A whole team can go

[LancsVillan]

Rather than post in all of the individual player threads I looked at our squad and realised that we can let a whole team go and not really weaken ourselves, indeed it will highlight where I think we need to focus through the summer.

GK

Bunn is obviously hanging on for a coaching role so he can stay. 

Steer - sorry but I know he's had injuries but I still think we should sell / release and move on

So we need a GK 1st teamer - I remain unconvinced with Sam J but at the right price is there anyone likely to choose us currently?

Defence:

RB - Alan Hutton - I know he is a something of a cult hero, but other than effort is he really good enough these days? Surely with Bree and De Laet we have enough cover

LB - Cissokho - cannot get a game on loan even, not good enough get rid.

LB - Amavi - as a LB he makes too many mistakes in the Championship to be viable, I'm damned sure there is a very good player in there screaming to get out but at the moment we need experience over potential as the academy should provide the latter

CB - Richards, get rid, release or shoot him

CB - Elphick - it hasn't worked and Brucie obviously doesn't rate him as shown when he moved Jedi as opposed to bringing on a fit former captain. Oh how it's changed after that decent opening game, when we thought we had got a proper bargain

So we need LB 'cover' for Taylor and a 1st team CB to compete with Bakes and Chester

Midfield

Loanees: Veretout, Gil and Sanchez. One gone the others have both said they want to go, so simply grant that wish. One day I think we will look on Veretout as a player that we vastly under estimated and didn't utilise properly  

Tshibola - possibly still too early to throw onto the Villa scrapheap just yet....

RM - Adomah - possibly controversial, however, for me he has far too many ineffective games to be of value to our first team, indeed, with the ever improving Andre would he stay for long as a squad player?

CM - Bacuna - as I have said in his thread I think he is better than a lot of fans give him credit for, that said we have others ahead of him for the future battles and probably need to strengthen the creativity side as opposed to the hard work. n.b. Brucie likes his versatility (RM, CM and LB in one game) so may keep him around

CM - Gardner - sorry Gary but the time has come to finally accept that you aren't going to make it here, we cannot look at you as having potential anymore and should cash in whilst we can

This leaves us needing DM cover for Jedi and two 'proper' wide players Andre may prove to be one of those but it is asking a lot of him and Villans have been known to apply far too much pressure on 'one of their own' for them to flower

Forwards

Kozak - Gone

Gabby - please oh please can Dr Tony find a team in China prepared to pay him what it would take to leave. Against small heath he showed application and desire you would expect from a player who is a fan, then only a week later he showed the lack of effort and disinterest he showed last season when for me he abused the tremendous support we fans give him . More cards in the last 5 years than goals and at £3m a year.... simply get rid. 

Do we therefore need a forward? Depends on how quickly the injured trio are going to be back. In Kodjia, Hogan and McCormack we are pretty much guaranteed goals IF we play the way go get the best out of them. Then with RHM, Davis and Taylor waiting in the wings we are probably ok in this area for once. 

Coaches - we need to do something about Calderwood as since he came in the defensive attitude of our style, especially when leading, is obvious. 

By my reckoning we could get around £12 - £25m (depending on Amavi really) for them and free up something in the region of £10m wages

 

Over to you Steve.... 

[rodders0223]

TIL Cissokho has only been here for 3 years, seems like an eternity. One year left to go on his deal, can we find just one more mug to take him on loan until his deal expires. Here is hoping.

[eddiemunster]

Not sure if Bunn has been given another year, sure I saw it on Heroes & Villains.

Hutton has been given a one year extension on his contract, and Gardner signed a contract till 2020.

I'm certain that Cissokho's loan to Olympiakos was with a clause where they buy him at the end of the loan, similar to Sanchez, who is definitely gone, along with Kozak.

I'd try and keep, Vertout, Gil and Tshibola.

Have to agree with LancsVillan, on the rest of the players on his list his especially the bit about get rid or shoot Richards & Gabby. I'd prefer the latter myself.

[Guest av1]

1 hour ago, LancsVillan said:

CB - Richards, get rid, release or shoot him

 

[Villa Stu]

I think we should keep Hutton and adomah. Hutton is one of the few players that we have that will give 100% in every game and something that others players should take note of, also at this level he has been one of our better performers. The main reason I would look to keep adomah is down to the fact we are short of wingers. He is not the most exciting player and has had a dip in form but with a new winger I think he would be great as cover/competition.

Veretout is a funny one. I wouldn't mind keeping him but I wouldn't be against us selling him. If he wanted to prove himself in England we could have a potentially great cm in him.

[TheStagMan]

Agree with all except:

• Adomah and Amavi - I would keep Adomah and push Amavi up the field and play him as a winger, unless we can get two better wingers. 
• Gil, if we could convince him not to leave AND play a system that suits him.
• Hogan should come good if we can play a system that suits his strengths (and is likely the same system as for Gil). 
• I think McCormack is toast here though. GateGate ended him in Steve's eyes, and he hasn't really pulled up any trees since...... So i think we also need a striker. 

I had completely forgotten that Micah Richards was still around. What a disaster he turned out to be. As above - shooting him would be fine by me*.

 

 

* Please note: I do not condone the shooting of football players. Even obnoxious over-paid wasters that have taken the piss for years undeservedly stealing a living from the club. Apart from Gabby. You can shoot Gabby

[It's Your Round]

What a strange world we live in, you can shoot Gabby. But Gabby can't shoot! 

[NoelVilla]

Only Adomah and Veretout worth keeping. Veretout don't want to be here so I hope can sell him this time instead of a loan. Need a squad though so I suspect some of these losers will be around next season.

[Davkaus]

On 5/9/2017 at 17:01, eddiemunster said:

Gardner signed a contract till 2020.

This is up there with Balaban and Salifou. Absolutely mystifying that he's still making a living from this club. He looked a decent prospect 5 years ago. It's unbelievable negligence to give a 'prospect' a contract until they're 27. 

 

[theboyangel]

Of the current crop of players I'd be happy seeing leave us over the summer I'd show the door to:

Bunn - out of contract so free

Richards - would accept anything for him!

Elphick - ask for £1m -£2m

Cissokho - nominal fee

Bacuna - ask for £1m -£2m

Veretout - doubt he wants to be here, ask for approx £5m

Sanchez - gone

Gardner - ask for £1m -£2m

Gil - another who doesn't want to be here, ask for £3m - £5m

Kozak - gone for free

Agbonlahor - ask for £1m -£2m (he cannot be relied upon fitness wise and only plays against sha)

 

I have a feeling Amavi will go (for around £5m) but I'd keep him as back up for either left back or wing. 

 

That could potentially raise £18m+ towards the transfer kitty. 

Hopefully we'll invest wisely on a quality keeper, another centre half, defensive midfielder and a versatile winger permanently and a couple of decent loans.

 

[theboyangel]

With todays news that we have to sell to fund new transfers, it's just as well we have the deadwood to cut adrift and potentially cash in.

hypothetically speaking, if a club were to come in and offer £20m+ for Grealish, should we take it?  

[Dr_Pangloss]

21 minutes ago, theboyangel said:

With todays news that we have to sell to fund new transfers, it's just as well we have the deadwood to cut adrift and potentially cash in.

hypothetically speaking, if a club were to come in and offer £20m+ for Grealish, should we take it?  

Who on earth would bid that for a player who can barely standout at this level?

[Jareth]

21 minutes ago, theboyangel said:

With todays news that we have to sell to fund new transfers, it's just as well we have the deadwood to cut adrift and potentially cash in.

hypothetically speaking, if a club were to come in and offer £20m+ for Grealish, should we take it?  

Nope. But we deffo need to shift a few. Think well get over 20 mill in with the sales above. Plenty plus loans to finesse the squad.

[theboyangel]

4 minutes ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

Who on earth would bid that for a player who can barely standout at this level?

Just hypothetical and some of the amounts banded around for young English players is ridiculous. 

 

[eddiemunster]

48 minutes ago, theboyangel said:

With todays news that we have to sell to fund new transfers, it's just as well we have the deadwood to cut adrift and potentially cash in.

hypothetically speaking, if a club were to come in and offer £20m+ for Grealish, should we take it?  

Yes I'd rip their arms off, cos 

 

22 minutes ago, theboyangel said:

Who on earth would bid that for a player who can barely standout at this level?

 

[Guest av1]

20 hours ago, theboyangel said:

Of the current crop of players I'd 

Agbonlahor - ask for £1m -£2m (he cannot be relied upon fitness wise and only plays against sha)

 

 

No one will offer us any money for Gabby, and he wont take a pay cut.

He will see out his contract. 

[Eastie]

10 hours ago, theboyangel said:

With todays news that we have to sell to fund new transfers, it's just as well we have the deadwood to cut adrift and potentially cash in.

hypothetically speaking, if a club were to come in and offer £20m+ for Grealish, should we take it?  

£20m for grealish ? I'd snap anyone's hand off for half of that and doubt we'd get even that .

[Jareth]

What gives me faith in us getting good money for our unwanted squad members is that there are always a handful of clubs who need these types of players and will pay the going rate. I mean look at the business we did with Middlesborough. 

[NottingVilla]

On 09/05/2017 at 17:01, eddiemunster said:

Hutton has been given a one year extension on his contract, and Gardner signed a contract till 2020.

Honestly, this club has had its day...we are now nothing more than a footballing charity for shit players , been that way for a while. Mediocre footballer? Yes, want a nice big contract? Yes - give AVFC a call they are here to help players like you.

Edited May 14, 2017 by NottingVilla

[Stevo985]

I'd happily be rid of

Johnstone
Hutton
Elphick
Richards
Cissokho
Bacuna
Gardner
McCormack
Agbonlahor
Veretout
Gil
Sanchez (Gone?)
Kozak (Gone)
Tshibola

 

And I don't think, even after getting rid of all them, we'd be much worse off than we are now.
I think we'd need to get cover at goalkeeper, centreback and midfield, but those are areas we should be addressing anyway. We'd also need another striker option.
The only reason Amavi and Bunn aren't on that list is for cover. In reality I'd be fine with either going but we'd need someone else as cover.

 

This is why I think the "sell to buy" rumours have been blown a little out of proportion. My guess is (and it's only a guess) that we have so much shit at the club that is taking up wages and needs to be gotten rid of that Bruce has been told that incoming signings need to be offset by some outgoings. How much wages must that list be taking up and adding more or less nothing to the squad?