Confirmed Signing: Shay Given (Man City)

[KentVillan]

If we bring in Ruffier and he flops, we can still sell him on. He'll still be rated by French clubs. Chances are he'll be average at worst. If he turns out great, then we have a key player in place for years to come, or a big transfer asset on our hands, both of which help us build as a club.

If we bring in Given and he flops / gets injured, he's just going to retire or leave for pennies. If he plays great, we get three seasons out of him, and then we have to replace him at a cost.

We have to start thinking in terms of 5-year plans again. Players like Given don't fit into a 5-year plan. By all means bring in experienced players to help bring the youth through and balance the squad, but Given doesn't seem right for that.

The main benefit I can see with Given is that he has something to prove, and always seemed to have a good attitude. He's not like a Schmeichel who had already won everything by the time he came to Villa. Given would probably relish the challenge.

I suppose it all boils down to how much we have to pay. Given on the cheap is a good signing. At the prices quoted, it's bad business.

[mattboyslim]

I suppose it all boils down to how much we have to pay. Given on the cheap is a good signing. At the prices quoted, it's bad business.

This.

If money is tight, then I would much rather us get a comparatively cheap signing in Given, who will serve us well in the short term, thus freeing up money for other signings, N'Zogbia etc.

[Ralphy]

Not all keepers are still playing at top level when they get beyond 35 years old. I remember we signed Schmeichel when he was about 36-37 yrs old and was one of the best keepers in the world at Man United, yet not all that great for us. He declined and ended up retiring not long after leaving us.

Is this where we have got to as a club, that we cant even go out and find a decent keeper that can stay with us for a few seasons, bonding with the team? Why are we looking at has-beens? Yet another player using Aston Villa for his last pay day..Great work!

It would be interesting to see where he goes if we back off..Because I doubt many clubs will be after him. Or will pay anywhere near the wages he seems to think he is still worth.

The best value and bet is Kusczkak on a free..Offer him a 2 year contract with average wages(thats all he will get at WBA) If he does well great, if he makes a few mistakes then replace him. At least its not a high risk long term contract AND HIGH WAGES...Chances are that he will blossom at a club like Villa. He may re-find the kind of form under McLeish that caught Fergie's eye in the 1st place. Especially as he is very hungry for 1st team football to impress for the Polish National team in the European Championships.

Given is 5 years too late..

You could have posted that about Freidel and he did fine for us.

Kusczkak on a free.. no thanks. For people giving out about Given not playing last year, this guy hasnt played in about 4 or 5 years. With the exception of last year, Given was in the top 4 keepers in the league. He is proven class. Kusczkak would be a massive risk. Given not so much, at least we know what were getting with him. We want to do well in the league dont we? Given will win us more points than Kusczkak..no doubt about it. He will also get the best out of Dunne, they do wonders for Ireland together, a huge amount of clean sheets for the team they have.

And his last pay day??? Surely he would stay at Man City if he was just out for money. He will have to take a big cut to join Villa so therefore this move would not be motivated by money for him. He has something to prove again. He will be hungry to prove City wrong. I'd imagine he will join Celtic if he leaves Man City, he has also been linked with AC Milan and Roma to answer your question.

[morgoth]

Kuszczak is crap. He played one full season in his +10 years career.

He was 24 years old(pretty young for a keeper) playing a full season for the Baggies keeping Kirkland on the bench.. He was then signed by Fergie after his impressive form for WBA..Fergie then kept him ahead of Foster as his no'2 behind VDS..

Not exactly crap..

:?

6 years ago he was prospect. Now he's crap. His the most famous parade.:winkold:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPEOHEl1VMA&feature=related

He must prove his quality but he thinks he's great. I'm Pole and I'm disgusted his behaviour

Given is much better, but he's big IF

[steaknchips]

We can all dig out clips where keepers have lacked a little concentration.

[morgoth]

yes but it'doesn't change stats. Given played over 150 last 6 years. One of the best PL GK

Kuszczak only 50. Average substitute

I have no doubts who's better

[Moorski]

Given won't be cheap, his wages over 3 years will prove that,plus is he fit enough these days?

[Amo69]

Certain fans talk about the club having no ambition yet they want the next keeper to be Foster or Kuszczak. I don't get it.

[Ralphy]

Have we even been linked with Kuszczak? Why are we even talking about him? Its getting me annoyed thinking about him in goal for us. Ive been through enough the last month.

[steaknchips]

Certain fans talk about the club having no ambition yet they want the next keeper to be Foster or Kuszczak. I don't get it.

Foster will be around 10m.. Given around 4m... Kusczkak is available on a free..

Then look ate the wages;

Foster 28yrs, 40-50k pw( 3yr deal with trans fee = 30m)

Given 35yrs, 50-60k pw(3yr deal with trans fee = 30m)

Kusczkak 29yrs, 30-40k pw( 3yr deal with trans fee = 15m)

Thats a saving of 15m.. Which we could use to strengthen elsewhere in the team..

[KentVillan]

Certain fans talk about the club having no ambition yet they want the next keeper to be Foster or Kuszczak. I don't get it.

Foster will be around 10m.. Given around 4m... Kusczkak is available on a free..

Then look ate the wages;

Foster 28yrs, 40-50k pw( 3yr deal with trans fee = 30m)

Given 35yrs, 50-60k pw(3yr deal with trans fee = 30m)

Kusczkak 29yrs, 30-40k pw( 3yr deal with trans fee = 15m)

Thats a saving of 15m.. Which we could use to strengthen elsewhere in the team..

And Foster / Kuszczak both recoup some of that in resale value. If Foster does okay and we sell him after a couple of years, we could sell him for roughly what we paid.

[Amo69]

Certain fans talk about the club having no ambition yet they want the next keeper to be Foster or Kuszczak. I don't get it.

Foster will be around 10m.. Given around 4m... Kusczkak is available on a free..

Then look ate the wages;

Foster 28yrs, 40-50k pw( 3yr deal with trans fee = 30m)

Given 35yrs, 50-60k pw(3yr deal with trans fee = 30m)

Kusczkak 29yrs, 30-40k pw( 3yr deal with trans fee = 15m)

Thats a saving of 15m.. Which we could use to strengthen elsewhere in the team..

For me GK is one of the most important positions on the pitch. Every good team must have a good keeper that the defence feels confident playing in front of. Having a shakey keeper like Kuszcak or Foster will have a deprimental effect on the whole back 4. This is why it must be Given.

[KitKat]

Where else in the team, right now, is more important to strengthen than the keeper? Where is the benefit of saving a couple of million on it, unless of course we're really "not spending".

Kuszczak might be good but Given is definitely better (if not crocked).

[steaknchips]

Certain fans talk about the club having no ambition yet they want the next keeper to be Foster or Kuszczak. I don't get it.

Foster will be around 10m.. Given around 4m... Kusczkak is available on a free..

Then look ate the wages;

Foster 28yrs, 40-50k pw( 3yr deal with trans fee = 30m)

Given 35yrs, 50-60k pw(3yr deal with trans fee = 30m)

Kusczkak 29yrs, 30-40k pw( 3yr deal with trans fee = 15m)

Thats a saving of 15m.. Which we could use to strengthen elsewhere in the team..

And Foster / Kuszczak both recoup some of that in resale value. If Foster does okay and we sell him after a couple of years, we could sell him for roughly what we paid.

Yeah but we need a keeper thats going to stick around and get stability in the back line.. Given at 35 years old may need replacing this time next year. Peter Schmeichel retired around 37 years old...Not everyone is like Frediel..Its a huge risk for the club to unsettle the back line by looking for another keeper this time next year.. That Ruffier guy sounds promising at only 24yrs old.. Him for around 6m and Kusczkak on a free would be good business..

[supermon]

can definitely see Given as GK at the Villa, reckon he can go on to become a fans favourite! Quality goalkeeper and we can start our foundation off with a sound GK, hopefully things can only get better

[steaknchips]

Certain fans talk about the club having no ambition yet they want the next keeper to be Foster or Kuszczak. I don't get it.

Foster will be around 10m.. Given around 4m... Kusczkak is available on a free..

Then look ate the wages;

Foster 28yrs, 40-50k pw( 3yr deal with trans fee = 30m)

Given 35yrs, 50-60k pw(3yr deal with trans fee = 30m)

Kusczkak 29yrs, 30-40k pw( 3yr deal with trans fee = 15m)

Thats a saving of 15m.. Which we could use to strengthen elsewhere in the team..

For me GK is one of the most important positions on the pitch. Every good team must have a good keeper that the defence feels confident playing in front of. Having a shakey keeper like Kuszcak or Foster will have a deprimental effect on the whole back 4. This is why it must be Given.

He aint shakey...He has just spent 4 years at Man United and played many games ahead of VDS.. I think some are under-rating him somewhat here.. Take a look at his season before Fergie bought him..And also take a look at some of his LC and FA cup games, he has been more than competent..Probrably better than Foster.. Anyone can pick out an odd mistake from any keeper, blimey Foster made more than a couple last season.

15m saving could mean a class LB could come like Cissokho..Meaning Luke Young can revert back to his favoured RB spot.. It could mean a bid for Samba, a solid big pressence at CB? Its the little shrewd signings that make the difference.. Given is not a shrewd signing.. You need to look at hungry Keepers looking to make a name, not players looking for a last pay day and a nice long contract to go with it..

[Cenotaff]

One of my first posts on here was to hype up Ben Foster when he was 3rd/4th choice at Stoke, a few months later Man Utd bought him for a million. If the owners had of read my newb posts we wouldn't have to shell out so much.

(He was on loan at Wrexham and I couldn't believe how good he was, somehow we still got relegated, although the magical LDV Trophy was claimed)

[Amo69]

The best keepers are the ones that may not have much to do but when called upon do their job. Being in a shit team you could lose 3-0 yet be man of the match. That's when you get a false reputation for being a top keeper i.e. Carson, Foster, Robinson maybe even the Wigan keeper. Kuszcak played behind one of the best defences yet still let in too many goals. He was the weak link more often than not. This is why signing him would be a big mistake!

[beasley14]

He aint shakey...He has just spent 4 years at Man United and played many games ahead of VDS

He didn't play 1 game ahead of VDS on merit, not a chance. Only when VDS was injured/been rested did he get games.

[Cenotaff]

The best keepers are the ones that may not have much to do but when called upon do their job. Being in a shit team you could lose 3-0 yet be man of the match. That's when you get a false reputation for being a top keeper i.e. Carson, Foster, Robinson maybe even the Wigan keeper. Kuszcak played behind one of the best defences yet still let in too many goals. He was the weak link more often than not. This is why signing him would be a big mistake!

I don't believe Foster falls into that catagory, you're just lumping all those keepers together and it doesn't wash. Carson is way behind Foster and Robinson, I would class Foster higher than Robinson, as for Kuszcak, I can't really tell with that dude.