MikeMcKenna

As Benjamin Franklin said "Halfwits talk much but say little"

WOW that's insightful!

So much about this is simply wrong. If Levy and Spurs fans think they can tap a player who was a prolific scorer in a pretty average team and poach him for £19 million, I think they are in for a shock. FFS we sold Downing for £20m and he isnt half the player that Benteke is. I do not have a lot of time for Lerner, but as he illustrated when Liverpool originally came in for Barry (albeit at MONs request) he was prepared to stand his ground. He didnt care about a "protracted wrangle" he effectively stuck up two fingers and said "you are under contract son and we will sell you in a year - if the price is right!" When it suited us he went and ended up chasing the money at Man City and Liverpools bid was history. Lerner may know **** all about football but he knows a lot about how a market works, the value of assets, how they appreciate and how he holds all the cards when it comes to when Benteke leaves and where he goes. IF Spurs or any club think that the specious arguments about wages, the players attitude, lack of competition etc will have any bearing on Lerner imho I they will learn differently. He is on low wages and has 3 years to run on his contract. If no one offers £25m, imo Benteke will be a Villa player till at least January.

He cries out who the f**k lowered the bar!

Absolutely no chance! Aston Villa are no going to break the habits of a lifetime. You know the rules: They have to be cheap Or Hand me downs Or From the Academy

That's just it... We have no chance what so ever under current circumstances. We all know what needs to happen if we want to put an end to other teams poaching our top players.... IMO there is no way the upper echelons of football will ever put in restrictions. Under Lerner we will continue to buy cheap and hope some turn out to be quality and that we'll continue to "survive" in PL. Anyone thinks we can make a step up and get anywhere near honours is in dream land. From my personal POV I have now accepted that the best we expect is the odd exciting match, some good away days, the odd victory over a top 4 club and maybe a good run in the league and FA cups from time to time. As for football in Europe I doubt I will be using my passport for anything other than friendlies. Like all but top 5-6 clubs in the PL we make up the numbers and season after season ad infinitum we are destined to scrap for positions 7 to 17 in the hope that we can avoid positions 18-20. Happy Days!

When is "now"? We have been a feeder club since at least Yorke left in 1998. The reality is that most of the time over the last few decades we have had players who the top clubs did not want. Barry, Milner, Young, Downing and Benteke were exceptions to the rule - that we can remember them illustrates how generally the vast majority of our players were fairly ordinary. When each of them left we became more mediocre. The only way for a club like Villa to breakthrough, is to do it in a season against the odds, if we don't but one of our latest crop does a "Benteke" next season, he'll be off as well. Sadly that is the way the game is now. As for the teams you mention, how about Newcastle: Demba Ba, Bassong, Martins, Carroll, Parker and so on Everton: Arteta, Rodwell, Lescott Spurs: Modrich, Van der Vart Generally speaking we have invested poorly in new players for decades and it is hard to think of a time when we have had much quality in our squads that anybody wanted. The clubs you mention have bought better, retained some and often sold on quality players. Our lack of investment over the years in quality players has been shocking. Benteke leaving hurts because he is a rarity for Villa - a quality player that better clubs want.

It was sadly inevitable. Now we need to move on and forget him. What was his name again? All I will say on the matter is that the club will be failing badly if they sell him for anywhere £20m and need to be strong. We hold all the cards - not whatever his name is, his agent, Chelsea, arsenal, spurs etc etc

Backed up in this video http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/christian-benteke-leave-aston-villa-1999259 FFS when did a journo interviewing a journo suddenly become credible? people are grasping at straws

Definitely not

Grasping at straws! FFS grow up!

I think he can only get better as he gains in experience and maturity. My main concern is that his use of his arms (and elbows) may get him into further trouble - he was lucky on a couple of occasions to not get booked or sent off. Next season i expect defenders to try to wind he up more, to get a reaction, but hopefully the coaches will warn him of this.

Positive as always! I do sincerely apologise for posting my opinion. Your right, it is very negative of me to say that we can finish 8th baring in mind the season we have just had. Never mind though, don't take that into account when your unfairly quoting my post. Dee dums... How was I "unfairly" quoting your post? In my humble opinion you were being overly negative. BTW - Apologies accepted.

Positive as always!

Dont agree - if anything he will better next season as he wants the big move. He is only a young guy and hopefully the club realises that if £25-30 mill is being touted as his value now, after next season that could be much higher. The club needs to be strong, stick to its guns but give him a decent rise in the meantime

Tonev - I have a feeling he is going to be a star!

And if we are ever going to succeed again we need the Benteke's of this world. We play in the "bigs boys" league and occassionally we have to act like grown ups if we want to get anywhere. Players are out for all they can get and any moral stand on wages by Villa will not change that. Whether his agent is a clearing in the woods or not the fact is that he works for Benteke's ( and his own) interest and not ours. If we want to compete we have to play the game. If we let Benteke go, all the great work so far this close season will be badly undermined.

I find it difficult to "feel sorry" for any "professional" footballer, especially one who is a pisshead and thinks he is the next "Messi". FWIW I think he is OK player (nothing more) and personally didn't make him the "scapegoat" but frankly he was never that good and Con's constant defence of him is laughable.

Depends on his contract surely? Personally I hope we do a "Barry" and say "you're under contract son! We will sell you when WE are ready."

Hasn't he gone yet?

If he's played as a box to box player again, then he should be benched...he isn't technically good enough. If he's used as a ball winner DM, then he should start. IMO Sylla is as close to a jimmy milner replacement as were ever likely to get (in the unlikely event we actualy resign milner), syllla just looks so composed when he has the ball and is very adept at breaking up the oppositions play, for what ur cost the guy is an absolute legend in the making. Jim I like Sylla but i see no comparison with Milner.

But it's not just about him. If we bow to the pressure, pay him what he wants, and then he leaves next summer, we've set the precedent that we WILL pay stupid money to players who have a good season. Wiemann hits 15-20 goals and he wants 100k. A couple of our mids have great season, they want 80k a pop and so on. It's bigger than Benteke tbh and unless we've got the resources to pay 3-4 players silly money down the line (which would then become 5-10 players, since everyone wants a cut of it, and we're back in MON-land), we can't pay it to Benteke We don't have to give him anything. That's not what I'm arguing, just that his value on the open market would be a £100k a week wage - it seems we want the fee that goes with that but aren't prepared to accept that if we really wanted to keep him long term that's the wage we'd be looking at. I hope we don't offer him that sort of money this summer, for all the reasons you're stating, but we have to know that he and his agent will be very aware that he's very capable of earning it. It's going to get tricky and it's important we keep it all done the right way I think. Scott But what is the "right way"?

It reminds me a little of the late 60s following the "Villa Revolution" in Tommy Docherty's time. Even though he only lasted 13 months and was sacked in January 1970, when we were rock bottom of the 2nd and we were then relegated to the 3rd - Villa fans were optimistic for the future and Docherty had made us proud again. As strange as it may seem. there was perversely a growing belief that despite relegation, we would bounce back and be unstoppable once we got going again. The 70's were incredible times for Villa fans and although it took 10 years we eventually rose to the very top! Obviously I hope it doesnt take 10 years but I think PL is putting together a squad that has massive potential over the next 3-5 years and we can dream of doing a Dortmund and enjoy the ride in the mean time! Achieving the pinnacle may be impossible now but playing exciting football and a good run for some honours will do me! Have just renewed my ST's and feel there are loads of reasons to be optimistic - sort Benteke out and AVFC are nearly sorted!

Who is Black Danny and why should we care what he says? As much as I hate to say it, Danny (ex Villa Hoolie) knows more people than some realise. I hope it's BS but.....

Hasn't he gone yet? I look forward to the day when Bannan subjects are off topic!