SirSteveUK

Some talk of Richards retiring at end of season due to injury. Apparently he would have done it last summer, but it is advantageous for the club under the insurance policy to wait till contract ends - so the club ok with this.

On 25/01/2019 at 16:18, New_Hope said:

He is another typical over-hyped product of our flagging academy....this is an area that drastically needs to be overhauled properly.

in what way?

Christ almighty - some uncalled for comments in here.

On 25/01/2019 at 11:54, sir_gary_cahill said:

You do?  For me, RHM is a central striker, he’s too good a finisher to be playing on the wing

Fair enough - the little one in a little/large duo?  Central striker - but not centre forward ?

I agree with SGC most of the time re the young players - RHM is a talent - at wide forward/winger

19 minutes ago, praisedmambo said:

We'll he's been here for two years and he's barely had a look in under two managers, both of whom have preferred Alan Hutton.

I get what you're saying with the fullbacks. I think we're all frustrated...they try hard, are honest players, but they are both frustrating. Sometimes the frustration comes across as dislike...we need better though.

He was 19 when we signed him. Given the managers who overlooked him, and the panic to get back to the PL, I'd say he will get his chance under DS.i

18 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Dont understand the race to sell him, we have worst things to sort out than selling our 2nd striker 

agreed - don't forget RHM is out on loan. We have higher priorities.

2 hours ago, Demitri_C said:

Great another two loans freed up.

Obviously we never scouted him and went with word of mouth.  If he couldn't dethrone England you must be pretty shit

Sadly it was Jorge Mendez mouth 

Time to resurrect the old joke about us signing Freddy Adu and Abou Diaby to go with Jordon Mucth

I'll get me coat

4 hours ago, Junxs said:

Seriously? You've come to that decision in 3 months when the transfer window hasn't even really got going yet.. you think you can change the whole philosophy of a club in just 3 months with little no change in playing staff?

I despair 

So do I

4 hours ago, BOF said:

Kelsey Mooney has been a man possessed since he came back from his loan spell. 

Yep - couldn't say who is ahead - him or Knibbs. Similar players?

Nope -  6 goals 4 assists in 9 games - nice

I see he has two brothers - both in the game - Henry & Quincy

On 17/01/2019 at 13:05, Killeen30 said:

Oh really?!

   Yep - this was in Hong Kong i believe - notice the shin pads LOL

8 hours ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

You're right. We need to go up this season and it should still be our target.

We don't 'need' to go up as in 'promotion or bust' - it would be obviously nice and helpful - and  of course it is our target.

Ramsey does look a lovely little player - Would it be far too early to dub him as the successor to O'Hare ?  

Be interesting to see if we field a team at Hong Kong post season - and who goes.

?

On 12/01/2019 at 07:11, BleedClaretAndBlue said:

Beginning to make Darren Anderton look punctual

Perhaps he should try acu-punctuality ?

Sorry 

On 15/01/2019 at 16:15, sir_gary_cahill said:

And Suliman is

And yet CP (at AVST AGM yesterday) was quoted as suggesting an increased role for Acad players in next seasons team 

Well he's playing great in the YC right now - 2 goals for him from midfield - plus 1 from Odutayo -3-0 st HT 

As usual, Villa playing some lovely stuff- absolutely a joy to watch 

FAYouth Cup today, v Reading VP 700 - and YT I suspect

If we win, away to Oxford/Bournemouth

Apparently there is some activity on LB front....

1 hour ago, Merson08 said:

Most of our youth players are 20. Sounds young and compared to me, extremely young. In football terms though if they ain't broken into your first team there time is close to up. To round a few off RHM, JDH, Easah Suliman and the list goes on. 

Age is just a number and i like the saying if there good enough there old enough.

I honestly think if we had Owen, Rooney, Mbappe, Sancho, Sterling or even Jack Clarke of Leeds there careers wouldn't be like there's are now or even went.

So are we holding our youth back or are they not the mustard we hope for?  

"Most of our youth players are 20"

We have 3 players who are 21 (not counting Bree) One is out on loan (Sarkic) - the other two are Corey Blackett-Taylor and Harry McKirdy - and I fear for both their Villa careers

We have 8 players who are 20 

Andre Green & RHM are out on  loan. Davis & O'Hare are training with the first team - as is JDH - who is mooted to go out on loan.

That leaves Suleiman, Alex Prosser and Jordan Cox - the latter two of whom are pretty much U23 regulars. Clearly Suleiman's om the hot seat

We have 32 players 17-19 age group. 

Only 5 players over 18 started the recent 5-1 win over Man Utd - with the average starting age being just over 19

After Sarkic's loan out, our back 5 normally comprises 3 18-yr olds and a 17-yr old.plus Bedeau who has just turned 19.

I have confidence that Smith recognizes talent - he recently selected Dominic Revan for the bench - not because he was ever likely to play - but as acknowledgement. If any manager of recent years will play youth, it will be Smith

Anyone who has seen our U23 this season will know that they (until Smith's arrival) played the best football at the club. 

10 hours ago, Merson08 said:

 

Thought for the day: Were the only academy with players in context that would be classed as OAP's.

Please clarify

3 hours ago, Wainy316 said:

Is @avfctransfers2 the real deal or an imposter?

We will only know when he breaks a true story. I think imposter - for every tweet saying Henry is here, there is one saying he is training at Brentford

20 minutes ago, tonyh29 said:

against m,y better judgement I went onto twitter and had a look at him

he follows RHM and Corey Taylor at Villa  (who'd never heard of of but looks a nippy RB based on his video feed)

don't think he's a villa player just yet on that evidence  ?

He is not a RB - he is a 'nippy' RW - but sadly has not ever,  I think, made any 1st team squads. Fear for his Villa future. He is one of our older Acad players.

Happy to assist. Agree re Jake. 

I reckon Corey Taylor and Harry McKirdy will be let go at season end. Shame - especially McKirdy. Both 21 - and yet to make a squad