A Villa Thriller

Written on 14th August

Aston Villa supporters are not unused to strange weeks by any stretch of the imagination over the course of their long, illustrious history, but the strangest week since Randy Lerner’s takeover has certainly grabbed the attention of the football world.

Earlier this summer, Villa’s England star James Milner stated he wished to leave the Midlands club, and there were echoes of Gareth Barry’s demanding move to Liverpool, haunting Villa’s faithful fans that once again their club were only a stepping stone between the rest of the Premier League and the infamous ‘big six’; Manchester United and City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and the Merseyside Reds, who finished below Villa last season.

Barry’s switch to the North West’s former European Cup Winners eventually fell through, and the midfield dynamo opted for the ambitious, money-wrapped Manchester City, and it is City which looks the likely destination for his former partner Milner.

City have become villains in the Premier League over recent years, does that make the Birmingham club, the more famous owners of that particularly nickname, the victims?

The Eastland’s side have already lost respect from Everton and specifically David Moyes over their pursuit of Joleon Lescott, who took the short drive to switch for £25million in a very public debacle. Also Carlos Tevez’s switch to the club from Manchester United, despite the Argentine stating he ‘wouldn’t join a rival’ when he opted against switching to Liverpool. And Arsene Wenger was less than flattered when Emmanuel Adebayor joined the cast of stars which is still yet to break into a Champions League place.

Back to the Midlands it looks as though Milner has a £30million asking price, surely an overrated place for a midfielder who has only been known as an England regular since the last World Cup, when his nation famously flopped on the largest stage.

I’m not suggesting players are wrong to switch to the team, now managed by Roberto Mancini, but the club are clearly unprofessional in their transfer movements to land their big names to the club.

And it looks like this might have been the cause for perhaps the biggest twist of the Milner saga, the departure of manager Martin O’Neill. A instrumental part of Nottingham Forest’s dominance at the top during his playing career, it looks like the former Celtic boss finally lost his rag on the situation. Randy Lerner, who announced his ambitions to make Villa a force in the top flight during his takeover, thoughts echoed by O’Neill in his first press conference. But O’Neill sighted a change in ambitions with his boss, and it is believed that Milner was sold below the valuation set by O’Neill.

It wasn’t the build up to the season that Villa were on the lookout for. Their manager gone, and most influential player on the exit path. Surely it was inevitable that the their match against West Ham, aided by Graham MacDonald as caretaker manager was destined for defeat?

No such story. An unlikely ending to Villa’s gloomy week as the Midlander’s sailed to a convincing victory, perhaps making neutrals thinking the problems were at opposition West Ham rather than for the hosts.

The goalscorer of the third goal? The ‘unsettled’ midfielder Milner, booed onto the field because of the actions of the last days and weeks, exited to a standing ovation. The jeerers were silenced by a splendid display, Milner now may leave for Lancashire with the backing of his current club’s fans, although the general complexity of his switch will leave a sour taste in their fan’s mouthes.

It could yet turn to be an inspired move for all parties, City could have found money well spent with a switch that could lead them to Premiership glories, the Villa become a lot richer and can maybe smile at the move providing they find an adequate replacement, James Milner arguably has a greater oppitunity to win trophies and also finds his pocket increased with more money, and Martin O’Neill may find himself a better club, with his successful CV still intact, before it turned sour in the first place.

But it is severely risky. Villa lost a manager who took them from the lower reaches of the Premier League into Europe. They also are destined to lose a fantastic player. And it also gives those in this world who have a dislike to the beautiful game yet another opportunity to slam the game which continues to fail to fund itself. Is it in disrepute? Or is it not football at fault? Is it more a case of the ‘ruiners’ of the modern game are Manchester City!?