Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Wednesday August 29 2007
Time: 12:00PM
UK time is: 02:45:57
Choose your club
Other Sites
Network Navigation
Vital Partners
'If It's Football, It's Vital'
Fulham Fans Shock At Knight Move
1) So it looks like we've nicked your captain, what do you think of the sale of Zat Knight to Villa?
Putney: I’ve got to say it totally surprised me. Knight had only recently been given a new contract. I’m not sure the captain tag was long term though, more a knee jerk reaction to the recent injury suffered by Brian McBride. I have to say I’m not sure what surprises me the most, the sale or the purchase! It’s a really strange and unexpected deal that has left us scampering around for defensive cover. Perhaps I could add that some of us thought he’d already signed for you after his own goal last week!
Michael Forrest: First off, he was is not our captain. Brian McBride is, Knight was given the armband as a replacement. Now, Knight has given his all for Fulham and tried his hardest for the team however ultimately this has never been good enough. Four million is good business for both teams and I fully expect Zat to perform much better at Villa, being his hometown and all than he has ever done at Fulham.
2) It always appears to me that Fulham fans are a bit split on Zat, the criticism seems to be that he is slow, but he must have done something right to become captain. What is your opinion of him, sorry to see him go or glad to see the back of him?
Putney: Zat was signed by Kevin Keegan back in 1999. Since signing he’s gone on to play for England at U21 and full levels so there must be something about him that people value. On a personal level, I find it’s not his lack of pace that lets him down occasionally but his lapses in concentration. Also, it grieves me to bring it up again but I don’t believe he did himself any favours with the supporters last season when he missed several important games in our relegation battle thanks to some foolhardy prank involving his brother – it left Zat with a broken jaw!
Michael Forrest: I wouldn't say I'm glad he's gone as he has tried his hardest for Fulham and that's all you can ask from a player but Fulham will be doing good business by selling him for four million and hopefully they can bring in a replacement before Midnight on Friday and he was never our official captain, just for the odd game.
3) Are you surprised Villa have targeted a player of this level or is he the sort of quality you'd expect Martin O'Neill to want?
Putney: On the surface it looks a good buy. I don’t suppose you can argue about spending a couple of million on a player who hasn’t reached his peak and has, in the past, represented his country. On the negative side though, I can’t help thinking that when Randy Lerner took over your club you were kind of hoping that more established, more world class players would be the norm of the day when it came to transfers. Would it be churlish to suggest that this particular amateur hack has the feeling that Martin O’ Neill wouldn’t be comfortable dealing with the egos of those you’d expected to see gracing Villa Park when the Randy Lerner takeover was first announced?
Michael Forrest: O'Neill seems to be building an English team, so no, not that surprising that he has gone after a English center back but yes I am surprised it's Zat as in the summer he signed a new deal and there was not even a whisper of this move happening until yesterday, let's just hope the deal is done today and we can all move on.
With thanks to Putney and Michael Forrest of Vital Fulham (click here)
-----
Join Vital Villa
It's easy to register for Vital Villa, simply click the link and enjoy getting involved! Message Board. To visit the Vital Villa message board, click here.
Get involved and suggest an article. This website is your website and we are looking for people to contribute. So if you attend a game, full or reserves and have an opinion, why not write a match report, or have your say on any issue you wish Villa related. Perhaps you are a budding journalist or even just someone who is very opinionated? Well why not join our team? If this interests you please contact Vital Villa.
Vital F1 Prediction League - Join now for Monaco
Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.
Join the Vital Fantasy Football League - its Free!
Your Comments
Latest poll also asks about Zat.
The Fear
he wants to play for a bigger club with European crudentials - you cant blame him.... now send Rosenoir our way if we dont find anyone by Friday!
leelindsay
Interesting stuff, a couple of good points about Zat probably playing better under MON and MON not wanting to deal with the Egos of big name players. I would agree with this entirely.
andrew144
Wondered why he scored for you lot on Saturday.
Thought he would have a good season this season. Has some great quality, but his reaction times are so slow and his concentration levels are next to zero.
Sad to see him go as i think he could have done well this season despite being VERY poor in recent seasons.
ALSO McBride is our captain NOT Knight - He was just standing in for injured McBride.
Fulham Jim
Sound squad player. Local lad, used to play for Dulwich in the Festival League, and apparently a Villa fan. My only concern is the future of Gary Cahill who I really rate highly. MON has suggested he is still interested in Curtis Davies. I hope that Zat hasn't been brought in as a replacement for Cahill and only as cover. Am I reading between the lines that there may have been a change of heart and Cahill may be going to Albion as part of a Davies deal leaving us with Laursen, Mellberg, Knight and Davies?
I hope not because I think Cahill will becomes an England centre half, and hopefully as a Villa player.
krfeskivilla
Well it's a signing, numbers in and not going out. I think he'll prove a good signing for us. I can't believe MON will use Cahill to get Davies, that will be a big mistake.
*Holte*End*Star*
I dont know quite what to make of the signing. Smacks a little bit of panic and desperation to me. MON though is obviously attempting to build and shape his own squad, so he has to be allowed to do that, and obviously he sees Knight as a valuable member of the fast developing new set-up. Time will tell.
glensider
knight got snapped up by england after rumours that he could play for ireland, they were just stopping him from playing for anyone else incase he became a world class defender. he's been pretty awful for the past few seasons, on the bright side is one of the only players who can bring noise from our stands, however this is almost always groans but he does muster us into the occasional boo. his scoring record is attrocious, ok he's a centreback but he's also one of if not the tallest player in the league and even with this he is a minimal threat from corners, unless they are aimed at our own goal. if you look at someone like bocanegra, not a tall player by defensive standards but someone with instinct and desire to reach a ball something zat lacks. his mind can be switched off for an entire game often gifting oppourtunities to the opposition but his worst trait is his passing, he hangs back to recieve from the keeper and then aimlessly launches scuds into the cornerflags, with last seasons criminal lack of pace this was a disaster, you do have more in the way of speed up top so a couple may come off this season. i'm not to sad to see him go but i wish him all the best.
marajonna
I think Knight has always been a target for the squad, not a bad player, just played under tacticaly s**t managers in a very poor hit and miss team. Defenders are only as good as what's in front of them. He will be a good aquisition. Although I think Cahill is a decent prospect, I don't let the goal he scored against the Blues cloud my judgement. Would like to keep him, but at the moment, someone with good premiership experience is needed more. Now lets get a right back !!!!
astonmilan
Bocanegra is our best centre back not sure why you wanted Knight.
Boca is AWESOME so glad he is still there, but hope Sanchez brings in another decent CB to replace Knight to fit alongside Boca - Pearce is not always that good despite playing so well beginning of last season.
Fulham Jim
Typical O'Neill signing
Local lad keen to play for his club, tall defender, 27, never reached his potential, prone to average games.
Prepare for the usual stuff he sprouted about Harewood, we need to recover his potential be a good buy for us, reliable player who will give all for the club, and so on.
At 3.5 million he's cheap so won't bankrupt the club, he's not a big name or big temperament so O'Neill will feel he can handle him, he's no better than Hughes when he signed, has no more potential than Ridgewell, but he does cover the attacking CB hole and we needed that, desperately needed that option.
Will he move up the teams quality. No.
Will he allow Mellberg to move to right back, yes.
A good buy, yes, but not the sort a club looking to go above mid table mediocrity makes.
Its the sort of deal mid table Martin does though, ask Harewood, Carew, Maloney. Oh I forgot 3 goals in 2 games and Maloney's on a par with Pele now
avfc48
It worries me that I have not heard any Fulham fans say anything really positive about him.If I was a Fulham fan Id be worried about what kind of player Sanchez will bring in to replace him though.
Pking
Type Zat Knight into You Tube and listen to the phone in about him,very worrying.But he's ours now and he'll definatley give his best,I have no problem with us becoming Leicster under MoN they were good so was Matt Eliot,wonder if we'll see Steve Guppy soon :-)
Pking
Good solid addition to the squad and should prove to be worth the money paid.
As for Bocanegra, i haven't liked him since his x-rated tackle on Delaney a couple of seasons ago. Sickening two footed challenge that could have ended his career.
TanserMan
We should have spent like Pompey, Man Citeh and Spurs !! two have run out of money and are now missing out on available cover, and the other has disruptions in the camp already due to too many ego's and too many expectations !! Newcastle can't attract 'world class' players, West Ham haven't got a clue from the board to the manager, but amazingly the little old blue team from Liverpool are doing OK, probably because they have a decent manager who believes in hard work and commitment, slowly progressing and being sensible in the transfer market..........anybody know another manager like that ?? ......lets buy Adriano !! lets blow £50m on unproven European primadonna's....second thoughts, lets take it slowly......Zat Knight will be a good rotation player, allowing us to rest Laursen or Mellberg when needed, he's experienced and still got youth on his side...........shame we bought that Maloney tho......no pace, no skill, can't dribble, s**t at set pieces and couldn't hit a barn door from two yards...and Carew, utter rubbish.....Harewood, not worth having on the bench..........got to give it you, you certainly know what you're talking about AVFC48......don't know wht we'd do without experts like you in football
astonmilan
Any player is only as good as the training, players around him and the management at his club......think that says it all
astonmilan
Is Zat Knight much better than Ridgwell?
morky13villa
agreed astonmilan...48 doesn't know anything about football.
koolbill
morky13villa, imo he's not,no.
Mike Forest.
Well said astonmilan. here we are again reacting to the total nonsense uttered from the fool that calls himself avfc48. Why are we still surprised by the drivell spoken by this so called villa fan. It dose'nt matter what MON does it will be wrong in his eyes. he just dont like him. Only he knows why. I've asked him who he wants to our great club but refuses to answer, no doubt you have also.
I think Knight will be ok. i remember a certain Hugo gettin slated when he broke into the side. Look what he became.
gappy65
gappy, AVFC48 is not a Villa fan and definately not a supporter. He is just a Martin O'Niell critic, or is David O'Leary in disguise, he thinks that we can spend £60m and win the league, CL, FA Cup etc...he obviously has never played the game, or had any experience of professional football and its ins and outs. Ridgewell was poor and is best off over at SA, Knight is a good quality premiership footballer with a lot of experience. He has cost us very little and will be a good addition to our squad. Players respond to their surroundings, he'll be fine.
astonmilan
Ridgewell scored 5 own goals the season before last....nuff said
astonmilan
Well said milan, avfc48 only posts on here because he was bullied as a kid and never gets any action from his missus. Zat Knight is 100 times the fan than him, UTV
Villan444
Astonmilan is spot on on every comment he's made above.
Pking
Football is not about glamourous signings and press confrences and 20 mil fees,its about hard graft,proper orginisation and good team spirit where players believe in themselves,work hard for each other and make the most of their ability.MoN is part of a dying breed that rembers this and almost every player he has ever signed have had alot of doubters to prove wrong.There can be no suspicion that Zat or Marlon have joined us for the money,unlike some other teams.There are a few managers who solve a problem area by just throwing money at it.MoN has never done this and we knew he was like this when he took over.
Pking
a few more signings wouldn't go a miss though :-)
Pking
HA HA Milan - listening to my similar words about Everton! It's a great example to follow. I mean West Spoons bid 13m for Johnson at the start of the window, he didn't go near them
tarzan
Tarzan, Everton and David Moyes have done well after a shakey bedding in period, they work very well as a unit, and a couple more high quality signings and they will be challenging for the CL spots again and again, may even happen this year for them, they are a good example of how to do things.
astonmilan
Everton looked so dodgy on Saturday - never ever will they make CL this season. I will stick my neck out and say Villa will finish above Everton - no matter where they finish.
KSarge1
KSarge!....its early days yet......6 or 7 games in and it will start to shape up......saying that, I'll take a finish above Everton..
astonmilan
Blackburn looked awsome on saturday,Evertons squad looks great now aswell
Pking
Have Your Say
Recent Articles
Villa's Pre Season Schedule (Tuesday May 21 2013)
Vlaar Pleased With First Good Touch Of The Game (Tuesday May 21 2013)
Villa Season Ticket Help Sessions (Tuesday May 21 2013)
They Think It's All Over - Not Yet - Soccer Sevens (Tuesday May 21 2013)
Vital Villa Man Of The Match v Wigan (Tuesday May 21 2013)
The Aston Villa Summer Transfer Thread Pt 1 (Tuesday May 21 2013)
Brentford Midfielder Linked (Tuesday May 21 2013)
No, No, NO. Weimann & Benteke Cannot Be Sold! (Tuesday May 21 2013)
Fringe Players Exodus Led By Richard Dunne? (Tuesday May 21 2013)
Villa Line Up Malaga Friendly (Monday May 20 2013)
Archived Articles
Vital Members League (view all)
| 1. | Pride of Lions | 927 |
| 2. | The Fear | 724 |
| 3. | BodyButter | 471 |
| 4. | kefkat | 389 |
| 5. | CDX_EIRE | 318 |
| 6. | ClivetheVillan | 258 |
| 7. | Villan57 | 242 |
| 8. | thefacehead | 239 |
| 9. | DeanoVilla | 208 |
| 10. | mike_field | 189 |
League Results (view all)
| Latest Results | ||||
| Wigan | 2 | - | 2 | Aston Villa |
| Aston Villa | 1 | - | 2 | Chelsea |
| Norwich | 1 | - | 2 | Aston Villa |
| Aston Villa | 6 | - | 1 | Sunderland |
| Man Utd | 3 | - | 0 | Aston Villa |
| Aston Villa | 1 | - | 1 | Fulham |
League Table (view table)
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 12. Fulham | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | -10 | 43 |
| 13. Stoke | 38 | 9 | 15 | 14 | -11 | 42 |
| 14. Southampton | 38 | 9 | 14 | 15 | -11 | 41 |
| 15. Aston Villa | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | -22 | 41 |
| 16. Newcastle | 38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | -23 | 41 |
| 17. Sunderland | 38 | 9 | 12 | 17 | -13 | 39 |
| 18. Wigan | 38 | 9 | 9 | 20 | -26 | 36 |
Breaking League News
| Last Man Of The Match Vote Of The Season
» Wigan : 21/05/2013 23:56:00
|
| Carroll Linked With NUFC (Again)
» Newcastle : 21/05/2013 23:43:00
|
| Players react to Pulis departure
» Stoke : 21/05/2013 22:37:00
|
| Stoke confirm Pulis exit
» Stoke : 21/05/2013 22:24:00
|
| Liverpool: Papadopoulos Is The Top Target
» Liverpool : 21/05/2013 18:31:00
|
| Out Through the Exit Door
» Chelsea : 21/05/2013 18:02:00
|
| Sir Alex Cleans Up
» Man Utd : 21/05/2013 18:01:00
|
Current Site Poll (view all polls)
|
|
1 © - All content copyright Vital Network Ltd, not to be reproduced without explicit permission Copyright Issues
Cookie Policy
At Vital Football, we along with most other modern websites use small files called 'cookies' to create the most secure, effective and functional website possible for our users. Without these files our business model, based on advertising, breaks down and we would be unable to continue to provide the services that you are here to utilise. By continuing to use this website after seeing this message, you consent to our use of cookies on this device unless you have disabled them. For full details please read our Cookie Policy which can be found here. However, if you would like to disable cookies on this device, please view our Cookie Policy which contains an opt-out tool for disabling advertising cookies. Please also visit our information pages on 'How to manage cookies' if you would also like to block all other types of cookies. Please be aware that parts of this site will not function correctly if you disable cookies.