SPECULATION : Milner to City/Utd/Chelsea/Spurs

[TrentVilla]

I'm not actually convinced O'Neill is responsible for Milner's development to be honest, I think that is down to Milner. All O'Neill is responsible for is giving him a better stage and a chance to play in the middle the rest is down to the player himself who is supposed to be one of the most dedicated players around.

Disagree entirely, he's never shown the sort of consistency he showed last season, if you can't accept that it's likely to have something to do with the manager then you're blinded by your own opinions on said manager.

I didn't say he had. He has never in his career though had any kind of stability in terms of club, position or manager. In fact it was the first time in his career Milner started a season under the same manager as he finished the previous one.

I'm not blinded to anything. I credit O'Neill for allowing Milner to move into the middle the position he has throughout his career said was his best position and where he wanted to play. That is what O'Neill deserves credit for but I don't believe that O'Neill is responsible for Milner's progress as a player I think that is down to the player himself.

I could just as easily dismiss your opinion as being blinded by your own opinion on said manager.

I don't believe that is the case but please don't level that accusation at me because you are wide of the mark.

[Maradona10]

I would say MON has had an impact on Milner as he admits it himself but as Trent says i think its more down to Milner as he's had a chance to shine as his career at Leeds and Newcastle was hindered due to succession of different managers with different styles and this is probably the only time in his career he's had a settled time with the same routine and he probably would have had the same success at a different club in my opinion.

[BOF]

And it also renders any discussion as pointless if one side is immediately dismissing the other side as blindly biased.

FWIW though, I do think O'Neill is responsible, by hook or by crook, for the central midfielder that is James Milner. And by extension the valuation that is consequently being bandied around for him.

[dudevillaisnice]

You know what's sad MON actually made him who he is, gave him that opportunity for an england shirt and made him a really good player for villa....and now his pratically saying "ok well there's more money for me in X so i'll go to X instead regardless of what you've taught me and what you've done out your way to make me a better player." But hey thats football.

Bollocks and you know it, this money thing is an easy thing to throw at Milner. Lets take this summer, have Villa/MON shown any ambition in making the lad think Villa are serious, at this current moment in time Milner looks at Man City and see's Silva, Toure walk through the door adding to the fact they have Tevez, Bellamy and must think this team is serious about trying to win things, whereas us its more graft like, we work bloody hard to finish 6th, if Man City perform to their potential, it'll be fighting for the title, the only saving grace we have is i don't believe City have the right manager in place but that can be easily rectified ala Spurs. We have signed no-one and bloody look like signing no-one and to i don't want to start having a go at the board but it seems like a coincidence with the rumours of financial troubles, the General has disappeared.

I see what your saying and I agree with you on most points espicially the signings that we haven't done (im equally as frustrated by that) but do you honestly think money plays no part if he moves to man city?

[TrentVilla]

As I say I credit O'Neill for moving him inside but I think it is a step too far to say he is responsible for the development of Milner as a player.

Milner's main attribute is his committment and work rate and I don't think those are qualities given to him or brough out in him by the manager. The other aspects of his game I don't think have particularly improved in the last two years, I think he has found a level of consistancy that comes with age and experience and by having been moved in the middle he is in a position in which he can obviously have more impact on the game because he never ever was a winger.

I also think to say O'Neill is responsible takes away from the player and how hard he works and has worked at his game. Petrov described Milner as in the top 3 most professional players he has ever worked with.

The manager can facilitate a player improving but ultimately for me its down to the player himself.

[bannedfromHandV]

I'm not actually convinced O'Neill is responsible for Milner's development to be honest, I think that is down to Milner. All O'Neill is responsible for is giving him a better stage and a chance to play in the middle the rest is down to the player himself who is supposed to be one of the most dedicated players around.

Disagree entirely, he's never shown the sort of consistency he showed last season, if you can't accept that it's likely to have something to do with the manager then you're blinded by your own opinions on said manager.

I didn't say he had. He has never in his career though had any kind of stability in terms of club, position or manager. In fact it was the first time in his career Milner started a season under the same manager as he finished the previous one.

I'm not blinded to anything. I credit O'Neill for allowing Milner to move into the middle the position he has throughout his career said was his best position and where he wanted to play. That is what O'Neill deserves credit for but I don't believe that O'Neill is responsible for Milner's progress as a player I think that is down to the player himself.

I could just as easily dismiss your opinion as being blinded by your own opinion on said manager.

I don't believe that is the case but please don't level that accusation at me because you are wide of the mark.

Trent, you're making out as though Milner would have become the player he is right now whether he played under O Neill or anyone else, I disagree with that entirely. You're paying O Neill zero credit much like a growing section of our support when he is in fact a major contributor, of course Milner himself has worked his way into this status but he would never have been given the opportunity had it not been for O Neill.

I don't want to get into a drawn out (further) debate on the pro's and con's of MoN but it just wouldn't hurt for him to be attributed with just a little deserved credit every now and again, this example being one.

[AshVilla]

If Milner doesnt commit to the club by signing a new contract i dont want him playing for AVFC for another season

for 20 - 25 million id sell him to man city. I know they are loaded but come on Milner is not a 30 million pound player even in todays over inflated market. Just because he came into his own last season playing in the middle doesnt mean he will have the same impact next season. Teams will find him out his shock/unknown quantity value will diminish after clubs look at the tapes and find a weakness same as A.Young

Im tired of these players who have no loyalty to their club we took a big risk on milner at the time 12 million was a rediculous price he owes MON big time. Similar to Barry but at least Barry gave us decent years service before he jumped ship

No player is bigger than this football club and we wont be held to ransom, Milner enjoy your time in the elite squad at the football club with no soul.

[TrentVilla]

Trent, you're making out as though Milner would have become the player he is right now whether he played under O Neill or anyone else, I disagree with that entirely. You're paying O Neill zero credit much like a growing section of our support when he is in fact a major contributor, of course Milner himself has worked his way into this status but he would never have been given the opportunity had it not been for O Neill.

I suggest you stop reading what you think I posted and read what I've actually posted.

You are welcome to disagree with me it is after all only opinion but don't dismiss my opinion by simply grouping into some anti O'Neill collective.

If you actually read my posts you will see that I credit O'Neill with contributing to his development by moving him into the middle. That though gave Milner the platform the rest was down to him.

I don't want to get into a drawn out (further) debate on the pro's and con's of MoN but it just wouldn't hurt for him to be attributed with just a little deserved credit every now and again, this example being one.

I'm perfectly happy to give him credit when I believe it deserved and have done so in the very posts you have responded too, I will also though be critical when I think its deserved and I will say when I think he is given false credit.

[Maradona10]

Obviously it does but i'd honestly believe with Milner its about reaching heights and playing with some great players. Milner will improve at City even more as they play possession football.

[Shillzz]

Mobile browsing so apologies for lack of link.

However the BBC story about man ini wanting Donavon states that Mancini also confirmed his ongoing interest in Milner.

[DANVANDAL]

City must be pissed off having to wait so long, anything over £25m is a great price for us.

[danceoftheshamen]

The more this whole thing goes on the more it mirrors the Lescott deal from Everton.... As stated by the Everton fan who came on this thread a few days ago... It seems David Moyes had to put a minimum price & deadline on it to force Man sheikhty to move otherwise they were going to do exactly what they are doing here & trying to eat up the entire transfer window to put us in a weakened position with no time to get replacements in etc.

If we allow that i can see a deadline day bid coming in from them for something like 23m.

So i reckon tell them 25m to be sorted by the end of next week at the latest otherwise forget it. That gives them 5 days to sort it with JM after he returns from holiday & gives us a realistic shot at getting replacements in.

[Woodytom]

All O'Neill is responsible for is giving him a better stage and a chance to play in the middle

So he created an environment in which james Milner could develop and express himself?

Thats what a managers job is, and if O'Neill did that then yes he deserves a lot of credit imo

[TrentVilla]

All O'Neill is responsible for is giving him a better stage and a chance to play in the middle

So he created an environment in which james Milner could develop and express himself?

Thats what a managers job is, and if O'Neill did that then yes he deserves a lot of credit imo

I'm not going to repeat myself again.

[Woodytom]

All O'Neill is responsible for is giving him a better stage and a chance to play in the middle

So he created an environment in which james Milner could develop and express himself?

Thats what a managers job is, and if O'Neill did that then yes he deserves a lot of credit imo

I'm not going to repeat myself again.

Yes but your use of the word ALL, indicates you think this was just a small part of Milners development. Actually it was a big risk that could have gone horribly wrong and turned out to be a genius move.

Im not aiming this at you trent but it seems like whenever O'Neill gets things wrong he gets absolutely slated and if he does something really good, he gets credity but its minimal. The praise he gets for the briiliant things he does certainly doesnt correlate with the abuse (as I cant think of a better word) ghe receives for making mistakes.

[paul34]

mon's doing what we all want him to do and thats his best to keep hold of milner!taking 20 million for him would be disgracefull so why shouldnt mon tell city to up the bid, personally i wouldnt let him go for less than 25 mill.On the other hand do we really want a player who wants to be elsewhere this season?we saw it with barry and as milner doesnt seem to breaking his silence that he wants to stay im afraid we will be starting the season without our midfield powerhouse

[TrentVilla]

Actually it was a big risk that could have gone horribly wrong and turned out to be a genius move.

I really don't think it was that big a risk to be honest and neither do I think it was that genius.

We had an extremely hard working, hard running player who is very robust playing on the wing but who was only okay at crossing and who saw himself as a CM.

[OutByEaster?]

One small hole in your theory, they have been trying for months to have contract talks with him to extend his stay. Hardly the sign of trying to push him out the door.

I'm not sure they have you know.

Earlier in the year the club said they'd like to talk about a contract with him, then said they'd like to delay it until the summer as the season wasn't the right time to do it. Then the speculation arrived and we said we'd leave it until after the world cup. I'm not sure there have actually been any talks.

I thought it was bollocks till I saw the name, that journo has been close to Villa for about 10 years

So is it possible that a journalist close to the club gets leaked a story that helps to prepare the fanbase for the sale of a player by putting a deal of responsibility for the sale on the shoulders of the player?

If a club wanted to go about selling a star player because it was felt that the money would be more important for the clubs development than the player, but avoid a negative reaction from the fanbase - this is a very good way to go about it.

I think Villa want to sell, Milner wants to go and City are playing silly buggers on price because they know everyone else in the deal has a weaker hand.

[Guest av1]

Actually it was a big risk that could have gone horribly wrong and turned out to be a genius move.

I really don't think it was that big a risk to be honest and neither do I think it was that genius.

We had an extremely hard working, hard running player who is very robust playing on the wing but who was only okay at crossing and who saw himself as a CM.

Have to disagree with this mate, IMO JM is by far the best crosser of a ball that we have at the club.

[TrentVilla]

One small hole in your theory, they have been trying for months to have contract talks with him to extend his stay. Hardly the sign of trying to push him out the door.

I'm not sure they have you know.

Earlier in the year the club said they'd like to talk about a contract with him, then said they'd like to delay it until the summer as the season wasn't the right time to do it. Then the speculation arrived and we said we'd leave it until after the world cup. I'm not sure there have actually been any talks.

No there haven't been any, that is why I said the club have been trying to have talks.

The fact talks haven't taken place isn't I understand down to the club.