Well Villa never cease to amaze me

After my last blog all looked great and we looked a team who could challenge top 4. We had all the optimism in the world.

Then came Stoke

A defensive nightmare, we scored goals as usual than conceded some real sloppy goals and thanks to Halsey (the worse prem ref) we managed to somehow lose the game. All credit to Stoke, they did what they do well and we could not cope but the same pattern of last season, last minute goals are still there, we simply have to tighten up.

Then the news today

Firstly a target we chased for 2 years when Newky pulled the plug on the transfer hands in a transfer request. I think it is fair to say that the vast majority of Villa fans want James Milner and I think it is fair to say Newky have really messed around with him.

James will be most welcome at Villa Park, he will give balance to the team which we have needed and it is obvious to everyone that we have waited two years for him. This just shows was a dedicated and brave manager we have in MON.

And then Gareth Barry

Since I started this blog this whole saga has been hanging around but now today it is over, at least for a season.  Barry’s agent has stated he is going to stay for this season but for me significantly no direct comment from Barry and even Villa have barely commented with no direct quotes and comment towards the fans. I can  not forgive or forget Barry but I will support him such is the life of a fan.

Make no bones about it Barry wanted to go but we as a club (Randy and Martin) showed balls and nerves and we must be the first big club to beat a sky 4 team when they wanted a player that is something (despite  my misgivings) that all Villa fans should rejoice in.

And who do we play on Sunday

LIVERPLOP

Wow, what a game eh ?

All Vila fans will be really up for it and as I write are struggling to beat Liege and for me personally this is bigger than any game in the last few years. This is a game we stamp our authority on the league and put a public signal out to the whole league we are not to be messed with.

CAN’T WAIT

First game of the season is over and WOW !!

Do first games get better than that ?

First half we looked solid, dangerous and always willing to score.

Of course in the second half we got the usual assist from Young a pinpoint and accurate cross to Carew and 1-0

A really dodgy pen to Citeh and some of the old defensive frailties returned but then Gabby with some sublime finishing and pace showed what a force we could be this season and then we conceded another soft goal.

So 40,000 very happy Villa fans went home, we know we have Cuellar to come, we know we will get a right midfielder and forward in the next two weeks and we know we will score. Get the defence sorted and we are going to challenge the Sky 4 and maybe beat one or two of them.

A quick world on Barry, played well, typical Barry performance, set up two goals but still quiet on his future therefore still a chance of Plop getting him but we look very positive in that we will keep him.

Then we have Ashley Young.

The excellent news is that he looks like signing a new extended contract

The bad news and the one all villa fans can not understand is how he was not picked for the England squad. Can anyone explain that ? A decision that defies all football logic for a player picked by both Sky and PFA for the team of the year.

For me he is simply the best current on form player in the PL and the most creative exciting player Villa fans have seen for years and many years to come.

We should be so proud the club were prepared to spend £10m on a young unknown player because he is a Star.

Shall I talk about the Barry saga any more ?

Well just one last bit, after MON said last week Plop had all the time in the world to get Barry and we were led to believe they have bid 15 minutes after the deadline we have heard nothing.

Not only that it appears MON has pulled a masterstroke in this and by calling their bluff from today’s reports it appears the Plop owners do not rate Barry at the same value as Rafa does. This whole episode has shown the difference between a classy outfit with clear aims and lines of demarcation and Plop.

One of the self styled Sky big 4 has been totally shown up for what they are and by Us, I love it !!!

So after the furore last week on Villa forums not only does it appear MON has pulled a master stroke but we have had a good week in the transfer market.

All villa fans knew what we needed after last season to push forward.

-          2 Quality Goalkeepers – the 2 Brad’s - DONE

-          An attacking Midfielder – Sidwell – DONE

-          A right back – Young (L) – DONE

-          A left back – Shorey – DONE

Very good work so far and in Nicky Storey I do believe along with Young (A) we have now the best left sided team in the country

So now Martin we need Central defensive cover (maybe cover for RB), replacement for Barry, right midfielder and a forward

And I think some of the names could be very exciting

With our competitors around us struggling for money, Everton, Pompey, Man city, Newcastle and with only Spurs doing a lot in the market then the prospects for top 6 and further next season are very very bright.

Well it rumbles on doesn’t it

Just when Villa fans thought it was over last Wednesday, just like it seemed over after the Intertoto game like a shot it reappears again on Saturday after Reading again a game where Barry continued to get a good reception.

I stated in my last Barry blog that there were still press reports around and it quite clear now on the sequence of events and how Barry with no doubt his agent has pulled the wool over Villa fans eyes.

Apparently the sequences of events are these

-          On Monday, Barry, his agent, MON and Randy all met and with Barry’s agreement and it is said he asked for the deadline one was set  and informed to Liverplop

-          The said deadline passed no offer was made to Villa and the club officially announced that Barry was staying

-          However BBC Radio 5 in particular were still reporting the deal as alive only an hour later and that Liverplop had bid only 15 minutes later, this was picked up on various media outlets

-          It appears this information was directly leaked by Barry and his agent to stop the transfer from dying

-          As was confirmed by MON after the Reading game in which he basically told Barry ‘to do one’ in as nice terms as possible

-          And then Barry gets left behind as we depart for a summer training camp

So after all this a player who for 10 years I and many other Villa fans had backed 100% (singing Barry for England) way before he was picked and a player who we all thought was honest and decent has actually turned out to be a worm and snake of the highest order.

We want him gone now, he deserves no part of the club and Plop are welcome to him, FSW has got his  man but will pay top price and in the meantime has dragged a once proud club through the gutter

How the villa fans are looking forward to August 31^st if Barry dares to show up or will he be ‘rotated’ out ?

Probably that is the kind of man our ex captain has turned out to be

So who is this man then

Well he is the current  fabulous  owner of Aston Villa the club I am proud to support, Mr Randy Lerner.

I was lucky enough to get an heads up on his potential bid 2 years ago and was able to contact Cleveland Brown’s fans and find out what a man we had been lucky enough to get after the dark years of Doug Ellis.

The man stands for traditions and ensuring any progression is framed with his own personal values. Thus I think I should let the wider world know and understand this man and why he along with MON has been steadfast in their resolve over Barry. So Ladies and Gentleman here are the Bullet points of what randy has done for Aston Villa

-          As we were in a takeover position at the time of MON’s appointment he personally fle over from the states to speak to MON to ensure he was the right manager for us

-          He then spent £4m on restoring the old Holte Pub at the gateway to Villa park with no chance of a profit these two pictures will show what a job he did

-          He upgraded the training ground plans from a decent £8m to £13m including the most modern state of the art facilities any club has had

-          Supported MON in every transfer

-          Does not interfere

-          Allowed a confidant who is an non exec on the board to liase with fans on 4 forums,  this person is General Charles Krulak, google him !!

-          Spent a million pounds on Mosaics for the frontage which we sadly lost when the Old Trinity Road stand was destroyed

-          Spent nearly £4m on general ground signage, sprucing up the ground, signposts etc.

-          Ensured a huge shirt deal in Nike and made sure we got traditional villa shirts

-          Started regular supporter group liaison group which reports backs and seen results

-          Paid for 6000 fans to go to the Chelsea League cup away game

-          Stays totally in the background, no interviews, not even a piece in the match day programme

-          Relaxed rules in the directors box area

-          Reduced prices for games where we would not sell out and targeted tickets for certain groups like army, students, council workers, local residents, schools

-          Talking to our local neighbours to ensure good relationships including the purchase of a £25k street  sweeper

-          Finally for me the big one. Because he was not happy with the amount of money companies were prepared to pay for shirt sponsorship (around £2m PA)  he ‘gave away’ the sponsorship for free to a local children’s charity called Acorns. This has already led for them to massive increase in recognition and an increase in donations

It is really difficult to think of thing he has done wrong in two years and I think when you look at some of the owners of other clubs where they have huge debts or huge question marks on their legitimacy, every day Villa fans pinch themselves to think our lucky we were to get Randy

Well what can I say about the Barry situation.

This has been ongoing for the past 3 months and frankly is getting tiresome and boring.

For those of you don’t know the full sequence goes something like this

-          Liverplop (as I will call them) approached Martin O’Neil (MON) around April and asked if he was for sale. True Rafa (or known as FSW – Fat Spanish Waiter) was both given a categorical no but was told that MON and Randy Lerner were in total agreement.

-          Just before the very important Wigan game for us it was leaked to the Liverpool Echo by Liverplop through either FSW  or Rick Parry that they had bid which of course got MON’s back up at the weekly press conference and he call Liverplop’s approach undignified and not of their traditions, never mind the deal was only valued at £10m including the infamous ‘mish mash’ of players

-          Then after some press stuff of which MON got a retraction from the Daily Mirror over some comments we got Steven Gerard during England’s trip openly tapping up Barry to come to Liverplop. At the same time Barry said he had no decision to make until a bid had been accepted

-          Then we got a meeting between Barry and MON which again got leaked to the press that Barry wanted to leave (despite his statement above) and MON confirmed this on MOTD Euro 08 coverage.

-          During June e got further bids (4 of them) of which the highest one is believed to be around £14m. We believe the value and quite rightly of Barry is the same as Carrick and Hargreaves at around £18m

-          At the beginning of July we sent a letter to Liverplop stating what our requirements are for the transfer no response.

-          MON then plays Barry to a chorus of boos in a friendly at Walsall but after the game MON appears to be warming to Barry

-          So much so he plays after Freddie Bouma’s horrific injury in the inter toto game against Odense where the crowd reaction is excellent towards him. After the game MON makes it quite clear that Barry is back and we value him more than Liverplop do as they have just brought Robbie Keane for 320m and no real haggling over price

-          Then yesterday we got MON and Villa releasing statements that a deadline as set and passed with no further Liverplop offer and Barry is staying. It however has not stopped the media from speculating that in fact a deal can be struck

Well that is the whole sorry tale. Not a pleasant one especially those who thought the club of Shankly and Paisley had some class within it still. As Brad Friedel confirmed when he joined we most certainly do have the best and classiest foreign owner around. The key to this has been the steadfastness of Randy and MON not to buckle to Liverplop’s oh so obvious underhand tactics and stick by their principles not to be bullied .

This is further proof that there are not many teams in the PL with a better owner/manager relationship and from this point we can only strengthen in purpose and push forward and get those players we need which will be for another blog no doubt.

Hi,

Been a Villa fan for over 25 years now and around 20 of them as a Season ticket Holder.

So I thought it was time to get my views down where people can read them.

Hope you like them and respond to them, I can be controversial and I can be one eyed towards Villa so will make for interesting reading.

cheers,

Ian