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The Career of Gareth Barry (1998-2008) RIP


JohnCresswell

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By PB

The Career of Gareth Barry (1998-2008) RIP

Its a mistake isn't it? A mistake for Gareth Barry; a mistake for Liverpool. PB looks at the impending departure of the Villa captain.

"Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone. Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone. Silence the pianos and with muffled drum, Bring out the coffin... let the mourners come. Let aeroplanes circle, moaning overhead, Scribbling on the sky the message: His career is dead. Put crepe bows 'round the necks of public doves, Let traffic policemen wear black, cotton gloves."

Actually, you know what? Sod it. I'm not going to sit here and mourn the ending of Gareth's career. He is walking out on a real good thing here. Villa are a real growing force, you can feel it. You can feel the positive energy radiating off the place; you can feel the cockiness and the swagger returning to the fans; Villa, a club for too long in the shadows of clubs we used to consider rivals, are emerging, blinking into the sunshine, and Gareth chooses this of all moments to decide that the time is right for him to leave; and to leave to one of those clubs that we have in our sights.

He is making a monumental error of judgement in my opinion, as is his new manager. I'm a Villa fan, so maybe that point of view is to be expected from me, but it seems to me as if Liverpool are seeking to replace Xabi Alonso with Gareth, and for me it just doesnt add up as Gareth isnt that sort of player. I dont see at all what he brings to a team like Liverpool. He is, as we know, a little on the slow side, and while he can certainly pass a football, he doesnt score anything like enough goals for a player in his position. Xabi is considerably better and Liverpool will feel that next season.

And so Gareth is leaving a situation where the club are on the up, he is the captain, popular with players and fans alike, a coach who has improved him beyond all recognition and developed his consistency to the point he is an England regular, the only ever present for England last season, to go and play, if he is very lucky, a handful of Champions League games next season - because to be brutally honest with the apparent mess at Liverpool just now there is absolutely no guarantee of Champions League football the following season, none at all.

And there is equally no guarantee of Gareth having a regular spot in the Liverpool side given the rather manic shuffling his new manager likes to practise. Furthermore, in this world without guarantees that Gareth is entering, he may well find himself on the occasions that he does play moved from left back, to left midfield, to centre midfield to fulfil the needs of that squad rotation policy. How can that be good for your career Gareth? What on earth makes you think that will improve your England chances when you are an england ever present (and recent captain), wearing a Villa shirt? The logic of it just doesnt make sense.

Oh well, as I said at the top, i'm not going to mourn him; its his funeral. If he wants to throw his career away then all I can do, and all Villans, is wave to him as we pass on the way up and leave him wondering what if - what if I had the courage to stay - I could have been captaining a side in the Champions' League, just like my mate Steve. Not going to happen now Gareth matey.

I'd wish you all the best, but that would be hypocritical. Seeya

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RIP Gareth. Shouldn't be too hard to do on the Scousers' bench. After all, what could be more restful than watching your pal Stevie G play right wing? Just don't pay any attention to Torres, and you'll be all right.

Oh, and that bit about never walking alone? You might be thinking about taking advantage of that sentiment, but I would suggest instead focusing on the attractions of never walking at all. Especially with splinters stuck in the back of your thighs.

Condolences to the fam, and all that.

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I think barry is a better Premier league player than Alonso, which is why I think Scoserpool are in for him. He can control the tempo of the game, when on form. I also think he is a tad quicker than given credit for.

I also think he might be making a mistake joining them, as his pitch time will be limited. I have my doubts that he's better than Mascherano or Gerrard, so just where will he play?

I think he has been temporarily blinded by Liverpool's interest, and in 5 or 6 months could be very unhappy at LFC, having thrown away all the good things he had here.

He could end up a peripheral player at LFC, lose his england place and have a career in nosedive.

Having said that, i do wish him well, as i think he has served us well for 10 years.

I just hope we replace him with as good as/better. Over to you, Martin.

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but it seems to me as if Liverpool are seeking to replace Xabi Alonso with Gareth, and for me it just doesnt add up as Gareth isnt that sort of player.

He is exactly like Alonso except he is a better tackler and willing to get forward more than Alonso which will suit liverpool as they have mascherano to cover the defense.

Xabi is considerably better and Liverpool will feel that next season.

That's just not true.

The whole article reads like its sour grapes to be honest. I don't think any sensible Villa fan will begrudge Gareth's move to liverpool. Villa are a work in progress and Liverpool are already where we want to be.

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I have my doubts that he's better than Mascherano or Gerrard, so just where will he play?

4-5-1 formation, two centre mid's Barry and mascherano with gerrard playing off the front man. Benitez played that formation alot towards the end of last season and now he wants to replace Alonso with Barry which is a smart move IMO.

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Villa are a work in progress and Liverpool are already where we want to be.

Which of the two clubs is on the way up and which is stagnating? Which club is free from debt and not many millions in the red? (£33mil currently, in under a season) Which of the two clubs doesn't have ownership / management issues that are seriously crippling them? Which club can't afford to build its new stadium, which club will be subject to a takeover bid sometime around september (when the agreement between Hicks and Gillette to buy each others shares runs out with the Arabs waiting in the wings) making the the current ownership and current management team look a very short term proposition

You want Villa to be in that position? I don't and I thought Barry had a modicum of intelligence for a footballer to be honest, sadly I was wrong

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Good article Peter, and in the main, I have exactly the same thoughts about it being a short sighted decision on GB's part.

I've always thought Barry was a good player, even in the days when he was getting loads of stick from posters about his lack of pace and we should sell him. He is a quality player, but not irreplaceable, and I trust MON to find an adequate replacement, but better than Sidwell I hope.

With Villa on the up and the 'pool stagnating, (at present anyway), it would be really pleasing to see us above the Reds next season, and with the right signings, this could be. :hooray:

:flag:

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This front page article is in poor taste I think. Especially as there is a chance that Barry might be priced out of the market.

Then he should have thought of that before getting his agent to speak to the press. Can you really see him playing for Villa again? I dont think he possibly can, given MON's attitude towards, for example, Patrik Berger.

You are either 100% Villa or you are out the door under this manager. So seeya Gareth.

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This front page article is in poor taste I think. Especially as there is a chance that Barry might be priced out of the market.

Please feel free to submit an article in better taste. :mrgreen:

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This front page article is in poor taste I think. Especially as there is a chance that Barry might be priced out of the market.

Then he should have thought of that before getting his agent to speak to the press. Can you really see him playing for Villa again? I dont think he possibly can, given MON's attitude towards, for example, Patrik Berger.

You are either 100% Villa or you are out the door under this manager. So seeya Gareth.

Gareth Barry has been '100% Villa' for ten years.

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I believe it is unfair to say that MON will not play him if he is not perceived as being '100% villa'. The past 10 years he has given us 100% and 10 years is a long time and he is getting on a bit and has decided to gamble on his career (unwisely in my opinion, but it is his choice to throw our support and his England career down the drain). Like many here i dont like the way he has gone about this situation... but still we should be angry at liverpool, benitez and Gerrard and make them know that we hate them in the next games we play them about there conduct in this....

Barry probs will leave but we are making them pay for his services and barry should see it as an insult to him and villa if they dont pay the asking price- and if he does stay that is why he will still give 100% to us - i hope.

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I think Barry will be a great signing for Liverpool, Alonso only cuts the mustard in Europe, hes a bench warmer for them in the PL, Rafa is going to play Masch & Barry as his 2 holding players.

But i think this transfer is a blessing in disguise for Villa, with that £15m maybe MON can buy a CM who can do what Barry does AND score some goals from open play and not miss a lot of penalties.

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Article isn't at all in poor taste...and it isn't sour grapes, either. Though I'd rather have Barry than Xabi Alonso, I can't find myself dissagreeing with the sentiments as a whole. I was happy to hear the rejected offer tonight when I got off work on Sky Sports News. If we retain Barry, I think half way thru the first half of the season he'll find the errs of what would have been his ways.

I hope we keep him. But, if we get 18 Million for him...surely we can replace him?

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This front page article is in poor taste I think. Especially as there is a chance that Barry might be priced out of the market.

Then he should have thought of that before getting his agent to speak to the press. Can you really see him playing for Villa again? I dont think he possibly can, given MON's attitude towards, for example, Patrik Berger.

You are either 100% Villa or you are out the door under this manager. So seeya Gareth.

Gareth Barry has been '100% Villa' for ten years.

The last ten years, in the context of this discussion are totally irelevant. He is the captain of Aston Villa football club, now , today. He needs to be the one, of all the players at this club, most committed to the aims and objectives of the board and manager. Not the aims and objectives in the past, the aims and objectives in the future - the primary one of which, ironically enough, is catching Liverpool.

He isnt committed to those aims at all, is he? I do not see how he can play for Villa again, let alone captain the side.

I dont see that point of view as being in bad taste. I am angry with Gareth, and angry with Liverpool, and it is difficult for me to wish either of them well.

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I do not see how he can play for Villa again ....

really Bozzy?

so what if scouserpool fail to come up with the reddies, and GB remains at VP past the transfer window?

Loan him out to someone. How will that really benefit us?

I think he's gone, and i think Scouserpool will have to come up with the money one way or another. But if they pull out, and GB stays, I think he plays.

I can't see how he wouldn't play, unless he's deemed simply not good enough to make the 1st 11, which would seem a little odd, given what's going on now.

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The more we complain, moan and spit venom at Barry, the more we put pressure on MON to sell quickly.

Stay calm, relax and wait, at the moment it's Rafa who's under pressure as he doesn't seem able to make a signing despite having help from his Captain, from Barry and his agent and from most of the press.

I like it that way,let the fat boy sweat. Let's not moan Barry's price down.

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I can't see how he wouldn't play, unless he's deemed simply not good enough to make the 1st 11, which would seem a little odd, given what's going on now.

O'Neill set quite some precedent by effectively firing berger for suggesting Barry should move to liverpool (the correct decision imo). How can he remain consistent and pick Gareth Barry for Villa after barry himself suggested he woujld be better off at Liverpool? I dont think he can, not least becasue every single Aston Villa fan will know, if he lines up in a Villa shirt, that the only reason he is doing so is becasue Liverpool cant afford him. I thinki that is a totally untenable position for both the manager and the player concerned.

So, if Liverpool dont come up with cash, I personally think that Barry is rotting in the reserves. Villa under Lerner can afford to make such a statement imo and it would be a very strong statement to make. I'm not going to go quite so far as to wish that to happen, as that really would be the end of his career, but if he doesnt stop trying (and failing) to talk his price down then I'm likely to change my mind, as I did about Dwight Yorke for exactly the same reason as his actions are hurting my football club and its image, and that isnt easy to forgive.

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I agree with much of that Pete, it just that:

a) Barry <> Berger. part time ineffectual player vs Club Captain and arguably most influential player

B) he is too good (at the moment) not to play, if he remains with us.

he has not done anyhting overly wrong IMO, other than told MOn (privately it seems) that he would want the opportunity to join LFC, if the clubs can agree a fee. I don't see too much wrong with that, and he hasn't dissed the club in any way, other than wanting to leave for CL football.

MON, if barry stays and he puts him in the reverses, would effectively be cutting off his nose to spite his face, and i think MON is a bigger man than that.

Berger was a non-entity who had come to the end of his contract anyway . The 2 situations are polls apart, IMO.

IMHO Barry stays, Barry plays.

Unless we sign 2 or 3 sh*t hot central MF players this summer, starting with Siders.

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he has not done anyhting overly wrong IMO, other than told MOn (privately it seems) that he would want the opportunity to join LFC, .

I think, all things considered, that that is a very, very soft interpretation of the actions of himself, his agent and his mate gerrard.

Secondly, the manager cannot afford to make the distinction that you did (correctly)between the relative merits of the players concerned when dealing with disciplinary matters. Is Gareth barry so important that he is allowed to trample over Aston Villa FC and its aspirations for Champions League football? I do hope not.

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