Re: What now for a past Villa hero. The Gabby thread.

by DaveAV1 Tue Sep 13, 2016 6:46 am

According to the Evening Mail;

1. He still looked a little over weight.

2. He didn't do a lot but it was a poor team performance all round.

3. It was a performance of a man easing his way back to fitness rather than busting a gut.

Our local rag wasn't scathing of his performance and generally gave him the benefit of the doubt.

My personal view is that he doesn't really understand what he's done wrong over the last few years. Yes he'll realise the incidents he has been called up for were wrong, but what he doesn't understand is his roll in the general malaise that inflicted the club up until the change of ownership. He doesn't think his lack of leadership and example to the younger players is a problem. His part in the undermining of former managers, particularly Houllier, are to him just part of being a "top player". He will have convinced himself that he was just sticking up for his mates and it was all just a bit of banter.

At the peak of his powers he was hardly Messi, but with the type of attitude demonstrated by the likes of Stan Petrov and new players such as Tommy Elphic he could have still been half decent and we may still have been in the Premier League. But he has ruined his own career and who knows how many youngsters who would have looked up to him as a senior pro. Look at the difference in Jack Grealish this season with proper management and good pros around him.

Does he deserve another chance? Hell no. As Dan has said above, he is everything that is wrong with modern footballers. Perhaps in the future he might have some value to football, when coaches point him out to young promising players and say, "Don't do a Gabby".

by **Trotters** Tue Sep 13, 2016 6:58 am

Great comments!

Fit or not, he should still be able to put himself about, create a few opportunities and generally - as a former club captain no less - should be talking to the juniors and really encouraging them.

But as you say, Dave, he probably doesn't get where it's all gone wrong for him and if that's the case, there's no point in even trying to rehabilitate him (I don't know if that's a terrible term to use or the perfect one).

But how can he look at the club now and see the herculean effort of Stan and not take a good hard long look at himself? He is either genuinely thick beyond all scientific measure, has been caught up in the rich, pampered elitism of football or just doesn't give a fuck.

Either way....

DaveAV1 wrote:
Does he deserve another chance? Hell no

by **NARLA24** Tue Sep 13, 2016 10:25 am

Surly it is time to pay up his contract and let him go. My thoughts anyway.

by Dazzle Tue Sep 13, 2016 10:53 am

NARLA24 wrote:Surly it is time to pay up his contract and let him go. My thoughts anyway.

Absolutely not, no way Villa should pay up his contract (circa £4m) for him to walk away to the MLS or wherever. Get him fit, maybe a sub appearance or two around November/December, hopefully he goes to MLS in January. The days of this club giving things away or paying to have them gone has to be over. If he doesn't buckle down and get somewhere close to being a professional footballer in the next month or so then he gets his own corner out of the way at BMH, or wherever, to rot for the next couple of years. Up to him. But certainly do not pay him up.

by Guest Tue Sep 13, 2016 11:06 am

I'm no law expert, but doesn't paying off a current rolling contract enable these bullshit loyalty clauses?

by **NARLA24** Tue Sep 13, 2016 11:16 am

Joppe84 wrote:I'm no law expert, but doesn't paying off a current rolling contract enable these bullshit loyalty clauses?

Not sure. Either way he is still getting shit loads of cash for doing nothing

by **Trotters** Tue Sep 13, 2016 11:21 am

That'd all be part of the negotiations.

I think the club COULD negotiate a settlement fee that'd be a percentage of what he'd get if he sits around on his arse for the remainder of his contract.

They COULD also tell him that they'll effectively release him and pay him 50p in the pound until he finds another club (up to the date of the last day of his current deal).

No way should we pay him off to leave. No No No! If it was my money and he refused any part-pay settlement, I'd rather have him around running for his money. Make the bastard sweat during triple training every day.

by Villa_Dan Tue Sep 13, 2016 11:40 am

Have him perform the halftime entertainment for each home game!

by **Trotters** Tue Sep 13, 2016 11:55 am

Ha! Like what???

His agent must be talking to MLS clubs. Must be. I'm sure he sits down with Gabby and helps him read forums and social media so they'll know that a huge percentage of Villa fans have completely gone off him - and yes, fans are fickle but it'd need to be the mother of all turn-arounds for him to be welcomed back. I'm talking donating most of his last 2 years wages to Acorns, a proper apology to fans, not some shit he doesn't mean and then come out and score 1 in 2 whilst being the absolute driving force and motivation behind the team's surge to promotion.

In other words, his agent needs to get him an MLS deal. Now!

by Villa_Dan Tue Sep 13, 2016 12:12 pm

Trotters wrote:Ha! Like what???

Put him in stocks in front of the Holte and let the fans throw shit at him

by **Trotters** Tue Sep 13, 2016 12:27 pm

by **NARLA24** Tue Sep 13, 2016 12:49 pm

Villa_Dan wrote:
Trotters wrote:Ha! Like what???

Put him in stocks in front of the Holte and let the fans throw shit at him

Quite ironic as he has been throwing shit at the Holte for many years

by **Trotters** Thu Sep 22, 2016 9:36 am

Have to say I'm surprised at this. Thoughts?

What now for a past Villa hero. The Gabby thread. - Page 3 20160911

by FoxyAV Thu Sep 22, 2016 10:14 am

I suspect there were a lot of Villa hating, slum-dwelling, 12-toed, inbred freaks voting 'yes'.

I'd rather see Kodjia/Gestede or Kodjia/McCormack on the pitch and Gabby serving pies at half time.

by Dazzle Thu Sep 22, 2016 12:10 pm

Trotters wrote:Have to say I'm surprised at this. Thoughts?

I've said it before and i'll repeat it; if he's gotten fit and is putting in the required effort then he should be available for selection, the same as anyone else. Give him some more hours for the U23s, give him the opportunity to try and win a place in the squad whilst we are paying him millions of £££s. It would be poor football business not to try. A lean, fit, motivated Agbonlahor would be an asset in the Championship. Whilst paying him we have to try.

by FoxyAV Thu Sep 22, 2016 12:22 pm

FoxyAV wrote:Villa hating, slum-dwelling, 12-toed, inbred freaks

I doff my hat, as usual, to the forum software!

by **Trotters** Thu Sep 22, 2016 12:29 pm

I'd not considered that vermin might actually concern themselves with following a villa twitter account and then bothering to vote but I've seen a few of them have a go at our Dr.Tone so your explanation as to the poll results make perfect sense.

by Villa_Dan Thu Sep 22, 2016 12:44 pm

Bollocks to "unleashing" him unless he goes out for the U23s and tears it up

by jeffvilla Thu Sep 22, 2016 3:00 pm

Gabby was in an under 23 game a couple of weeks ago. Not mentioned once!!!!!!

by Villa_Dan Thu Sep 22, 2016 3:04 pm

jeffvilla wrote:Gabby was in an under 23 game a couple of weeks ago. Not mentioned once!!!!!!

I heard the match report mentioned he was overweight still and only played 60mins

by DaveAV1 Thu Sep 22, 2016 10:30 pm

Haven't we had to name our 23 man squad and that can't be altered until January? So by now Flabby is either in the squad or not and if it's the latter then the debate is a little pointless.

by **Trotters** Sat Oct 22, 2016 12:18 am

Just watched Bruce's press conference and his comments on Gabby.

It seems they put him on a strict 6-week get-fit programme. The first half of Bruce's comments leapt out at me because it very much seemed that the club has told him - in private - that his on-field and off-field performance hasn't been anywhere near acceptable, that his refusal to go out on loan to get game time and prove himself is unacceptable and his whole general attitude over the last few years has been vile and that he has 6-weeks to correct these problems (starting with his fitness) or else his contract is getting torn up.

If you're can find the interview, listen to the first minute and you'll see what I mean. I do think the club has had legal advice stating that they have to give him every opportunity to bring himself up to the required level, have to assist him and encourage him to get up to the required level and say the right things in public. If Gabby fails to meet the 6 week deadline then they'll be in the clear to terminate his contract.

The 2nd half of the interview seems a lot softer in tone acknowledging that the lad is doing everything asked of him and is fighting his way back. Maybe he realised the earlier comments were giving the club's position away?

Am I reading too much into this??

by Guest Sat Oct 22, 2016 10:01 am

I'm very much done with Gabby, but I think Bruce could end up utilizing him. Despite his shit play and classless persona, Gabby has one thing we lack i.e. pace.

by **NARLA24** Sat Oct 22, 2016 10:19 am

Bruce will use him no doubt about it. Sweeping the changing rooms would be a start.

by 4BetLite Sat Oct 22, 2016 10:26 am

First blip from bruce? or is he being canny and setting gabby up.

Who do you leave out for gabby= Rmac, JK, Ayew and Rudy are better. RHM deserves his shot more so then gabby. What message does this send out to the good young prespects at the club?

My guess is that bruce is getting him fit to get him out on loan.

Edit........ Message to gabby, if you really love this club, then set it free. You have taken so much and given so little, show your love and a little class and walk away.

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