Re: AVFC Players senior through to U21s and beyond

by **Sandie** Thu Apr 07, 2016 7:58 pm

I think it is past the point of needing entertainment now.

by **villabromsgrove** Thu Apr 07, 2016 8:31 pm

There is currently no reason to renew a season ticket for next season, unless you're a die hard "I'll watch anything with a Villa shirt on" type of person. If we keep playing the same players who will do the same old things, then a lot of fans will not bother next season. If our management can't see that we need hope, we need change, then they might as well pack up and go home now.

We've sleep walked into relegation with barely a whimper. Six more games with this "why bother" attitude would show that the new football board hasn't learned a thing.

by **Sandie** Thu Apr 07, 2016 8:49 pm

Don't get me wrong, I can see the argument for trying different players, but I think the current players have earned Saturday afternoon. There will be a hostile atmosphere for them as relegation is confirmed and maybe it's worth looking at trying different players only in a week with the (R) next to our names and everything is out of people's systems.

Ignore the talk about the players and management trying to win the fans back. We're well past that and seeing Adama Traore run down a few blind alleys isn't going to change people's minds about renewing or suddenly keeping us up. The last manager blew that apart with his persistence with the current parasites. It's going to be a long way back from where we are now and it will all ultimately hinge on the next manager and the approach taken in the summer. I don't think Eric Black is brave enough to send players and fans the message that is required. That would involve replacing every non-performer, every piss taker and every poor professional with a kid or a reserve. Instead, the approach is laughably about these failures winning us back over!

by **villabromsgrove** Thu Apr 07, 2016 9:57 pm

What if he played a few of the young fringe players and we won? Wouldn't that be something!

I can see the common sense in your post though, especially about those lazy players facing the consequences of their own shocking performances on the day we get relegated.

by **Sandie** Thu Apr 07, 2016 10:30 pm

villabromsgrove wrote:What if he played a few of the young fringe players and we won? Wouldn't that be something!

It would be. It would also require two minor miracles. One, him playing a few different players. Two, us somehow winning a game with our chronic lack of confidence. Maybe I'm being unfair on Eric Black and it would be lovely to see. But I fully expect to see the same kind of stale and stagnant lineup we've seen all season. How long have we been going on that the manager should play more exciting players, young players or whatever? All season and Sherwood, MacDonald, Garde and Black have always disappointed. This game is probably the one time I won't be disappointed to see that happen as I can predict the outcome and the atmosphere. We saw against Chelsea that when the ire was directed at the players it was guys like Lyden (a young player we'd like to see come in) and Hutton (one of the few players who always puts in 100%) that it got to and who started overdoing things.

by **villabromsgrove** Fri Apr 08, 2016 12:55 pm

A fear of losing has pervaded the manager's office at BMH for far too long. Let's try and win .... it doesn't matter if we get stuffed now does it.

by **Sandie** Sun Apr 10, 2016 8:56 pm

This seems like a laudable cause: http://www.myoldmansaid.com/support-aston-villa-under-21s-promotion-push-climax/

Truthfully, were it not for the distance (and related cost) and prior plans I'd be making the trip myself.

by **villabromsgrove** Mon Apr 11, 2016 1:14 pm

Sandie wrote:This seems like a laudable cause: http://www.myoldmansaid.com/support-aston-villa-under-21s-promotion-push-climax/

Truthfully, were it not for the distance (and related cost) and prior plans I'd be making the trip myself.

That's a very good idea.

by **villabromsgrove** Thu Apr 14, 2016 3:41 pm

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/apr/14/gabriel-agbonlahor-fitness-programme-aston-villa?

Gabby has been "sanctioned' because he is not fit enough to play Premier football. Black said "if they don't want to train properly, be part of the group or be ready to perform that's the only sanction I've got."

No it isn't Eric, Villa are within their rights to terminate his contract, if what you've said is factual. I'd love to see Villa grow a pair and show these posturing players who's boss.

by **Sandie** Thu Apr 14, 2016 4:09 pm

I don't think that is within Black's control, sadly. It has been obvious for some time that Gabby is not of the level of fitness to play in the Premier League. An example being that fit of vertigo he had during a game a while back. Remi Garde seemed to keep him involved in spite of this so I'd say that Black deserves credit for trying to do something and speaking out in this way.

If we were to sack a player, it would have to come from board level possibly after deep discussions with the interim manager. I think it is very difficult to sack a football player these days sadly. The only ones I can remember have involved players who have broken the law. Doing a shit job and not being of the standard required seems not to cut it for whatever reason?

by **villabromsgrove** Thu Apr 14, 2016 7:19 pm

I didn't mean Black should take action, I was thinking more of Bernstein. Assuming Gabby has a contract to play football for AVFC then there must be certain criteria which he needs to fulfil on a daily basis. Refusing to maintain the minimum necessary level of physical fitness, would surely be a breach of a contract "to play football". If he only has a contract that requires him to be at Villa for a certain number of years with no mention of the requirement to play football, that would be different, (it would also be idiotic).

I can't believe for one moment that it is beyond the wit of our club's lawyers to check his contract.

by **Sandie** Fri Apr 15, 2016 2:08 am

I think if we could have sacked him they would have done. Unless, of course, the club don't want to pay him off and still think he has a transfer value. If that's their thinking, they're delusional.

by Chris Harte Fri Apr 15, 2016 7:47 am

Sandie wrote:I think if we could have sacked him they would have done. Unless, of course, the club don't want to pay him off and still think he has a transfer value. If that's their thinking, they're delusional.

Who the fuck would buy him? It makes sense to me too, they'd have done it if they'd been reasonably able.

Looking around, its rare that you see footballers sacked for anything other than drugs or imprisonment. I sure can't think of any other reasons a footballer has had the push from his club at PL level.

by **villabromsgrove** Fri Apr 15, 2016 3:52 pm

It amazes me that a player can deliberately allow himself to become unfit for work as a footballer, and yet still be able to pick up 60,000 pounds per week while sticking two fingers up at the club and it's supporters.

by **Sandie** Fri Apr 15, 2016 4:32 pm

It's sickening in a way. Agbonlahor is the human symbol for everything that is wrong with this football club, IMO. Overpaid, lazy and too comfortable.

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