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£6million Bent Rumour - As Usual - Nonsense!

Every now and then a rumour is started (quite often from the same person who does nothing but rake up the ****) that is so ridiculous I just assume it will be laughed at. But I`m usually wrong and because of the way the internet works, it spreads and becomes fact!

The latest?

The rumour is Darren Bent is not being played because after his next game we`d have to pay Sunderland another £6million.

Really?

Ask yourself, do you think the player and his agent would remain silent if that was the case? Of course not.

Another question. Do you think that Paul Lambert would accept that? Does he look like a patsy to you? Personally I think if the board started to pick the team (which is something they would laugh at, honestly, if they were told that was the accusation) I think he`d walk AND say why.

It is Lamberts reputation, as he has said several times, he picks the team, it is totally his decision. It is fine and dandy (and all part of football) that we all argue whether we think the manager (any manager) is right, but at the end of the day, the majority of us know it is only the managers opinion that ultimately matters because it is only the managers job that is on the line from these decisions.

I have to admit, I find the decision baffling, I also find those who agree with the decision baffling. All part of football these debates aren`t they? Just a shame it then gets mixed into total myth started by people who really should know better, or maybe they don`t, maybe they have less understanding of football than their loud mouths would suggest?

Conspiracy after conspiracy and how many come true? None.

I`ve spoken to a source at the Club and he just repeated what my argument has been in recent days. "Laughable".

"No one but Paul Lambert picks the team" and I was pointed to the Lambert quotes saying he picks the team, he has no problem with Bent, everyone has a place in the squad when he decides.

It might be right, it might be wrong (judging by the fact we are amongst the lowest scorers in the league and he is one of the Prem big scorers, I personally think it is dead wrong AND also think that Bent and Benteke could form a great partnership given time) but that is the plain truth of it. As I`ve often said, the truth is often much more more boring than these rumours, but the rumours never turn out to be true.

Could it be that Lambert just doesn`t rate the player? Of course. He might well be sold, who knows? If he is sold and it is re-invested in players that Lambert does rate, isn`t that the normal way of football when a team is in transition? Players come, players go.

So, the current rumour, I`m told "nonsense" and despite Blackburn doing something like this last year, "Villa don`t pick the team, the manager does, and that is the way it will always be".

Boring? Maybe. Fact? Yup.

Vital Villa, the seekers of truth and justice!

Now come on Lambert, play Bent and Benteke v QPR! LOL

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Writer: J P Fear

Date:Wednesday November 28 2012

Time: 10:52AM

Your Comments

feel free to retweet or facebook like, be nice to put this silly stuff to bed.

The Fear

I thought the fee was 18mil plus up to 6mil based on performance, and I would have imagined most of that 6mil would have been if we had stayed up.

calavfc

Fair enough I was starting believe it myself because I was thinking how can anyone think that Jordan Bowery is a better option on the Bench than Darren Bent? It was either than and it has happened at other clubs in past or Him and Lambert have had a falling out. Because let’s not forget when Lambert came he made Bent captain so he was initially going to build the team around him and have him as integral part of the team, and to go from that to the reserves in virtually no time at all particularly when we have all our strikers on the pitch and only an unknown youngster on the bench ahead of him. There has to another reason than just Lambert does not rate as highly as Bowery and everything is fine.

macca1087

What harm is just putting Bent on the bench? Options. Class. |Experience.
Not sure what Lambert looks like to be honest. Not a top top manager for sure. but in luck we trust....

cropped

The fee increase wouldn't mean Lambert is being undermined by the board. At the end of the day, that would come out of his transfer budget so I assume it is his choice. Don't believe it's £6m, but maybe £2-3m (as we know there were add ons) would certainly make some sense of the situation.

Pundit101

I doubt he is being told to leave him out of the team. A manager should be tasked with picking the team as he lives and dies by the results. That doesn't mean he hasn't been made aware of potential implications of picking him and paying add ons - and that the money paid out would be accounted for by a reduce kitty for the January transfer window. In that sense it would be his decision to leave him out of the team, and would not be a direct edict from above. That would also seem to tally with his absence from the bench, as paying a 6 figure sum based on being on the pitch for 5 mins of a game would seem a bit ridiculous

heavy d

Just like to add Fear that you have not completely debunk the claim while I think now it is more likely that there is a falling out between the players, still you assume it is the board that is telling Lambert to do this. What if it is Lambert decision he could have known this from the start the stipulations and that he has to work in budget and tried to play Bent to see if he could build a team around him, when he realised it wouldn't work perhaps because we don't have the players around him and without the sufficient funds to do so, he tried other systems and finally settled on one, which of course Bent is not suited too. With that in mind and the fact we could still get about £10m for him plus the "£6m" saved and Bents Wages, maybe Lambert decided himself he could use that money to buy a more compatible player for Benteke. It certainly would make managerial sense to do so and he says it is his decision and even questioned on Bents departure he said he will do what is best for Aston Villa so no real lies there either if this conspiracy theory is true. Also Bent is under contract so for him to spill these beans could cost him his loyalty bonus etc etc. However I still think now it is far more likely that there is a bust probably because of the fact that there is nothing stopping Sunderland coming out and saying it ah I guess I just debunked it.

macca1087

Just thought of a title for Randy's autobiography. "Randy - Adventures of a Penny-Pinching Billionaire" :-)

heavy d

he's not penny pinching. He just doesn`t see the point in leading the club into financial ruin. Aston villa is a business as well im afraid, it has to be run on a sustainable basis or it will go under.

bikini inspector

If more fans turned out at Villa Park the club would have more money. Last night's turn out was very poor for an important game. Remember, Aston Villa is not a charity that RL is expected to bank roll. Too many of our fans expect success but do not back the club with their own £s.

Pundit101

I think that you will find that we did it a few years ago with curtis davis, if he had played another game we would have had to offer him a new contract so he didn't play.

dolphin

I hate this penny pinching nonsence, ask your self has Randy made any money of his Investment in Aston Villa? Money was wasted and that was the board and MONs fault collectively that together with Man Citys Millions, Tottenhams rebirth and Everton Conistancy meant that we were blown out of the market when trying to push for the Champions League, I believe if Randy came in 3-5 years earlier we would have made champions league and could have established ourselves as a top club. But those things together with the global reccession which he lst big time he wouldn't have sold the Browns if it hadn't had a huge impact on him. I think now is the right plan to balance the books and make investments when the TV comes in the right areas in real talent not overpaid journey men.

macca1087

It's all loans. Regardless of any outcome, he is guaranteed the money back with interest. Just look at Pompey when they went in to administration. Football debts are prioritised and paid first - that's why football clubs owed money were settled, but the local shop who delivered their newspapers ended up with a debt of thousands. He may not be penny pinching (it was said tongue in cheek) but he is not a benefactor either. At present he is mearly HD Ellis mk II - trying to do everything on the cheap and acting with surprise when things don't work out. I love Villa, you love Villa. I genuinely think I will need medication if Villa go down and a scrappy 1-0 win over Reading has done very little to convince me that will get many more points before the turn of the year. This green shoots of recovery nonsense is all talk. We were terrible under McLeish last year and playing slightly better this season is not acceptable. We have lost quality and replaced them with mediocre for the last 3 years and people think things are rosey? Boom and bust rarely works! It should also be pointed out that although the TV money doubles next year, every team will benefit so we will still be behind most of the pack. We will be able to spend more but so will every other team. This money will all be swallowed up by higher pay demands from players and agents anyway.

heavy d

Well said JF. Bent for me has been just far too settled and complacent, though I feel its odd not to have him at least available and on the bench. I think Lambert wants to get in hid head space and get him ruffled and fired up. Boy does he need it. This is a message to the £24 million man. We don't need you and we can live without you. If you want that starting Jersey, you show me what you've got -and not just the goal hanging bit but all of it.

Villa_Grizzly

Bowery is the future. He is obviously working hard in training, unlike certain others. Place on the bench earnt. Simple really. Bent will not be catered for especially if he has no intention (incapable) of changing his game to fit into the team!!!

Villan444

My only opinion is Bent is different to other high paid guys we've had Bent actually wants to play for us and wants to do well for the club. I hope Grizly is right and in someways I think thats what it is I think he will be on the Bench next week...

CDX_EIRE

hmm it might eplain the £18m - £24m valuation

leelindsay

I think the thing that will save us is the fact we have commitment from the players and support from the fans this year we need not to put them and them manager under unnecessary pressure like last year while it was deserved this resonated with the players mixed with the style of play they and us weren’t enjoying and playing for a manager no one wanted and was enviably going to get sacked. We only survived last season because of how bad the 3 clubs that went down were. And it is usually the case that the characteristics that we had last year is the team that gets relegated it happened to Newcastle and West Ham. This year I see Sunderland and QPR having more trouble with committed players and anxious fans while Southampton and Reading I feel are worse than us. I could also see Stoke if they got dragged into it, struggling as the players might become restless with their style of play if it is not working. Norwich and Wigan also still in the mix and only 4points between us and 9th so any team that goes on winless streak can be dragged into it. Yes we should be worried that we are 4th from bottom but there is still everything to play for.

macca1087

Whatever, I'm not bothered. All I want to know is why is Gabby picked ahead of DB9. What does Gabby add - apart from a brummie accent!? It cant be that he offers more of a goal threat than DB9! So wtf is it??????

Pride of Lions

Bent has made 47 league appearances for villa. 50 seems like a number that would invoke an additional payment clause in a contract?

craigy1874

Not sure the '£6m man' rumours are laid to rest by "a source at the club"....f they are even privy to the details of Bent's contract. Given whats in the public domain (plus the appearance tally) just leaving him off the bench is more than a bit odd - because if Benteke has to come off, who goes on when we need a goal. Or worse, if Benteke takes a knock. THATS WHY PEOPLE ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THIS. Even when I tried to dig up details on the transfer from Jan 2011, I wasnt expecting to find anything solid quite frankly because there is a code of silence about these things ! Extending to the press. In other words, all the info is one way. I dont recall a single time that agents or players started to yap directly about this level of detail (due to: tax-man, peer envy etc). Nobody on the ground in a high paid environment ever really knows what their peers get paid, and their managers never tell them. Agents spread rumours for obvious reasons and hacks need to write copy but how much of it is actually true? There's a perfect circle of denial. Transfer fees are a little more transparent because its easier to work them out from the annual accounts but getting at the real detail is still difficult. Why dont you ask your source at the club, how much of the £6m in add ons has been paid out or come due to date - and if none or hardly any. what are the ramifications for those add ons of a sale (or a loan for that matter) between now and Jan 31 2013 :)?? That would put the matter to rest. As for a bust up - he would undoubtedly be *****ed off if he knows that hes not being played for non-football reasons. He wants to play for England, he wants to go to Brazil in 2014, he wants to build his goal tally for posterity probably, and so on. Don't forget he can sit on his ass for another 2.5 years and still get his £70-80/wk. What I find increaslingly entertaining (I am afraid to say) is the never-ending spin that PL puts on now whenever he is asked. Its like a guy whose wife has told him he has to sell the Aston Martin (DB9), and he's desperately trying to save face down he pub by coming up with ever-more exotic justifications ("I'm over-exposed to the luxury goods market")

malacaxeta

We could probably make an educated guess on the two highest earners in our team being prepped for a January departure. Bent is one, the other is Given. Bent is a one-trick pony and Given looks increasingly past his best. The right choice for me...

Bristol Villan

yep, Bent is a one trick pony - but that 'trick' is scoring goals. Be careful what you wish for boys, we are building a team that looks increasingly mid-table Championship.

onlyteaminthemids

I'd bet that Ireland earns more than Given. Remember it took ages to negotiate his terms during the Milner saga and I believe he was on good money up north. He did not want to come to Villa at the time, was the gist as I remember it. This is the story thats getting ignored amidst Darrengate - why is Ireland not starting. I think we all believe that DB will be gone soon at least on loan. But to get rid of Ireland as well, in January - would be extremely foolish. He turned the game last night.

malacaxeta

In the last hour or so both the Mail and Guardian have published full transcripts of the post game press conference (google news, aston villa). This could go viral. The best quote is - "I'm trying to give you an honest answer. <>. It's my decision. Is that all right?"

malacaxeta

£6millon is not pennies HeavyD

PiperUK

I doubt the next installment is £6million. The add-ons would have been made up of a combination of Villa not being relegated, Villa League position, DB appearances and DB goals. We have probably already paid out a sizeable amount on the first 2 clauses based on us stopping up when he first signed. An appearance based clause of a few hundred thousand (I did say 6 figures not 6 million) is more likely to be what is due. If the intention is to get rid in January then keeping him away from the first team squad means he is not in the shop window, and only highlights that we are desperate to sell. This means any potential suitors will try to get him on the cheap and makes this whole scenario self defeating.

heavy d

In the press conference he says that there is no problem with his application in training, he rates him as a player, he didn't storm out as was first reported and he has not reacted badly to being left out of the team or squad. He says there are no problems between him and they player. He then dances around the subject of why putting an untried reserve striker from the lower leagues on the bench, ahead of a proven goalscorer, is a wise move for a must win game. The question none of the hacks asked was whether the omission was down to money!

heavy d

C.Davies would have been due a new contract if he played one more game for the Villa so he was ostracised from the squad and sold (At a massive loss too :-/ ). It's not like those upstairs haven't got form for this kind of thing.

heavy d

FFS gents. Bent does NOT score goals for fun. He has a disability in that he needs help from others. He cannot create for himself ( or for other.) Please can we stop passing myth and fiction off as fact. Bent in CF position does not equal goals. Bent plus 5 accurate balls to foot when no-one is marking closely inside the six yard box will get you a goal or 2. When we have the luxury of dominating a game enough and have the quality to deliver and the opposition defence is poor or has an off day is the time for Bencht. NOT now or the near future....

Villan444

Nope re Davies, it triggered an option to discuss a contract extension not offer one, his current deal still stood, but let's not let the fact he did play and performed like a buffoon get in the way of the truth again, or the fact that O'Neill had already replaced him in the first team by the time his shoulder injury had recovered. I agree he was treated awfully by the manager given he played on through injury to help, and then when fit was given a couple of run outs and nothing more as the boss had moved on and had a new favourite. Got nothing to do with the contract crap, because if that was true, he wouldn't have figured in the Euro meltdown would he for a start.

But so much crap gets taken as truth because the 'press' report it and fans repeat it often enough for it to become an ingrained truth, I suppose it's hopeless to try and argue against the tide. [Edited by Mike Field]

mike_field

You heard it hear first, Jordan Bowery will not make a second appearance for the Villa because we owe his former club 50p if he does, and we promised to put him on a 16 year, 200K a week contract.

Alternatively despite already having on the record that Bent's clauses featured Villa staying up, scoring at the rate he was, and continued England appearances, we could just laugh at those who think we owe Sunderland 6m for one more game? Sometimes the truth just stares you in the face, that was a fantastic deal by Sunderland to predict that the 'staying up clause' would only come into effect 2.5 seasons AFTER he had signed for us, can't possibly have already paid that out under Houllier could we? Nah...that can't be right, there's no conspiracy or tin hats required? PMSL

mike_field

The sad thing is you cannot presume either way because you dont know and neither do I. We assume the framework of the deal reported at the time was accurate (18 + 6) but thats not guaranteed. transfermarkt.com reports the fee as £18.92m. Is that the 18 at the time or 18 plus subsequent addons to date, who knows. But I bet if theres anything like a million or more still in play then its a factor. Talking of getting salaries off the books - the bigeest salary in the last financial year reported (sorry, "fee") was Reform Acquisitions Ltd - £7.5m or thereabouts. For no goals achieved.

malacaxeta

I find the fat that he is not on the bench as very strange, I accept bent is a lazy player and not a very good team player. That being said, he cas score goals which is something we find hard to do. There has to be something behind the scenes that we do not know about. COTVABU

irish villa

Yes he had time to run on his existing contract, but hitting the appearance target meant they would have to re-negotiate an increase in wages in addition to possible extending. At the time he was performing below par, but that was while being paired with Cuellar in Laursen's injury enforced absence. And even Laursen had some games where he looked ordinary due to a lack of understanding with Carlos. The main point being made was that we have form for not playing people when financial terms are going to be triggered by appearance totals - And without any info coming from the club this appears to be a likely reason not to put Bent on the bench. The manager isn't being told not to pick him, but made aware of the implications if he does. So much for the sale of the Browns ($1billion!!!) meaning Randolph loosening the purse strings.

heavy d

Contract appearance clauses are normally triggered by league games totals too (as it can not be factored that a team will play regularly in Europe), meaning that he could be played in the Euro fiasco without consequence.

heavy d

Bent scores goals -fact. He has scored for every team that he has played for at every level, in a variety of formations and with a range and variety of strike partners. The £6m rumour is nonesense, it would cost us much more than that to buy a player of comparable ability. Far more likely for me is the fact that PL is a small time manager who is ony comfortable managing small time players and kids. I agree with Onlyteaminthemids, we are rapidly becoming a championship side at best and I suspect that by the end of january the transformation will be complete.

AVbornandbred

Not sure how you've read that into what I said macca1087. Put simply, it is clear that Paul Lambert just doesn't fancy his style of play and so isn't picking him. It may be he's already decided (looks like it) that he will be sold in January. I didn't say that Bent would say anything, but agents have ways of leaking things. Oh and the player fall out (the Herd rumour) was debunked, Herd said it was totally not true.

The Fear

malacaxeta. Fair enough. However, when the press reported the takeover with Randy was over, I reported it wasn't. True. When the press reported Randy was going to re-name the stadium I reported it was utter gash. I was right. When the press reported MON had resigned before the Chelsea game, I reported he'd done no such thing, I was right. When reports came out about the Qatar group we had 100 page thread, press reported, blogs reported. I said there was no such takeover. I was right. I get the truth because I can be bothered to ask to clarify.

The Fear

I think its time we forgot about this reason or that reason Bent going because of money. Draw a line I say thank you Mr.Bent for keeping us up with your goals when you arrived and good luck in the future if our current manager wishes to play a different way thats his choice, not the first player to lose his position because of a change of manager and wont be the last, time to accept it and move on no one person is more important than AVFC.

Merlin128777

Darren Bent is a dying breed. His style of play does not fit the premier league anymore. A lot of forwards could easily concentrate on only getting into scoring positions, and score as many goals as Bent, but they have ambition to add all dimensions to there game. I have been saying for years that Darren Bent has to play in a team that revolves around him, it always has to be about Darren Bent. I can assure everyone that Andy Weiman would score easily as many if played up top alone to only get into 'scoring positions'. He is not a luxury we can afford, as we look like 10 men when he plays, and we lose possesion far too quickly as he could not hold up a balloon.

KSarge1

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