ToonVilla

5 minutes ago, DoubtGin said:

about how many (loan) players we will sign

'Can you confirm how many loan players and transfers you are hoping to sign' was asked

34 minutes ago, briggaman said:

I'll be made up if this goes through. It would give us some good options with our current forwards. McCormack, Ayew, Gestede and Hepburn-Murphy. Plus Gabby if he can somehow get his career going again. That gives us two forwards that have done the business in this league, one upcoming youngster with potential, one talented forward that could do wonders in this league and Gabby...

Colour me excited if this goes through. Other areas of the squad still need to be sorted but this would be a huge step in the right direction. It shows intent too.

Plus Sinclair who has previously scored plenty of goals at Championship level and who RDM seems to like

I wonder if we'll find out about Sporting / Technical director role in the next few days. Xia said on 21st July 'we will make the final decision from the three candidates before the season' when he was asked about the position.

i wonder if this appointment might give us some insight into his true ambitions.

1 hour ago, jim said:

Tony now saying we have many good players in the squad just the wrong management.

Looks to me like he is getting his excuses in already.

I think the money for player spend  (£30m, £40m) is there and Xia had every intention of spending it when he said this.

RDM has obviously looked at the squad and been impressed by the quality (worrying!), feels strong management can improve attitudes / resilience etc, and has not yet really gone to Xia cap in hand.

Someone is saying on Twitter (I know, I know..) that Ayew has done an interview for AVTV saying he'll stay and fight to get us promoted, which will be on website at the weekend

43 minutes ago, Farlz said:

Brilliant news

Great news. I still think we'll be after a No.9 though. If Ayew were to pick up an injury it would leave us severely lacking options 

11 minutes ago, useless said:

I don't think Xia ever said that three or four would be leaving by the end of the week. Similar with being one of the top three clubs in the world, he might have said it's an ambition, but I don't think he said it's definitely going to happen.

Yes, Xia said '3-4 be informed next week to farewell the old days'. So it's one thing being told you are going to leave and another actually leaving. 

I'm very much in the positive camp regarding Xia. What does confuse me slightly is that Xia, Wyness and RDM have all said promotion is the absolute priority, but little evidence of this.

Whilst promoting the Villa brand in China and India, make some good changes in management personnel and apparent moves to bring youngsters through is all good for the future, doesn't say to me that promotion is the number 1 priority first time of asking.

What would say that is potentially paying over the odds for proven Championship players, who due to age or lack of ability to cut it at Premier League level (McCormack?) we may make a loss on but Xia prepared to take the hit because of financial gains of getting back into the top flight.

Perhaps I just need to have more patience!

Hi, I've followed the forum for a while especially regarding takeover talk a few months back, and I thought I'd finally try to get involved! Originally from West Midlands but currently live in the North East