As Euro 2012 enters its 2nd week it continues to dominate the attention of the football world. For a club like Aston Villa in a state of upheaval, there is a sense that things are moving a bit slowly.
The club is fortunate to have snapped up Paul Lambert before Tottenham sacked Harry Redknapp. There’s no guarantee they would have appointed Lambert, but he very well could’ve been considered. Given the relative states of both clubs it is also quite possible he would’ve fancied the Spurs job. Villa’s own search would’ve been delayed even further if that was the case.
Having Lambert in place the club can now focus on what players to bring into the squad. I like the idea of a young, hungry manager brining in hungry players. Our team has had an air of entitlement about it for far too long. Hopefully this means bringing in younger players who will improve with the young players the club already has so that they can develop and improve into a cohesive team.
Grant Holt would not tick any of those boxes. The Norwich striker is already 31. Unless the club is trying to, or thinks it can pull a Newcastle such a move would make little sense. By the time the rest of the team develops to the point where it can compete with the tip clubs again Holt could very well be past it. The last thing the club needs is to spend £3-£5m on a player who chances are will look like Emile Heskey did last year and John Carew did the year before.
Grasping at any Villa “news” is the report that Steven Ireland wants out and can be had for £4m. Last season any of us would’ve jumped at such an offer. Last season Ireland while not outstanding, was the club’s Player of the Year by default. He is frequently been described in the media as “mercurial.” What that really means is, “We don’t know why he isn’t better.”
I still don’t know how I feel about the idea of cashing in on Ireland. On one hand I’d like to see him on the pitch with Bent, N’Zogbia, and Makoun without having to shield such a poor defense. That would fee him up to make more of his dangerous runs into the box.
On the other hand I still don’t trust the player completely. Even last season he still missed a number of matches with niggling injuries. Can a club like Villa afford to pay £80,000 a week to a player who can’t be counted on to play every week? It is also an open question as to how he would get in with a manager who is more of a disciplinarian like Lambert is. Gerard Houllier and Roberto Mancini fell out with the player previously as well.
Next month I wouldn’t be upset to see Ireland still with the club in Philadelphia. He has appeared to mature in the past year and has even made himself available to the Republic of Ireland again for World Cup Qualifying. At the same time if he is moved on I would understand as well, provided the money isn’t used for Grant Holt.
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