villanesque

Oh but didn't you hear...walking out on your club a few days before the start of the new season is all the rage now! Everybody is doing it! Wait for Ferguson's announcement on Friday. He always has to do one better, doesn't he? Seriously though I just don't see Villa and Everton on the same level and to me Villa is a step up in class and if Moyes wanted to move there could be a buy out. That might be money Randy is willing to spend. Only time will tell...

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/148459/Aston-Villa-look-to-David-Moyes/ The Daily Star is reporting Lerner wants Moyes. Sounds good to me!

That's probably how most feel which is probably why Bradley's not really a "true" option but rather a good piece of gossip and speculation. Personally, I prefer Klinsmann. I really don't see any American coach ever getting a warm welcome in England but as far as Bradley is concerned I'll give him his "propers" as we say here in the States. That US team in the WC had very limited overall talent but that team fought to the finish of each match. That's a quality of Bradley's personality that he imprinted on that squad and he is a good tactical coach...he just doesn't have the number of world class players at his disposal that many other quality international teams have. But for those calling him a "joke" that dismissive label has no merit, imo.

Hi General, As far as I can tell I don't believe that you have commented on your thoughts of the World Cup and the Villa connections. I was proud of Brad Guzan and the Americans going from darn near elimination to winning the group all on one play --- Donovan's put back. Were you as excited as most Americans on that play? There was quite a bit of euphoria for soccer over here which I think is a real positive. I even converted a few non-soccer fans to following the Villa this season. Also, obviously I know you do not comment on transfers regarding Villa but I wanted to ask your personal opinion of how you rate Michael Bradley. Bradley really seems to have both a work rate and never quit engine running in the midfield. He might look nice and fancy in claret and blue! (Yes, I'm a biased American!) Thanks General for your time.

Hahahahah! Good on ya' Harry! How about a swap ~ Milner for Bale? What say you, Harry?! Seriously though, this article seems like complete trash but I must admit I'd rather Milner leave for a team actually playing in the CL rather than for a team that merely "hopes" for CL which basically is the same boat Villa's in.

but also said he would consider staying on with Villa with a raise. I didnt realise he had said that?? Obviously it's my speculation as to what may have been said! I wasn't in on the meeting and no one here on the board was actually sitting in on the meeting. The main point of what I wrote is that you feel the club lied about the meeting and I feel that the information that the club released after the meeting calling the meeting positive did not have to constitute a lie. Lie would mean the club deliberately said something to mislead the public. There are scenarios underwhich the club could have viewed that exchange as positive. They didn't say 'hopeful'. Positive does not suggest all is well in my opinion. To me positve from the club point of view means it may work out in a way that the club hopes. Looks like that's not the case.

I don't see that as lying. I can accept that at that time the meeting could still be perceived as positive even if Milner voiced his desire to move but also said he would consider staying on with Villa with a raise. Once the World Cup ended and the reality that signing a "new" Villa contract was raised again and Milner (through his rep) said he wouldn't sign with the team to stay on any longer than his current contract THAT's when the team went public at Milner's desire to leave. I can see a player saying if the 'deal's good then yes I would be open to leaving' but 'if the deal doesn't come good I enjoy playing for Villa and will continue to give 100% and would consider staying on. My take is that if anyone LIED it was Milner (his agent) who lied by suggesting he was open to the possibility of a new contract but has since made it clear that staying past he's current contract was not of any interest. Or (and what I hoping) is that no one lied at all just that Milner's thought about his options and has decided it's either City now or ride out his current contract. Basically he's willing to give Villa what he's contracted for but no commitment for the long haul. I don't begrudge Milner at all. But if he wants to leave our first team, if he's not satisfied with playing each week and contributing each week with a top club as Aston Villa he can move on but as a fan he is dead to me and will not get a "good luck" shout from me as a fan. If he and City have good luck in the future - good on them but I'm not wishing them well and I'm not giving him a blessing. He can take his money and spend it and I can take my adulation and cheer for those that WANT to fight the good fight at Villa! Before too long some one will mention Milner's name and my response will be 'Who?'

Exactly. And he has NEVER said it. Now he is angry that it has all gone public. And maybe he is angry at O'Neill but there should have been some direct communication man to man from Milner and O'Neill over this last two months instead it seems Milner's agent is handling matters and O'Neill feels no obligation to protect Milner's reputation nor his position in wanting to leave. The agent has probably been trolling the message boards and seeing the lathering his client is receiving and is now trying to control the fall out by spinning some other tale. The one thing we know about O'Neill is that person after person after person has described him as a stand up guy and so if he says this desire to leave Villa was put on the table by Milner and his rep back in May then I accept that is exactly what happened. I believe Martin O'Neill before I believe an agent.

Erm there's nothing wrong with a player wanting to move on as there is equally nothing wrong with a fan expressing himself over the player turning his back on the fan's favorite club. There is no one way to be a FAN. And expressing disappointment is more than appropriate. The last thing a message board forum needs is Fan Police. You can have your opinion of how a fan should react but it's your opinion not the gospel. If a player wants off the team I support that player is no longer of any interest to me. Milner included. He's dead. I care about those that want to play for the club and want to win while wearing the claret and blue. If a player is not interested in doing that then...'see ya' later don't let the door hit ya' in the ass on your way out.'

James Milner is dead to me. The quicker Villa sell his greedy arse the better.

I agree. I think that their approach is really disrespectful - even their official site is speculating on Milner's move. This is wrong. Not quite at the Barcelona level but not far off. Uefa really need to step in and stop this. our club captain is doing the same thing with mcgeady tho couldn't agree more, really annoy's me when players talk about players at other clubs. Agree! I also follow the NBA (the Lakers of Los Angeles as my home team) and this type of nonsense of talking about some other teams player is called TAMPERING!!! And is strictly not allowed. Huge fines are doled out on any club representative as well as individual players who talk about securing another team's player if that player is still under contract somewhere else. It's all very disrepectful and harmful to the team who is being pirated.

Why can't the player contract rules change in English football? If a player is under contract with ANY team an opposing team can only buy that exact contract and the player must operate under that exact same contract until its full duration. That would certainly stop all of this ridiculous raiding of other teams players. If a player is out of contract then the player can sign for whatever the market will handle. But this stealing other peoples players then giving the player a massive raise is downright ridiculous and really puts me off football. Disgusting. It puts to shambles any business sense and really blast to hell any idea of loyalty.