I posted this earlier but it got caught up in the approval process so wanted to repost and get your proper attention :)
Morning all..
Villa fan, I come in peace. Hope you don't mind a Villa perspective on this?
First of all, please please please just go away. That's my first instinctive reaction to this.
Milner is the player that we should be building the Villa side around for the next 5 years. Martin O'Neill is a canny operator, he knew he wanted Milner as soon as he became Villa manager. Initially Newcastle pulled the plug on the deal at the last minute. Eventually MON got his man. I'm sure that MON's plan the whole time was to mould Milner into a central midfielder.
Milner started on the right wing for us and gave us great balance. His solidity and work rate was perfect on that side, while Ashley Young was his usual tricky pacey self on the left. This year MON moved him into the centre and, immediately, you could see Milner was perfect for the role.
For those of you who say Milner has only had one good season, you are in part right. But, let me put it this way. I think Milner has only had one excellent season. All his previous seasons were good, solid, unspectacular. This season he has been the heartbeat of our side.
Bought for £12m, I think £20m now greatly undervalues him.
Don't pay £20m for the Milner of last season or of previous seasons. Think of it as for the player that Milner is about to become because I truly believe that he is about to become an incredible player.
He has developed his ability to see a pass significantly. His work rate is an example to all around him, he has boundless energy. He is the consummate professional. He doesn't drink, he says he has plenty of time for drinking when he retires. He shuns the Hollywood lifestyle that follows footballers these days. Milner will never be on the front pages unless he scores the winner in the World Cup Final this year.
So, to sum up... Please please please just go away. We can't afford to lose James Milner. We definitely can't afford to lose him to you, competing as we are for the same 4th spot next year (although I'm sure you will have loftier ambitions than that).
If you won't go away, I expect Martin O'Neill and Randy Lerner to make this deal as lucrative for us as possible. In MON I trust, especially after the way he handled the Gareth Barry Liverpool saga. I just hope he can make us a better team again if we lose Milner, I'm just not sure those shoes are as easily filled.