Ashley Young

[AshVilla]

No thanks.

 

[Okonokos]

1 hour ago, YouUnastanFren said:

This experience wasn't having much of an effect on the team imo. One of the 3 played zero minutes. Another played 16 minutes.

We don't need to let players in their mid 30s leave just to replace them with more players in their mid 30s imo.

I think in this instance any experience we've lost has been more than replaced by the cumulative experience the squad has gained over the past two seasons.

I wasn't talking about experience on the pitch. Sometimes off the pitch is just as valuable.

By all accounts, Neil Taylor was one of the most popular members of the team and quite a funny character who has been offered a coaching role when he stops playing. Same can be said for Elmo too.

They're the types of players you want around the place to guide the youngsters. Young would offer the same off the pitch advantages to us but also kind of replaces both of them on the pitch as he could fill in at both of their positions.

No negatives as far as I'm concerned.

[Wes]

Perfectly fine with this. A veteran presence in and around the dressing room, which is something Smith obviously values, that adds depth in a number of positions for a minimal outlay that means we can allocate transfer funds for players more likely to start in the first eleven.

[Okonokos]

Also to those saying he wanted out/deserted us etc. I distinctly remember a post from @MYSTERYMANback in the good old days saying during the Houllier season (10/11) when we had several players with terrible attitudes and a rotten core at the club, there were a small handful of players who kept their heads down and worked hard in training every day. Young was one of them. He's a professional and did a great job for us. I don't hold anything against him for leaving.

Weird how Milner never seems to get these accusations but players like Barry and Young do.

Edited June 16, 2021 by Okonokos

[Zatman]

1 hour ago, YouUnastanFren said:

This experience wasn't having much of an effect on the team imo. One of the 3 played zero minutes. Another played 16 minutes.

We don't need to let players in their mid 30s leave just to replace them with more players in their mid 30s imo.

I think in this instance any experience we've lost has been more than replaced by the cumulative experience the squad has gained over the past two seasons.

Off the pitch though. Ashley Young has nearly won it all at club level and still going strong. Antonio Conte doesn't give trust easily

[jacketspuds]

If signing Young means that we can spend the majority of our transfer budget on areas where we still really need to strengthen I’m all for it.

When you think we could have moved for Van Aanholt or Danny Rose this is not that bad at all.

[Zatman]

3 minutes ago, Okonokos said:

Also to those saying he wanted out/deserted us etc. I distinctly remember a post from @MYSTERYMANback in the good old days saying during the Houllier season (10/11) when we had several players with terrible attitudes and a rotten core at the club, there were a small handful of players who kept their heads down and worked hard in training every day. Young was one of them. He's a professional and did a great job for us. I don't hold anything against him for leaving.

Weird how Milner never seems to get these accusations but players like Barry and Young do.

Milner ran first chance he got, Young gave us another season but Milner loves Villa and we should always try bring him home

[Okonokos]

3 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Off the pitch though. Ashley Young has nearly won it all at club level and still going strong. Antonio Conte doesn't give trust easily

Very good point. One of the top coaches in the world for me.

[pete101]

9 minutes ago, Wes said:

Perfectly fine with this. A veteran presence in and around the dressing room, which is something Smith obviously values, that adds depth in a number of positions for a minimal outlay that means we can allocate transfer funds for players more likely to start in the first eleven.

I'd prefer if he wasn't around our young talent , telling them tails of how he left villa , won premier League and all types of trophies

[Okonokos]

3 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Milner ran first chance he got, Young gave us another season but Milner loves Villa and we should always try bring him home

Absolutely. I think Young was wanted at Manure in the summer of 2010 (when Milner left) but he stayed and gave us another season, never kicked up a fuss and was a good professional.

Edited June 16, 2021 by Okonokos

[Okonokos]

Just now, pete101 said:

I'd prefer if he wasn't around our young talent , telling them tails of how he left villa , won premier League and all types of trophies

As if he'd come in and say things like that. Baseless accusation.

[YouUnastanFren]

9 minutes ago, Okonokos said:

I wasn't talking about experience on the pitch. Sometimes off the pitch is just as valuable.

By all accounts, Neil Taylor was one of the most popular members of the team and quite a funny character who has been offered a coaching role when he stops playing. Same can be said for Elmo too.

They're the types of players you want around the place to guide the youngsters. Young would offer the same off the pitch advantages to us but also kind of replaces both of them on the pitch as he could fill in at both of their positions.

No negatives as far as I'm concerned.

 

1 minute ago, Zatman said:

Off the pitch though. Ashley Young has nearly won it all at club level and still going strong. Antonio Conte doesn't give trust easily

Surely we're better off bringing in experience as coaches rather than players. Do we really want a place in our squad next season taken up by a 36 year old full back?

I'd be happier with resigning Taylor and Elmo as coaches if we want experienced heads off the pitch.

I have nothing against Young specifically, just against signing players almost entirely for what they provide off the pitch.

Maybe Smith disagrees but as I mentioned before, he's only signed 1 player over the age of 28 in 2 and a half seasons with us.

[TheMightyVillans]

Getting rid of Elmo and Taylor for young who can fill in both of their positions would be decent bit of business if wages aren't too bad.

[Zatman]

2 minutes ago, YouUnastanFren said:

 

Surely we're better off bringing in experience as coaches rather than players. Do we really want a place in our squad next season taken up by a 36 year old full back?

I'd be happier with resigning Taylor and Elmo as coaches if we want experienced heads off the pitch.

I have nothing against Young specifically, just against signing players almost entirely for what they provide off the pitch.

Maybe Smith disagrees but as I mentioned before, he's only signed 1 player over the age of 28 in 2 and a half seasons with us.

Ashley Young still has thins to give though, he just won the league and played in Champions League 

City brought in Vieira and Sylvinho early into the new ownership so experienced heads are good 

[Okonokos]

1 minute ago, YouUnastanFren said:

 

Surely we're better off bringing in experience as coaches rather than players. Do we really want a place in our squad next season taken up by a 36 year old full back?

I'd be happier with resigning Taylor and Elmo as coaches if we want experienced heads off the pitch.

I have nothing against Young specifically, just against signing players almost entirely for what they provide off the pitch.

Maybe Smith disagrees but as I mentioned before, he's only signed 1 player over the age of 28 in 2 and a half seasons with us.

Maybe we don't have an unlimited budget and still need to make a couple of big signings in say the midfield and forward positions. But we also need cover for full backs and Young would give us that whilst saving us money to spend on first team players.

Bring him in for a year as backup to Cash and Targett and by then the youngsters coming through may be closer to first team level.

He'd also offer us a winning mentality off the pitch too. Coaches can be brought in to guide young players but I do think there's value in having that in someone who still plays. Look at Kompany at Man Shitty. He was out injured half the time but offered so much off the pitch to them.

It makes sense on lots of levels for me.

[AvfcRigo82]

2 hours ago, Tayls said:

Have we ever resigned someone? I’m fairly certain this is just nonsense… not even sure he’d be very effective anymore either 

Milner on Loan then we signed him for around £8m, a season later.

Steve Staunton was another example which I think someone else has mentioned already.

[YouUnastanFren]

2 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Ashley Young still has thins to give though, he just won the league and played in Champions League 

City brought in Vieira and Sylvinho early into the new ownership so experienced heads are good 

You could be right about him still having things to give but Vieira played over 30 games all comps in the season before he retired. I'd be surprised if Young played more than 5 should he sign.

4 minutes ago, Okonokos said:

Maybe we don't have an unlimited budget and still need to make a couple of big signings in say the midfield and forward positions. But we also need cover for full backs and Young would give us that whilst saving us money to spend on first team players.

Bring him in for a year as backup to Cash and Targett and by then the youngsters coming through may be closer to first team level.

He'd also offer us a winning mentality off the pitch too. Coaches can be brought in to guide young players but I do think there's value in having that in someone who still plays. Look at Kompany at Man Shitty. He was out injured half the time but offered so much off the pitch to them.

It makes sense on lots of levels for me.

You're right that on a one year deal it wouldn't be too expensive and may suit the budget but again like Vieira, Kompany played 26 games all comps in his last year at City. I really don't think Young would feature much at all.

[Zatman]

4 minutes ago, YouUnastanFren said:

You could be right about him still having things to give but Vieira played over 30 games all comps in the season before he retired. I'd be surprised if Young played more than 5 should he sign.

You're right that on a one year deal it wouldn't be too expensive and may suit the budget but again like Vieira, Kompany played 26 games all comps in his last year at City. I really don't think Young would feature much at all.

But Vieira was passed it more than Young is now. Young would play at least 20 games, he covers 4 positions and probably still a better sub option than Trez 

[Laughable Chimp]

21 minutes ago, Zatman said:

But Vieira was passed it more than Young is now. Young would play at least 20 games, he covers 4 positions and probably still a better sub option than Trez 

Eh, depends on how Targett and Cash fare in the injury/suspension problems. He isn't starting over either of them and I don't see much opportunity for him to sub in for them either and I'd be shocked if he gets into our wings in any capacity. At full fitness, we essentially have 2 starting wingers and 3 backups before even including Young.

[YouUnastanFren]

31 minutes ago, Zatman said:

But Vieira was passed it more than Young is now. Young would play at least 20 games, he covers 4 positions and probably still a better sub option than Trez 

Which positions do you think Young would be making these 20 appearances in? Even if we assume he'd be 2nd choice LB and RB, and 3rd choice at LW and RW, without a season ending injury for a fullback I can't see when he'd be utilised at all.

The role he has played for Conte seems to be exclusively LWB in a 3-5-2. We don't really have a similar role I don't think.

I'm not sure he'd even be willing to sit on the bench as emergency fullback cover for a season when he could probably be starting games at RM for Burnley instead.

Edited June 16, 2021 by YouUnastanFren