Villa have enough cast-offs that the club could form a second team. Indeed this squad has its own name, “The Bomb Squad.” These players have been scarcely seen or heard from since the end of last season. Steven Ireland candidly told one fan that he has no idea where he will end up. Yesterday Darren Bent tweeted that he was “gutted” to lose his #9 shirt. Other than that it’s as if these guys have ceased to exist.
The release of the squad numbers yesterday served to underline who is in at Villa Park and who is out. The only way the manager could’ve perhaps made it more plain to see would be if he gave The Bomb Squad numbers starting at 99 and worked his way down. Two years ago the team store ran out of the letter “Z” when Charles N’Zogbia was signed. If his squad number 36 is any indication the kit man won’t have to worry about printing his name to wear on match day anytime soon.
One year after driving down to Philadelphia to see the Villa live and attend a meet-and-greet, the players I met are all out the door. Brett Holman: gone; Charles N’Zogbia: see above; Karim El-Ahmedi: he might have a number in the 30s next year if he doesn’t do something soon; Chris Herd: utility man on cheap wages, I doubt he ever starts 10 league games in a season for the club. Glad I spent $180 getting that poster custom framed!
If the exits of Brett Holman and Alan Hutton are any indication, the manager just wants these guys gone and to free up some wages. Other than Darren Bent there have been no inklings of asking prices for any of the others. N’Zogbia should be able to catch a decent fee, but he will probably have to play at some point just to show he is healthy.
If the goal is to get rid of these guys, perhaps sending them to football purgatory isn’t the best way. It surely motivates the player and his agent to find a new club, but it doesn’t make them any more desirable to would-be suitors. If the club can arrange pre-season friendlies for the kids, why not the Bomb Squad? A couple of weeks ago they could’ve rolled out an XI that included Given Hutton Dunne (released, but we could do him a solid and let him train) Stevens, Lichaj, Bannan, Ireland, Delfonueso, Bent. The club could have a kids or trialists fill out the rest of the team. That is probably a top half Championship side right there, which of course is why none of these players have a future at the club.
Yes the idea of a Bomb Squad friendly is a joke.
The Author
