poker..more damned poker
It has developed into the best card game since Stu "The Kid" Ungar played in the 1980 World Series of Poker and won the main event, defeating poker legend Doyle Brunson.
You've guessed it. The Gareth Barry saga is set to run and run.
The latest twist is that Liverpool have let it be known, with a whisper to a source, that they are now focussing on other targets, namely Robbie Keane, and will let Villa sit and wait.
Don't believe a word of it.
Sure they will have to wait, but they've no choice!
Martin O'Neill has seen this possible occurence all along and is 100 per cent convinced, I understand, that Barry's agent and Liverpool must have drawn up a fall-back plan should their plan to get him out of Villa back-fire and leave him in limbo, which is precisely where he remains despite the fact he is back at Bodymoor.
Barry is back training as Villa could not exclude him for any longer than a fortnight.
Expect him to be training alone this weekend, with possibly Stephen O'Halloran and youngsters like Barry Bannan- who shares his agency- to keep him company.
That is a great, great shame.
But did O'Neill avoid a face-to-face meeting by not showing up at Bodymoor between the hours of 9am and 1pm- again, absolutely not.
O'Neill was never going to be there and Barry probably knew it.
Will they have face-to-face showdown talks? Nope. Probably not.
I'm expecting more of an icey edge to their future meet. There is little left to discuss as the card game between O'Neill and Rafa Benitez takes shape.
The plan is that Villa will get on with this weekend's game at Odense- they fly out tomorrow with as few as eight supporters having paid top whack of £675 for one night's accommodation to go out with the team- and then they will crack on with bringing in those half-a-dozen players they are so, so desperate for.
Talking of Odense, that four-day coach trip was replaced by a much more luxurious two night stay in Denmark for the price of £399, including match ticket.
One Villa couple I know, whose surname sounds like a Simon and Garfunkel classic without the 'troubled', took a gamble by paying for two £20 flight returns to Copenhagen, knowing that the official trip would be somewhat extortionate.
Sort of puts Villa's package in a different light.
And I know you are keen to know if Stiliyan Petrov's phone is working. The answer: yes- and he was top quality.
He rang whilst sitting in an ice bath at Bodymoor. I have not got a TV phone but that is what he informed me.
I guess that could have been his excuse for making him making the conversation last: "no more than ten minutes", as he stipulated.
I tried my damndest to get to the half-hour mark but I could hear his teeth chattering.
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Mat Kendrick - is the Birmingham Mail's man at Villa.
i cannot believe mon and scouting team have had since january to identify targets and up to now have managed one signing.if they find negotiations difficult why not make use of one of the most experienced men in football,mr.d ellis.i m sure doug would be delighted to be of service to his beloved villa and proud to be so appreciated.
Villa fans should have more faith in MON.
Yes, time is ticking away and we desperately need players.
Yes, MON's signed a few gambles (Petrov and Knight in particular!).
But he also had the foresight to sign Young and Davies and turn them into England players; he's turned Carew from a nomad into a player who wants to stay for the rest of his career; and he's bided his time to sign Sidwell and (hopefully) Guzan after long pursuits.
Trust the gaffer. It's better to be patient and get the right men (Bentley, Finnan as part of the Barry swap, Friedel) through slow negotiations than take the first rejection and move onto the next target (like Kevin Keegan is doing).
Up the Villa!
Hi Bill,
Just thought I'd use your blog to ask you a quick question..
In your blog entry, titled "It is the game that is ill - Not O'Neill or Barry" you mentioned that Villa fans are uneasy.
"But those worries - as seen in below expectation season ticket sales at this precise time- should be left with Martin O'Neill." were your exact words.
However, General Charles Krulak said the following in response to a question about your assertion.
"Season Tickets: Bill Howell is wrong!!!! We are ahead of schedule on our ST sales...we are over 24,000 as of today. Not sure where he got his info but I can assure you, he is wrong."
So, my question is this, Bill; Who's lying? Is General Krulak lying to supporters about the level of season ticket sales? Or are you lying? Some may say that, again, you are revelling in portraying Villa in a bad light?
I'd be interesting in any response you can give to this in your next blog.
Nice Post!
yes, i would also be very interested to hear a response to gary rowes question.
also on a sidenote, as you are touted as the evening mails man on the villa. do you think your recent articles are wise?
yes you may have been right and also the villa may have lied or been coy with the truth, but your current apparent attitude towards the club is alienating you from the clubs fans. surely not a great career move
If I was a bricklayer I wouldnt expect advice from non-builders about how to lay bricks.
so why on earth should Bill answer to people who haven't a clue about football or journalism, two things which bill is an expert in
I think its a bit worrying that people assume that everything the General says as being true. How do we know he's not spinning his own line.
People need to look beyond the star gazing and ask some real questions of Lerner/Krulak/Boring O'Neill
I do not think that Bill in "answerable" to me in any way. However, I do think that Bill should respond to General Krulak's assertion that Bill is wrong. Either the General is correct in his assertion, or Bill is having his journalistic integrity besmirched. Having had the General's comment pointed out to him now, I will find any silence from Bill on this issue to be deafening and condemning.
As for assuming that everything the General says to be true, I can only take him at face value. His reputation for straight talking honesty predates his involvement with Aston Villa. But, like I said above, I have simply pointed out the discrepancy between the assertions of General Krulak and Bill Howell. One of them is lying about season ticket sales, so I am giving Bill Howell the opportunity to defend his reputation.
Paula,(or is it Bill?) what makes you think Bill is such an expert?
Because he writes for a local paper?
Because he gets most of his stories/lies off of website forums and credits them as his own 'In the know' style facts?
The guy is a clown and has been found out on many occasions - just ask Mr Rowe.
Dear Bill
The truth is i am a genius. The best in the business. Please do not question me, or face feeling my wrath. B-Town is my turf and i will spread lies all over it.
Good day.