Albion blogger Jarrod Hill bemoans Bougherra, lauds Skjelbred and offers betting tips ahead of the Baggies big kick off on Saturday week.
Last Tuesday, I wrote that I was hoping to see at least one new signing by the time I had returned from my trip to Edinburgh. If reports are true, if Jeremy Peace could organise his diary a bit better we would be talking about a new centre half by the name of Bougherra.
But first my thanks must go to Ray ‘wbaforever’ Blood, for filling in for me on Friday with an excellent blog.
Upon signing for Rangers, Bougherra revealed he was minutes from signing for us, only to be told to come back the following day due to Jeremy Peace not being available to ratify the deal.
So as I see it, we allowed a potential signing to slip through our fingers due to poor organisation. Although Peace has denied the claims, blaming the late return of medical reports, even if what he has stated is true, how did Rangers complete the deal so quickly?
I cannot put into words my feelings on this matter. I hope manager Tony Mowbray is not as disillusioned at this situation as I am.
As the days tick down to the kick off we are still being linked to dozens of players, one which really caught my eye is Rosenberg midfielder Per Ciljan Skjelbred.
Now I know I said this about Carson (so I am hoping for the same outcome) but I find it hard to believe we could get him.
He is one of the most highly rated young midfielders in Europe and has been linked to AC Milan, Ajax and a whole host of illustrious clubs.
One piece of good news, which has slipped under the radar, has been the reports that our injured players are making speedy recoveries.
Koren and Texeira are taking huge strides towards a return to the first team with the former back in full training this week.
When I sat and looked at our squad from last season, Robert Koren was one of the players I had no hesitation in stating he could cut it in the top tier of English football.
Texeira will feel like a new signing when he return. The prospect of testing himself against some of the world’s best must be all the motivation he needs.
Pre-season has seen Mowbray experiment with both tactics and formations, however I think the Real Mallorca game will be a good indicator of which players are at the forefront of Mowbray’s thoughts (I hope to see some of you at Walsall tonight too).
On a completely different theme, at the beginning of every season I place a number of football related bets.
Below you will find some picks for the forth coming season, although after the Carson statement I may not be the best tipster in the world!
The Hawthorns to witness the most goals: 16/1
Adebayor to be top goal scorer: 11/1
Wigan to be relegated: 5/1
Kevin Doyle to be top goal scorer in the Championship: 18/1 (Ebanks Blake at Wolves is 16/1).
If you like a long shot, how about Arturo Lupoli (on loan at Norwich) to be top Championship goal scorer at 50/1.
I have placed three of the above bets! I will leave to decide if you fancy any of them.
Don’t forget you can catch Jarrod on video with Online Sports Journalist Craig Birch in ‘Fans Forum: Back to the Baggies’ this afternoon on Expressandstar.com.
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69 Comments
great post again mate
i fancy derby (wba rejects) in the championship
and i managed to get 16/1 which i think is a decent each way bet.
i also think reading will be there abouts if they manage to hold onto their better players.
on the subject of mr.peace in baffled at the goings on at the club.
yet again we are leaving it last minute to sign players i just hope we dont panic buy with the season getting so close.
i see we are being linked to tonge of sheff utd but we still need defenders and a striker.
come on mr peace pull your finger out.
boing boing
Hiya Bomber…. Given the number of players we have signed since the loss in the play off final i don’t really agree that we can blame JP when a transfer doesn’t work out.
Whilst a player is being shown around the ground or discussing tactics with the manager, his agent is ringing around every club to tell them the currebt situation.
If, like Rangers, you have the money to take a 3 million pound gamble, then its easy to “gazump”a deal - even at that late stage… I seem to remember us doing something similar with a player (Gera i think).
Like most posters, I know we need a CB (maybe 2) and a forward, and possibly a holding midfielder - but so does TM and JP.
I think TM will make use of the loan system shortly - possibly for the CB position. I also wouldn’t be suprised to see another overseas “gem” coming in - and maybe a striker such as Nugent or James Beattie.
Either way - I still think we have a wonderful set of players - our team spirit is fantastic and our manager will get the best out of every single player.
Hope my PMA might start to rub off soon…. LOL.
It’s nothing to do with the lateness of the returning medical reports Jeremy. Simple answer being Rangers are a bigger club albeit playing in the SPL and WBA are not an established Premier club. Who would you choose?
Bomber
It was a pleasure doing the blog mate, and uniting
Baggies and Wolves alike on a common ground was satisfying.
I see as the new season is almost upon us, you have reverted back to half empty mode !!!
Dont worry mate, the signings will be there,
the new sponsor will be there.
Lets face it, it would be very un-Albion if it were not protracted.
Moving on to tonight, some of the bloggers are asking where we are meeting up pre game, i have seen one from Nedball this morning.
Bomber, myself and a few of the other lads are meeting in the Navigation in Willenhall, about 5pm
then we are meeting Terry in the Fountain in Walsall after the game.
Agreed Golden balls, a desperate relegation fight or champions league football? Enough said.
3 - I think depends on whether the decision is driven by football aspirations (ie to play in the best league in the world) or by money….
As with so many other players, it seems that his decision was based on money - oh and the chance to play a qualifying game in the champions league.
I hope he enjoys the extra money whilst playing at Aberdeen or wherever…
I would like 2 defenders but ive gone past caring about that now. I think more importanly we need a striker. We will struggle at the back but even with 2 new defenders they will still not be the required class to havea solid defence so they will not make too much difference. As for midfielders i could live with what we have and wait till january if need be same with the defence. But i feel most important aspect is a stiker. Moore and miller and bednar COULD be good. Id be very excited about those 3 players if i new we had someone who we know WILL be good but we cant just rely on them so we HOPE that the other 3 will pick up some form and have a good season. We need a striker because if bednar,moore and miller cant hack it what we going to do till Jan? I dnt mind us letting in goal that will happen were playing against some of best strikers in wthe world but long as we can go the other end and bang one in we will get the odd results in our favour and be able to turn those tight games where it is just waiting for that one goal. The money we would spend on 2 defenders and a midfielder spend it on Saha get him in and then use the 2 loans for defenders or 1 defender and 1 midfielder. We might not get saha but why not go for it. Boyd id like but he would still be a gamble.
What makes you such an authority on the Albion? Have you seen all of the players that the Albion have been linked with? I don’t think so!! You have to trust Tony Mowbray and Jeremy Peace. Bougherra has been making statements which Peace has denied and I believe Peace. We don’t need players who are not committed to the Albion and that is why we sadly lost Phillips, Gera and Albrechtson.
I don’t know how long you have been supporting the Albion but I have been supporting them for over 50 years. I even saw them at Wembley in 1954!! Transfer deals can make or break a club and most of them are failures!! Trust Mowbray and Peace to do the best for the Albion because that is the most sensible option!
I’ve been concerned about the defensive positions all summer but having seen the Albion down at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday I thought Clement looked back to his best and all across the line we looked strong, dominating the Swansea in the air and on the floor.
Since when has Carson been linked with AC Milan!? LOL what a load of rubbish.
Bougherra.
Surely you would get the player to sign subject to the results of the medical rather than let him go for further talks to Rangers who in all honesty, have a lot more to offer with european football and massive support.
Kingswinford
I think you are being a little ungracious toward our Jarrod when you say, “what makes you such an authority on the Albion”
To my knowledge he has never professed to be an authority on the Albion.
The E&S give him the vehicle to state his views/feelings, and us the vehicle to debate those points, to agree or disagree.
Clearly you disagree with him on the concerns he has stated, as do i, but because we disagree
does not make us an authority on the Albion either does it ?
kingswinford baggie
Who is your post aimed at??
Skjelbred would be a fantastic signing if you can pull it off, he was linked to Man Utd a couple of seasons ago until he got seriously injured in a Champions League game against Olympiakos.
Another excuse to beat up JP ignoring the fact that he is definitely not to blame on this one. Bougherra went to Rangers for the money and, I suspect, European football to a lesser extent. JP has made mistakes in the past but he is doing a good job - unfortunately, the player and the selling club hold all the aces in any transfer deal worth completing, and sometimes they don’t work out.
I know i have reverted back to my negative old self, but i really thought, hoped and beleived that the summer would witness us really strengthening the squad. I know there is still a lot to do and time to do it, but as it stands today i see it like this.
Since last season we have lost,
Albrechsten
Phillips
Gera
Cesar
4 Players in total.
We have so far recruited with one and a half weeks to go to the start of the season.
Zuiverloon (not available until late August)
Cech
Carson
In Gera and Phillips we have lost two of our most creative players (albeit not the only ones), and not replaced them.
Mowbray said at the end of last season i want to retain the services of both Gera and Phillips, he also said i want to have the MAJORITY of my new signings in before the start of pre season.
Sorry to break the news to all those with blind faith but we have failed in BOTH of those short term goals.
Over negative, maybe, realist, definately.
Will a host of new quality signings change my mind??
Depending on who they are yes it probably will, my negativity is based on today, the way i see it today, tomorrows another day!!
Hi Gents
As some of you know I have a source very close to the front line at the albion, he has told me that you would have signed more players by now if it hadnt been for the club dordling in the transfer market, I know one signing went to Brossia Mochengladbach and he would have prefered to have gone to albion. I did check out the info when I had it as i knew he had been scouted and its true.
Mr Peace pull your finger out, you lot could have a very good season if you impliment TMs plans.
Good Luck Boys
Wolvesmod
I think you will find the article is referring to Skjelbred!!!
How did you get on with your SAT result today??
Reading, could do better, holding the book the correct way up would help!!
TM will bring in some loan players
Gentlemen, will you still be in the Navigation about 6pm?
I’m working til 5:30, so will be travelling across from delightful Chapel Ash straight from work.
Only 6 hours 13 mins to go……….
10 - Are you retarded? If you actually read the article, (I know reading is quite difficult for some of you wolves fans) it’s Skjelbred who was linked to AC Milan you fool.
Bomber - we aint the only club not getting the players they want !
Everton have lost Johnson and Carsley and signed NOBODY so far…
Yes we have lost some players, and some have come in - but I honestly believe we are not a million miles away with the players we have now.
Who is signing players ?? It seems that most of our targets are going to scotland not into the prem - so whats happening ?
This is a weird close season - very few teams are getting the players in yet, eveyone seems to be waiting till the last minute.
This may be due to ridiculous prices or just drawn out negotiations - but we aint the only club doing this - and we have spent more than some.
No investor + no sponsor + little quality = relegation. Oh how I giggle when I think back to your excited little comments of Russian billionaires and the like. Enjoy your moment in the sunshine, it’s not gonna last
23 - and yet there you are… yet another rich owner, sposorship all sorted out… and looking forward to playing Plymouth argyle in four days time.
i will take our “little” premiership over you coca cloa “giants every day.
Oh and talking of giggles - I shall miss our annual laugh at the dingles this season - I always enjoy our games, don’t you ?
23 - It’s better to be in the sunshine than stuck underneath a rock though eh kidder?!
Jarrod.
At this point I normally say excellent blog or similar. Along with Happy and Kingswinford (perhaps a little OTT but nonetheless right) I don’t agree with you on this one. As someone else said, you seem to have thrown your lot in with the glass half empty brigade, you’ve always been very balanced in the past. Do you really think we lost Boughhera because our chairman wasn’t there? Do you not think it was because his agent wanted us to get involved in a bidding war with Rangers, one I think you’d agree we can’t win.
As I’ve said in a previous post that was for some reason censored by the E&S. There is a clique on here who seem to think. ‘Why isn’t that b£$%&*d Peace a billionaire who can go out and throw money around. It’s only to frustrate Baggies fans that he isn’t.’ Perhaps it’s time to remind a few. JP was a Baggies fan before he became chairman. He took over the club when no one else was willing to. He’s offered to move aside if anyone suitable comes in. He’s made mistakes but has learnt from them. If you think anyone could do more bring tem on but before you throw out the baby with the bath water, look at the club down the road and think again. Anyone who’s got this far, well done and sorry for the rant.
Happy_baggie
With all due respect the two Prem clubs doing less business than us are Everton and Manu, and lets face it they are working from a stronger starting point than us!!
As i have said, it is only my feeling based on today, a flood of signings will lighten my mood, honest!!
Nedball, i am getting to the Navi for about 4.30pm, i would have thought we will still be there at 6pm.
16. wbabomber well said, the facts speak for themselves. I’m not going to knock JP but I do keep hearing we’ve signed 7 players blar blar blar. Fact, Bedner, Moore, Dorrans, Kim already in place and were deals done last season. We have only managed to recuit 3 players, i’m happy with the 3 we have but quite simply it isn’t enough. We need to strengthen the team and need atleast 5 players if we are going to survive. Danswanseabaggie, i’m sorry mate Clem is not good enough as our first choice centre half to keep us in the Prem, history tells us that. We need 2 centre halfs a central midfielder and 2 strikers. The way it stands an realistic Albion fan will agree it’s going to be very tough. Come on JP get your finger out!!!!!
Boing Boing
Most newly promoted teams struggle to get the signings they really want. Reading did really well in their first year because they didn’t need to change the team that much. Maybe that will be true of West Brom.
23 Wolfus, Where are Morgans Millions? Chris Iwellumo as your major summer signing? Ian Harte? Some Leicester defender who got relegated. Keep quiet mate top 10 finish at best in the fizzy pop. Better to be thought of a fool than to open your mouth and confirm it!
wolfus yes we may go down on the other hand you are allready there and you may not get promoted either then that would be a giggle mad mick and clipboard forever
23) at least we have seen the sun
29. Cheltenham.
Thank you. You’re more positive than some of our own.
Meanwhile over on the Wolves site. The Jay Bothroyd story in pictures. Including the goal he scored against us. When KP left and we had his story in pictures, no mention of any of the many goals he scored against the Wolves. Petty I know but typical nonetheless.
The Real Bully
I will always say that JP has been good for the Albion, but situations like the Bougherra deal still leave me frustrated. It is fact he was sitting there with pen in hand ready to sign, the whole Peace ratifying the deal maybe misleading, but the facts remain, somewhere along the line we dropped the ball, he signed for Rangers.
The Real Bully. Bothroyd is a fool and I’m surprised Jones has gone for him. I’m also surprised that Peace let KP go as he would have been handy in the premiership. He always scores when is counts, which would have been useful come April/May.
I’m looking forward to reading some of the arrogant albion posters when the reality kicks in that they are totally out of their depth, cretins like Happy who have been banging on about their superiority since their promotion. Fact is, you are a yo yo club with no sponser and a manager who will eventually leave for bigger and better things because of the frustration of not being able to strenghen the team. Your defence will cost you bigtime, setpieces will be raining in far more than last season and i just don’t see any of your strikers scoring on a regular basis. Enjoy it while it lasts………..
No knowledge of football? Name any prem side Albrechtsen or Cesar would be good enough to start for - answer none. Phillips, I wish him well, and yes he is good at CCC level, but already too slow for the prem, even struggled to score there last time, would struggle hugely to start more than a handful of games and only another bad knock away from retirement. Gera, decent enough, though didn’t start all the games in the CCC last year, and has been up and down in form over the last couple of years. We have kept nearly all our starters of the team that has scored the most in English football two years on the bounce and won the championship. 7 more players bought for 14 million. I have it on tiptop authority at the club we have a further transfer budget of at least 8 million in August and in addition will be looking at a couple of loans. There is no doubt that TM and JP are as aware as anyone else where there are squad weaknesses. There is simply no need for negativity, in fact its mindless.
34.wba bomber.you can look this in two ways,1.if he was as close to signing then why didnt he. 2.he and his agent were already talking to rangers,(which seems more likely).
The problem JP has, he is cast as the pantomime villain when things dont run smoothly,
much the same as Jez Moxey down the road, the fact that Morgan as only spent a fraction of the £30m investment is Moxey`s fault.
As i see it, since JP became chairman we have enjoyed a steady and cautious progression, we are NOT going to commit copious amounts of money on transfers within the current set up,
and nor should we, i too get frustrated with the apparent lack of business, but i`m also certain that the right players will be in position come the end of August.
I am new to this, and i apologise to my Albion comrades in advance, but feel i need respond to the fool known as ‘Loffing Wolf’.
It staggers me that you find time to post such ludicrous comments on an ALBION debate. I am a passionate Albion fan and as a result have no desire to read any debate on the Wolves page. It is insignificant to me, my club and the league I am proud they will play in next year.
Let me respond to your actual comment,
Yes, we have been a Yo Yo club, Yes, we have no sponsor, Yes, our manager may eventually leave for the England Job, and yes our defence may be weak……but……despite all of things we are still light years ahead of your club.
I will take your advice and enjoy it while it lasts. Can you do the same and say you will enjoy the likes of Plymouth, Doncaster, Swansea and Blackpool?
23 - HOW LONG B4 ITS MM OUT ????
40 - not a bad 1st effort that.
The problem is that we respond to morons like the idiotic Dingles on here.
If you start a debate with them, they disappear, but are more than happy to put the odd cynical message on in an attempt at wit, then scarper.
will be taking the wife(who is a walsall fan) to tonights game,she has not been since she was a kid,will be buying her a few drinks in the saddlers club before the game.
To no.40 yes wolves debates may be insignificant to YOU. However the likes of happy and especially terry (he posts 10 comments on every wolves thread) are regularly on our pages giving it large. When questioned about this BOTH responded with the fact it’s an open forum and everybody can go on all pages and comment if they wish- it’s a free country. If you have a problem go and speak to terry and happy (unless of course the rules have changed) So think on Ode Hill Baggy, it seems to be you who is the fool.
33. In fairness, we didn’t have many Bothroyd goals to choose from!
How come Peace has to sign all the cheques, dont you guys have a Jez Moxey in house for these dealings?
44. I see no logic in how you have concluded that it is me who is the fool. Please think your argument through.
Sorry Jarrod but re the question as to whether Jeremy Peace was (allegedly)responsible for the Boughherra eventually joining Rangers instead of Albion) i have to disagree.
When i first read the story (fairy?)like every other fan i was ’spitting blood’ and ready to blame anyone and everyone.
However since the angry denial from the Chairman my take on the situation is that he signed for Rangers for the most obvious of reasons.
They were prepared to offer whatever was being asked by his Agent.
Yes it IS disappointing but supporters of every Local club, apart from possibly those of Aston Villa, will have to face up the fact that quality players will invariably ‘chase the cash’ based on the advice given from their advisor/agent/wife, or partner.
The days of a player choosing a club for himself are, barring a small minority, gone for ever.
No doubt Tony Mowbray will eventully bring in fresh faces but if fans are expecting to see ‘big’ names sadly i can’t see it happening.
We’ll just have to be patient,wait and see,and trust that whoever comes in will be capable of strengthening the squad.
And in this respect that means at least one, if not two, central defenders,a Derek McKinnes type midfielder, and another Kevin Phillips.
But then bearing in mind the clubs rigid salary structure the questions have to be asked “Where do you find them and if you do,how can we afford them”?
47. I suppose if you are questioning logic then saying that you have been a yo yo club, you have no sponsor, your manager may leave for better things and you have a weak defence doesn’t necessarily lead to the conclusion that you are light years ahead of Wolves. Wolves have an ambitious owner, plans to develop the stadium, a sponsor and a squad that is shaping up very well for the long term. You are hardly light years ahead of us.
we have your jez moxey thats enough to fll your stand on cup days
super jez moxey we fill your main stand on cup days
Jarrod, you’ll soon feel better now you are back amongst the faithful! We all have moments of doubt when it’s dark but surely that is EXACTLY what sport is mate. There is no excitement in watching a world champion boxer knocking 3 colours of **** out of a useless fall-guy. The fun comes when the contestants are equally matched, Arsenal v Albion for instance in a few days time. Well, at least we shan’t do what Robbo did and take a weak side there expecting to get done. TM doesn’t get his feathers ruffled. He’ll learn and fast. Be ‘edgy’ mate, but keep the faith. We’ll be OK
52,cyril are you coming to meet andrea tonite aye boing boing
jarrod i wish i was your bookie
Jarrod; don’t pin your hopes on Texeira being back before October.
Unless he has a double with the same name, he is actually the Atlanta Braves slugger. The baseball season runs April-September, with the post season in October but the Braves won’t make that.
I reckon your Texeria has a phantom injury and is currently in Georgia playing for the Braves!
55. He’s actually playing for the Los Angeles Angels as he got traded last week.
I Dont Know Whats Happened With The Boughherra saga however i know he was on the verge of joining wba, i wish he had as we desbertly need to sure up our defence, Boughherra would have been a excellent signing doing more than replacing Albrechson. I Would Like To also Have Seen Wba Sign Chimbonda however he joined Sunderland. We Also Need A New Prem Experianced striker Like Nugent, Saha or Ameobi.
Skjelbred Would Be A Great Signing for us!!
JP styll needs to spend big if he wants to see the baggies stay up this season!
Lets Trust And Hope TM Can Bring In Some Quality Sigings before our opening game of the season.
Heard talks that Baggies Have Made a 2m bid For Chalton Star Zhi Zheng. Watch This Space.
ALSO.. THIS IS A TRANSFER RUMOUR BLOG!!!! NOT A DEBAITE ABOUT Boughherra INCEDENT!!!!!!!
We are better off without Bougherra; IF he had WANTEND to play for Baggies, he would have been happy to wait 24 hrs. until his medical report was available. He was only interested in money and without a doubt would have been wanting a transfer if our season had started badly. JP is doing a good job, and what many moaners forget is that much of the £42million will go on wages etc and is NOT all available to spend on players, who won’t come anyway unless we have established ourselves for 2 or 3 seasons.
With the uncertainty surrounding Newcastle Utd,on who will own this club and/or will Kevin Keegan keep his job? Do you think TM could get Michael Owen on loan or would wages be the issue here. There again would you Baggie fans have him here at the Albion.
41 # BAGGIEBOYNICK said:
- HOW LONG B4 ITS MM OUT ????
…i rekon about 3 games, assuming they win the carling cup 1st round game (could be sooner if they lose that!)…it’ll last (and gain momemtom) til they win 2 on the bounce and then it’ll be Supermick again!
Jarrod you don’t seem to have mentioned the part that Charlton played in the incident, if JP is correct then we couldn’t have signed MB on the Wednesday because Charlton hadn’t returned the ‘transfer form’ and MB had contractual issues to resolve. To have signed the player would probably have breached the rules governing situations like this; isn’t it just possible that Charlton, MB and his agent were looking for more money?
Although JP invariably seems to take twice as long as anyone else to sign players, I realy do think he shouldn’t shoulder the blame for this one.
45 Andy.
Touche.
57.BB.
I would have thought Chimbonda would be No.5001 on TM’s list of possible signings. He’s trying to maintain a sense of togetherness and team spirit. Chimbonda is the epitome of what is wrong with the modern game. As for the others Nugent-big money for someone who’s done nothing in top flight, a big gamble, Saha-wages?, Ameobi-although it’s gone quiet I still wouldn’t rule him out but only on our terms. Also wouldn’t be surprised to see some more come in from abroad.
Thanks for the info. Cantello. I missed that one.
Guess I must still be devastated and dazed from Manny being traded last week.
Respect to you, though. You are obviously well in to the sport as your response was so quick.
The simple fact is without at least one quality centre half, a defensive minded midfielder and a proven quality striker we are definitely going to struggle. Everyone knew the cntre of our defence needed sorting desperately and yet we’re only 10 days away from the Emirates and it looks as though we’ll be starting with Clement and Barnett at the back…that doesn’t make good reading to me! I still think we need a quick winger as well as we lack pace in the middle 3rd of the pitch. I trust JP and TM but I can’t help but think back to our last season in the prem when JP wouldn’t shell out for the players everyone knew we needed and look what happened…
47- read it again then stop, think really really hard and then you will see what my point is. Theres a good boy.
To 47 (and apologies if another post I did earlier pops up, to be fair I was taking the p*ss lol) so you don’t like it when the wolves fans are on your page? I pointed out that the self styled captain and his mindless jabbering sidekick HB had said it was an open forum for everybody to post as they wish on whatever story they wish. You refuse to concede this point (of which both of them for once were right) and ask me to think my argument through, also how have I concluded that it is you who are the fool? Simple- the fact I have just had to explain it to you again, reply if you wish (see above lol) but I won’t respond because to have to explain it a third time would just make you look even more FOOLISH than you already do.
Wonder if he regrets his decision now after the Rangers result last night? Still that’s his choice. English or Scotish Premier League, everyone knows that is irrelevant, only thing that really came into his thinking was the number of zeros on his paycheck.
66 Dan.
Sorry to intrude on your war of words with OHB but do I take it that you are seriously debating the fact that Laughing Wolf is a fool? If so you are going against all of the Baggies and a very high proportion of your own fans.
Happie-Baggie–Everton have Lescott thats all you want at the back of the park–Joking mate-I hope you do well in you opening game-Yes signings are difficult that is a clear problem for most clubs who a promoted to the Premier-Your man is definatly doing his best-Will miss the local Derby but of course you have bigger fish to fry now–And I do not mean Villa are a bigger club than us BOTH-CRAZEY dAVE.