The January transfer window has traditionally for Villa fans been a non-event. Wayne Routledge? Eric Djembe-Djembe? Indeed, under O’Neill you would have been hard pressed to see any buying let alone panic buying. It was as though the phone was unplugged and the curtains were drawn at Villa Park.
With a new manager comes a new agenda. Gerard Houllier is evidently looking to make his mark on the dissapointing squad inherited from O’Neill. There can be no denying that he has the makings of a team, but some of the leftovers from his predecessor cannot be excused. Here is an overview of Villa’s business during this transfer window:
Curtis Davies has evidently gone insane and will form the worst defensive partnership in world football with Liam Ridgewell. Scary stuff for Birmingham fans. John Carew joins Stoke on loan for the remainder of the season. On the wages Carew demands and with his poor relationship with Houllier, I just cannot see him returning to Villa. We also successfully shifted Steve Sidwell to Fulham without having to beg them to remove him like an old fridge.
Stephen Ireland is also off to Newcastle for a loan stint. He hasn’t had many games and it might just do him good. However, as another player reportedly on mega-bucks – shifting this burden to the desperate (Andy Carroll-less) Geordies is more than acceptable. And Isaiah Osbourne, forever out on loan, is you guessed it, off on loan to Sheffield Wednesday. Surely somebody will buy him soon??
Collins, Hogg, Weimann and Lowry are also doing stints down the divisions also on loan – one can only assume that they will all return with experience.
In comes club record signing and third highest Premiership goalscorer Darren Bent for an initial 18 million pounds. Never mind Sunderland and Steve Bruce – best of luck with Ricardo Fuller ahahaha! Next through the revolving door was Jean Makoun – Cameroon international midfielder and seasoned French League championship winner with Champions League experience. Throw in 23 year old USA international Michael Bradley and the so far impressive Kyle Walker on loan from Spurs – thus quite a tidy window.
So out with old and in with the new – please give your thoughts either in the comments below on on Twitter.