if it goes well. Gives Gaby a year of watching Man Ure collect trophies and then hands in a transfer request at the end of next season. I know their completely different players but look at the rooney situation and more recently hargreeves, admittadly hargreeves hasnt signed yet but both players virtually ended up begging united to sign them.

Have not heard or seen anything to back this up, but a work colleague has been to VP to renew his season ticket today and says that all the talk around the ground is that Man Ure have had a bid rejected for Gaby. Neither of us have found anything to back this up, anyone else heard anything?

Jagielka is also considered to be that good a goal keeper that Sheff Utd would often name 5 outfield players as substitutes. I'd like to see him at villa, would want him in as a right back ideally.

James Beattie anyone?

Not good enough for everton = not good enough for villa.

ummm, not a great basis for not signing someone, look at crouch at villa, now he's in the champions league final. Personally think beattie would be a good signing and excellent backup for Carew, who i really dont think has a full season in him. Hasnt he already picked up two injurys since signing.

On similar thoughts i think Kevin Davies would fit in well. has played well as part of a front this year, wins just about everything in the air and should have the hard work ethic that MON seems to crave.

This might be a bit off topic but here goes.

This Michael Owen thing on the BBC today about him "staying loyal if none of the top 4 want him". Shepherd has said that none of them want him so he should stay at the barcodes. Why say this at all? Why is it news worthy? I just wonder if a lower club than one of the top 4 has made an inquery (Villa) and Owen is considering it. Otherwise why start shouting and spouting about Owen leaving. Something must be happening. Someone explain.

Ok.

Owen's agent spoke to the press about the release clause - an attempt to put Owen in the shop window and drum up some interest from buyers. Shepherd knows how upset the Newcastle fans would be if Owen waltzed off this summer after spending an age on the injured list, so he spoke out to let the fans know that the club wasn't the source of the story and wouldn't be a willing seller.

Steve, in your interpretation of events, if a club outside the top four had made an enquiry about Owen, what possible motivation could Shepherd have for making these comments? What would it achieve?

I'm not ruling out the possibility of Villa making a bid for Owen this summer (although I don't think it's very likely), but there's nothing in this story to support the idea that that might be the case.

this was my understanding also, Shepherd is implying that Owens camp have released this and i guess he's trying to pressure the same camp into pledging alliegance to newcastle. Should this fail then i think he's trying to cover his back and paint Owen as looking for a move rather than other clubs trying to get him.

On a slightly honest note why would he leave for us. The clubs are similar, he's likely to be playing for one of the most respected managers in the game, Newcastles aims for next season are likely to be very similar to ours and im not sure that we would match his wages.......If only he could read the generals thread

dont think we'll get SWP, had a good finish to the season at Chelsea and already turned us down once. He'll stay and fight for his place.

i do think if woodgate leaves and doesnt go to a top 4 side then he will quite possibly stay at boro. They've never really been short of money and hes a boro lad. Said he cried when asked to captain them this year. Dont get me wrong, id love him but just think hes more likely to stay at boro

General

Its very possible something is in place already with the transport group being setup but would it be possible for villa to look at displaying information about transport delays during the game. For instance last night myself (and im sure a number of other villa fans) spent the best part of an hour sat on the M5 as road works had been put in place. I realise that as a responsible driver i should have checked these things etc but a general announcement at half time or full time about any road closures, roadworks on main roads or train delays would be greatly welcomed by myself and im sure others.

Keep up the good work

ps if your worried about villa related stress you should see my cousin, he's early 20s and the greyest man i know.

You mean you didn't go on the outside of the queue right up to lane closure bollards - saved 45 mins!

whilst i certainly considered this and cursed every driver passing me, this was quickly stopped by the lorry driver in front of my who decided to block both of these lanes and travel at the same speed as the inside lane.

General

Its very possible something is in place already with the transport group being setup but would it be possible for villa to look at displaying information about transport delays during the game. For instance last night myself (and im sure a number of other villa fans) spent the best part of an hour sat on the M5 as road works had been put in place. I realise that as a responsible driver i should have checked these things etc but a general announcement at half time or full time about any road closures, roadworks on main roads or train delays would be greatly welcomed by myself and im sure others.

Keep up the good work

ps if your worried about villa related stress you should see my cousin, he's early 20s and the greyest man i know.

General Krulak here:

2. We are getting very close to the release of the new badge...it will be accompanied by a full description of all the new sinage around Villa Park and Bodymoor heath as well as down to the detail of what the stationary will look like. The info will be provided to all "fans" of the Villa. My sense is it will come during the month of April.

not a big point general but somethng i noticed, was looking at the pics of the training ground, all very impressive but one of the pictures showed the new shower rooms with the old crest emblazened on the tiles.

forget the partnership, just get olof in on his own, he's trys to win every tackle and header himself anyway. playin just one centre back will also support the 5 strikers were now playing in every game

for 18 million i would want one of the top strikers in europe. this is not bent. i do wonder if we had slapped a 12 mill bid in at the start of the window if we'd have been successful. charlton cant sell now, they have no time to find a replacement.

on another note id be shocked if we got ashton, i expect curbishly to try and buy bent and maybe he'll be successful. would think he would look to partner the two. West ham have got money and are looking at a potential relegation battle. who in their right mind would sell the striker they have so badly missed. to get ashton in january you would have to pay massivly over the odds.

Reo Cocker is on the bbc today saying that he thinks he'll be sold in january, personally think he is an excellent player and could be ideal competition/cover for mccann. would see this as an area we urgently need to strengthen. The games we have had to play without Mccann this year we have really struggled.

at the end of the day WHAM are a selling club, i think to get Ashton in January would be a touch optimistic but if they continue to struggle then i wouldnt be surprised if he became available. He wouldnt be cheep and we certainly wouldnt be the only club in for him. But for injury he'd be an england international and given recent fortunes would probably be starting. in short, id love Ashton but i think we've a lot of work to do in order to attract players like him.

More realistic transfer targets, i still think a target man is likely, what about Kevin Davies. look at how hes playing with anelka and diouf either side of him. could see him doing an excellent job with Gaby and Moore.

depending on how things progress at West Ham i wonder if Ashton would become a possibility. think he would suit villa and MON down to the ground. I fully expect us to go in for a target man.

makoun from lille looks a good player

defensive midfielder - man united were after him a while ago

christ lets not fall into that trap again.....do you remember Djemba Djemba, bet ferguson is still laughing