BOF Posted November 10, 2016 Moderator Share Posted November 10, 2016 1 hour ago, Demitri_C said: Since when is the mirror a reliable source I never used the word reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 38 minutes ago, markavfc40 said: I think you are doing him a slight disservice here. He started 37 games for Burnley last season having not made his first appearance until the end of September I assume due to injury. He got 10 yellow cards. He also made the PFA team of the year. Over a career spanning nearly 400 games he has had 9 red cards. Averages less than one a season. I think he is a decent player in an area of the pitch where we are lacking. I’d also imagine Bruce would know all about him so if he does go for him would be confident of being able to keep him in line. I’d imagine he would be happy to come on a deal until the end of the season so as a short term solution to help us out of this division I would have no issue with us signing him. Acknowledged, Mark, he did do a good job at Burnley without becoming a circus. However, at every other club he was at, he has done very stupid things, which has caused harm to the club he was at. There are many more safer options out there, without installing a ticking bomb in the dressing room. Him walking out of Rangers with the coffee machine indicates he still has a fair amount of petulance about him. If we do decide to roll them dice and hope that everything works out, can we afford it if it comes up snake eyes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 5 minutes ago, BOF said: I never used the word reliable. Since when was the mirror legitimate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raver50032 Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 13 hours ago, dont_do_it_doug. said: On further reflection I'd take him for the season, he's a good footballer, experienced and offers us that little extra bite, but I understand he would be extremely unpopular and that makes me feel uneasy. That said, Gabby is extremely unpopular and I don't really care. I always said (as a result of links with this player several times over the years) that I would return my season ticket if the Club countenanced an approach and signing of him. Everyone has a right to a second chance. How many more chances and 'fresh starts' or new leaves does the guy need? Sooner or later, there is trouble with this guy. Seemingly everywhere he goes. Obviously, hyperbole aside on my part about my season ticket, I really believe there are better, and more long term targets we could consider instead of plumping for Barton... He's 34... he's currently off with stress. We would need him to hit the ground running, not be on some sort of PFA reasonable adjustment period to shoe-horn him into being loved and played a useful resource. I just can't accept him for such a short term deal. It's a waste of money for me. It's a risk - and not sure it's a risk we need to take, or really should be wanting to take. That said, we need an improvement in midfield, and we have boots to fill. It would be worrying if that was what we had to choose from given our resources. From my perspective, I hope this is all hokum and it will all blow over. But if he does come, I'll have no option but to support him somehow. He'd have to set me up on a hot date (with benefits) with a nice lady before I ever chanted his name. That's a fact. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raver50032 Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 11 hours ago, AValon said: Its the same moral issue as that Evans bloke, do we want to see Aston Villa associated with players who are deemed pretty much 'untouchable' by a lot of people? Must admit, I would have a hard time seeing either in our particular claret and blue.............. Burnley not so much. Evans was actually found to be innocent... in a court of law. Guilty of cheating on his girlfriend mind... but I'm sure a lot of footballers get tempted that way, and a lot of ordinary men. Evans has earned the right to have another chance at football - in spades. Did you have similar feelings to Merson when we signed him? The drug taking stuff included? It is different no doubt. But if you remain a staunch man of principle with Evans, then the same must be true of Merson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 32 minutes ago, AJ said: If we do decide to roll them dice and hope that everything works out, can we afford it if it comes up snake eyes? I think arguably Bruce’s greatest asset is his man management skills. I wouldn’t see him signing any player unless he felt he could handle them. Joey Barton is a lot of things, and I am not arguing against the fact he can be a loose cannon, but one of his assets is that he has a huge desire to win. You harness that in the right way and it becomes infectious. At 34 he is never going to be anything more than a short term solution for us but I think we could do a lot worse than a player who had a big influence on a side getting promoted from this division last season so much so his fellow professionals voted him into the team of the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omariqy Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 If anyone could manage him it's Bruce. However, I don't want him and I don't think Villa do either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Designer1 Posted November 10, 2016 VT Supporter Share Posted November 10, 2016 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Willard Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Isn't he a free agent now? So all we'd pay is a small signing fee and his wages? Which would be no more than signing a player on loan? If that's the case i can't see us doing much in January, loan or transfer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMelvillan Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 I'd rather have him playing in my team than against my team. His desire to win every ball and willingness to snap into tackles is something that we simply do not have in our midfield. I respect anyone's views that he is not a nice enough person to play for their Aston Villa. But for me, I am sick of being the nice, classy, polite pushovers that we have been for so many years. It is sport - and I think there still is a place for aggressiveness in it. Granted, I wouldnt want to invite him over for dinner with my nan but would I want to see him being a nasty aggressive bully on the field of play for my team? - absolutely dont know what this says about me mind you - I think I might have to take a long hard look at myself lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted November 10, 2016 VT Supporter Share Posted November 10, 2016 NO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NurembergVillan Posted November 10, 2016 Moderator Share Posted November 10, 2016 3 hours ago, TrentVilla said: I have a sneaky feeling he could end up back at Newcastle though. From what I understand within the club there's still some beef between them and Barton, so I'd be fairly surprised to see him there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 (edited) 1 hour ago, Designer1 said: My like was for Murphy's 'understanding' about Barton, obviously, and not the won't be much transfer activity till the summer bit. Edited November 10, 2016 by snowychap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Too old has not played in 6 months and basically no thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodders0223 Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 10 hours ago, briny_ear said: This guy just creates mayhem wherever he goes. His Rangers gig ends following a recent club suspension for a training ground contretemps, a Scottish FA ban for irregular betting and a breakdown in relations with the manager. Pretty much par for the course. We need him at Villa like a bucket of cold sick poured over our heads. I have always said he is the one player whose signing would cause me to stop supporting Villa. He is an unacceptable and irredeemable thug and trouble maker. Nothing to do with Rangers realising they can't compete with Celtic, can no longer afford his salary and have made a mountain out of a molehill in order to force him out? Horrible club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 He always struck me as more of a fit for Small Heath rather than us. He will go to whoever offers him the most money and the longest contract which I suspect will be someone other than us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodders0223 Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 39 minutes ago, NurembergVillan said: From what I understand within the club there's still some beef between them and Barton, so I'd be fairly surprised to see him there. I can't see it either. Has publicly slated Mike Ashley on numerous occasions and was forced out along with Nolan and other senior players after leading a players 'revolt' over the club trying to limit or get rid of the bonus scheme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 (edited) 3 hours ago, Raver50032 said: Evans was actually found to be innocent... in a court of law. Guilty of cheating on his girlfriend mind... but I'm sure a lot of footballers get tempted that way, and a lot of ordinary men. Evans has earned the right to have another chance at football - in spades. Did you have similar feelings to Merson when we signed him? The drug taking stuff included? It is different no doubt. But if you remain a staunch man of principle with Evans, then the same must be true of Merson. On the last bit I disagree. You're using the word principle to encompass an awful lot of different factors and beahviours. There's nothing inconsistent with holding different positions of individuals based on case by case differences. Someone cheating is an arse but knowing the details of Evans' case for example suggests something altogether more inpleasant than your 'average' affair. You can accept the technical not guilty verdict whilst still viewing his actions as unconscionably close to the line. Likewise someone who has an addiction problem is someone who has personal struggles who commands some sympathy. But add wife beating in to the mix even if "only" fuelled by addiction then he's a scumbag. His actions have caused horrible distress to another. Sorry off topic here, just felt it worth mentioning you can have different levels of acceptance to people based on various contexts. The youthful indiscretion of a Grealish is more forgiveable than the serial **** ups of an other. Edited November 10, 2016 by Rodders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 24 minutes ago, rodders0223 said: Nothing to do with Rangers realising they can't compete with Celtic, can no longer afford his salary and have made a mountain out of a molehill in order to force him out? Horrible club. can't really see how Rangers could have forced him into the illegal betting? - even if you are right about the rest of it. Anyways, Pat Murphy seems to have killed off this conversation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 26 minutes ago, rodders0223 said: Nothing to do with Rangers realising they can't compete with Celtic, can no longer afford his salary and have made a mountain out of a molehill in order to force him out? Horrible club. Yes, nothing to do with anything like that. Everything to do with him being a total asshat during his time there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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