YankeeinMadrid

AS reporting that Monreal, Isco, Toulalan, Joaquín & Rondón will all follow Cazorla out the door at Malaga.

Bigger clubs will be in for these players for sure but i'd be disappointed if we didn't atleast try to enquire on them, Monreal especially since we need left back.

We were in for Monreal before Malaga signed him. He's a little bit overrated, but is much better than Warnock (not saying much). Rondon would be a great signing.

Firesale at Malaga. I'd try to sign Rondon. 10million should do it.

Oh dear we have a bout of "simplistic football fan syndrome" going on here..it makes me cringe...

OGS

Laudrup

Laursen LOL

It seems good player = good manager on this forum.

Laudrup wasn't a good player, he was one of the best ever.

He also has had success in the 2nd best league in the world, La Liga, which is also the most technical league.

OGS has had success, albeit in a much smaller league. I agree with you about Laursen.

Laudrup was one of the greatest players ever, is a much more established coach than OGS (He got Getafe playing VERY attractive football and they got far in the Uefa Cup) and would be a great choice.

I am 99.99% certain that we aren't after Martinez and never were (this time around).

Interesting. Who do you think we are after? I like the look of Laudrup.

I know we contacted FSW, and Klinsmann but they were always going to be longshots. Klinsmann VERY unlikely...and FSW-depends on how desperate he is to get back into coaching.

I can see it being someone not previously contemplated tbh. Laudrup would be great!! It would be a statement of intent and the fans would forget about the OGS snub (if we even got to the point of offering him the job in the first place)!!

The good news is that whoever we appoint will be an improvement. Provided we don't name MM, Bruce, McClaren etc...most fans will be happy.

Laudrup or anyone who has had success managing in LaLiga appeals to me.

Laudrup was one of the greatest players ever, is a much more established coach than OGS (He got Getafe playing VERY attractive football and they got far in the Uefa Cup) and would be a great choice.

I am 99.99% certain that we aren't after Martinez and never were (this time around).

Forget AVB. Why would he reject Valencia, then come here?? I just don't see it.

We've approached FSW, as I mentioned the other day. I still don't think he'd come, I'm not a huge fan of his...but it'd be HUGE because that would mean RL is ready to spend the $$$ and back a manager to get us back towards Europe.

Wouldnt it be awesome to be able to say ""Andres is Villas Boas""? ""Aston Villas Boas"", that alone should be a seller!

Valencia's Sporting Director has said AVB was their first choice to replace Unai Emery (I wouldn't mind him) and they were turned down. Valencia probably pay their manager similar to what we would and have better talent and CL football. Unless AVB really wants to prove to the world he can crack it in the PL, there's less than no chance he'd come to Villa.

If FSW were to be appointed, it would be HUGE news...not so much because he's a great manager (which imo he's overrated), but if he was appointed he'd be given a huge (Villa huge) warchest of 40-50m.

I know for a fact that OGS is not the only target, if indeed he is one. Another foreign manager who can be described with 3 letters has been contacted by the club.

Do we still play Walsall??

Cant believe no body has mentioned....Luis García Plaza. Worked miracles for Levante, his contract has run out as he is holding out for offers. Perfect for Villa (if he can speak english of course)

Juan Ignacio is Levante's manager and I doubt he'd want to leave...they've qualified for Europe and he's a God now. I also highly doubt he speaks English.

Quique Sanchez Flores however....

Cuellar is healthy by the way...

I'd suggest the Old Joint Stock Theatre opposite the Cathedral. Quality pub food and an impressive building. Then you just need to catch the 7 bus from Colmore Row (20 yards away) which takes 10-15mins to get to Villa Park. If they're visiting from the US, suggest a pie (they have a separate pie menu) or fish and chips.

Rococo's more than likely will show it, also The Royal in Sutton Coldfield. Outside of Brum, The Nest in Chadsmoor, Cannock and Bar Sport in Cannock town centre show every single Villa game.

Is the Royal the Royal Hotel on the High Street in Sutton? I've just moved here and want to watch the match!! Thanks!

http://www.futbolprimera.es/2012/04/06/entrevista-carlos-cuellar-daria-lo-que-me-pidiesen-por-ser-internacional-con-espana

Can only comment on new contract (lack thereof) because this interview is now on the web. Quick summary, because I don't feel like translating it all:

Basically he said he's probably gone come the summer because there hasn't been an offer put forward by Villa and doesn't see one coming. Also mentioned he'd do ANYTHING to play for La Roja once, his bff at Villa are Heskey, Gabby, Fabian and Petrov...etc.

Carlos, when he receives an offer from another club (he hasn't had any official offer yet, just prelim contact through his agent Pedro) he'll give Villa the chance to match it. He'd really like to stay and wouldn't demand any more $ than what he's on now, but it seems very unlikely now.

Clare Balding has been on fire so far! Who do you all like tomorrow?

Thanks for the informative posts!! Keep them coming! Lancs: Will I get much worse odds betting on the day at the track? Any tips for Friday only bets with a budget between 50-100 total?? Excited for Friday!!

Last year's Cheltenham thread was very informative. I went to the Gold Cup day and it was a great experience. I was terrible on the betting side of things though!!

Questions:

Obviously, betting online will give you the best odds right? It just seems less exciting as when you can bet at the course and get paid then and there. Is there another way to do it??

What's the difference between tote betting and regular betting?

Can someone explain a basic betting strategy? Last year I think i put 10 on each race and lost all but 1. Can someone explain each way betting and all the different types of bets? I never bet on horses in the US, but I think the terminology is different (win-place-show etc).

I'm going on an organised trip on Friday, so should be fun like last year:

Get on coaches at around 830ish from the law courts (insert joke here), full English at a pub just outside of Cheltenham, THE RACES, dinner back at the pub and a whole lot of betting, banter and boozing obviously!!

Let's get the Cheltenham 2012 Thread rolling!

McLeish to blame the defeat on N'Zogbia, Ireland, careless defenders and finally the boogie.

Heheee!!

Surely his time would be better spent preparing a new CB partnership and defence for next weeks relegation 6 pointer???

Players have been given 3 days off.

The Browns are the laughingstock of the NFL. "Aren't that good" is a compliment really.

NE Ohio is a dump...trust me, I lived there for 6 years.

One thing we may see is the media over there might ask him some "real" questions. In the US, sports journalists are permitted, even encouraged, to ask tough questions. You really see 1/10th of the the bs, fluff pieces over there. Furthermore, ALL head coaches are forced to make themselves available for media questions and FORCED to answer whatever they're asked (otherwise fines of 25k+ are imposed). No secrecy over there and it's a positive for the fans, because they are actually kept in the loop.

Nzogbia need to learn how to cross a ball.

He learned quick!

Shay could have come out for that shitty little floater cross. That being said, typical Dunne. Great through ball to Bent and shocking weak headed clearance leads to goal.

out of defence, cuellar clearly looked a class above the rest, really, head and bloody shoulders knees and toes above the other 3.

^This all day. Carlos made some excellent passes and great tackles.

Everyone on here knows my feeling on Warnock (that he ain't good enough and Hutton, although no world beater, is Dani Alves compared to him), but GIVEN was at fault for the 2nd goal. The first goal all started when Warnock gave the ball away, yet again. I remember saying "well at least he didn't pass it to the other team in OUR OWN HALF this time..."

For the 2nd, Given should have either A: Come out and caught the cross or B: shouted "time" or anything really. I think Warnock is one of the worst, if not the worst LB in the league, but the 2nd goal isn't all on him IMO. Fair play to him for not crawling into a whole and dying or crying on the pitch and he played better in the 2nd half. I still think he needs replacing by Lichaj, Baker or Stevens (in that order of preference).

Bent looked like he gave a shit, which is nice for a change. Bannan once again proved that he isn't the messiah, N'Zog showed us what he is all about, Keane and Ireland were both very good and QPR were extremely bad.

Very entertaining match though!