New kit launched, end of season awards & when can we talk about transfers?

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:00]I'm a Hello and welcome to the Claren Blue podcast live on Friday 29th of May half 11 or 11:36. Oh, you're late. You're late, John. Everyone's blaming you, so can we just blame you? Is that fair?

[00:00:32]>> Um, yeah, blame me. I'm off work, so shouldn't be it?

[00:00:37]>> Yeah, fair enough. Uh, Kendrick, are you late? Are you on time? Do you care? I don't.

[00:00:43]>> I'm just struggling to come to terms with normal life. Isn't normal life boring? It >> is, isn't it?

[00:00:48]>> It's depressing way to open.

[00:00:51]>> Even the sun's gone away now, which >> the sun's gone away now, which is I actually quite like. It's It actually rained this morning when I was out, which I was like, "Ah, lovely lovely bit lovely bit of rain." Um, today's episode is going to be part live chat questions, part mailbag stuff. Um, the new kit has come out since we last did an episode.

[00:01:11]We're going to do a very basic end of season awards, player of the season, and goal of the season. Maybe a couple of others if we can think of them on the spot. Uh, there's a few little discussion points around transfers as well. I will start off and you two will echo this with a big thank you to those who have booked tickets for our live event which has sold out in less than 24 hours a 350 uh seated capacity at Herbert's Yard and Andy one of the organizers came to me and said you can do another 30 we can squeeze in another 30 so we listed those last night and they sold out last night as well. So 380 tickets sold which is one of our biggest shows. people will drop out cuz inevitably they do. But uh yeah, cracking start to what will be a nice big party next week. Matt, >> some people will say it sold out faster than me and you did when we saw the uh future king of England, but uh it's uh it's brilliant. It's the I don't know. I'm probably trying to get out of doing much work on the night, but I'm I'm pitching it as a podcast party rather than a podcast so we can all get together, hopefully have a few drinks and uh celebrate our great football club. So, I'm excited actually. It should be good.

[00:02:19]>> You're the other way, aren't you, John?

[00:02:20]Less party, more podcast.

[00:02:22]>> Uh yeah, I I don't know. My social battery drains pretty quickly. Uh but I'll be there. I'm going to turn up. No, no, it will be good. Um we're not going to celebrate a vill season uh now then I say we never will. Hopefully it will get better than this but you know um obviously a lot to a lot to celebrate.

[00:02:42]>> Yeah absolutely really looking forward to it. Some of it will be filmed maybe not all of it but uh we'll do our best.

[00:02:47]Uh right then let's talk about the new kit first of all that that's come out.

[00:02:51]Was it yesterday? It was available to buy I think the 28th. Uh and it was released on social media on the 26th I want to say. We did talk about it very briefly when we were in the studio, but I cut it because at that point it was still just a leak and we didn't want to kind of go with it just in case and it was quickly revealed later on that it was true. Anyway, what's your initial reaction? Are you bothered, Matt, that it's not blue sleeves?

[00:03:15]I put something on um social media last night where said that I'm kind of struggle to to get there's been quite a lot of I don't call it social media meltdown but ticket prices which we'll get on to shirts Morgan Rogers's future whether we're more than three people who attended the parade all these kind of things and I don't really get that excited about any of them that's not to me not to say that I don't care about them I do prefer you know listen I'm not going to buy it anyway until I go down a few sizes, few bra sizes in chat bots, then uh I'm not going to be I'm not not going to be wearing it anytime soon.

[00:03:53]Still have an opinion on it. I'm sure my son will come knocking on the door soon enough want wanting a version of it. Um, listen, I probably would prefer it to have blue blue sleeves and and and white shorts, but you know, again, we said this the other day in the bit that was cut that if Villa win loads of football matches in it and win a trophy in it or whatever, then >> it suddenly becomes the most beautiful thing we we've ever seen. Um, I mean, the price the price of them nowadays, I mean, this is somebody coming from somebody who, you know, probably buys well does buy£5 t-shirts from Primark.

[00:04:25]So I'm not a massive follower follower of fashion, but I mean what what what would a an adult shirt cost now? About 90 quid.

[00:04:34]>> I think the home shirt replica is 85.

[00:04:37]The long sleeve is 90 and the authentic is I think 130 which is and that's before your your Europa League winners patch before your Champions League patch for your name on the back. Like you're looking at 150 quid for the authentic which is a disgrace. I think it's way too expensive. But again, I I get told by Twitter that I can't criticize these kind of things because I sell t-shirts of my own. So like I I'm no longer entitled to an opinion. Um but free will, isn't it? If you want it, buy it.

[00:05:05]If you don't, don't.

[00:05:07]>> Yeah, it's a lot of money for me to drop my beans on toast down in it really. I think I think the cycle of them now as well where it's every single summer now, isn't it? And it's probably, listen, if you're if you're a grown adult and you've got disposable income, you can spend it on whatever you damn well please. I think it's when when you've got younger children who want, you know, want the latest um the latest shirt every year. Um probably younger children probably want the the shorts and socks as well. It becomes a real real expense.

[00:05:38]But um yeah, that's why I've tried to encourage my son to go down the retro route, even if he is kind of, uh ruining the family heirlooms by, um wearing my uh wearing my classic Villa shirt most weeks.

[00:05:51]>> What about you, John? You're not a massive villa shirt wearer anyway, but uh just your thoughts on the on the design. Do you like it?

[00:05:58]>> Uh yeah, I don't mind a change every other season.

[00:06:01]>> That sounds like a no, I'll be honest.

[00:06:03]No, because I um I did say last season that I thought the shirt that we brought out was very similar to the one that we first brought out with Adidas, you know.

[00:06:11]Um >> I'd like us to see yeah like stripes or something every so often just to change it up. So I can't be too critical of this in show cuz it is something different. Um so yeah, I kind of rate that they're going down a different route but the badge for me again just mentioned this before it just sticks to the normal Villa Crest. I don't like to see the home shirt um have a different crest to what we see everywhere else.

[00:06:36]Obviously, it's the same, but the colors are different. And I just think you want to have your proper identity on your home shirt. The away shirt I get can change, but yeah, I'm not like massively um fussed about the shirt, but I think whatever we have with Adidas will look smart. And I think that's the key thing.

[00:06:53]My my um kind of issue with Villa fans uh Villa fans sorry Villa shirts previously I'm off work and I'm a bit all over the place. Sorry. My issue with Villa shirts uh previously has been when I don't know Macaron or Under Armour or something. They'd go with some like pattern or something that is just nothing to do with Aston Villa. That's what annoyed me and there was no um basis to it. They just thought okay let's do this and there was no again nothing to base off that you look at that shirt and think that's Villa or that's West Ham or Burnley. Um, >> yeah, >> and I'm not saying this shirt massively screams, "Oh, yeah, this is Villa's kit from this year." Although I think they are basing it off um a previous Villa shirt at the same time. Yeah, don't mind a change every now and again. Just wish the crest was normal.

[00:07:36]>> Yeah, >> I'm with um Suzie the villain in the comments here. I kind quite kind of quite like her tactic. I wait until the end of the season when they sell them off. Got this season's one a few weeks ago for £25 from the online club shop.

[00:07:49]that comes from me who's a bit bit of a kind of yellow sticker dweller down Aldi or Asdna. Um, >> I'm not completely the same. I was wearing in Istanbul the away shirt, the white one from the season before cuz I got it for like 20 quid at some point.

[00:08:03]So, listen, people can do with what they want about with their own money. If you want to go buy it today, brilliant. If you want to wait till the end of the season when it's 20 quid, yeah, do you.

[00:08:10]It's up to you. My point is that at the end of the season, I assume it will have a sponsor on come the end of the season and that you can't buy one that won't have a sponsor. So, I I would argue if you're going to get one, although it's more expensive, probably get it now cuz it look the best now. Um, Villa not having a sponsor on their shirt, although I understand cuz, you know, it's competitive because there's no betting sponsors allowed now and Villa didn't know there'd be a Champions League club until, well, last week for certain.

[00:08:39]We're now going to have a lot of shirts that don't have sponsors on them. I can't imagine that's like a particularly uh ideal situation for a sponsor coming in and saying, "Okay, let's, you know, let's have the front of your shirt, but half of Villa Park doesn't have that sponsor on." Like that. That seems like a financial um yeah uh mishap, I suppose. Um because I think fans would rather have a shirt that's sponsorless than have a sponsor on it, unless it's like a nice sponsor. But >> yeah, these sponsors can make or break shirts, can't they? But there's a time when everyone say, "I'd love to buy one without a sponsor on." And now that's available, people say, "Where's the sponsor? I want to wait to get the sponsor on it."

[00:09:16]>> Uh, if it's like a Guinness, you'd go, "Oh, yeah, that looks that looks really nice." If it's a I don't know, dodgy back alley um >> can't have um you want that.

[00:09:27]>> You can't have alcoholic sponsors, can you?

[00:09:30]>> Oh, not sure. You can probably have Guinness, can you? I suppose.

[00:09:33]>> Yeah.

[00:09:34]>> If it was a Guinness, I think my stomach would split the G. That's the only >> I've just been looking at uh >> I've just been looking at some of Villa's. Have you ever been on historical kits?

[00:09:48]>> Yeah, of course. Just been looking at Villa's early ones and you know there's a range of colors in there. It's a bit like the early ones. You've even got a little hat on. You know, if if the jockeys in the Grand National had a pajama party, it' be it'd be like that.

[00:10:01]This we've got green ones, red ones, >> a black one with the rampant lion on.

[00:10:08]>> It's only probably it's only 1888 >> when we started to really nail down the the clar blue vibe.

[00:10:16]>> Not long then. Uh let's let me read a few comments then from fans about kits and then we'll move on. Jlette says, "Clar shirt, blue sleeves, end off or it's not a villa shirt." Chris says, "I like the no sponsor look, but financially it doesn't work for us. Do you have any idea or indication on when a sponsor could be confirmed? Uh, no, nothing at the moment. Um, Bloom says, "I can even get away with wearing this one more casually. Being a man of a certain age, I can't be seen wearing a football shirt other than other than at matches and on holiday. Might get away with this one." Um, and Ernie says, "Uh, it's a nice looking shirt, particularly as football shirts go. It won't have a gambling sponsor slapped on it, too, so that's already a bonus." Um, and Oscar says, "I hate the badge not being full color, too." So yeah, it's a kit. We have these conversations every single year and it will depend on how we play in it, I think, on how it will be remembered. Um, let's move on, shall we?

[00:11:08]To ticket prices, everyone's favorite topic. Ollie says, "At least the price in the villa's fault really. That's just the bloody world we live in. The ticket prices, however, dot dot dot." John, over to you.

[00:11:22]>> Yeah, I haven't prepped anything on this, but you know, I don't you need to.

[00:11:25]The Champions League prices I just think are disgusting. Um there's nothing more to say about it.

[00:11:30]>> Listen, we we did a whole episode about the prices last year. It's what we said last year plus 5%.

[00:11:36]>> Yeah. Yeah. Which makes it obviously worse because they've they've only gone and pushed it up. Um Yeah. I I don't really see how we can um try and give Villa a way out on this one. I don't. It's uh far and away uh more expensive matchby match tickets I'm talking about than uh well season ticket tickets as well for Champions League games than other clubs. Um you compare it to Newcastle of last season or the season that they were in it the first time around and we're Villa fans have been asked to pay much more. I would say that the the bolt-on for season ticket holders is obviously a good thing because that means you can >> if you're going to go to Champions League anyway, then you might as well >> and the likelihood is that you probably will. Uh so you can get 10% cheaper. So I think it's I don't know like uh £75 I think for all four from zone one if that makes sense. There would be 83 and now they'd be 75 if you buy all four of them as the bundle. Um, so that's a good thing, but I'm sorry. £99 for or the most expensive adult ticket, matchby match ticket in the Champions League, 99 quid is just like out of touch. Doesn't even describe it. It's just disappointing. Like I'm I'm sort of beyond the anger of of it. Um, I'll write something when I have an opportunity to do so. I've been very busy out of work and stuff recently. Um, but yeah, it's just disappointing. I'm sorry. Um, I know there's a stand that's being closed at Villa Park and Villa need to make the money, but it always just comes back to the fans. How much did they spend on agents fees last year?

[00:13:11]Was it 30 something million?

[00:13:13]>> Um, and we all said then, okay, so this is the evidence that we need that adding a couple more million pounds into the coffers because you've charged fans 90 quid instead of 60 quid for tickets.

[00:13:24]This is the proof that it's come on.

[00:13:26]Like yeah, we've given up some new contracts to players who we wanted to, but also players who wanted to stay. Um, and signed a few loanies, some of which haven't played uh or have already nearly gone. Yeah, I you can't defend it. I'm sorry. And fans who say that um well, this is the price of success.

[00:13:46]This is I I totally disagree. I think you have to stand up for yourselves. We did it before when we um put a piece out and did a video on um the prices going up for that forest game. Uh not just because of that, but I think adding to that fire Villa bring their tickets down and that was the right thing to do. And we said at the time that they're not going to get a round of applause because it shouldn't have been uh going up anyway, but it did. Uh Villa have now also said that the knockouts for the Champions League, the prices will be assessed for that as well. So, if we're looking above £100 for a Champions League ticket, uh I don't know, like none of it sits well with me whatsoever.

[00:14:24]I just struggle to think how if you're um wanting to go to a Champions League game with your son or daughter or with your partner as well, >> I don't know how much money you're looking at. I haven't looked at exactly, but it's just off the scale. A lot of people don't have £100 um to um have a disposable income after the end of the month if you have a family as well, but you want to watch Villa, you want to bring your family into Villa or whatever it may be. I just think with I just think it's Yeah, it's disappointing.

[00:14:54]>> And from the club's perspective, they'll think, well, if that fan hasn't got 100 pound disposable income, someone else will. That those guys will still probably sold out. I think unless it's a pot four team um that we've never heard of really and you're thinking bloody hell we got 5,000 here or whatever cuz it's it's really expensive. Um >> but you know those supply and demand if people want to pay them again they'll pay them and that's that. I'll be there no doubt. So I get called a hypocrite if I say that this is a disgrace then go and pay it. There's two things for this for me that I don't see Villa so far doing enough other stuff to raise revenue.

[00:15:30]There's no sponsor on the on the shirt at the moment. There's no training ground sponsor. We've only just had a training ground a training kit sponsor.

[00:15:37]I think there's loads of opportunities around that before you get to the fans.

[00:15:41]And the other side of it is a rule change. I don't think PSR, FFP, STR, whatever. I don't think the calculation should include fan generated revenue anyway. That shouldn't be part of the equation. So then the clubs could say, "Look, well, we don't need to charge £100 for PSR. We can charge 50 because those aren't part of the calculations, but it's not going to change. So, this is what it is. You like it or >> there's there's there's a world in which Villa could play. Obviously, your top one team that you play at home will be a big game anyway, but then we could play Club Rouge, Lil and uh I don't know, >> fighting. Yeah, Viking. And no disrespect to those. I mean, or Celtic like I we could be playing teams that not only that we've played before. I'll give another example. We could play PSV, uh, Union, Sanjaw, and Lons.

[00:16:28]>> They're not £100 games. They're just not. And to be honest with you, neither is Dortmund at home. That's not £100 game because it's Newcastle. If it's Newcastle there, it's cheaper. If it's Arsenal, it's I don't know actually, but again, it's London prices anyway, so you can't compare. Um, I just I don't know like all the backlash that the club got two years ago for having the prices so high. Well, let's put it up again. like why why are we doing this to ourselves? It's it's so frustrating. Um and it's just not on and I've said before I just think Villa fans need to speak up for themselves and be heard about it because you have got a platform and you have got a voice and change can happen when you when you um when you know when you when you voice your concerns because I just I just think it's well off. Um, >> we only got about 5% increase of the scene tickets in the match by match in general, but that's that seems to just be a thing that happens now every year.

[00:17:25]Um, but it's the Champions thing, Champions League thing, sorry, that I've honed in on because that is just ludicrous.

[00:17:32]>> Yeah, 5% isn't much unless it's 5% every year, then all of a sudden it is a big >> increase over a period of time. the difference between us finishing fifth and fourth for prize money is probably enough to cover the amount of the increase has been so >> you know spend less on an agent develop wouldn't think twice about giving an agent an extra million pounds you know we've spoke about all this before it's it's hold out for me >> it's max of um departmental targets for me rather than >> the biggest biggest piece of the pie and if you're running the department the ticket office then why wouldn't you be trying to to achieve what what what's asked of you. Um I mean Viking, by the way, if they're not sponsored by Nord, they're missing a trick. But um I just think that like you both said I mean like John said he's disappointed. I'm very disappointed. I'm not surprised >> and I can't quite summon up the fury.

[00:18:27]I'm like you, Dan, in that I will pay that money. I don't think that for goes my right to call out that it's squeezing fans out who can't money. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:18:37]>> You know, it's no longer the the working fans game. You know, it used to be. I think it's >> it's not been that for 20 years.

[00:18:44]>> It's probably, you know, what is it now?

[00:18:47]You probably get tickets for the opera.

[00:18:49]Um the theater or you know, gigs for for cheaper. Um I think the frustrating thing is that it still remains, we know that PSR, we know that every penny counts and stuff, but it still remains a drop in the ocean compared to the other revenue streams. Um, and I don't know the extra money that that these price increases will will get Villa, but I should imagine it will probably cover the wages of a reserve team fullback for half a season or whatever it might be. And I know those wages have to be covered still, but I think it is I think it's I think it's a big ask. But they absolutely know currently, especially while we're on the crest of a wave with a top four finish and a and a trophy in our in our pocket that they absolutely know that and with a slightly reduced capacity, if we're not there, you know, the the regular fan match going fans can't afford it and we do lose another x amount of fans who have been going for for years, then they'll be replaced at least while the going is good. They be replaced by by a new breed of fan.

[00:19:55]>> Yeah. Yeah. Okay, let's move on away from ticket prices then cuz like I said we've we've said it all before anyway.

[00:20:00]Um I'm going to dive into the Mbag live here. How does the income John and prize money from winning the Europa League compare to the income for a Champions League quarterfinal losers place? Asks Ed.

[00:20:13]>> Pretty drastic. Uh it is pretty drastic.

[00:20:16]Um I don't know ex exactly the figures off the top of my head. Um, but Villa earned was it 80 or so million pounds or 80 to 100 million pounds for like all in on the Champions League. Uh, that's including like gate receipts and and other bits and bobs. But prize money alone, uh, this still a big difference.

[00:20:34]You could, I'm pretty sure just be in the league phase and earn more money than what we did um, >> by winning the Europa League. So, put it this way, you're not in the Europa League for prize money. Villa earning what 30 million pounds or or thereabouts. It's not um yeah, no one's spoken about that when we won uh when we won the Europa and say, "Oh, and we've got an extra 10 million pounds." It doesn't come into it whatsoever. Uh however, of course, winning it gets you in the Champions League. So, had we not been in um the top four or top five, sorry, of the Premier League to qualify that way, then you essentially earn money by default because you're in the Champions League then. So, >> yeah.

[00:21:15]>> Yeah. But yeah, drastic and that's why we said up previously about if I can you know consecutively get in the Champions League or getting there three out of four years rather than two out of four years should we say instead of it going up by 80 coming down by 80 going up by 80 coming down by 80. You you are then slowly um building something more uh sustainable should we say because qualify for the Champions League is not something that Villa can just hang the hat on and say okay we're going to get this amount of money because we think that we'll be in the Champions League.

[00:21:42]You can't do it like that. I think being in Europe is a sensible um kind of barometer of our success and that you can project that we could you know get this amount of money in the next three years or whatever but saying the Champions League that has to still be an aspirational thing and I don't know maybe that's one reason why they are trying to suck the life out of fans with Champions League to get prices because they know that they unfortunately can and that's something they can bank on um rather than Champions League.

[00:22:11]>> Okay. Uh Matt in the live chat says, "Morning John, Matt and Dan Chelenham.

[00:22:15]Matt here. He's put the brackets John the fourcolored bro chap."

[00:22:19]>> Yeah, I've got it somewhere. Um sits in front of my brother and my dad. Yeah.

[00:22:23]>> Okay.

[00:22:23]>> Thank you. I do use it.

[00:22:25]>> I see that V have been ripping out seats in the Trinity. Given the chance, would you buy your old season ticket seat?

[00:22:32]I've seen them. Part of the Trinity has been ripped out. Would you buy a seat for PSR?

[00:22:37]>> I think a lot of people would. I think I maybe not me because I've sort of dotted around different parts of Villa Park with with a season ticket, but I assume a lot of people would if they've stayed in that ticket. Uh sorry, in that seat for a long time.

[00:22:51]>> Yeah. What do you can take my weight? Um >> possibly for the novelty. Depends on what's the going rate, how much you charge for a little bit of plastic. What would you >> Can't they just give them away for free?

[00:23:05]>> Well, yeah.

[00:23:06]>> Scrapped, aren't they? That would be the nice way of doing it, wouldn't it? But if they said you can pay 20 quid, would you pay 20 quid for it? I think I probably would.

[00:23:15]>> Where would you put it?

[00:23:16]>> But yeah, just I was just thinking where would I put it? Yeah. I don't know.

[00:23:19]Stacked up against the wall like I never use it. I don't know.

[00:23:23]>> I think for a lot of people the sentimentality of it would, you know, >> would be enough to buy it. I don't know, maybe you've um sat next to a relative who's no longer with us or something and you want that seat to remember them or something. Definitely something in that.

[00:23:37]Um I think >> you get the mechanism as well or you get the seat.

[00:23:41]>> I don't know.

[00:23:42]>> I assume you get the mechanism because >> if they're ripping that out though it might they're just ripping out just the plastic seats that that would be a difference. Just a bit of plastic. I probably wouldn't buy that.

[00:23:52]>> I don't know. I'd quite like to have the seat to maybe like mount it on the wall here or something and just like I don't know work from do the podcast from there >> in in um I don't not too sure if this is actually on the website or not but I was told different reasons of why Villa have raised their ticket prices and one of them was that they're replacing every seat in Villa Park. So >> you get a a better seat. Uh don't know if it'll be noticeable but >> I'll let you know in August. Um, have you ever had a bit of the turf, Matt?

[00:24:24]>> I've never had a bit of the turf. Are you asking me if I smoked canabies or what?

[00:24:28]>> No, I'm not asking you that. I'm asking whether you ever had a slice of the V Park pitch.

[00:24:32]>> I was going to say there'll be different answers. Um, no, I've never had a slice of the park pitch. I've been on it. I've I've played on it. I play Well, I've been on it. You played on it? Yeah.

[00:24:44]>> Yeah, I play >> I scored two goals there last year.

[00:24:47]>> Right. You show off. I'll score two goals in the warm-up. Um I've played on it and I've ran on it against Tramir and Inter Milan. Uh although if there's a wanted poster still out for me for that and I absolutely haven't. Um >> but no, I've never I've never thought of grabbing a fistful of it.

[00:25:05]>> Yeah, my dad told me that he got a bit of it um years ago, maybe ' 90s, I don't know, and they they just put it in my granddad's garden and it just carried on growing with the rest of the grass.

[00:25:18]So, uh, but it was there. So, that's that >> I did that as a as a kid. I did like our school played there, but like year 11s or whatever. I think I was in year seven and I was being a ball boy for that game and I ripped off a big chunk of it and then when I got home put it in one of those like tapware boxes um just thinking, yeah, yeah, whatever. And then just let >> and just left it there for I don't know.

[00:25:43]I don't know how how long. Maybe we still got it somewhere. I don't know.

[00:25:46]>> Oh, that'd be great. Uh if anyone else has got any any of the pitch, let us know. Um the mailbag comment from uh Jim Bibbles is only plans to do a podcast revisiting your season predictions from August. I remember you asked for mailbag submissions and used mine that John McInn would have the most his most successful season for Villa so far. And I've been smuggly watching his impact and important goal since he returned from injury and is comfortably my vote for player of the season.

[00:26:13]Probably the only prediction I've got right. Do you remember anything you said preseason? I remember saying fill up for fifth.

[00:26:19]>> Oh, didn't I? I'm sure I said it. Wendy would score a screamer in the Europa League final.

[00:26:24]>> Sure.

[00:26:25]>> Don't check back. Just trust me.

[00:26:26]>> No, just just on it. Um, there is no plans to do that as a podcast, but we can I can go and dig into the archives and have a look at what we said. Me and John predicted the whole primary table.

[00:26:35]We spoke about this the other day that we were a couple right, but mostly way off. Yeah, >> I don't remember our specific ones cuz we would have done like player of the season and all that kind of stuff before the season. So, it would be interesting to go back. Um, which leads us in nicely to our end of season awards for now where I've got player of the season and goal of the season which we've probably talked about a lot anyway. Uh, we were asked about goal of the season on Monday and we were told we couldn't use goals from the Europa League final, but for this we can. So, what's your goal of the season, Matt?

[00:27:07]I'm glad that you've given me that um that caveat because I am going to go with it both from an aesthetically pleasing point of view and from a significant point of view. I'm going to go with Yuri Tieleman's.

[00:27:20]>> Yeah.

[00:27:21]>> Um I mean I might have been seduced by the fact that I've seen I'm not not sure I've seen it with Titanic music, but I've seen it slowed down. Um, I said it was like I think I put something on Twitter it slowed down to the speed of the Zutropolis sloth still Fryberg couldn't stop it. Um, but yeah, I just think it was, you know, we've we've we've criticized uh Austin M Austin the Maestro at times when things have been over complicated and people have, you know, some of his setpiece routines have, you know, turned into kind of Morris dancing routines. Um, but when it goes right, it's so so so clever and to be able to do that. Uh, it's such an important occasion. And, uh, can't remember who it was, Dan. Somebody told me that, um, El Mohamdy knew that was going to go in as soon as, uh, as soon as it it left his left his >> Who said that?

[00:28:16]>> I can't remember who it was, but >> can't remember.

[00:28:18]>> But somebody know that stuff.

[00:28:21]>> Somebody said that. And, uh, those things don't happen by chance, you know.

[00:28:26]They still have to be still there still that could be rehearsed you know 100 times and you tie scuffs it if you like or Morgan Rogers his floaty ball is not not inch perfect but it was rehearsed to such um such perfection and it was executed to such perfection and listen at at that stage I still did take a little bit of convincing that we were going to uh go on and win win win the final but I think there's lots of people who thought okay we've made the breakthrough through that. That's that's our trophy in the bag.

[00:28:58]>> Yeah, that was me. I thought once we'd score that we that we'd win it. I I agree. It's not I'm saying it was better than Buenders cuz Buenders was was delicious as well. But the the way the move was worked and on the volley to be the opening goal. Yeah, I think I'd pick Tedman's as well as a goal of the season. But we've had some bangers, haven't we, John? All all year.

[00:29:19]>> Oh yeah. Ah, you could go through a number of them. Um Kamar against Wolves. Um, Watkins against Forest I think is a goal that we might forget cuz we've had so many good ones. Um, >> mine Yeah. Yeah. Uh, mine Yeah. Wendia Tottenham was actually nominated when it for the goal of the season.

[00:29:39]>> Mine would probably be Rogers against West Ham though uh just for the technique. Um, >> Rogers against Man United. The first one also was a lovely goal, but I'll say Ro against West Ham. Uh, I can see it in my head right now. uh him gliding forward and then beating Areola from distance.

[00:29:59]Player of the season, McIn for sure, but with a shout out to Matty Cash and his consistency, especially after what happened at the back end of last season and Man United, I think we all sort of questioned, you know, what do we do in this position? But Emry stuck with him and for good reason because he's been excellent, one of the best right backs in the league this season for sure. Um and my unsung hero of the season would be McY actually. Um, >> John said, "I I ain't asked the cup. I haven't asked for the nominations yet."

[00:30:25]>> I I thought you were just asking two, so I thought I'd throw my own in.

[00:30:28]>> No, we can we can do that in a second.

[00:30:30]Shout out to Steve and Wayne in the live chat. He said it was Prince William that told us that from Elmo can't forgot. Oh, yeah.

[00:30:37]Thanks, guys.

[00:30:40]Um, what did we do? Goal of the season, player of the season. Yeah, I'm McIn as well. I think there were a lot of people that were for Matty Cash. Um lots of contra as well have been been super consistent. Pal Torres when he plays >> I think it has to be McIn though >> remarkable. I think Watkins towards the end of the season. A player of the season probably not but player of the second half of the season like right up there. Rogers as well has had his spells where he was unplayable but play times where he was playable. Um I think Mcin though for his impact and and what he does to the team it has to be in for me.

[00:31:16]Yeah, I think I probably agree. I mean, just on that Buendia goal at Spurs, I mean, Matty Cash has had a really, really good consistent season, but I don't think there's anybody in the ground or watching on TV that day that thought, what's he doing?

[00:31:30]What kind of ridiculous pass is that?

[00:31:32]And then obviously the touch from Luca Dean and then Benders tucked it away in the corner. Um, but I think McGin, it's no coincidence, is it, that we we lost we lost the um, >> you hear that bird then, John?

[00:31:49]>> Yeah, >> my window's open. It's still warm.

[00:31:53]>> Sorry.

[00:31:53]>> What bird was he?

[00:31:55]>> Sound like a crow or something.

[00:31:56]>> It was a crow. Definitely a crow.

[00:31:58]>> Was it definitely a crow, was it, John?

[00:31:59]How do you know?

[00:31:59]>> Definitely a crow. Ah, you can tell by the sound 100%.

[00:32:02]>> Can you? All right, fair enough. You You told us on Monday, but I cut it out.

[00:32:06]identify the difference between fox and catpoo. So >> yeah, >> kind of helpful.

[00:32:15]>> I just thought it probably wasn't appropriate, but here we are. I mean, >> no context in that at all.

[00:32:22]>> That's that's different now in you know, Atinburgh's getting on if John gets to know walk and talk through the Himalayas and that kind of thing.

[00:32:30]Um, what I was going to say, um, so McInn, I think, you know, the difference that he's been consistent all season, but the difference that he's brought in the business end of the season when we've needed that, I don't know. I think he brings somehow he manages to bring maturity and intensity and leadership at the same time with an awful lot of quality. Um yeah, we're so so blessed to have him and we're so blessed that he has grown into what he is with us that we've seen the absolute best of him and dare I say without trying to tempt fate still young enough to go again for another couple of seasons I think hopefully um might have to adapt his all action style uh as he gets a little bit older but I think he's I think he's a good shout to be be player of the season. Yeah, >> couple of shouts from the comments.

[00:33:20]Michael says the captain's supposed to turn up, but Buendia was all but cast aside and his impact and determination has been incredible. Uh Scotty said, "Morgan won so many games for us." Suzie Mcin player of the decade. Uh Seymour says Rogers was nowhere near player of the season, mate. Um no, probably not, but his contribution in the 11ame winnings run puts him in there as a as a shout for it. Um but yeah, probably not for the season. And Davis says, "Everyone gets on for player of the season. Can't argue with two European trophies. Um, do we know whether he gets two medals, John?

[00:33:53]>> Yeah, pretty certain he does. Yeah.

[00:33:54]Yeah. He played played in the played seven or of our eight league phase games, I think. So, >> massively contributed.

[00:34:02]>> Probably deserves one.

[00:34:04]>> I think if we're giving out I think if we're giving out like kind of I don't know youth football style trophies then is obviously your most improved. Um, >> and >> Clubman I don't know. Does that get to you Matty Cash reliable kind of Clubman?

[00:34:20]>> Clubman feels like an insult, doesn't it?

[00:34:22]>> Do you think?

[00:34:22]>> I know it isn't, but it kind of feels like >> who then Robin Olson.

[00:34:33]>> My my answer is one of the answers to this question. Uh I don't know if this is a good segment or not. Cut it out down if not live. Are we um good with that, mate?

[00:34:42]>> All right. So, Villa's top two uh for points per match.

[00:34:48]Which two players top two for points per match >> have earned the most points for us?

[00:34:53]>> Points per match.

[00:34:55]>> You mean you mean player ratings?

[00:34:58]>> No, no, no, no, no, no. Points per match literally out of three. So, if you win every game, you have three points per match.

[00:35:04]>> Okay. So, >> so the games that they play, >> who wins the most points per match for Villa? top two players.

[00:35:12]>> There must be somebody who's only played one game in a win.

[00:35:14]>> Yeah. And I've got >> We're not We're not including those players who play, you know.

[00:35:18]>> Um Well, Roger's played every game but the last one, but he that'll bring his average down, I suppose.

[00:35:25]>> Torres.

[00:35:27]>> Oh, yeah. Great shout.

[00:35:29]>> No. Okay.

[00:35:31]>> Yeah. Bad shout. Terrible.

[00:35:35]>> Oh, yeah. Let's cut this out, shall we?

[00:35:37]Um I don't know. Ladine.

[00:35:40]No.

[00:35:42]>> Go on then.

[00:35:42]>> All right. So, Kamar's one.

[00:35:45]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:35:46]>> And that's 2.33 points per match. Um, and the second one, who would be my clubman of the year, Victor Lindelof >> at 2.18.

[00:35:55]>> I just didn't think he'd have played enough games to for us to be uh including him. that he's played a lot of games still. But I think that's quite something, you know, like we always talk about who who is the Camaro replacement.

[00:36:07]And was it Lindelof? It probably was.

[00:36:11]You know, after all, and when he plays, we >> as that terribly worded question suggests, we get points.

[00:36:19]>> Yeah, I agree. Uh just on the player player awards by the way um there's no like end of season due by the by the looks of it John because presumably the players are off because World Cup is is on for next week now.

[00:36:32]>> Yeah. Oh. Uh, yeah. To be honest, I think last last year was a bit of a I don't know. Uh, was a mess, but last year I don't think was so um smooth as previous years as as an end of ward end of season awards, didn't it? Sorry.

[00:36:47]>> What happened?

[00:36:50]>> Just I don't know. probably didn't um align with player schedules or no one thought Chris He would list 100 things that he claims to have revolutionize the club by doing.

[00:37:02]>> Um >> but >> yeah, I don't I still thought there would have been one. I don't know whether they've just kept it in house maybe. Um >> must be the first time there's not been one for a long time though, especially after the best season ever. Yeah, only reason I bring it up is because Villa have just tweeted that fans can vote for their supporters player of the season and have until next Friday, June the 5th to pick that. So, >> McIn, I think McIn would win the whole lot to be fair.

[00:37:27]>> Yeah, supporters play the season. Cast your vote. I'm just going to do mine now. Um, George Evans.

[00:37:33]>> John McInn. There he is. Uh, thank you for jo voting for John Mcin. You're very welcome. Uh, yeah, I think he'll win everything. Will he win goal of the season? Probably not. I think that will go to Buendia, won't it? One of one of his actually depending on on whether it's Leo and Lee or not.

[00:37:48]>> I think it could be Buendy Tieleman or Rogers.

[00:37:51]>> Yeah, possibly. Um, what about kind of unsung hero then, John? You went to go with Austin Murray. Do you want to finish that point?

[00:37:58]>> Uh, no other team has scored more goals from set pieces than Villa in big five leagues this season. I he couldn't have really done any better. And I do think that without MCI, you could probably knock off a number of points from our season. So, absolutely. I know it's usually a player, but I thought it'd be um edgy.

[00:38:18]>> Yeah, absolutely. Fine. Um I the set piece thing is interesting, you know, because everyone is on for Arsenal, right? Like, oh, they score all these set pieces. But the fact that we've scored either more or as many as them.

[00:38:32]>> Yeah.

[00:38:32]>> I don't know whether general fans would associate us with scoring from set pieces. So, have we done it in a in a in a nicer way than >> Well, I I think it makes it even better because if you look at Arsenal's team, they've got probably >> maybe Harry Harry Mcguire would be up there as well, but Gabrielle is an absolute unit from a set piece in both boxes, but obviously attacking. So, that's what we're talking about. Cabba as well. They have a tall team, don't they? Arsenal, it's like land of the giants, filla, >> apart from Tyrone Ming, who doesn't score that many goal from set pieces anyway. I mean, what against Brighton this season? Um but you don't look at our team and think like oh yeah like an scoring headers every season and like no we are creative with them and that is more impressive to me than just say it's not just putting the ball in the box but to be honest if Arsenal put the ball in the right area I'm sure that there'll be a second ball that they can win and then score from um like we did against City.

[00:39:25]So yeah, >> just interesting though, isn't it? Cuz that you associate Arsenal with, you know, flooding the box and crowding the goalkeeper and getting these scruffy is probably the wrong word cuz they they've won the league by by those goals. So fair play to them, but >> we've scored nice set pieces. You don't get any more points for that, but the general vibe towards the club, I suppose, is different that it doesn't feel like we've bullied our way to those goals that we've been creative with them. And that's >> I'd argue we have we have to probably work harder to score set pieces than Arsenal, put it that way. So >> yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, hero >> on the set pieces. I'd probably say it doesn't happen often, but also kind of quite clever when wanting to clear our box defending set pieces and giving the goalkeeper a better line of vision by, you know, leaving players up occasionally.

[00:40:11]>> What's that goal? Martinez did a a quick throw to somebody and we scored off.

[00:40:14]Remember that, John?

[00:40:16]>> Kick it out maybe?

[00:40:18]>> Can't remember.

[00:40:19]>> H it was a kick. It was a great kick through.

[00:40:22]>> Yeah, >> a great kick.

[00:40:24]>> Sounds like I have nothing to say >> recently. No, Liverpool was it.

[00:40:28]>> Yeah, maybe. I can't remember. I don't know whether he got the assist or not or whether it was >> that was a good point that Matt Raz is there cuz earlier in the season that was a bit of a problem if I remember rightly. I think Fulham uh well not sure Fulham other teams as well but there was a goal that Fulham scored early in the at the whole tendenc I think Bogard lost his man or something but then Martz couldn't quite get to these crosses and balls but obviously as Matt says with uh helped change that so he can come and claim more often. Yeah. Unsung hero, Matt.

[00:40:56]>> Um, might be like Joanne Roberts at work who books all John's Away Travel. Uh, no, no sooner as he feet set foot back on British soil that he was uh, can I get to the Super Cup, please?

[00:41:14]>> Was that your brand impression again?

[00:41:16]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:41:18]>> Wy, great hotel. Oh, you had John by the way.

[00:41:24]>> Uh, massive >> basically was the hotel.

[00:41:28]>> Yeah, I think they were expecting Villa's ender season awards to be held there >> to be honest. It was like a vast vast sweep, wasn't it? Um, but from a footballing perspective, um, oh, what's your man who went on loan? I forget to how do you pronounce his name who scored earlier in the competition? Jamal, whatever his name is.

[00:41:46]>> Jimber. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:41:47]>> Jim Loa. Yeah. Um, I know somebody can't remember his name.

[00:41:52]That was it. Yeah, I know it was only a very very brief cameo, but uh it felt really important at at the time.

[00:42:01]>> So I think I think the bit part players around the edges shouldn't shouldn't be forgotten really.

[00:42:06]>> Yeah, the long ball I've just referenced there. My dad's text me to say Burnley.

[00:42:10]Uh but people in the chat are saying to Sancho against >> Leley.

[00:42:14]Someone else has >> follow I think there is actually a couple of times >> but he pass he did against Burnley straight down the middle and Watkins obviously traced onto it and scored.

[00:42:24]>> Yeah, he got the assist didn't he but he's done a long ball or a quick throw out from a set piece and we've you know got the pre-assist I suppose you'd call it up to nonsense of course. um unsung hero for me and I've got this one partly from the live chat as well because I kind of forgot about him which is the point Marco Bez coming in as a as a backup to Emmy Martinez and having to play more than probably a backup goalkeeper normally needs to >> and he's so much better than Robin Olson and seems like a great character as well as was Olson by all accounts by the way um but he slotted in pretty seamlessly as well so yeah shout out to him >> yeah no definitely >> you see the video that Villa the pitch side video that Villa put out.

[00:43:04]>> Haven't watched it.

[00:43:06]>> It was really good. I recommend you watch it. But, uh, >> he's got a lot of tats. That man. Yeah.

[00:43:11]I didn't realize he's got got like a bayou tapestry of tattoos all over his body. So, uh, there you go.

[00:43:20]>> Yeah.

[00:43:23]>> Um, people talking about Maron as well in the in the live chat, which is quite funny. Uh, I think we've all moved on from him now, haven't we? Um, just quickly to wrap up then because I said we do about 45 minutes. I'll put in the title, when can we talk about transfers because we've been asked lots of questions about transfers and squad rebuilds and who should go and who should stay and blah blah blah blah.

[00:43:44]There was a comment earlier on from Davis who says, "Can we never talk about transfers?" I feel like it'll be another summer of linked to names but no big signings and more talk about who could leave. There will be lots of, you know, paper talk about Villa, undoubtedly, particularly about our our key players and agitating for moves and all sorts of nonsense, but, you know, don't believe everything you read. Uh, obviously, um, or here.

[00:44:07]I don't know whether it's the still the right time to talk about it. We've got our live show on Tuesday next week.

[00:44:12]Maybe we do a bit of transfer chatting there. like talking about squad rebuilds when we've only just won something feel like I know it's it's going to happen and there will be uh a bit of surgery to that squad but it still feels early to me. I don't know about you two.

[00:44:25]Well, that's the end of move him on like Yeah, maybe. But I don't know. I don't really want to talk about that yet.

[00:44:33]>> Go on, John.

[00:44:35]>> Uh yeah, it's >> Looks like we don't want to talk about it. So that's kind of answer my question. No, it's not.

[00:44:45]We will talk about it, but we're we're not even in June yet. So, I don't there isn't a rush on on on my part um to do so anyway. I mean, a lot of the business Villa will do uh let's put it this way.

[00:44:57]>> Come the end of the window. Uh if you say here's the players who go, here's the players that stay, a lot of it will probably surprise Villa. Do you know what I mean? So, it's a long summer.

[00:45:05]It's always a long summer, but even longer when you have a rebuild of sorts that we should probably do. Whether we do one or not, by the way, is like, let's see. Like, we don't know. Maybe it will be a window where Villa don't do um as much business as we expect them to do because of different reasons that right now we we're not aware of. I hope that they plan to change it up a little bit because although this squad is uh clearly capable of winning now we do need to um yeah future plan should we say because there's a chance that the season after next we're not in the Champions League but we have several players who are now 32 and uh their values are uh close to closer to zero than 10 million should we say. So >> yeah let's see what happens. Uh it's still really early um villa obviously uh or have planned but as I said before it's the transfer window things change within 24 hours sometimes and obviously a lot of what we do will also dictate or be dictated by sorry who leaves and uh we can talk about that as well but not for right now in this episode. I think you say Dan. We'll do that. Uh maybe at not Hawkley. Sorry. Where where are we going?

[00:46:21]>> Her yard. And >> John's just going to be sitting on his own at the top chair from the Trinity back from 10 years ago.

[00:46:30]>> Sat there.

[00:46:31]>> Where is everyone?

[00:46:33]>> 300 tickets.

[00:46:34]>> That's weird though, isn't it? Because the Do you think we'll see much transfer activity this side of the World Cup anyway? Oh, we could do uh yeah like we could but this is kind of my point. It's um it's Villa have conducted early business before uh be it with free agents um but the World Cup isn't that is an interesting part because >> okay elephant in the room Morgan Rogers let's >> if we're relying on him to leave but we can't say until the end of the World Cup. Yeah.

[00:47:04]>> Do you know what I mean? It's hard to do your business then isn't it? Well, I'm a little bit concerned by that one just purely because that obviously would be a loss of money if he was to be sold or if he stays equally there will be uh talk should we say once the welcome pens Villa have not that long do they before the start of the season you want all your business done before the start of the season we know that and last season we essentially wasted five games partially because of the transfer window um because of uncertainty over some players and business that we hadn't completed yet.

[00:47:37]So yeah, it's such a long way to go that right now I'm not going to sit here and say or talk about every possibility because that they will all change. But yeah, Villa obviously will be active. We have areas that we know we have to strengthen even now because Harvey Elliot and Jaden Sancho don't play for us anymore. One of them never did. Um but we have areas that we can improve right.

[00:47:58]>> Yeah. Like right in this instance, but then say it's it's such a long way to go. I'm I'm It's all going to be very exhausting come the end of the window and I'm not willing to talk about all of it now. Um >> can I give you can I give you a transfer hypothetical?

[00:48:14]>> Can this be the last thing?

[00:48:16]>> Yeah. Yeah, it can be. Um >> if you I don't want to lose Morgan Rogers. I think he's still he's got some rough edges, but I think Uno Emry is the man who can smooth them off and it can really continue to grow with us. But if we had to, would you risk losing or would you agree with losing more than what?

[00:48:38]>> Great question.

[00:48:39]>> We've had some cracking questions in this.

[00:48:42]>> Bear with me.

[00:48:43]>> Go from now. From now go.

[00:48:45]>> I didn't get this tongue tied when I was speaking to that person who told me about Yuri Tieleman's goal. Um, right.

[00:48:50]Morgan Rogers, you've got to go. He goes for 100 million quid. You get You get Marcus Rashford in. How How would that sit with you?

[00:48:59]Um, I wouldn't mind that. Yeah, I think that's a a decent compromise. I don't know what Rashford's price would be and whether he'd even come or not. But if that was this is happening, it can be done and you make a profit, which you would cuz Rashford wouldn't cost anywhere near what we'd sell Rogers for, then yeah, I think that's a decent a decent swap if you like. I wouldn't be sad about that. Put it that way.

[00:49:24]>> Um, 100 million pound for Morgan Rogers I would take. And that I think that's half the question. Well, at what price would you let him go for? I would I would be okay with that because that is money that would help us rebuild. My only issue with Rashford is that again age. Roger one of >> Yeah. Yeah. Wait, wage and age. Um that probably something we talk about a lot this summer, but he's obviously one of the younger players in our team. um as soon as you let him go, but then bring in someone who I assume is quite close to 30 now, Rashford, if not already. How old is Rashford? Sorry.

[00:49:59]>> 28.

[00:50:00]>> 28. Yes. So 29 in October.

[00:50:02]>> Um so here we'll see out his say essentially best years or market years if that makes sense at Villa.

[00:50:10]Yeah. like that would be a bit of an issue. But at the same time, if you could bring in Rashford uh but then also add uh more youth but players who at the right age to improve. So 24 25 and at the right level as well then. Yeah. So I don't know that's only kind of like half of the puzzle I guess with selling Rogers bringing Rashford because he's a quality player. Yeah. But then the rest of it I'd have to know what we do. But I trust that we would do the right thing and not spend it on more 28, 29 year olds.

[00:50:40]>> Okay, we're gonna wrap up there. You're right, John. Talking about transfers is exhausting and by the end of the window, we'll be sick of it. So, let's not start it in May. Let's give it another week or two if we can. Uh, gents, thank you very much for joining me live on this episode of the Climb Blue podcast. Thanks to everyone who tuned in in the live chat as well and contributed some questions to the show. We'll be back on Sunday with our big feature special about the story of Istanbul, which I'm still editing away and it's not finished, but it will be somehow. Uh, so do come back to the channel on Sunday for that. We'll probably have something go out Monday or Tuesday as well. And our live show is Tuesday and videos from that will drop at the back end of next week. So that's how the the next few days look for the Clar and Blue podcast. Gents, thanks for joining me. Thank you for watching or listening and we'll see you Sunday.

[00:51:22]Bye-bye.