Jack Grealish

[Del_Bosque]

I’d expect this to be virtually wrapped up this week

 

[ONTHERUNWITHTHAKSIN]

We were on the brink of administration under the previous owner, Tony Xia, after we lost to Fulham in the playoff final.

Since the take over, we've achieved a miraculous promotion, winning the playoffs after being 13th, 11pts off 6th with 12 games left.

We had to buy a virtually new team for the PL, making about 10 signings, averaging about £12m, who had virtually no PL experience. We were 'doing a Fulham', so the saying went. It was actually necessity, rather than ill-judged. We then had a 'miracle survival', being 7 points off safety with 4 games left, and even Villa fans resigned to what seemed like certain relegation.

Last summer we made 4, more expensive signings, all starters. The youngish, PL rookies from the previous summer had improved a year on. Martinez and Watkins turned out to be inspired buys. We finished 11th with a points total that would normally leave you comfortably top half.

So from the brink of administration in the Championship to expecting a challenge for Europe this season, with 3 England players, amongst other internationals, gives cause for a little belief.

You say just survived and 11th, I say upwardly mobile. With one of the youngest first 11s in the league, who are still improving, together, and being added to.

Yes, we're well aware it's tougher the higher you're looking to go, but the club is 'on a journey', full of optimism and hope at the moment and the owners, upto now, have been pretty much perfect, even investing heavily in our youth setup to create something sustainable. They've earned a lot of trust.

I've seen people insisting we're miles off, will never win a trophy during Grealish's career, will never get top 4, deluded, etc. All ridiculous assertions, given the facts that even United and Chelsea have missed out on top 4 in recent memory, West Ham were in contention with a few games left after finishing 16th the previous season, and Leicester...you know the rest. It CAN be done, and we have the owners to sustain it, IF we get our foot in the door. So allow us our 'dream', please! :-)

As this is the Grealish thread, I should say Jack's been pivotal to our improvement. From returning from injury, getting the captain's armband, and leading us to 10 wins in a row, and a playoff place to dragging us out of the relegation zone. He's more important to Villa than you could understand. Which is why you wouldn't get him for less than £100m, because the owners know his worth. Most fans wouldn't want to sell him at any price.

Fair play

You have to keep a hold of your dreams it’s what kept us going plus our humour through the dark times

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

I’d expect this to be virtually wrapped up this week

Me too - except that reporting has now emerged that Grealish himself is having second thoughts. Reporting suggests that he's not comfortable in all out competition for starting spots - fearing that he may end up on the bench.

Who knows though how accurate this is? This sort of story does seem very plausible though.

 

[meeesh]

We were on the brink of administration under the previous owner, Tony Xia, after we lost to Fulham in the playoff final.

Since the take over, we've achieved a miraculous promotion, winning the playoffs after being 13th, 11pts off 6th with 12 games left.

We had to buy a virtually new team for the PL, making about 10 signings, averaging about £12m, who had virtually no PL experience. We were 'doing a Fulham', so the saying went. It was actually necessity, rather than ill-judged. We then had a 'miracle survival', being 7 points off safety with 4 games left, and even Villa fans resigned to what seemed like certain relegation.

Last summer we made 4, more expensive signings, all starters. The youngish, PL rookies from the previous summer had improved a year on. Martinez and Watkins turned out to be inspired buys. We finished 11th with a points total that would normally leave you comfortably top half.

So from the brink of administration in the Championship to expecting a challenge for Europe this season, with 3 England players, amongst other internationals, gives cause for a little belief.

You say just survived and 11th, I say upwardly mobile. With one of the youngest first 11s in the league, who are still improving, together, and being added to.

Yes, we're well aware it's tougher the higher you're looking to go, but the club is 'on a journey', full of optimism and hope at the moment and the owners, upto now, have been pretty much perfect, even investing heavily in our youth setup to create something sustainable. They've earned a lot of trust.

I've seen people insisting we're miles off, will never win a trophy during Grealish's career, will never get top 4, deluded, etc. All ridiculous assertions, given the facts that even United and Chelsea have missed out on top 4 in recent memory, West Ham were in contention with a few games left after finishing 16th the previous season, and Leicester...you know the rest. It CAN be done, and we have the owners to sustain it, IF we get our foot in the door. So allow us our 'dream', please! :-)

As this is the Grealish thread, I should say Jack's been pivotal to our improvement. From returning from injury, getting the captain's armband, and leading us to 10 wins in a row, and a playoff place to dragging us out of the relegation zone. He's more important to Villa than you could understand. Which is why you wouldn't get him for less than £100m, because the owners know his worth. Most fans wouldn't want to sell him at any price.

You may well be on an upward curve,but being consistent is the key,no point in putting 7 up Liverpool (oh how we laughed) one week,then drawing v Fulham a week or so later.

But as we seem to be competing in all competitions to the very end,players who want to win something in their careers,before they are over,and let's face it they are pretty quickly,coming to City is something that has a far better chance of doing so in this present climate.

All down to personal ambitions I guess,same applies to Kane,who has made his feelings known,allegedly

 

[Sid McGrath]

I don’t understand why certain blues want too put down other fan bases aspirations. We as a fan base and club know all too well what it’s like too ‘dream’. I never ever thought I’d live too see us win a trophy nevermind Premier league titles! That was insane pipe dreams in the 90’s!

You sound like a Villian with the same hope we used too manifest, we still do!

Your Club is going in the right direction, all be it you’ll have too fend off the vultures! And I’m sorry too say we will be one of them. :-) one day you may well be the same. Hopefully picking off Uniteds best bits haha! Helping Send them into obscurity. Whatever happens with Grealish I wish you all the best and your ‘dreams’ whatever anyone says they sometimes do come true! That’s a fact! Good luck for the season pal.

Cheers Mate! The Spirit of Captain Sensible lives within me! ;-)

 

[PJRavfc]

I've always found the bluemoon forum interesting going back a long time as City went from a similiar place to where Villa are now to winning multiple domestic competitions and performing well in Europe most years but I've never joined up as it's not my club and i'll probably get told to get stuffed! The reason i've bit the bullet is to explain why Villa fans rate Grealish at £100m+, I personally rate him higher when you've had players like Coutinho go for a lot more.

Jacks Villa born and bred, at the academy since the age of 6 and has now the club captain with an incredible amount of power at the club that I doubt a player has as much anywhere else. Not only is he captain but he's been made a part of our Academy Committee and has a strong voice on what direction he feels the club should be building itself up from the academy to the first team. He's also a part of the transfer committee and is basically buttered up in every way possible to make him feel as loved and important as possible. He's also took training sessions last season after being unhappy with the standard of training which instead of telling him to shut up and get on with your job we've let him introduce things he's learnt whilst away on England duty.

I totally understand him wanting to go to City, I've thought about what I'd do if it was me and with all the power he has at Villa along with playing every minute of every match it would be a difficult decision for me to go from that to having to spend a fair amount of time on the bench which he will inevitably have to. Jack is a top class player, absolutely no doubt that he's the best I've seen at Villa in my lifetime but he's not an 8/10 every single game and has had dips in form which he wouldn't get away with at City.

There also comes the Jack Grealish away from a football pitch. He's very much a LAD and regularly spends his weekends in Mayfair on the p*ss and in that sense he doesn't look after himself in the best way he possibly could. My questions is to City fans really is that do you think Pep would allow a player to spend as much time in nightclubs as Jack does? We've all seen the picture of him at 18 out cold on a Tenerife street but it was only last year he was pictured in a hotel room with a brass, he also smashed up his car and was pictured looking absolutely steaming but didn't appear at a police station till the next day to avoid getting done for drink driving. In my opinion that wouldn't be tolerated by Pep and rightly so at a club that's playing at the highest level. He's also been known to argue with Managers which I don't think would go down well Pep. IF he does sign for City (I think it's a done deal) and carries on with his off field antics how do you see his career going at City? Would it be tolerated if he's doing the business or would he be shipped out?

Apologies for the dissertation, didn't intend to go on for so long!

 

[sd33]

Me too - except that reporting has now emerged that Grealish himself is having second thoughts. Reporting suggests that he's not comfortable in all out competition for starting spots - fearing that he may end up on the bench.

Who knows though how accurate this is? This sort of story does seem very plausible though.

hes gonna be citys record signing i doubt he will be on bench that much

 

[FantasyIreland]

I've seen several recent rumors to the effect that Grealish is now having second thoughts about joining our club - worried that competition for a starting spot might result in his landing on the bench.
===
I get that English players are more desirable given the P/L rules - but for me, this xfer window is enormously difficult given that we've decided to pursue Grealish and Kane. Neither club particularly wants to transfer these players - and thus they're not already signed.

Meanwhile the transfer window drags on and on.
===
A hallmark - IMO - of successful Man City transfer windows in the recent past is that we identify nescient, not fully-developed talent, and then sign these players very early on in the window. This window, I see no such signing.

For me, we're mostly pursing Grealish and Kane - both players are going to be extremely difficult to sign - obviously.
===
What do you think? Should we switch gears and pursue other targets? Is the risk of courting Grealish and Kane worthwhile?

Our club has invested plenty of time and energy into the effort of signing these two players,there is very good reason for that......so they will only switch to Plan B if the buffers have been hit,and there is no reason to believe that is the case.

 

[BamberBridgeBlue]

We were on the brink of administration under the previous owner, Tony Xia, after we lost to Fulham in the playoff final.

Since the take over, we've achieved a miraculous promotion, winning the playoffs after being 13th, 11pts off 6th with 12 games left.

We had to buy a virtually new team for the PL, making about 10 signings, averaging about £12m, who had virtually no PL experience. We were 'doing a Fulham', so the saying went. It was actually necessity, rather than ill-judged. We then had a 'miracle survival', being 7 points off safety with 4 games left, and even Villa fans resigned to what seemed like certain relegation.

Last summer we made 4, more expensive signings, all starters. The youngish, PL rookies from the previous summer had improved a year on. Martinez and Watkins turned out to be inspired buys. We finished 11th with a points total that would normally leave you comfortably top half.

So from the brink of administration in the Championship to expecting a challenge for Europe this season, with 3 England players, amongst other internationals, gives cause for a little belief.

You say just survived and 11th, I say upwardly mobile. With one of the youngest first 11s in the league, who are still improving, together, and being added to.

Yes, we're well aware it's tougher the higher you're looking to go, but the club is 'on a journey', full of optimism and hope at the moment and the owners, upto now, have been pretty much perfect, even investing heavily in our youth setup to create something sustainable. They've earned a lot of trust.

I've seen people insisting we're miles off, will never win a trophy during Grealish's career, will never get top 4, deluded, etc. All ridiculous assertions, given the facts that even United and Chelsea have missed out on top 4 in recent memory, West Ham were in contention with a few games left after finishing 16th the previous season, and Leicester...you know the rest. It CAN be done, and we have the owners to sustain it, IF we get our foot in the door. So allow us our 'dream', please! :-)

As this is the Grealish thread, I should say Jack's been pivotal to our improvement. From returning from injury, getting the captain's armband, and leading us to 10 wins in a row, and a playoff place to dragging us out of the relegation zone. He's more important to Villa than you could understand. Which is why you wouldn't get him for less than £100m, because the owners know his worth. Most fans wouldn't want to sell him at any price.

It can be done, yes. But you ignore the massive odds stacked against you.

The top 4 last year were us, The Scum, Dippers and Chelski. In my opinion those 4 aren’t going anywhere At a stretch, one might but that’s highly unlikely. Leicester have been punching above their weight for a while, but in reality it’s one freak Premier League and their first ever FA Cup. Ok, West Ham may have had a freak season but then you have Spurs and Arsenal above you too, Arsenal are definitely strengthening. Leeds might go walkabout again but it’s generally accepted in football circles that Everton and Wolves have ambitious owners.

Yes, if Villla get it right they could progress to Leicester’s level, but I don’t see how you compete regularly.

Then there’s the FFP model that demands you grow the club organically, (that’s not me talking, I hate it and we all know what the real purpose of it is). That model involves you selling your best players for a profit and investing in your academy. How long does that take?

Then there other imponderables. I’m 53 and remember the last decent Villa side with Peter Withe, Gary Shaw, Brian Little etc. Since then the Midlands has been pretty barren when it comes to footballing success. How do you recruit the top class talent from around the world to challenge as you would like?

Don’t get me wrong, I loved it when Abramovic turned up at Chelsea and upset the cartel. Every club should have the opportunity to get an investor and them spend their money how they see fit. But at the moment it’s just not the case.

All that Villa and Everton have is a desire. I don’t get any sense of a plan.

 

[simon23]

hes gonna be citys record signing i doubt he will be on bench that much

no one is a guaranteed starter with us.....with maybe the exception of Ederson.....if someone aint performaing price tag/reputation means nothing as it should be. Grealish will need to hit the ground running or get upto speed very quickly. He wont have the excuse of not know ing the league