Nerding Out: Bradley Joins the AV Club.

I'm frankly pissed he jumped ship at BMG.

And he went to the just about the worst possible team.

If he got guided in that decision,it was terrible guidance.

 

Such things can happen when you take the advice of a parent who doesn't understand the business.

AV doesn't seem that promising a club choice, imo, whether Houllier returns or not. But even with MB's limited playing time thus far, I think he's gained some valuable insight into the league - the speed of play, the daily training regimen, what he needs to work on himself, what other EPL teams might be a better fit for his skill-set, etc.

If he had simply stayed at BMG, riding the bench or not, he would still have many unanswered questions. Let's hope he can catch on fresh with a new team this summer and get the benefit of a full training camp.

 

If Petrov, Coker, and Pires are all gone this summer, then AV would provide MB a real, fighting opportunity. It could be worth it.

I assume Houllier and Pires will be gone. Petrov and Coker??? If BOTH stay and Makoun is also there, then I'd lean toward MB finding a different club.

So, it depends.

 

1. Certainly, it will be sorted out this summer.
2. I believe Houllier will be gone, also.
3. The uncertainty around the coaching situation will cause MB some probs.
4. If a new coach is brought aboard quickly, a quick decision, yea or nay, can be made.
5. Typically, AV has not made a quick decision, recently.
6. Since Houllier was the one who brought Bradley in and since not played him . . . .
7. Certainly, it will be interesting to watch.
8. Hope it gets sorted out favorably for Mike.

 

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/07052011/58/premier-league-papers-united-settle-keeper.html

Aston Villa are set to turn to former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez should Gerard Houllier fail to recover from his health problems.
Houllier is unlikely to return to management this season after a recent scare and the Frenchman has been advised to walk away from the game altogether.

 

My guess is that if Houllier can't manage, he'll move up into a DoF/GM type role and help hire a replacement manager. They don't have any football people without him and he has a lot of contacts/respect within the game. Plus he's got a contract for another 2 seasons.

 

Bundesliga spoilers:

Huge win for Gladbach today and they are 16th and out of the direct relegation position. It seems their defense is finally healthy and has had a good run of form in the last 5-6 matches.

 

More details:
15 VfL Wolfsburg
33 40:47 -7 35
16 Borussia M'gladbach
33 47:64 -17 35
17 Eintracht Frankfurt
33 30:46 -16 34
18 FC St. Pauli (N)
33 34:66 -32 29
15th stays up, 16 is the playoff spot, 17th gets relegated.

Gladbach's last results:
5-1 vs Cologne
0-1 at Mainz (robbed by the ref)
1-0 vs Dortmund
1-0 at Hannover
2-0 vs Freiburg

Next week at Hamburg; they're 7th with nothing to play for. Wolfsburg at Hoffenheim (similar situation), Frankfurt at Dortmund.

 

Bradley made the bench today, but I don't think he played.

 

Unfortunately for Bradley, his prospects for playing time have not really improved. Villa have only taken 2 points from their 3 games against Stoke, West Brom, and Wigan, which leaves them in 14th place - 6 points away from the drop with 2 games left. Now they face Arsenal away and Liverpool at home to finish the season.

 

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrjwaqZfjIY"]YouTube - Dr Cox - Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong[/ame]

 

Honestly the only reason Bradley is even on our bench is because Makoun in injured. I don't think McAllister ever had any intention of playing him. There are 2 games left and we currently have no motive to win or lose, so maybe this many prompt McAllister to give some other players a try. We can hope.

 

Got me that time lol

 

They can get zero from the last two games and find themselves in the drop zone, no? Seems like motive to win to me. And if Bradley were outperforming the other central midfielders at AV, he would be playing. He's not.

 

Just for fun, in case anybody wants to draw any conclusions from club results, and make up some funny discussions:
Gladbach with Bradley:
17 games, 10 points
Gladbach without Bradley:
16 games, 25 points

 

but in most of those games you guys were playing with a back line that even made West Ham say "daaaaaamn"

 

Plus they benched Marx, who dissapointed this year.

 

Braldey-Nordveit in the midfield next year for BMG, i want to see it really bad. I think they would make an epic pairing.

 

Didn't Bradley bail on BMG when they needed him the most? How would the fans and players feel about him coming back? My guess is that he gets sold to an EPL club.

 

This. Also BMG fans are not sure if Bradley bailed or was forced out.

 

Epic?

Fascinating the contrast between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Eintract Frankfurt this season. Complete mirror opposites. EF has only taken 8 points in the 2nd half, BM took 10 in the first half of season.

 

There are some rumors that Frontzeck forced Bradley out, based on the substitution on December 15 when Bradley was (arguably) the best BMG player on the pitch- http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/296985?cc=5901. This was the last game before the break, and Bradley never started for BMG again, and probably would not have played again if not for Arango acting up.

Now, there are rumors that in the couple games leading up to the break, turkish clubs had scouts looking at Bradley, so maybe Bradley was looking elsewhere at that point already, but we will never know.

I wish that Frontzeck had played bradley with nortveit. Bradley was clearly more influential for BMG than either Marx or Neustadter, yet it was clear by the winter sessions that Bradley (for whatever reason, wanting out or being sat) was being relegated to the second string.

 

I think everyone knew when he wouldn't sign a new contract that he was going to be sold in the summer. He just pushed it up by half a season. He'll still get sold this summer, whether or not they stay up.

 

As I posted in the nepo thread, McAllister claims that Houllier will return.

I doubt that is the case but, if it is, it might play to MB's advantage insofar that AV is unlikely to have a new management team installed before he has to go back to BMG.

The Germans are in the relegation-promotion playoffs, so they may consider giving him another chance in 2011-12.

Or not.

 

Maybe he should do like Demerit, Feilhaber, and now reportedly Beasley, and come home.