Popular Post Stevo985 Posted July 20, 2015 VT Supporter Popular Post Share Posted July 20, 2015 If players see us as a stepping stone, then that's perfectly fine. We're all grown ups, we know deep down that for where we are as a club right now it makes sense for players to think that. What we need to do, is move those players on at the right time and use the profits we'll make from them to build ourselves back into the kind of club that isn't a stepping stone for good talent. It's no problem being a stepping stone. In fact, I'd be happy for us to sell ourselves as one if it attracts top talent. But the key is to use that to our advantage, not to tread water. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post dAVe80 Posted July 20, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted July 20, 2015 Would people rather he said, he was committing his future to the club, and out to show that there's still loyalty left in football? 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razor Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 What a great thing to say, being Delph's replacement and not even kicked a ball yet. This won't end well. After shining in Ligue 1, Senegal international Gueye now hopes to do the same in the Premier League to earn a move to one of Europe's biggest clubs. "I wanted a change of scenery," he said. "The most important thing was to come to England to improve and aim for a big club later. "It's a league which suits me down to the ground. The box-to-box style is very much mine. I think I'll enjoy it." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Thomas Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 (edited) If players see us as a stepping stone, then that's perfectly fine. We're all grown ups, we know deep down that for where we are as a club right now it makes sense for players to think that. What we need to do, is move those players on at the right time and use the profits we'll make from them to build ourselves back into the kind of club that isn't a stepping stone for good talent. It's no problem being a stepping stone. In fact, I'd be happy for us to sell ourselves as one if it attracts top talent. But the key is to use that to our advantage, not to tread water. 100% agree with this. In the medium term we should embrace this 'stepping stone identity' and leverage it to attract young ambitious players. Instead of fighting young players’ ambitions – e.g. to make big bucks and play for the big lucrative clubs – we sell ourselves by saying we can and will help them to achieve their ambitions i.e. we will give them a window to showcase their talents, we will play them so they gain PL experience, we will advise and support them to achieve their move when the time comes. I have no problem adopting that philosophy. It will attract better quality ambitious players and we will start to be competitive and improve our league standing. Over the years as we get stronger and might find less of our players are so keen to leave us as we start pushing for Europe. Edited July 20, 2015 by Gary Thomas 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 The fact of the matter is that very few clubs aren't stepping stones in this day and age when it comes to talented players, and that includes many clubs that regularly compete in the Champions League (e.g. the Arsenal's of this world). If this guy plays so well that he's getting signed by a so called 'top' club then great, because that means he will have been excellent for us and will generate a good profit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightysasquatch Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I have absolutely no issue with what he's said...what's he meant to say "I wish to be a very average player & I don't dream of playing for an elite club" fair play to him for thinking/saying he wants to improve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightysasquatch Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 (edited) If players see us as a stepping stone, then that's perfectly fine. We're all grown ups, we know deep down that for where we are as a club right now it makes sense for players to think that. What we need to do, is move those players on at the right time and use the profits we'll make from them to build ourselves back into the kind of club that isn't a stepping stone for good talent. It's no problem being a stepping stone. In fact, I'd be happy for us to sell ourselves as one if it attracts top talent. But the key is to use that to our advantage, not to tread water. 100% agree with this. In the medium term we should embrace this 'stepping stone identity' and leverage it to attract young ambitious players. Instead of fighting young players’ ambitions – e.g. to make big bucks and play for the big lucrative clubs – we sell ourselves by saying we can and will help them to achieve their ambitions i.e. we will give them a window to showcase their talents, we will play them so they gain PL experience, we will advise and support them to achieve their move when the time comes. I have no problem adopting that philosophy. It will attract better quality ambitious players and we will start to be competitive and improve our league standing. Over the years as we get stronger and might find less of our players are so keen to leave us as we start pushing for Europe. Good posts here. Like Collymore said we need to move towards being a destination again, not a stepping stone & to get there we are going to be a stepping stone for a while. Edited July 20, 2015 by mightysasquatch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hants-villa72 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I have absolutely no issue with what he's said...what's he meant to say "I wish to be a very average player & I don't dream of playing for an elite club" fair play to him for thinking/saying he wants to improve. Does he have to say anything? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted July 20, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted July 20, 2015 Exactly. Benteke is a great example. Signed him for a small fee. Got a few great seasons out of him and selling him on at a huge profit. But like I said, you need to use that as a building block for the club. If we continue to tread water at the bottom of the league then it's all for nothing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightysasquatch Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I have absolutely no issue with what he's said...what's he meant to say "I wish to be a very average player & I don't dream of playing for an elite club" fair play to him for thinking/saying he wants to improve. Does he have to say anything? No he doesn't, but he did. That's what we're talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted July 20, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted July 20, 2015 I think for a club like ours we should use it as a selling point to players to convince them to join us. "Come to Villa, show how good you are in the Premier League and you'll get a move to a "big" club" If we got a bit of a reputation for it we could have some really exciting players coming through. I guess the hope is that eventually we will have so many good young prospects on the books we might actually become a decent club ourselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyVillans Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 As long as they play their best, don't talk a bunch of loyalty crap and leave the next minute and we are able to make a profit out of them, it sounds good to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Thomas Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I think for a club like ours we should use it as a selling point to players to convince them to join us. "Come to Villa, show how good you are in the Premier League and you'll get a move to a "big" club" If we got a bit of a reputation for it we could have some really exciting players coming through. I guess the hope is that eventually we will have so many good young prospects on the books we might actually become a decent club ourselves. Exactly. Young exciting ambitious players like Amavi and Gueye who perform and give us a good return if and when they move. An interesting question is to ask how many of current squad have genuine and realistic ambitions to make it to a champion league club? Not many I would guess, not if they are honest. The more players we have with this ambition the better we will be. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razor Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 There's one thing thinking it and another actually saying it before you've even kicked a ball. So you don't think we are a big club? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted July 20, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted July 20, 2015 There's one thing thinking it and another actually saying it before you've even kicked a ball. So you don't think we are a big club? He said in another part of the interview that we're a big club. Does it really matter anyway? The reality is we're a club who's been involved in a relegation battle for 5 years... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omariqy Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 This is the player I am most excited about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister_a Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Don't care what he says, as long as he plays like he is looking for a step up over the next few seasons. Too few players recently have looked that hungry in the past few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzy Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I take it we all hated Benteke when he joined as well? As mentioned before, players using us as a "stepping stone" is absolutely fine. If we can gain an image for improving players and getting them to the "big time" then we'll be able to garner more talented youngsters and improve over time. It's all good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntrimBlack Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Amavi will have the same idea and is probably a bigger talent, but he has said all the right things, and we are all naturally loving him for it already. Gueye's comments, however, immediately give me a very negative feeling about him. He better be good, very, very good. Idiot. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntrimBlack Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I take it we all hated Benteke when he joined as well? As mentioned before, players using us as a "stepping stone" is absolutely fine. If we can gain an image for improving players and getting them to the "big time" then we'll be able to garner more talented youngsters and improve over time. It's all good. Great player, but I never liked him from the start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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