Bozzy

A focused, committed and on form Gareth Barry. But, as it is, Stan Petrov.

Dear General,

I have two quick questions:

1) What would you and/or Randy consider to be a successful season at the end of 2008/09 - be that cup success,improved league position, European qualification etc?

2) Have the club struggled to sell copies of the relatively recently released Gareth Barry DVD with all that's gone on?

Thanks for your time.

Jonathan (aka Bozzy)

Scott Carson is the latest player to turn agent and tell Gareth Barry where his future lies :x :

West Brom goalkeeper Scott Carson feels Villa skipper Gareth Barry would be best served moving to Liverpool.

Carson has played for both clubs involved in the Barry transfer saga and believes the time is right for the England midfielder to leave Villa Park.

"I think if he wants to leave he should really," Carson told BBC WM.

"However, people have got their price and if Liverpool cannot match the price then they have got to come to some sort of agreement."

BBC Sport

Yes, definitely.

In today's Scottish News Of The World there is a 2 page article on Craig Gordon. In the interview with Gordon there is a paragraph dedicated to each of the teams linked with him (Arsenal, Villa, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Celtic & Rangers, Spartak Moscow and Tottenham).

On Villa he says :

I swear I wasn't even aware Martin O'Neill was at Kilmarnock last week! I only found out afterwards. But there's no guarantee he was looking at me. He might have been there to look at Stevie Naismith or any one of a number of players. Obviously he was there watching somebody but you can't assume it's yourself. I dare say people do come to watch me on aregular basis - it's part and parcel of football.

Villa is a big club with a lot of potential and they finished the season very strongly. They appear to have a serious financial backing and seem very ambitious, so yeah it's the type of club you'd have to seriously consider. But as yet, they haven't made any interest known, so there's absolutely nothing for me to think about.

Craig Gordon has shone at international level and in the last year has attracted interest from Bayern Munich, Man Utd and Arsenal not to mention praise from Buffon.

Boruc has performed admirably in the Champions League and has had a great season in the SPL.

Naismith, I admit has not proved he is of Premiership class as he has only done it at SPL level.

However, I suspect that aside from the goalkeepers who are probably the two best currently playing in Britain. MON has bigger fish to fry over the summer. Remember with those bigger players O'Neill will have to take his time making his decision , attempting to convince them Villa Park is the place to be next season. I'm certain the early player rumours are nowhere near the extent of O'Neill's ambitions - people just need to be pateint.

What I am saying is that assessing those players that do shine is difficult. Is such a player truly PL standard? or are they good because they scored a hatrick/kept a clean sheet against Dumfermline?

Its a far inferior league to the dutch, german leagues, and probably the scandinavian ones aswell.

It is difficult with players like Naismith but not so difficult it comes to the top players. As I said, Craig Gordon has proved his worth at International level as well as club level. Boruc has proved his worth in the Champions League as well as club level.

The German league is definitely better , the Dutch league similar maybe a bit better. The Scandinavian leagues are definitely not better their teams are populated by Old Firm rejects like Tore Andre Flo , Harald Brattbakk and even middle of the raod Scottish players like Robbie Winters and Charlie Miller.

This will be my last post on this theme as I use this messageboard as an Aston Villa fan but feel as if all I'm doing is defending Scottish players' ability and that's not what this thread is about. I apologize to anyone who's bored reading it.

However, I suspect that aside from the goalkeepers who are probably the two best currently playing in Britain.

Boruc better than Cech?

Hyperbole? :?

Very good point, Cech aside. :oops:

These aren't quite Irish league players mate.

On the off chance that you actually didn't get my angle. If you pick a league familiar to you, and that league is fundamentally inferior to the one you are now employed in, there is only a small amount of players to pick from in it, and sooner or later you will no longer be improving your present squad. Arsenal took him on trial and let him go back up, now Bristol Rovers are after him...

Yes but O'Neill is picking from the small amount of players he suspects could cut it in the Premiership.

I agree with you on Naismith, the dury is out on whether he could cut it on the Premiership or not - especially ata club with Villa's ambitions.

Bristol City's interest is irrelevant, there is no way he'll be heading there.

The problem I have is I just don't see there being enough quality players there, and if they seem outstanding, it's because they are shining in a very poor league.

*prepares to get slated by celtic fans*

I'm not a Celtic fan.

Craig Gordon has shone at international level and in the last year has attracted interest from Bayern Munich, Man Utd and Arsenal not to mention praise from Buffon.

Boruc has performed admirably in the Champions League and has had a great season in the SPL.

Naismith, I admit has not proved he is of Premiership class as he has only done it at SPL level.

However, I suspect that aside from the goalkeepers who are probably the two best currently playing in Britain. MON has bigger fish to fry over the summer. Remember with those bigger players O'Neill will have to take his time making his decision , attempting to convince them Villa Park is the place to be next season. I'm certain the early player rumours are nowhere near the extent of O'Neill's ambitions - people just need to be pateint.

These aren't quite Irish league players mate.

Does MON realise there are other leagues outside of scotland?

:winkold:

Most managers do this , use the market they are familiar with to bring in players they believe can do a job immediately. (Amittedly it hasn't quite turned out that way with Petrov for example.)

Craig Levein tried to bring down Scottish based players to Leicester (Sylla, Douglas, Kisnorbo and De Vries). The difference is Martin O'Neill is able to sign up the creme de la creme of Scottish football in guys like Petrov, Maloney and possibly Gordon / Boruc/ Naismith.

I've seen Naismith a few times in the flesh he is a nippy striker who can also play on the right hand side of midfield. Fast, tough with a confident finish but quite small. An excellent prospect but at the moment that's all he is in comparison to Villa's strikers. For me. this signing would be made as a star of the future rather than a significant signing from Martin O'Neill's transfer kitty. Definitely a signing worth making if there proves to be truth in it.

I think it's pretty clear Grant that there will be a new keeper coming in. I like Tommy too, but it's looking like MON wants a new one.

I suppose the question is then...is that because Sorensen isnt good enough or Taylor isnt?

Alot of comments have come out about no players being forced out. Perhaps a younger player like Foster or Gordon would come in to provide competition and replace Sorensen over a period of time rather than the '1 in, Sorensen out' that so far seems to be the view.

I'm pretty sure that either Boruc or Gordon will replace Sorenson as No.1 immediately.

This probably doesn't add much new information to the goal-keeper rumours but I thought I'd put it on anyway.

Just watching SPL highlights show Scotsport and the talk came to goalkeepers. According to ex-Hearts player and now agent John Colquhoun, the rumours circulating in Scottish football are that Artur Boruc is definitely Martin O'Neill's number one target and if he is unsuccessful in getting him he will turn his attention to Craig Gordon.

Appiah has been a favourite nomination in this thread for a while. I see him as a very raw midfielder - very willing to run all day, cover every blade of grass (and I do mean every single blade) but has a tendency to look like a headless chicken at times. For Ghana he is 'bailed out' by having the simply awesome Michael Essien beside him to steady the ship and be Mr. Sensible. Provided he wouldn't cost a fortune I wouldn't mind us getting him, but I don't see him as being the difference between Europe and midtable. I don't think he's that good, but I could be wrong.

I disagree.

Just before the 2006 World Cup I went to see the friendly between Ghana and South Korea at Easter Road.

While Essien was immense, Appiah was even better and man of the match by a considerable margin. You are correct about his amazing energy and willingness to cover every blade of grass but he also has good technique, is a good passer and an excellent leader.

Would be a superb signing in my opinion as he would suit the Premiership down to the ground.

I seriously doubt Man Utd want Craig Gordon, they have Kuczcak and Foster already as well as VDS.

I have never heard of a keeper hyped up as much as Gordon, he must be the real deal. Either him or

Boruc and I am very happy!

In my opinion Gordon is far better than Kuczak and Foster. I also think he is a better 'keeper than Boruc.

As I posted in the other thread, as a Scot I have seen a lot of Gordon and he is most certainly the 'real deal'. I would love us to sign him.