Peter Griffin

That maybe why he finds himself plying his trade in Scotland now

I always think Mings looks huge in comparison to Konsa. I prefer the look of a big CB but that said the game is not about how the players look but rather how effective they are

Bosman messed it all up for us. It is a real dilemma for both players and clubs how to change the process that is a little more equitable

I haven't seen a source, maybe VT or just an educated guess

It is no different to any business albeit instead of moaning that you are only getting 150k a week and your colleague is getting 200k a week, the moan is that you are only getting 34k a year and your colleague is getting 38k a year

I think a lot of these free signings want the signing on fee too But from a financial perspective it is better to pay the wages as opposed to signing on fee as it spread the cost over multiple accounting terms as opposed to all getting lumped into a single accounting term and subject to P&L for that year

Players aren't dumb, well, at least their agents aren't dumb. They know that if there is no transfer fee the wages will be higher so they shouldn't question it too much as they understand we paid a transfer fee for them

I would rather avoid paying huge salaries too but I would equally like to avoid paying huge transfer fees. If any player doesn't perform it is a big financial risk to the club and any transfer fee we have paid is at risk of becoming a loss if a player is underperforming.

Yeah, I get that and it is an inherent risk with all players. If we pay Buendia or Ollie half the wages and add in the transfer we then we are in the same boat if they don't perform

That's some way to twist a comment. I have no obsession with selling players, I want the club managed well. As regards selling Kamara. If we could pick him up on a free and then sell him 12 months later and as per my comment, 'if he is as good as suggested' then we would make a lot of money on the deal. More money = more profit = happier owners = more financial muscle in transfer market = better quality players = more success on the pitch. It is fairly simply logic. The question I asked is Why would be not be in for him

Mings would lose the shirt when he makes mistakes and I expect he would find it very difficult to get it back.

Why not? If he as good as suggested then we could sell him next summer or the summer after for a big fee and if we just keep him he costs us about 11.5m a year. So 33m over three years. Ollie and Buendia cost us that before taking their salary into account

It was nearly 30 years ago though when the average cost of a house was about 60k. So about 1.5m/2m a year in today's money. Still a lot less than the wages today

He got them promoted the last time he was their manager, he must be able to do something right

I think all fans would laugh at that, even Villa fans

I think they will use their fingers to count up the games, mental arithmetic may be too much of a challenge so that will be 12 games for most supporters

Baggies and Blues vying hard to be the one we laugh at most. It is a much closer competition that it has been

I would prefer us to have a game from a personal perspective but I think it is good to give the returning international players a bit of a rest and also good for SG to get a mini preseason in too.

Burnley v Watford is a rescheduled game and is going ahead on Sat at 6pm on BT Sport. That's a real relegation 6 pointer which Toon will be praying for a 0-0 draw

I don't believe a player has to accept a loan move against their will. The conversation regarding loans with players (not just Villa, in general) could be along the lines of 'You can rot in the u23s if you don't agree to the loan to another club', if the player decides to play football as opposed to being excluded from 1st team training and games then the players agrees to go on loan. So ultimately, any manager will be able to say 'It was the players decision'. I am not saying SG was as blunt as this but I think saying it was 'the player's decision' means the player has been told there is no future for them in the 1st team'. Obviously loaning out youth is a different scenario

Both teams need to agree to a new rescheduled date. I am guessing that one of the teams didn't agree, probably Leeds as they have a lot of players out injured. It makes sense for them to delay the game as long as possible.

Thanks, if they are only returning to light training this week then I would say there would very little if any chance of even the bench. Rushing back a Hammy injury and after surgery would be really high risk. I suspect the reports that they are both out till March is probably more realistic

Where are u seeing that? Everything I have read about them is that they are both out till March. Both have Hammy injuries and Philips had surgery in Dec.

I agree, we are getting close to becoming a bloated squad. I would hope that we are only looking to bring in quality or potential and it should be alongs the lines of one in - one out.

Celtic's 3rd was a lovely goal, great cross and movement and finish but shambolic defending