First proper test, no news is good news and what Doug does

I do like to post as often as I can, but having said I was knocking speculation on the head, there isn't that much to write about on a daily basis that you're not getting from the club site.

But today, I'm going to break with that and I'm going to look at something written at the weekend suggesting that Doug Ellis is looking at slashing the wage bill by an average of £10,000 per week per man.

It is speculation and actually we will probably never know if it happens, but if true, would we be surprised? This is what Doug does, none of us should be surprised. None of us should be surprised at anything that has happened the last few years, but I'd like to ask, if we didn't get roots and branch change and were sold a bill of goods, why do we just accept it now?

I'm off on one now. Sorry. This wasn't supposed to go like this. You see, the game is broken. I agree with almost everything Nick wrote in his post the other day and I'd just like to add, most seem to forget that it is a game.

It's a game that has gone too far and is now at the stage where just as many have walked away or are not interested - we are reaching tipping point if things are not fixed, then it could be a disaster.

It isn't that the players get paid millions each season for doing very little (although it is a factor), it is that some clubs have much more than others. When Doug sold the club to Doug, I secretly hoped he was able to buy the success we craved, but I quickly saw that he couldn't - some didn't and some still can't, but would I happily buy the league - sure I would, so I guess you could argue this is sour grapes.

But it isn't really - the game has been broken for a long time and I've often written about how we need change. But ask a Manchester City fan how they feel and you'll not find many that are not ecstatic.

If we bought it, you'd not find many unhappy Aston Villa fans either, but I think if you put 100 genuine football supporters from the top three or four clubs in a room and pitched them a new idea on how it could be run, making it more honest, you could probably convince the majority ... given time.

No news is good news

So, there isn't news of note unless you count the following:

  • Bannan might miss the Spain clash. But he might make it too.
  • According to reports, all players must live within 30 mile radius of Bodymoor. I'd like to know what happens if they live 32 miles away.
  • This isn't Aston Villa news, but there are rumours Martin O'Neill could be about to bankrupt another American, this time in Sunderland.

So, nothing of real note to post about, but we do have football this week. We are at Manchester City. A big game and the first proper test for McLeish. A good game to bet on a draw.