O'Neill is interested in Schwarzer and Senderos while The Clowns FC want Craig Gardner, apparently

The thing about rumours is they are just that, rumours and if we were to believe every single rumour that made it to the papers I'd likely die a young man from all the stress it brought and today is one of those days where you don't want to believe anything and I'll explain why.

Basically, football fans are not stupid any more. Okay, some of us might not have played football at the highest level but some of the best managers in the game these days didn't play football at the highest level, actually some didn't even play professional football.

My point is, did any of us really think, for all his hard work that Harewood was going to be a good signing or that letting Cahill go was a good move? I have a few more, but I don't need to go on.

My point is, football fans today are much more clued up, simply because of the amount of football we get to watch and are able to see. We can watch a player for a season and know he isn't going to work for us, whereas in the 80's we might have only seen him play for 10 minutes on match of the day or twice a season.

Why am I going down this route? Well, basically, I've found three rumours today that need to be left alone. First up is keeper Mark Schwarzer. Now, why do we leave him alone? Mostly, we don't need another keeper that is going to play one or two seasons. Friedel is good but he isn't going to last and we can't be changing keeper every season.

We chased Brad Guzan for so long and from what we've seen he isn't that bad, so if the manager isn't going to trust him, then at the very least he should send David Wilson around the world in 80 days, searching for a keeper that is somewhere around 30 years old so we might have him for more than a season or two. It's about consistency. Schwarzer is a good keeper, but for how long?

Moving on, we're apparently after Philipe Senderos from Arsenal who is currently on loan at Milan, and just in case Martin O'Neill isn't reading this, if anyone sees our manager today, just give him a smile, a little tug and then tell him in as kind a voice as possible, that Senderos is out on loan for a reason and us Villa fans don't need someone else that is going to make howlers in the centre of defence.

If Martin O'Neill really is interested in a new central defender, why not look at invoking that first refusal clause he had put into the Cahill contract, because he was sure that there was a decent central defender in there somewhere and was so reluctant to sell him, because Arsenal are showing interest and have been quoted £20mn. and well, we all know he's better than Senderos oh and get this; he's young and English too, double thumbs up.

Almost over for today but before I go, we're going to touch on the growing speculation surrounding our Craig Gardner. Much like we could have all told Martin O'Neill not to sell Cahill, which still really does annoy me, or that buying the likes of Harewood (to name one) was not the wisest of things he will ever do in his managerial career, selling Gardner will not be easily forgotten.

Gardner is a quality player and Aston Villa fans will not like seeing another of the academy players leaving and then watching him do well, which ultimately Gardner will. The rumour today is that The Clowns are interested and that they are willing to part with £2.5mn., to secure his services.

You see, when Luke Moore left and Liam Ridgewell, there was some frustration, but it went away quickly for most (personally I still rate Liam Ridgewell and think he has a bright future) but it hasn't for Cahill and it won't for Gardner. He is only 22 years old has a game to goal ration of one in ten and considering some of the positions he has been asked to play and the amount of substitute appearances, you've got to be impressed with that and most importantly he is a very good player with a true claret and blue heart.

So, actually, if anyone does see O'Neill today, forget the smile, tug and polite explanation of why Senderos is on loan, just look at him with a grim face and shout 'oi Martin, no!' very very loudly. If enough people do it he'll figure out why.

Right, that is about it for today and this is just speculation, so not of it will happen and I'm not worried, really, but a few little bits, just to get your chatting. Apparently Gareth Barry wasn't at the awards dinner last night, Giles Barnes is available for as little as a Kit Kat and £2mn. and rumours in North London suggest David Bentley could go for as little as £6mn. if a deal can be done quickly.