The catastrophic mess that is Aston Villa Football Club continues to fill the back pages. Another week has seen more embarrassment envelope Villa Park, with club captain Gabby Agbonlahor suspended over shisha pipe pictures and Micah Richards embroiled in yet another Twitter row with the club’s supporters. It is demeaning, although I am no longer surprised by such events. It is worryingly commonplace now, as is our weekly surrender on the pitch, which is the cause of just as much humiliation.
So what are the main steps that need to be taken on and off the pitch to begin to rectify this sorry situation?
I believe that the most important step has already been taken with the formation of a new look board. Having a wealth of football experience in place now actually gives me cause for optimism going forward. We have certain individuals on the board who actually care about the club. Really, we would have been hard pushed to hand pick a better board if we had the choice ourselves. The one unknown is chairman Steve Hollis but I am impressed by his decisive actions so far. The fans have wanted Villa legends, Villa supporters and general football experience. We have finally got what we wanted. Hopefully, it will stand us in good stead.
On the pitch, where do I start? I do still believe that there is some talent in our squad and that a complete overhaul is not needed. However, a reliable goalkeeper is an absolute must for me. I lay much blame for our position this season at Brad Guzan’s door. I have highlighted his mistakes in several previous articles so I won’t go through them again here but I firmly believe he alone has cost us at least ten to twelve points this season. A good goalkeeper will make perhaps one big clanger a season and maybe another one or two mistakes at the most on top of that. Guzan has consistently miscontrolled the ball, miskicked the ball, poorly distributed the ball and put players under pressure, poorly organised his wall and his own positioning for free kicks and let the ball go through his body as if he were a ghost. He must be sold this summer and if no takers come forward then he should be used only as a back-up goalkeeper. Who will replace him causes a dilemma. For me, we are realistically looking at shopping in the Championship, which I would actually prefer to taking a chance on someone from abroad. The most obvious choice for me would be Cardiff City’s David Marshall. However, a transfer may be tricky, with a host of Premier League clubs, including Everton and West Bromwich Albion known to have shown interest and been put off by a reported £10 million price tag. Throw in the fact that The Bluebirds are also in with a chance of promotion via the playoffs and it may be an impossible transfer come May but Marshall in particular would also be able to take the step up to Premier League level, which is our obvious aim.
£10 million is undoubtedly a lot of money but, for me, it’s such an important position to get right as a decent goalkeeper spreads confidence through a team. As we can see, a good goalkeeper can literally be the difference between failure and success. We will have money from parachute payments and I wouldn’t hesitate in spending big bucks to get the right goalkeeper.
Equally important is getting a commanding and established centre back. With both Joleon Lescott and Micah Richards showing disinterest, laziness, contempt for the fans and a serious lack of footballing intelligence, it is likely that neither will be with us next season. Whilst finding an improvement shouldn’t be too difficult, I am longing for a dominant and powerful centre half like ones we have had so often down the years. If we’re shopping again in the Championship, I would lean towards someone like Derby County’s Jason Shackell. Another player with Premier League experience, his age of thirty-two may make him a more short term acquisition. However, we have been crying out for someone to get things organised, take control and lead by example. Ciaran Clark may find his level next year whilst Jores Okore is looking to move on by all accounts, which for me is a shame as I think he has huge potential. We have been missing a colossus at the back for too long now and that needs to be rectified this summer.
An obvious area that we must get right is, of course, the manager. It is a simple choice for me – David Moyes. If he wants the job, give it to him. He has a reputation for rebuilding and we are the perfect platform for him. Steve Bruce should never be an option. The growing support for Nigel Pearson is as terrifying as the man himself is. They have both managed at Championship level, but we should be looking at the long term for our next manager. It isn’t simply about getting back up. It’s about rebuilding for the future. Bruce is a perennial Premier League underachiever whilst Pearson managed to have seven good games towards the end of last season which was, in all honesty, overshadowed for me by his long list of bizarre behaviours in strangling players, abusing fans and delivering strange press conferences. Alarm bells should be ringing at the mere mention of his name. We are not blessed with the cream of the management world queuing up for the job and Moyes represents by far and away the highest calibre of candidate available to us at this point in time. We cannot be sacking yet another manager in six months’ time.
Whilst I said that a complete overhaul of the squad is not needed, I do believe it is time for the likes of the aforementioned Guzan, Lescott and Richards to leave. Additionally, even though Alan Hutton does show effort and puts a shift in, he is simply not a good enough player and needs to move on also. The same is true in the case of Kieran Richardson, who is also on my hit list.
Gabby Agbonlahor has reached the point of no return for me: he is out of shape and disinterested so he must leave the club this summer. If we can get anywhere near £2 million for him, I would take it. Leandro Bacuna also makes this list: his recent comments about looking to play Champions League football within two years (which I’m still laughing at) have shown his delusion but it would simply be cruel for the club to hold him back any further…
Charles N’Zogbia is, thankfully, out of contract, which at least means we will definitely make a saving on his huge, unjustified wages at last. With the possible exception of Hutton and Richardson, I believe that getting rid of these particular players will go a long way towards clearing out the unprofessional and poisonous stance that has soaked into the fabric of the club. That absolutely needs to be set right this summer. A professional attitude must be installed and pride in playing for the club reignited.
On a more optimistic note, I believe that some positivity does lie within our current crop. As I said, I think Ciaran Clark will be decent at Championship level and I would expect to see the likes of Scott Sinclair and Jack Grealish have good seasons also. Idrissa Gueye has been promising in parts, but hopefully not quite enough to have gained attention and earned a move away. The same can be said of Jordan Veretout. The return of Jordan Amavi is an exciting prospect and I don’t believe there is any chance of a move for him after such a serious injury without proving himself for us first. Rudy Gestede is a verified Championship scorer and hopefully we can hold on to Carles Gil, although the physical demands may be even worse for him than at Premier League level.
Whilst I fully expect them to both sadly leave, if there is any chance of keeping hold of Jordan Ayew and Adama Traoré then Aston Villa could be the most exciting team in the Championship and completely tear it up.
We know that this season is over. More importantly, the board also recognises it and its members have begun to act appropriately. For me, that bodes well as we enter into a period of change and upheaval. I am optimistic that we will be much better equipped for next season than we have been for any of the previous ones since Martin O’Neill unceremoniously ditched us at the altar.
Why is Steve Bruce not an option? How many promotions has he won, stop being so blinkered we need to get out if the championship at the first attempt and Bruce can do that. Moyes never got promoted with Preston, for the Premier League I would go with him, but not in Championship.
As a season ticket holder at the villa your words ring with so much truth. My fathers fault that my brothers myself and my nephews all stand in the lower holt willing the team to turn up each week and put in a shift. My father passed away sadly in July last year and would have been saddened by how his glorious villa have ended this season …. All I can say villa gets in your blood … And next year is another year we may even see some goals up our end ….. UTV
I think you will find it much harder in the Championship that you realise. There are a lot of quality teams looking for promotion, all playing better football than Villa. Add to that list Newcastle and Sunderland…and the overhaul needed at Villa to really compete in a very competitive league..you need to take a close look at the Championship. Do not expect it is your God given right to go straight back up…it takes real effort and commitment from players week in and week out over a long hard season which is something that is missing from your club. There will be better teams in the Championship than Villa next year…and their fans will also be looking for promotion. I suggest being more realistic in your expectations, there are going to be a lot of changes at Villa over the next few months..and these will need time to take shape.
Having been a season ticket holder for nearly 50 years, I as much as anyone share the disappointment, embarrassment and anger about what has happened to AVFC during the last four or five years, however I cannot see what possible benefit there is in continuing the protests and constant abuse that is happening at VP every game. The owner is trying to sell the club and has been for two years, in truth he wants out as much as some supporters want him out, we have at least begun the process of rebuilding, albeit 2 years too late, but it had to start somewhere, by creating this toxic atmosphere at VP we are simply dragging the club and players further down and providing more ammunition for the press and pundits to fire at AVFC( and how they are enjoying it) now is the time to get behind the new set up and try and drag the club back to where it belongs as we did when we were relegated to the old third division, at least we can prove that Villa fans are world class even if the team isn’t.
Out. Guzan,HuttonBacuna Westwood Lescott Richards Sanchez Nzobia.
The French players out all except ( Amavi Gana) Ayew Veretout out for
Proven championship replacements and recall baker Gardner bring in
Youth squad players.
The TOXIC player must not train any where near the new squad,they
Must be totally cut off from Avfc and coaching staff (total permanent quarrantine)
Until they have left Avfc. The new manager must beRUTHLESS.
I agree completely with your ditch list – Guzan, Hutton, Richardson, Lescott, Richards, Bacuna, Gabby and the Zog should all be gone. I would add Cissokho to that list.
I would love a great keeper. How has Steer been performing at Huddersfield? And how has Siegrist progressed? Are these pair destined to be no. 2’s.
As for CB’s I would strive to keep Okore, I think he and Clark will be a very good pairing in the Championship with Baker plus one as back up.
We do need a right back if Hutton and Bacuna go. What about that lad at Burnley …. Lowton …. only joking of course!
I would let Sanchez go and look to replace him with a stronger DCM (an enforcer in the West Ham style). This, of course, depends on how good the likes of Mason and Lyden are – I haven’t seen any of them to make a judgement.
I think, if we can retain everyone else and bring the kids through, we should have enough to be a top Championship side, dependent upon, as you rightly say, getting the right manager in. Moyes, for me, would be the best name of those discussed, although my personal preference would be Warburton if he could be lured from Rangers.