All such sad indictments of the modern game fade into insignificance when compared with how sad I feel about the death of Graham Taylor.
Stubborn Villa knocked out by Spurs after Alli shuffle.
Bruce sent a surprisingly full-strength team to White Hart Lane for the FA Cup but without the absent Johnny on the spot Kodjia, they looked solid but toothless against a much diluted Spurs team, who finally decided that Villa had had enough fun on the hour and brought their main man Alli on to prize apart a tiring Villa and deliver the routine win, but the dreaded humiliation was avoided. Highlight of the afternoon for the away contingent was the Villa man of the match performance from goalkeeper Johnstone, which suggested that he might make a few points difference to Villa’s remaining season in the plus column. For those minding the gap between Villa and their erstwhile peers, it was as expected, considerable.
Villa looked like a decent middle of the table Championship side in desperate need of a striker, even though it seems likely that even Kodjia would have struggled against probably the best defence in the Premier League. Even so, it is still a huge mystery as to who might score Villa’s goals for the duration of the Ivory Coast’s interest in the African Cup of Nations. As is usual, it very much looks as if, by the time any transfer deal is done Villa’s talisman will be back. Even more frustrating is Hepburn-Murphy excluding himself, before he’s even paid his dues. Being so concerned with money at the age of 18 seems to be putting the cart before the horse. Young players do get exploited early on in their careers but once they have established themselves, they usually end up exploiting clubs when they are over the hill and they are paid for what they once could do, not what their actual performances merit, so it tends to balance out over a career. Even someone called Rushian Marcus Amari Hepburn-Murphy needs to make a name for himself, before he should be worrying too much about money.
All such sad indictments of the modern game fade into insignificance when compared with how sad I feel about the death of Graham Taylor. It is impossible to describe how much I admired the man and how grateful I will always be for what he achieved at Villa. In terms of reversing a downward trend and creating a legacy, his record can stand comparison even with the likes of Ron Saunders. He might not have actually won anything at Villa but he definitely laid the foundations and created the financial resources which allowed those who followed him, to win silverware. You only have to reel off the names of the fantastic players he brought to Villa, to understand what a wonderful eye he had for talent and how nurturing he was to allow that talent to flourish. The names McGrath, Platt, Yorke and McInally are true Villa legends, who all prospered under Taylor’s care and tutelage and went on to be world-class players. And Gordon Cowans returned and re-established his legendary status by playing some of the best football of his career. It is impossible to think of Big Ron’s scintillating team without McGrath, or the players bought with the fee Villa enjoyed from selling David Platt. It is not possible to think of the 1990 World Cup without David Platt’s memorable and vital contribution. All this Graham achieved at Villa while all the time being never less than a total gentleman. His reward was the England job, which ended with the same sort of vile scorn and revilement which every manager from Ramsey onwards has endured. But it never stopped him from rejoining Watford and creating the miracle all over again. This is what you call a man and it was a privilege to share Villa’s history with him.
I definitely don’t feel quite so privileged for sharing Villa’s history with Paul Lambert, even if I think he was as at least as unfortunate as much as he lost his way. Happy memories of his best signing Benteke but not so happy memories of him deliberately misrepresenting the situation at the club and being paid handsomely to do so. My sympathy for millionaires usually runs a bit thin but I was still sorry to see him fail at Villa. The question is whether he can repeat what he achieved at Norwich, elsewhere. No doubt it will be a case of finding the right fit at the right club. It will be interesting to see whether Lambert gets much stick from the Villa fans, and whether the Wolves fans join in any tribute the Villa fans might have planned, to a manager the wolverines drove out of their club after he gave them a pretty decent first season. It is going to be close and I can only hope that Gabby can score against a defence which presumably lacks anyone quite as as good as Alderweireld. I suspect it will be a draw but a win would be a refreshing serving of burnt orange crush.
Keep the faith!
