I've been a bit busy the past few days so it's a case of scanning and trying to keep up to date and because I had posted about Rémi Gare on Monday I think, I didn't think it necessary to post again so soon. The deal is done and it's an interesting one.
And I hope it's a good one and I believe it will be. However, that is blind optimism and my views on who the club should have gone for are written all over the site. You see, I look at numbers and I weigh things. When you factor in that Garde only has three years managerial experience and has never had to worry about relegation or a team low in confidence, it doesn't stack up great when we're bottom of the table and need to win eight and draw eight to stay up (or flat out win ten).
But it's fair to say that I put more weight in some things than others. I even wrote that had Garde got the job in May, I'd have been ecstatic, so it's nothing against him. It's just that we have a big task now and maybe, just maybe it's because I'm closer to the club that the CEO, that I don't feel like risking the Club in the same way that maybe he thinks he can.
But the appointment is done and we only need to win ten. We should set him a target o winning 16! That's a joke. I think every Aston Villa fan will be happy with survival this season and we're at the start of November.
Stan Collymore again
Someone has properly wound Stan up haven't they. He's writing now about the Sporting Director and claiming his sources have told him that Arsenal were happy for him to go. Again, it needs pointing out that when Almstadt was appointed, nobody saw Stan talking about it then but it was very much a job for the old boy network.
My sources tell me that while Tom Fox was at the club, he basically shared an office with Almstadt and it was miles away from any of the real business of football was done. Now, my man did say not the same room, but office building, before I get into trouble. My point is, it's a job for an old mate and if he was liked or not at Arsenal isn't our business. We've got a new manager and it's his business.
But maybe Stan has a point and in his article here for the Mirror, his views on why Moyes should have been the manager are very similar to mine here. So, despite getting blocked by Collymore on Twitter, it appears we can share the same opinion. Even if my opinion of his is not the same as his opinion of himself.
Adama Traoré contract
Right, I read something about this a few days ago but thought nothing of it. I didn't go into the post or story or whatever and I just scanned it. Do we know if it's true?
For those that don't know the story is that Adama will get a pay increase at a set number of appearances. But the internet has blown up over it. Talk is he's on £40k a week at the moment, which in fairness, for a 19 year old is a little much. But I suppose he had offers and from what we've seen, he's probably going to be worth it. The other talk is that as soon as soon as he gets to an agreed number of appearances, that almost doubles to £75k a week.
Now, I'm not saying that it's right, but that's the game we're in. There is no doubt the lad is a talent and if you want that, you've got to offer that. My question around this is that if it's true, what's wrong with it?
And on that, I'm off. I've probably missed loads of news, but I'm more interested in seeing what happens on the pitch and this week is going to be interesting.