With a variety of news outlets suggesting that Villa have little money to spend, it made me think of a way around this. I personally believe we do have the cash available but, either way, this suggestion could help us out. What it revolves around is offering some pay-as-you-play deals to players who have a lot of potential, but troubles with injury. I’m thinking the likes of Jonathan Woodgate and Owen Hargreaves.

Now, before people pan me for the idea of signing people who might be termed as “crocks” by cynics, the system I suggest means that the return is based on a risk assessment. If these players perform, then we win. If they don’t perform, then our wage bill is largely unaffected.

Let’s suggest that we pay these “risky” players a flat £10k a week. If they play, they get £20-30k for the appearance. If they don’t play, then £10k a week is hardly going to kill the wage bill. Set the contracts on a year by year rolling basis, and it means we could be getting the likes of Hargreaves or Woodgate for £500k a year. Not a bad price really.

A risky business, or playing it safe?

Of course, the idea is controversial, and people may not like the players I have recommended, but the premise would certainly introduce a higher degree of competitiveness into the squad. Nobody is saying you are going to get by on bread and dripping when on £500k a year, but it would offer injury prone players an incentive to get, and stay, fit. Surely that is better than having no club at all?

Based on Owen Hargreaves’ decision to put videos on Youtube detailing his ability to remain fit, then it is clear that there could be some bargains included. You can see a link to one of his videos here – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EpcFVzQNgE. The cynic in there might say that the 1 minute length of the video is about as much as Hargreaves might last but, given such a set up, could this mean Hargreaves could fit our currently vacant defensive midfield role?

What do you think? Could it allow us to take a risk on a player who may actually perform in the future? Not necessarily Hargreaves or Woodgate, but a player who may have been unlucky with injury.

After all, wasn’t our best player of all time someone who was once written off by another club?

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