Shay Given has come out and stated that he is desperate and will do what-ever it takes to leave Aston Villa in January. The 37-year old keeper has lost his first team spot to Guzan and now has fallen even lower down the pecking order behind young keeper Steer. What’s worse is that he is currently on a £60,000 a week contract.
“When you’ve played virtually every game throughout your career it’s difficult – especially when you think you should still be playing,” Given said.
“I’m disappointed I’m not involved and I’ll just train hard until January and hope something comes up.” – Shay Given
McLeish was the manager that brought in the experienced keeper and offered him a 5-year deal. Currently, it’s hard to find a Premier League side that may be willing to offer him an escape route. Whether or not he accepts a dramatic wage deduction, Given will still cost a lot of money for some clubs. Given has had a terrific career and some claim he is still one of the best keepers in the Premier League. Given was linked with a move to Liverpool during the summer transfer window, however that loan deal fell apart because Aston Villa want to sell Given permanently.
I do feel for Given, he was superb and arguably helped us survive in the Premier League in 2012, but ever since Euro 2012 he has struggled. I do want to see Given playing in the Premier League, but as of now, I’m not seeing many clubs interested in a new keeper.
It’s fairly simple, surely, he either wants to accept £60k per week and the ignominy of training with the reserves (or whatever Lambert makes him do) or he accepts a wage cut to go and play football somewhere else. It seems there’s no middle ground. Presumably there was no clause in his contract saying he’d have to be in the starting 11 so he either takes the cash or goes. Not sure what is the point in conversation about it.
I do agree that he’s a cracking keeper and it would be great to see him playing competitively somewhere.
You know Foxy, never understood that if I was on a contract and was deemed to be surplus and still had two years to go think I would just sit it out, think about it, £60 grand a week 37 year old where could you find a better life. Yes a waste to football but who was it and did this to the game, again stupid managers and agents, if he’s got a thought for the game take a cut, bet you he won’t ,will sit it out.
Without a doubt he should be playing week in week out for someone. I do feel for the guy, but he’ll have to take a wage cut if he’s serious about wanting to play elsewhere.
His situation hasn’t changed for a while, and it has looked pretty certain that it wouldn’t. If he had been prepared to take a pay cut he could be playing somewhere else week in week out. He is still at Villa taking the cash. I don’t really blame him for that but don’t bleat about not playing if the cash is more important
yeah, id have to agree, if he took a wage cut for the last few years of his career then he would be playing 1st team football somewhere, he is a good keeper and as has been said kept us up in the McLeish season.
steer is going to be number 2 because we want to bring on a young keeper for the future, there’s no point in playing given at the moment for us.
he shouldn’t be moaning about the situation when we all know the reason why he hasn’t moved on, his massive wages, he’s spent the last few seasons earning 3/4 of a million per year at villa so its not like he’s going to be in the poor house he just needs to ask himself the question does he want 1st team football more than 60k a week?