Sorry for the delay, but I quite simply didn’t know what to say about this.
I started to hear this story early this afternoon, whilst at work, but my immediate reaction was that it was an utter load of rubbish.
“How on earth would it be possible for a player to be seen to be leaving a club and then to refute the story by saying he’s staying, only to change his mind again by actually leaving?” was my thinking.
It wouldn’t be possible, as the player would never live it down.
How naive I’ve been.
Given that I had my suspicions that both the loyalty statements were probably written by someone at the club and not Delph himself, I found myself wondering if all was as well as was being portrayed, but you just take categorical statements like “I’m staying at this great football club” at face value, don’t you?
So any doubt was put to the back of my mind.
Anyway, now the decision has been made, I find that I’m asking myself “what’s gone on?”.
And given that it seems he made his decision last night, my guess is that he found out Benteke is going and just decided enough is enough.
Which means that he really thought a lot about Benteke and his ability or he isn’t convinced about what’s happening at the club, which is somewhat worrying.
One thing caught my eye in Delph’s statement and it was the part where he apparently confirmed that Micah Richards definitely didn’t do anything to put Delph off about going to City.
Indeed, it seems he raved about the club.
Thanks Micah.
Oh, one other thing.
I believe Genk are entitled to around five million Euros from the Benteke sale, via a sell-on clause.
So it won’t be £40 million to spend (plus the usual stingy £15 million).
While a part of me doesn’t blame Delph for moving onward and upward to the Man City bench, I also feel that what he’s done here, is about as bad as anything I’ve witnessed in my forty five years or so of supporting the club.
He’s made himself and the club a laughing stock and the words “two-faced, lying bastard” spring to mind.
And while I agree with the thinking that no player is bigger than the club, this is a big loss when combined with Benteke’s imminent departure.
I just hope Tim Sherwood is as good as he thinks he is, as regardless of how poor you think Benteke, Delph and Vlaar might be individually, we’ve now got the spine of the team ripped out and it’ll take some replacing, especially when you consider that we need a team that can gel quickly, if we aren’t going to be involved in another relegation fight.
I don’t think many are concerned they are leaving it’s more to do with the way Delph went about it. No one on here that I can think of wanted Vlaar to stay and Benteke, in most fans eyes, deserves his chance, weather that’s with Liverpool is another matter but he still deserves his chance to play for a team challenging at the right end of the league table. Delph is just a C–T for the way he went about it, not the fact he wanted to go.
Watching Delph off the pitch is much like watching him on it. Turn this way, turn that way, turn back again – oops, lost the ball. Well you can place a bet now on Citeh conceding more goals in the league next season than in the last season, and a small gamble that Kompany actually hits Delph after one gaffe.
I stick to my idea that Sherwood really meant it when he told the cup finalists they could find other clubs for their losing mentality. 5 gone now. GIVEN VLAAR CLEVERLEY DELPH BENTEKE.
I am not sure what to make of M’s comments. The staff meeting would not have been called to announce new owners until 1/ the ink was dry on the contract, and 2/ more importantly Randy’s bank called him to say the £150M had arrived. So whatever it was for, it wasn’t to announce a take-over.
The meeting was announced 10 days in advance so perhaps the deal it was expected to go through by then but was probably delayed so TF could not disclose it.
Whatever the purpose the agenda seem to be have been pulled….
During Randy’s time there he has never called an All Staff Meeting like this, closed every department mid-afternoon (when the shop has a sale on and the ticket office are selling season ticket renewals etc) and certainly not put on a free meal and drinks for everyone mid-afternoon to tell everyone they need to work harder next Season.
Everyone will have their own opinion and that is the general consensus from those at the club and to me it sounds feasible…….
fabien delph is a fuckin RAAATT of the highest order ,fucked us over twice.Dirrty lyyyin rrrrrrrrrrat.Sorry think were fucked next season no matter who we sign.
Well as much as I thought Delph was a good guy I now think he’s a complete shit.
Why tell us he’s staying only to go within days? Did we do something wrong? No he’s just a total, absolute utter shit.
Hope he warms the bench at Citeh or years to come and goes grey without another England game.
To give Benteke his due he might be leaving us but at least he’s kept his gob shut and I thank him for that.
I know players come and go but to play the loyalty card and then renege so soon show a total lack of class.
UTV and f**k Delph
Yes, we all agree, Delph has now reached Field Marshall status when it comes to being a c**t. The highest c**t honour out there currently. He is a top c*nt of the very highest order. A proper c*nt.
But, he wasn’t actually good at playing football and contributed to a very poor villa outfit for years. I see lots of talk about ‘spine’ and us losing it, had there been a ‘spine’ since…fuck remembers? I believe that’s the one true thing we’ve been missing for so long now. I never rated Delph personally, I feel he was an over-achiever in an exceptionally poor team, which made him look better than he is. I can guarantee he’ll never secure first team football for Citeh or England.
It’s absolutely not the end of the world losing a player like a Delph, it’s under the circumstances in which we lost the c**t which bites the hardest.
No player is bigger than the club. Utv
I agreed he was simply the best of a shot bunch of midfielders I honestly don’t care he’s gone especially as we’ve a like for like replacement in gueye
Badger, I don’t believe Delph’s actions make Villa look bad rather the opposite; rather the focus of criticism will be on Delph with some sympathy for the club and fans. Delph has done untold damage to his reputation and his career and he’ll have to live with that. Reputations (particularly bad ones) are easily made but difficult to dispel.
In respect of the £8m buy out clause, I suspect that was wanted by Delph’s agent geared to a fear that we would be relegated last season. Without the benefit of hindsight it was probably a reasonably good deal for all parties at the time.
Disappointed with the turn around by delph, not bothered he is leaving to be honest as he is easily replaced with his style of play. Yes he drives forward with ball beating players, but we have other players who can do that (Gil,grealish,Sinclair). You can’t blame him going for the financial rewards, but I cannot seeing him being a regular- big risk in my eyes to cement his England place in the team. I think someone has already mentioned on here Milner suffered, and he brings more to the table than delph does. As for benteke, we have got to take the money as long as it invested wisely. Just wish it wasn’t Liverpool, as they in my eyes are not a champions league team and never will be. Just wish it would hurry up and be done with.
We have to trust what Tim and Ray are trying to build, and will interesting to see what style of play we will adopt this year. It could be that Delphs u turn was greatly accepted by Ray and Tim as they don’t want that style of play! Same with benteke! Let’s see what new faces arrive in the next few weeks, a striker (goalscorer) is vital (adebayor would not be a bad choice as he is quality when he wants it).
Early days yet! Let’s be positive about the start and assess after the 1st 6 games.
Braga game yesterday – first half really good, dominated and created lots of chances – second half a bit dreary.
However Gil looked great playing more or less in Delph’s position and gave 2 or 3 stunning forward passes for Gabby. Is it just me or has he beefed up since he joined the Villa? When I saw him last season great football but it looked like a stiff breeze would knock him over. Yesterday he looked stockier and stronger and, if I’m honest,looks like he has the beating of Delph in every department.
Richards was great too. Fast and athletic, good tackles.
I’d like to see Kozak play with Gabby and Gil and Grealish as we might have something there, playing the ball on the ground rather than just lumping it to the big man.
Delph gone, Benteke gone, Vlaar gone, Cleverley gone and I find I’m still optimistic, perhaps even more so. If Amavi joins us and another striker we might just be okay this season.
UTV
Let’s be fair, the frustrating thing is knowing we will pay 15m for townsend and hull want 10m for Brady!
So today we have Alan Shearer, Joey Barton and Stan Collymore all ripping the piss out of Delph. I can’t remember seeing so much bad press about one players transfer in a long time. Everybody is laughing at you Delph.
If/when Delph comes back to VP, I hope he gets the same sort of reception that reduced Barry to a quivering wreck.
A bit part player who is only at Citeh to make up the English quota. Enjoy the Carling Cup games Judas Mk 2.
…but Lambert thought it a good idea…
….but look at what else he thought was a good idea – Tonev, Hellenius, Sylla ….the list is endless!
…add Becoming Manager of Aston Villa to that list…
I wonder if Southampton fans post like this every time their team is raped by the ‘darlings of sky sports’. Or if they speculate that the manager will walk every time one of their stars gets sold? Never seen a picture of a bed sheet hanging on the gates of the ground with a spray painted message either and they seem to be more than ok! I’m gutted about Delph, not for his skill, as he wouldn’t have got in the teams of yesteryear but because of the way he’s mugged off the fans. Benteke was never going to stay – in fact he’s been here longer than we could’ve hoped. We move on and let’s enjoy the ride. We know the football will be decent and we know that sherwood will instil some belief into the team so I’m going to stay positive! UTV
Saints fans are seeing the money reinvested. Plus they’ve had a decent structure and business plan in place for some time now whilst we still wee wee on our shoes.
SEB – it’s not that he’s gone, it’s the manner of his going that has upset the fans. Personally, I’m not that bothered but feel very let down by his lack of integrity. All he needed to have done was kept his mouth shut and he could have avoided all this.
Totally agree Hitchens, he’s come out of this smelling of the brown stuff. For that reason I’ll never forgive him. I dare say sherwood feels the same!
Gutted about the £8m clause, like I said on a previous post, if ‘Fatty’ Faulkener had put that in we’ll be marching up to Villa Park with pitchforks. Delph’s worth twice that.
For those who think he’ll be bench warming at Citeh I think you’re wrong. Milner’s gone, YaYa’s nearing the end and Nasri is just awful, he could easily become a regular starter.
Think it’s more about who else they’ll be bringing in Dave to be honest – do you honestly think that Delph will be the marquee signing that the Arab owners will want to parade in the champions league? Without the clause I doubt if he wouldn’t have signed the new contract so I’m afraid we’ve got to see it as £8m gained rather than any loss.
Delph is replaceable, Viaar is replaceable as for Benteke? . I trust Sherwood to invest the money wisely from the Benteke sale. As for Delph I just took the knife out of my back that the two faced rat put into yesterday. Let him rot on the bench and move on.
I agree Sir Earl, Delph will not be a marquee signing for them, but he’s great value at £8m, didn’t we pay £7m for him. Also, I really think he’s good enough to be one of the first names on the England team sheet in future.
Can’t disagree more Dave, but only time will tell. Meet you back here the end of next season???
Great value and an England regular but champions league standard? I wonder how long it’ll be before he’s pulling out of England games as seems to be the case for many of the ‘sky 4’ players? Wish he was still at villa but onward and upward!!
A true but sad commentary on the state of England is that Delph probably is now an England regular in midfield but Citeh need to field better players in their Champions League side to have any chance. Sooner rather than later Hodgson will drop players not starting regularly for their clubs, he always does.
I am looking forward to a change of style and change of attitude. I have got my ticket for Bournemouth and I am expecting a quality performance from both sides.
Like Hodge, Platt, Yorke, Barry, Young and Downing nothing but a mercenary rubbing our noses in it.
The Man City fans I have spoken to, do not know when he will get a game, lets hope he is mugged off, just for the sake of their quota…. followed Villa for 40 years and never known such crap coming out of a players mouth…. Cant travel to Portugal, but now on his way to Australia….
Saddened, Citeh can afford Star Trek style teleportation devices, so it only takes seconds for their squad to travel down under. Villa still have to rely on aeroplanes. Therefore Delph can justify this to himself.
First team regular? You having a laugh!?!?!?!??
OGC Nice have confirmed the Amavi deal, now we just need a midfielder and two strikers.
I’m looking forward to Amavi telling the Nice fans that he’s now staying and loves the club and us signing him next weekend after another u turn!
I might buy myself a Nice shirt next week…
We should send Delph a cushion as a parting gift.. to make sure he is comfortable on man city’s bench. What a fraud.
But in good news welcome to Amavi. Brilliant signing and Sherwood persisted and got his man.
I see Gil is having a good pre season, he alone is an upgrade on delph and I expect gueye to be also.
A mid two strikers and a keeper would be a good way to spend the cash.
Welcome Jordon to the VILLA fold.UTV