So Many Names, So Little Time

I'VE never known a summer like it for speculation.

Only last night, whilst at the game, we must have been hit with as many as eight, nine or ten names on the Birmingham Mail's live match blog.

Obafemi Martins, Steven Taylor, Stephen Warnock and Tuncay. You name it they were on it.

Well, almost everyone.

It still baffles me why Olof Mellberg was firstly allowed to quit the club on a free transfer. Villa left it far too late to open talks with a player happy in the Midlands.

And then secondly why he was allowed to join Olympiacos for £3 million when a decent centre-half these days will cost you treble that for his boots alone.

I've heard it on the grapevine Olof wanted to return. His missus wasn't quite so keen.

As for the names being banded about I'm quite sure there remains a strong interest in some of these players.

And I am now pretty convinced that plans have had to be altered in the last few days. I hear or two signings that were lined up as near certainties who then fell through.

Certainly judging by Martin O'Neill's body language in the early stages of the match against Atlante you could tell there was a bee in his bonnet about something.

So where to next?

Robbie Keane would undoubtedly show ambition. Steven Defour? Definitely top drawer.

Villa have been keen to play down all the Darren Bent stories from back home, but sometimes there is no smoke without fire and despite his public utterances last night that Carew, Agbonlahor, Heskey and Delfouneso were quite ready to lead the charge this season (note, still not one single mention of Marlon Harewood as if he needed any further hints that his future lies away from Villa Park) it is clear that Villa need a natural goalscorer.

Clearly there are still problems in defence and it remains a huge surprise why Zat Knight was everr allowed to leave with no one seemingly lined up to come straight in.

Knight, to his credit, rarely let Villa down and Gary Megson has not done at all badly with his capture.

So who else has O'Neill lined up?

Stephen Warnock? That's a possibility although Blackburn will be looking at £6 million at least for a player with three years left on his contract.

Few words are now ever spoken about Fabian Delph. Clearly Leeds have been asking top whack and Villa won't pay it. Tottenham are thought to be ready to swoop.

Ah Tottenham. What ever happened to David Bentley who not so long ago was claiming to be in talks with Villa?

What of Tom Huddlestone? What of Jermaine Jenas?

There remain so many questions and so few answers. The season is a little over a fortnight away.

If this were happening in Doug Ellis' era the chairman would be coming in for a heap of stick.

One can only hope that the first of many signings are just around the corner.

But on a positive note we were lucky to be granted an interview with Nigel Reo-Coker earlier today.

What a few weeks it has been for him.

Not many people would have given him a starting place a few weeks back. Now he is going to be captain of Villa due to Stiliyan Petrov's dislocated shoulder.

For Reo-Coker also read Steve Sidwell. The challenge is there for both of them to now make something of their Villa careers. Finally the chance is there for either or both of them to make Gareth Barry's name a thing of the past.

I'd have put my money on Sidwell changing clubs this summer. Now both players look certs for starting berths and how on earth could O'Neill look to sell either of them?

The same "Not for Sale" message will also have to be slapped on Nicky Shorey and Craig Gardner, both who may well have been thinking about pastures new.

The only player who can leave is that man Harewood. But who will pay £2million for a player earning twenty-odd thousand a week who has hardly played for two years?