An apology and a resignation of the Aston Villa Captaincy from Gabby Agbonlahor. It’s too little, too manufactured and far, far too late.
Gabby has brought fans many happy memories. Superb performances, stunning pace and the local lad living the dream. His Derby exploits will remain etched in most Villa supporters minds for years to come.
However, the dream ended abruptly, but not as recently as Gabby would have you believe.
Aside from a few performances, arguably counted on one hand, how many times in five years has Gabby shown up? In the last two or three seasons there are, 2, maybe 3 decent games? So few I genuinely struggle to recall.
Aside from this we have witnessed and paid hard earned money for a total passenger; comfortable, visibly untouchable, openly mocking our great shirt through his behaviour. Gabby has brought our club repeatedly into disrepute in the media, either through his conduct or awful performances repeatedly derided by pundits.
What fan would party at all, let alone in the manner he chose to the night that Aston Villa were relegated? And knowing that you were personally culpable into the clubs slide into The Championship?
Laughable.
A Villa fan; Captain of Aston Villa Football Club. Unworthy of the position and crest.
The apology covers only “recent weeks”. That’s simply insufficient and a deluded, hopefully accidental oversight.
“Stepping down” as Club Captain? Stepping down or removed from the role? Are we really to believe that Gabby hasn’t been demoted from this position? More empty words and another suspicious outcome in a statement implausibly written by Agbonlahor.
Unconvincing by definition.
“Working hard to make things right”.
At 29 a professional footballer should be in peak physical fitness, perhaps even in their most memorable career years. Whilst not every player will see their body hold out like the Giggs’ of this world, there is literally no excuse for the condition that Gabby is in.
With access to the best nutritional advice, healthcare and coaching that money can buy, it’s just something else that makes a mockery of our football club.
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Agbonlahor has given us great singular moments over the years, but it’s time to draw a line.
His conduct; his consistent under-performance; his condition; would simply not be tolerated of any other player at Aston Villa. I cannot think of another football club that would find the current circumstances acceptable or any of those which preceded them.
It would be tolerated nowhere else other than Villa Park.
Do we honestly want these characteristics, amongst the other toxic influences still in dressing room next season?
Villa need fighters, wisdom and guile for the Championship.
We will need wholesale change in both mentality and personnel. It’s not a maybe, it’s an absolute necessity.
It’s time Agbonlahor was relieved of more than just the Captaincy. It’s time to part ways; it’s for the best.
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