Supervillan78

Can't see us offering him £80k a week, who would? The clubs that could afford to pay him that kind of money like Man City or Chelsea aren't interested. Liverpool have already ruled out a loan so he has two choices, he either sits in the reserves at Pool and risks loosing his England place or moves to a club offering first team football but on less money.

Nothing concrete then. BTW anyone heard anything from MM lately?

Other than Ramis, are there any more rumours?

BTW is Ramis any good?

We've gotta find someone who'll buy him yet. He was never gonna get near the first team since Lambert said on the very first day 'Alan, we start training tomorrow, but you're not going to be involved in it., but we still need to get him off the wage bill I imagine. We should sell him to WHU, they need a RB and I'm sure he wouldn't object to moving back down south.

Do you think it's us?

If that article is to be believed and we're competing against Sunderland. MON will just offer him stupid wages and he'll simply end up there.

I just think £9m seems a little steep, £5/6m sure for CB but not £9m. Surely for that kind of money there are better options available???

Welcome Matthew.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4415129/Ivan-Ramis-transfer-Aston-Villa-and-Sunderland-in-fight-for-Mallorca-defender.html

However they are quoting a fee of £9m, and in all honesty I cant see us spending £9m on just one player.

Would defiantly be a good signing IMO, if we can pull it off.

Anyone else find the Macron size guide confusing? I'm normally an XL (46-48") but under Macron I'll be a XXL. Looking back through this thread people are suggesting these kits are actually slightly larger than last year so get a size smaller. As I'm going to order it online I'm not going to be able to try it on first. I would appreciate a little assistance.

Yes he did unfortunately Knight joined in Aug 2007 Cahill left in Jan 2008 Knight took his place and Cahill was then sold due to lack of 1st team opportunites - due to Knight Knight came in as cover when MON was struggling to sign the 10million quid centre-half Curtis Davies. either way it was still a massive MON cock up!

Didn't MON sell Cahill to bring in Zat Knight?

Avram Grant?

Hearing from who. The voices inside his head?

You mean 'Crazy Diego'?

He looks like Beastman!

Totally disagree! That would mean that SAF is who has managed the same club for over 20 years should have passed his best a long time ago. And Arsene Wenger, how many years has he managed Arsenal? There is a lot of managers who has been managing for a long time and still are very very good. Bielsa in Bilbao is certainly not a newcomer and neither are Capello and a number of other competent managers. I think that age factor is more likely to link with lack of motivation that managers get when they are getting older and/or has won a lot of titles. Furthermore the key is to get a manager that fits the situation the club is in, can work well together with the board and senior staff at the club and is widely accepted by the fans which insures him the time needed to change a clubs direction even if the initial results on the pitch are not what the fans expect. Who mentioned any timescale or any age limits? I very much consider SAF and Wenger to still be at their peak.

I think managers have a kind of 'shelf-life' where thier tactics or their footballing ethos first rises, then reaches its peak and finally declines. Rafa I feel is in the later. Yes he WAS a very good manager no doubt, he won the CL FFS. However I personally feel he's lost some of his magic and he's certainly not the manager he was seven years ago. I think what I'm trying to say is that, Villa need (and I would much prefer) a rising star to a fading beauty.

I thought that was Houllier?

that is just mental speak......... ill take that comment serious when Rodgers has won what Rafa has....... Rodgers has done **** all in comparison.......... Rafa is a cheque book manager, just like MON and IMO he is the last thing we need at Villa Park at this moment in time. What we need is a manager who can turn Villa around on a budget, whilst optimising our current resources. Which a Lambert or a Rodgers could do.

'McLeish' and 'Heskey' two words I never want to hear again!

I thought Dunne and Collins did that anyway!