Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Friedel deal not done just yet
Thursday 17th July 2008, 11:30AM BST.
Villa remain keen on signing Blackburn goalkeeper Brad Friedel – but reports this morning that they have agreed a fee are premature.
Martin O’Neill hopes to sign the giant American in time for Saturday’s Intertoto Cup clash with Odense BK in Denmark and has up until 24 hours before the game to tie up the deal.
Rovers boss Paul Ince revealed his determination to keep the stopper earlier this week but it remains to be seen whether he will be able to hold onto the veteran with Villa prepared to pay £2.5m for a player in the autumn of his career.
Friedel, 37, can also expect a lucrative package to be put before him with O’Neill prepared to offer him a three-year deal – one more than his current contract at Ewood Park – and a significant pay increase.
O’Neill is desperately short of options in the goalkeeping department with Stuart Taylor the only senior stopper currently on Villa’s books following Thomas Sorensen’s release and Scott Carson’s return to Liverpool.
He has already agreed a deal to sign Friedel’s compatriot Brad Guzan but the Chivas keeper needs to be granted a work permit before his transfer can be sealed.
Meanwhile, the showdown anticipated between Martin O’Neill and Gareth Barry failed to materialise on the midfielder’s return to training yesterday as the Villa boss was otherwise engaged.
Villa are still awaiting a fifth bid from Liverpool but reports suggest Rafa Benitez is growing impatient with Villa’s refusal to drop their asking price. He may now drop his interest in the England man.
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why are we prepared to spend £2.5 million on a 37 year old when it would make more sense to spend £4/5 million on robinson who has 10 years on friedel? as for the barry saga, hopefully arsenal will come in, pay the money and then we can move on and stick two fingers up to liverpool and their back handed methods of trying to buy players.
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Because we’ve just signed Guzan (subject to a work permit) who’s younger than Robinson and is the perfect candidate to be groomed by Friedel. That’s why!!!
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Andy you are correct mate, a perfect keeper and fellow countryman to help Guzan become a world class keeper – great business O’neill !!
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It makes perfect sence to me. Great piece of buisness if we pull it off.
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i hope you guys (comments 2,3 &4) are right, but i remain sceptical about guzan, do we all remember how tim howard was going to set the premiership alight and he ended up down the ‘average keeper route’.
just because its a villa signing should not make it a great signing, time to take the claret and blue blinkers off guys, we need 2 keepers, not one who has a limited shelf life and one who has no experience in this country.
i cant believe the phrase ‘become a world class keeper’ has even been used in this debate,time to get real guys!!!!!
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Howard should never have been thrown in at the DEEP end at utd. My buddy is a toffee and he said that Howard is an amazing keeper, hardly average. So I think if we get these two keepers we should be very happy indeed!!
Up the Villa
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I wouldn’t call Howard and average keeper either based on his performances for Everton last year. As for having no experience in this country how else is Guzan going to get it other than by playing here and who better to teach him than Friedel. Let’s not forget that Friedel spent 3 years at Liverpool before they foolishly and prematurely released him on a free and he went to Blackburn and look how he has turned out, or do you also consider his performances for Blackburn over the last 8 years to have been ‘average’ as well!!!
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Garry: If you had seen Tim Howard’s play in the USA v. Argentina match, you would know that he’s far from average. Guzan’s not quite at that level yet, but he’s getting there. As for Friedel, he’s old, yes, but he’s still younger than Edwin van der Sar, isn’t he? Villa will be just fine with Friedel and Guzan next season.
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You all think you have got problems, let me tell you, I have been supporting Villa for a very long time and the goal keeping position has been a problem all the way back to “Fatty Foulkes” Yes we have had a few good lads between the sticks, Nigel Sims, John Burridge, Jimmy Rimmer, to name three, but I remember having to watch with my heart in my mouth every time the ball went near Jimmy (Clumsy) Cumbs, Mervyn (Butterfingers) Day. More recently, I personally never thought Sorenson was any good, but even he was better than Taylor, Friedel may have put his best years behind him but he is still better than those two put together. If we get two good seasons out of him and he grooms Guzan into a world class stopper, That’ll do for me.
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