Denis242 Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/10259073/stiliyan-petrov-wants-to-return-to-football-and-former-club-aston-villa Stiliyan Petrov says he wants to return to football and rejoin his former club Aston Villa in their bid for promotion back to the Premier League next season. The Bulgarian was forced to retire from the game after being diagnosed with acute leukaemia four years ago and underwent three spells of chemotherapy. However, the 36-year-old has been training with Villa's U21 team and, at the launch of the Stiliyan Petrov Foundation golf day at The Belfry next month, he said his fitness is returning and is keen to make a comeback to the professional game. Just read this on sky sports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney_avfc Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 32 minutes ago, Denis242 said: http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/10259073/stiliyan-petrov-wants-to-return-to-football-and-former-club-aston-villa Stiliyan Petrov says he wants to return to football and rejoin his former club Aston Villa in their bid for promotion back to the Premier League next season. The Bulgarian was forced to retire from the game after being diagnosed with acute leukaemia four years ago and underwent three spells of chemotherapy. However, the 36-year-old has been training with Villa's U21 team and, at the launch of the Stiliyan Petrov Foundation golf day at The Belfry next month, he said his fitness is returning and is keen to make a comeback to the professional game. Just read this on sky sports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vandaq Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 On 25.4.2016 at 21:49, sne said: Anyone following the Norwegian "Tippeligan" ? The scoring leader is a 20 y.o Nigerian kid named Fred Friday 6 goals + 1 assist in 7 games. Anyone seen him play? Would not be the first Nigerian who took the route via Norway to English football... Edit: Obligatory youtube video (from last season) Yes, he plays for my local team. He has progressed pretty well and has taken a step up this season. Currently he's too good for the league and no doubt he will be sold this summer. Think it's too early to say he would succeed and he wouldn't be first choice here but he has potential for sure. Would not surprise me if he played in the PL or bundesliga in three-five years but the step might be too big right now. Always hard to call since the opposition is so vastly different. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villarocker Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 I have a feeling that the word MEH is going to replace the word MELTDOWN in this summer's transfer window. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Richard Posted April 27, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted April 27, 2016 33 minutes ago, villarocker said: I have a feeling that the word MEH is going to replace the word MELTDOWN in this summer's transfer window. it'll be a MEHLTDOWN 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mallett Posted April 27, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted April 27, 2016 (edited) Here are my thoughts on how to improve the squad. Goal Keeper New Keeper (£7m) / Steer / Sarkic Reasoning: Steer has been OK for Huddersfield this season but we need a keeper who will be one of the best in the championship if we want to get promoted. Sarkic is the developing keeper. Out: Guzan (£1m?) – everyone has seen the reasons why he needs to go Siegrist (free?) – Contract up and hasn’t made the grade Bunn – (£500K) not as good as Steer as a replacement with less potential to develop, get rid to save on wages Left Back Amavi / Cissokho Reasoning: Amavi won’t be going anywhere until he has shown future clubs he has fully recovered. I don’t love Cissokho and would sell if we got an offer but I don’t think we will. Cissokho is more defensively minded than Amavi so offers a different option Out: Kinsella (free) – contract up and rumoured to want to play somewhere rather than being reserve. Richardson (free) – contract up and he’s no good! Bennett (500K) – Not good enough Right back New right back (5m) / Hutton / Webb Reasoning: I don’t think RB is Lydon’s position, I don’t think Webb is ready yet and Hutton isn’t good enough to win promotion with. But Hutton has shown good character out of the first team before. Modern football requires a lot from the full backs. Central defence Clark / Mason / Sulliman / Toner (need to take up contract option) / Baker / New Centre back (5m) Reasoning: Baker, Mason, Toner and Sulliman are only good enough to be backups. Need a new quality centre back to partner Clark (ideally a little bit classy). Out: Donacien (free) – contract up – not made it at this level Crespo (free) – not good enough Okore (£3m) – I would want to keep him to partner Clark but we have probably gone past that stage. Worth more but only has a year on his contract. Richards (£3m) – Isn’t a centre back and seemingly can’t do the running to be a right back either hopefully believes he is too good to stay at Villa. Would save some wages – would offer him on a free to get rid. Lescott (free) – Might have wanted to keep him but has burnt his bridges with the fans. Legs have gone and has not always shown the attitude to make up for it. Defensive Midfield Gardner / Lyden Reasoning: Gardener has played the role well at Forest and even offers some goal threat from the position with his long range shooting and free kicks. Lyden’s best position. Out: Sanchez (£2m) – if he cut out the mistakes he’d be a Champions league quality player but he hasn’t and he’s at an age where he won’t. Just too much of a liability to keep in the team which is a shame as he is a great ball winner. Gueye (£7m) – would love him to stay but he’s already agitating for a move. Not good enough to be a midfield general but good defensive midfielder. Midfield Veretout / Westwood / New midfielder x 2 (£7m) Reasoning: Need a goal scoring midfielder (perhaps Bradley Dack?), plus someone with a real physical presence and pace. Westwood has always tried but needs better players around him. Veretout might not stay but could be good in the championship. Out: Bacuna (£2m) – Has lost the fans and needs to get rid of his attitude. Otherwise I’d have been tempted to keep him. Needs to find his best position and a new club to have a fresh start. Attacking Midfield / Wingers Grealish / Sinclair / Green / Traore Reasoning: I would be tempted to get rid of Traore because his contract is bad for team morale but who is going to give him a better deal? I would look to build a midfield around Grealish that compensates for his deficiencies and builds on his strengths. Sinclair offers goals at championship level. Out: Gil (£3m) – too lightweight for the championship and hasn’t shown the character to overcome it. Also lacks pace which makes him too similar to Grealish. Nzogbia (free) - finally! Strikers / forwards Gestede / Hepburn-Murphy / Kozak / New striker (£9m) Reasoning: Would get rid of Kozak but I think he would have to have played to prove his fitness to a new club. Gestede is proven at championship level but really needs someone else with pace to play with or be competing for a place with. Hepburn-Murphy shows promise Out: Ayew (£8m) – will want to move on Robinson (free) – hasn’t made it – contract is up Agbonlahor (free) – Get rid of his bad influence. Would spend money to move him on. Total Cost = £6.5m Edited April 27, 2016 by mallett 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 ^^^ Can't argue with most of that analysis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir_gary_cahill Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 I've seen Sarkic quite a few times now, he's impressed me every time, he's got great presence, anticipation and handling. I think he has the makings of being a really top keeper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 I really cannot see us paying £7m for a new keeper, £5m for a centre back, £7m for a midfielder and £9m for a new striker much as I would like us to (unless both a takeover happens before the transfer window closes and we get a new manager in place). I think we will looking for loan signings, players at the end of their contracts and one or two players for a fee of around £2m - £3m at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted April 27, 2016 VT Supporter Share Posted April 27, 2016 £7m would put our new goalkeeper comfortably into the top 10 of most expensive British goalkeeper transfers of all time. That's not going to happen when we're in the championship. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 3 hours ago, sir_gary_cahill said: I've seen Sarkic quite a few times now, he's impressed me every time, he's got great presence, anticipation and handling. I think he has the makings of being a really top keeper I would like to see him as our number two keeper next year with Bentley coming in as first choice if we can get a deal done with him before someone else does. But it seems everything is on hold and our "custodian" fiddles while Villa Park burns.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzy Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 13 minutes ago, John said: I would like to see him as our number two keeper next year with Bentley coming in as first choice if we can get a deal done with him before someone else does. But it seems everything is on hold and our "custodian" fiddles while Villa Park burns.... Bentley? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 9 minutes ago, bobzy said: Bentley? Daniel. Southend's 22 year old keeper whose contract is up at the end of the season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzy Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 (edited) 4 minutes ago, John said: Daniel. Southend's 22 year old keeper whose contract is up at the end of the season. You'd want a 22 year old, League One keeper as first choice next season?! Edit: Admittedly, I know nothing of the guy at all - but that seems brave Edited April 27, 2016 by bobzy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis242 Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 59 minutes ago, bobzy said: You'd want a 22 year old, League One keeper as first choice next season?! Edit: Admittedly, I know nothing of the guy at all - but that seems brave I haven't seen him play either, but he seems to be one of the best league one keepers, and he has still got decent potential. He could be a PL goalkeeper in the future, and teams like Everton,Bournemouth and Norwich are interested in signing him as the media says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzy Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 6 minutes ago, Denis242 said: I haven't seen him play either, but he seems to be one of the best league one keepers, and he has still got decent potential. He could be a PL goalkeeper in the future, and teams like Everton,Bournemouth and Norwich are interested in signing him as the media says. Yeah, I think people are suggesting him purely from media links (no offence John, you might have seen him play more). Remember when Grealish was being linked with Man City and Chelsea? Yeah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 Bentley had a great game v Walsall a few weeks back, he's certainly one of the best keepers in that league and we're only talking one division step up now rather than 2 for likes of Lowton. We could do worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dn1982 Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 Hopefully we can go back in for Kalinic as our keeper. I'd want a new RB hopefully keep Okore Clark Amavi Westwood Gardner Veretout Grealish Adama and a new CF would be easily good enough as a 1st team to win that league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villan4Life Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/664986/Celtic-Aston-Villa-Arnor-Ingvi-Traustason-Premier-League-transfer-news-gossip-rumours Quote Traustason currently plays in Sweden for top-flight outfit IFK Norrkoeping but made his international debut last year for the country of his birth, Iceland. The 22-year-old impressed the coaches in the international set-up and now has six caps to his name and is expected to be named in the Iceland squad for Euro 2016. His emergence onto the European scene has reportedly caught the eye of a number of British scouts and Icelandic outlet MBL claim both Villa and Celtic are interested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 12 minutes ago, Villan4Life said: http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/664986/Celtic-Aston-Villa-Arnor-Ingvi-Traustason-Premier-League-transfer-news-gossip-rumours Have quite a few mates who supports IFK Norrköping and they rate him very highly, was an integral part in the team who won the championship last season. Haven't seen enough of him to say if he's ready to make an impact in the Championship from the get go. But it's not impossible by any means. There are a few extremely talented players in the Scandinavian leagues atm for whom the Championship might be a good step. If we can show enough ambition or beat the other teams competing for them is another matter. Ludwig Augustinsson FCK (LB) Oscar Lewicki Malmö FF (DCM/CM) Fred Friday Lilleström (CF) Both Denmark and Norway have very exciting young generations coming through but I'm sure others have better knowledge about them than I do. Heard little about how Pione Sisto is developing at Midtylland, still linked to top clubs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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