Stewart Downing has completed his move to Liverpool for an undisclosed fee which is believed to be in the region of £20m. It will therefore become increasingly important that Alex McLeish spends the money available to him in developing and improving the Aston Villa squad.

Downing’s Departure

Downing becomes the 12th player to leave Aston Villa since the end of the 2010/2011 season which has left Villa shorn of two of the most talented wingers of recent years.

Downing has become Kenny Dalglish’s fourth summer signing, and said upon the completion of the deal: “It’s a great feeling and I’m very happy to be here. It’s been a long time coming and I’ve had to wait a few weeks but I’m really pleased.”

Given Downing’s comments, his decision to leave Aston Villa has not come overnight. What potentially leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of Villa fans is not that Downing has left for Liverpool, but of the seemingly dramatic U-turn of a player who had, at the end of last season, spoken of Villa’s loyalty to him during his injury. In fact, it was a large commitment on Villa’s part that the club signed a player on crutches, only for that player to leave with a seeming disregard for that loyalty.

No player is bigger than Aston Villa

Still, as I have said on numerous occasions, there is no player bigger than the club, and this is no different with the exit of Downing from the club.

The major question that remains to be posed is whether Aston Villa can continue to gain traction in an increasingly competitive league. If Villa are to do this, how will it be achieved? Will Financial Fair Play rules, that are seemingly flouted by naming right deals such as those signed by Manchester City, actually have an effect? Or are Aston Villa doomed to spend the foreseeable future in the midst of a band of teams that occupies the spaces between sixth and twelfth?

The future

In my opinion, the future is not one that is going to be populated with instant success. Whether Randy Lerner has a definitive “plan” that comprises of a year by year set of targets, or if such plans will be more freeform and evolutionary, is yet to be seen. In my own opinion, what Villa will have to face up to in the immediate future is a period of flux where we may not see silverware for a number of years. Of course, we may be lucky and get a good cup run, or even a cup win, but our focus needs to be in the development and expansion of a threadbare squad decimated by inflated wages and average players.

In reality, this doesn’t matter because, as supporters of the club, our allegiance is immutable. Whether Villa succeed or fail, we will still be here. However, I do believe that, with the right investments and time, Villa will mount a challenge for success, whether in the cups or the league. What will be important is patience. Alex McLeish, and the club, need time.

Without this time and support, we will fail. So now is the time to support the club as Aston Villa needs you more than ever.

Leave a Reply