First proper rumour: Harewood off to Reading as part of a £10 million deal to bring in Doyle
Thursday, 02 October 08, 02:07 AM · Comments (123)
Now, I've not picked up the physical paper so I can't go into more detail than what I've read on the BBC gossip pages, but if this is true, it wouldn't surprise me, however we are going to need to qualify a few things.
First, this is the first proper rumour. I think it's fair to say that Marlon has been given his chance at Villa and it's not worked out for him. Sure, he might play tonight and get a goal or two and everyone will jump on my back for posting this, but it really hasn't worked out for him.
It's not about scoring with your 35th opportunity but with your every fifth and Marlon needs too many - maybe Kevin Doyle will be better. If this rumour is true I suspect we'll find out in January.
Second, Marlon will do will in the Championship - defenders are not as quick to close down and easier to beat. He'll get his chances in a game and as such he'll score more and as such he'll get his confidence back. I have a feeling Marlon is very much a confidence player.
You certainly can not doubt his desire to do well at Villa, it's just a pity it comes down to actual goals for strikers too. I'm sure, if he does go, he'll get a good reception when he returns.
Another thing worth noting is the rumoured price of £10mn., because if Harewood is part of that deal then we must be using what we paid for him, if not a little bit more - because Doyle isn't worth much more. Still, I suspect there is substance to this but it is the Daily Mirror - isn't Bill Howell paid by them?
Right, that's it for now. There might be something later, they'll certainly be something later tonight.
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123 Comments · Add yours
doyle has found his level. hardly scored in the prem last year. and mon aint daft. 10mn buys you an ahsley young from the championship NOT a doyle. mon will invest more wisely than this average bag of w##k
what time is the commentry starting damian?
cheers
about 30 minutes before kick off ... if we're doing it
will know more later today
Although i dont agree word for word with what Rob says, i have to agree- Harewood for Doyle is hardly a step up in class.
I think Doyle will be a good signing for the Villa. Everybody will look to his performance last year but please remember the guy was played out of position for half of the games on the right wing and also Reading were never able to replace Sidwell, the driving force of the team, which caused the whole side including Doyle to suffer. Also, anybody who watches the Ireland games will know how hard this guy works for the team, he tracks back unlike a lot of strikers and pressurizes the opposition defense when they have the ball. This is a type of striker we could do with and I believe he is good enough for the Villa!!
I think we'll see Harewood go, if not in January then in the summer.
Despite what many others believe, I think we could do far worse than bring Owen and Heskey both in.. Then we could really mix it up!
Carew & Gabby = Power & Pace
Carew & Heskey = Power, Pace & Intelligence
Heskey & Owen = Power, Pace & Intelligence
Owen & Carew = Power & Pace
Owen & Gabby = Pace
Heskey & Gabby = Power, Pace & Intelligence
I'm not having a go at any ndividual here....But I thought a rumour was exactly that...Only a rumour....Does that then mean a 'proper rumour' is in fact factual...?
I seem to recall we had over 120 rumours during the tranfer window...and how many of those rumours came true....abou 8% of them....now that's not good odds..!
I hope the Doyle rumour turns out to be exactly that and it's in the 92% of false rumours..
Doyle has certainly been banging them in the Championship. And although Ashton looks a more complete player, the simple fact is that he is a crock (out till March I read yesterday).
I couldn't see Owen coming without some sort of guarantee that he'd be in the starting line-up every week. And thats not the sort of attitude we should be brinigng in.
Heskey? Interesting. He's definitely flavour of the month again. He would definitely do a job for us whenever Big JC is injured. But I don't think he'd get as money goals as JC (or Doyle).
If you don't want the Doyler that's fine by us! We CERTAINLY don't want Mr Harewood! Trouble is, with our Chairman, if an offer anywhere near £10M comes in, he'll bite your arm off, and you can be sure none of it will be spent on a replacement!
Still, with Sidwell, Shorey and Doyle in your team, it'll be like watching RFC 05/06! Might get to a few of your games!
I do actually think we'll end up signing Doyle, i think he's alright too, and i think that the only reason that he didn't do that well in the PL last season is because Reading really struggled...
Its not to say that i'd prefer him to Owen and Heskey, but i'd happily take Doyle as a replacement to Marlon (sorry Marlon)
Putting my life at risk, I disagree with Andy (gulp). Doyle is 25, an excellent striker who will only get better playing with better players. He scored 18 goals in Readings promotion season and 13 times in their first season in the premier. Yes he only scored 6 goals last season but Reading were relegated and were struggling, this season he has scored 8 in 9 games.
Mon is reported to admire him and it wouldn't suprise me if a swap with Harewood happens. I think the figures quoted are a little high and expect a fee of about £5m plus Marlon. I would also expect to sign two forwards in January if we are still in the UEFA cup.
doyle is a player i would like to see at villa he reminds me alot of kevin philips and he did ok for villa.
he is good in the air and a real preditor.
i can see the price tag of £10m being reasonable and i would expect that is what we would need to pay to get him reading don't want to sell their premiership quality players as they will be in the prem next year.
i suspect mon went for him last day of the window but they wanted time to get a replacement perhaps mon regrets not offering harewood now.
alot can change between now and jan tho perhaps is form will falter or another striker may create attention eb from wolves perhaps.
strap,
Sidwell, Shorey moved on to bigger and better things. . .
Keef, Doyles not as bad as people are making him out to be, i think everybody is expecting us to sign Owen and Heskey which is why they may shrug it off! BUT, before anybody starts arguing it is only a RUMOUR! but i'd take doyle...
speaking of 2nites game, anyone know if where on tele and what channel???
I wouldn't mind if Doyle, Heskey, Owen came in and even if Harewood stayed (Keep it calm Philbob
)....I will take anyone that O'Neil decides on because the bigger the squad the better and I trust O'Neil's decisions 
Deep Breaths.....
I'd be happy if those three came in, but that would leave us with 6 or 7 strikers if Harewood stayed too! I trust MON's decisions/judgement and i'm sure he'll prove me right again...
Still not convinced with Shorey though...
Oh.. I dont mean if they ALL came in, I mean whoever...
Im definitely not convinced with Shorey but Im sure he'll improve. He has got Bouma as a mentor afterall
Totally off subject, has anyone seen Chelsea's injury list for our match on Sunday?
Definately out are Carvalho, Deco, Joe Cole, Essien and Drogba and doubtful are Ashley Cole, Terry and Alex.
We may aswell play our kids then Keef!
Keef, its fandabbydozy
I was saying yesterday, i believe we have a good chance of ending Chelseas run
They havn't lost at home for 4 1/2 years - that's got to end sometime!
happy days...marewood out but someone better than doyle comming in all we need now is for mon to get rid of fright
keef now you have upset me..how dare you disagree with me...!
Here's a bit of news I just found published today....
Dean Saunders is set to become the new manager of Blue Square Premier club Wrexham.
Sorry _AA_ Philbob made me do it. Bite him instead.
DEANO DEANO DEANO
who cares if if we have to swap him for Hillary Clinton, just let Homer go.
I was going to say I'd kidnapped C and demand a ransom keef..But that would be too freaky....!
Philip...Stop using keef as your bitch..
is there someone called philip in here today? i dont know any philip's!
AA's just a pussy, take no notice of him boys, he's only 12. I don't think Doyle is the answer, we have strikers, we need goal scorers, 20 a season to be exact.
Before anyone mentions Owen and Hesky and Ashton they are not now the type of player we need, we need to push on and get better. They would have sufficed last season maybe, but things have changed our goals have changed.
I would like to see one world class striker ala: Henry (not the Henry but similar), and a really good promising youngster. This is now the future of Villa.
Above all i trust MON to do what's right, he has so far.
Anyway back to Mr Doyle and Mr Harewood...I only see Marlon as a player as a sub and in the lower level of the UEFA Cup/FA Cup/CC stuff. Granted he's no first teamer, but we can't have 6 top class 1st team strikers can we. Doyle would no doubt come in, but at that type of money theres better and younger prespects surely that can be the future of Villa. He's not English and not that young, so does not fit in the MON mould. Some say he did not play well last year because the whole team did not click, then that just maybe the answer. THe whole Reading team may not be Prem quality. Look at you all slagging shorey off for example. Doyle looks good in the Championship, because that's his level. I went down and watched Sheff Utd the other day and Beattie looked class. But put him a Prem side and he's not gunna be the same guy is he...Only an opinion..!
_AA_ ....Not like you to not be freaky!
Philbob....Be careful or Raceylady will tell you off again.
RSamVillaFan....Who would you want Villa to buy then?
Doyle would be a massive step up from Marlon and would act as an excellent number three striker for us.
He may not be great but he is very good in lots of departments.
He is good at holding the ball up and strong in the air - so a good back up for Carew. He is also fairly quick and can play on the shoulder of the last defender - so as such would also be a good back up for Gabby.
Anyone who watch the Ireland matched would say that he has been excellent for them over the past 2 years.
So all in all - I'd definitely prefer him over both Owen(crock) and Heskey(to everyone outside england he is a donkey), but I would hope that if we remain in our current position or close to it till january that we could aim for a striker at the top level.
RSamVillaFan i disagree owen is proving he still can excel in a very bad side. heskey is still quality and will suit us doyle is a good team player and a good finisher.
as soon as we start putting bids in for ronaldo or david villa we become spurs and theres only one way we are going to go.
eoin...Sorry pal but what the hell did you mean there? You say Doyle would be great for us, then at the end if we are a top team in January we should aim for a top striker...!
So what you are saying is what Sam and I just said...We should be aiming to improve the team, not stay as we are or worse. If we buy the likes of Doyle from now on we may aswell just bring O'Leardy back to manage the team.
Make no mistake guys, Villa are on the up and others are starting to see that more than ever. We should have higher expactations of our team now than we have ever had over the last 25 years. Players coming in should be hopefully be as good or better than the best we have. That's called building for the future, not languishing in the past.
we have got to 3rd in the table by buying proven players in the english game i can't think of many better ones that meet the above criteria than heskey owen and doyle that aren't playing for last seasons top 4. others options yakubu, santa cruz, defoe, crouch?
i reckon pompey would sell defoe in jan if the money was right.
AA you speak a lot of sense new players should always be a bit better than the one youve got
... 
no one upgrades their phones to a phone which does less than your current one do they
Sorry Keef, I'll just sit in the corner and be quiet... Got loads of work to do anyway...
Paul, don't start bringing peoples phones into this... Ive got a better phone than you anyway
is it open season on harewood 2day,i got a bit of grief on here yesterday for saying the same as you lot are saying today,also im getting a bit worried here i keep finding myself agreeing with phillbob (phillip) lol
phil so yours can swim bounce and translate 40 different languages??????
Sam and Andy.....I agree totally that we should be looking to buy players that are better than the ones we have got. I put it to you that Doyle is better than Harewood.
I would love us to go buy a "big name" striker that would get everyone excited but I just can't see who it could be. Anyone who is any good is either not for sale , cuptied in europe or would see us as a step down.
the VILLA a step down? 100 lines young man..
i am a beleiver
_AA_ - too true I contradicted myself a bit. What I was trying to say was that I think Doyle would be a definite improvment on our current squad situation. If we had him we would have a better back up fro our front two, and in my opinion a better back up than Owen and Heskey.
Whilst he would improve the squad, I also admit that I would love to sign an even better player - one who could realistically challenge for the first team. I would say its a bit like the Milner situation in the summer. i.e. whilst happy to have signed Milner and cant dispute he has improved the squad - I wish we would have signed someone better.....like SWP for example - who was cheaper!!
we should wait and see if he carries on with the same form until jan and if he does i think we should try and get zaki,as he is only on loan to wigan,and so far he has looked top drawer aswell as having an unbelievable work ethic
Talusman, if ur gonna call me by my full name you could at least spell it properly, not in the gay way...
Paul, nah my phone was in the olympics, we wouldn't have won all those swimming medals if it wasn't for my phone... And it speaks mongoalian and botswanian...
Keef, we'd all love us to sign a big name, but who? We try to predict, but guessing MON's signings is just like predicting the Lotto numbers!! How dare you call us a step down too, 300 press ups now bi-atch
soz phil, i never meant to cast any gay aspersions at you,i just cant spill vary gude
Arly Barly......I didn't say we were a step down just that some players would see us as a step down. Those press ups hurt
Wouldnt mind seeing Sam Vokes from wolves come in and i wonder how much Messi would cost, No one is not for sale if the price is right!!
imagine the nobs on motd then!!
I agree there aren't many strikers out there, and if pushed i would name most of my top goalscorers as midfielders, but i dont have to make those sort of decisions do i?
But a big cash splash on one player serves notice of intent without upsetting the feel and balance of the team. Onwards and upwards.
PS, love the phone analogy!
Oohhhh i see, you mean players like Kaka and Messi and Ronaldo, yeah we all know that those sorts of big names probably wouldn't come to us, apart from Footy Manager.
So you mean big names like. . . Can't think of any now, but get where you're coming from!!!
Talusman, Get back to school...
Sam, without sounding like an under-educated thicko, whats an analogy?
Analogy:
a literal comparison made between two items, situations, or ideas that are somewhat alike but unlike in most respects. Frequently an unfamiliar or complex object or idea will be compared to a familiar or simpler one in order to explain the first.
PLEASE let this be true... Well the Harewood bit... Iv been begging to get him sold on E-Bay for months.
As for Doyle, why are we so comfortable in accepting a striker like Doyle instead of a proven world class player who would help the team progress... I cant imagine L'pool, Man U, Arsenal thinking yeh Doyle would fit in and do well for us. We need to start buying like a top four club to challenge for cups league etc. And not think buying average players will help us break into the elite.
We are more than happy to think "BIG CLUBS" can come in and buy OUR best players "Barry" but when it comes to us buying players we say "oh yeh Doyle would be alright". Completely the wrong attitude in my humble opinion. We need a striker so lets try buyinh someone who would turn heads and bring some extra quality and class to the side.
Its called AMBITION!
ooohhhh! thanks sam, lives and learns eh?
RSam, I feel that even a signing like Owen would raise our profile. Kids would be walking round with his name on Villa shirts etc. He also scores a lot when fit.
He would n't be my first choice but someone of that stature would be great for us and the next step.
i hate footy fan snobbery if doyle played for liverpool you would be like.
buy buy buy.
robbie keane started at wolves you know! he just sold out to go to the prem where as doyle stayed and got his club promoted.
I can honestly see what you are saying about Owen.....but his career is in the decline, he would only be a bit part player. Though i read today that he's put a hold on his contract talks with Newcastle, that smacks of a man looking for his last big payday.
Also Robbie Keane is a nob not worth the money and not worth the time, i wouldnt take him if he was offered free with a sponsorship deal. Torres on the other hand!!!
james....do you really see Man U, Chelsea, Arse or Pool wanting to buy Doyle...? No you don't do you..! THe Vill are the club regarded as the one thats going to break that monopoly, so why should we look to such players. We should be aspiring to the same sort of players they have and I think given a year we have every chance. Villa will have more money from UEFA for a cup run (I don't know how much they get for playing in the UEFA Cup, but the TV and ticket sales will be a decent amount) and success breeds extra income and status for the club. Top players will soon want to become a part of whats happening at VP. Let's have some high expectations and I don't mean we should just go out and buy star players just for the sake of it. I'd rather save the £10 mill and stick with Marlon until next summer and see who we could put that £10 mill to and buy someone decent...
I've seen a few reading games this year on the old goggle box and have been impressed with Doyle. So i would agree if we could get him in with Harewood going in the other direction, it would be good business. However, with all the reports about the reserves and youth players, you've got to consider letting them have a pop. Thrashing any Arsenal team is no mean feat so perhaps we should be looking inward not outward. Comments?!!!!!
Like your thinking SYMBAS, i too think that the lads would do a job and there are some good ones there but they are the far future, not the near future.
Saying that though i notice Barnsley started with a 15 year old against Ipswich, apparently they gave him a pizza instead of wages lol
if only we could have a player on pizza's lol
Let's not be starting that Barnsley thing again Sam...!
Here's the Barnsley link again if you missed it
LINK
__AA__ man u have a standard transfer price of £30m for anyone. they poach top premier clubs best players as do chelsea and liverpool.
we therefore need to buy the best off the other prem and championship teams for proven english players. reading have some good players and doyle is young enough to improve but is also good enough to start for us he is different to both gabby and carew so will cause different problems for teams.
i would welcome doyle.
on your second point about waiting till the summer thats a no aswell we need cover we may have fa, uefa cup and prem league to play next year.
harewood i am convinced now needs to make way however if he scores 2 tonight i will eat my excrament.
I'm a witness to that!!!
"You learned to drive a Reliant Robin before the training wheels were off your bike"
Hahahahahaha
"You have ever gotten frostbitten and suntanned in the same week."
"You identify a Sheffield accent as "Southern"."
Ha ha ha, That's magic is that
We need cover but i hoestly think if we get a 20 a season striker then gabby would become the backup striker.
here here paul
Phil...Being a Barnsley lad I must be rated as an international explorer...I've been as far south as Rugby and as far north as Ilkley Moor. I once thought I saw the sea, but then I was reminded it was Rother Valley Country Park lake in Rotherham...!
What would happen to our season if Gabby or Carew got injured? We need to sell Harewood and buy two strikers, Doyle and someone with a bit of pace, especially if we are still in UEFA cup. If one of our strikers were injured everyone would be having a go at MON for not buying someone in January. It would be a big gamble. _AA_ i disagree again.
january buys are panic buys or stop gaps so in that case i would rather have doyle as a stop gap over marewood but at 10 million??? hard to swallow that pill afraid
10 million...come on now I think thats way over the odds. Don't get me wrong I would consider buying him, and giving him a chance. but I would choose about 10 other available strikers ahead of him
maindonald..thats the quoted price mate so thats what were debating on
askpaul....were Carew and Ash Young stop gaps or panic buys then?
ouch
but they where mons first signings
Mmmmm...He may have you there paul..!
Keef..you deserve some K for that low bowler..!
Thank you _AA_ it's always nice to get praise for causing trouble from such an expert as you
Askpaul....sorry mate but Petrov was MONs first signing!
AA besides those two and solano who else have been any good? what im trying to say is the squad needed first team players when mon took over now we need the same quality as them. not stop gaps!!
Paul..Don't have ago at me, it's keef that's debating that one...I'm not disagreeing with you. Don't bring me into that argument..I was only commenting on keefs shrewd observations on Carew and Young...!
turncoat
Lol..You know I always look after my virtual forum comrades....but you gotta admit that Carew and Young thing by keef was priceless..!
OOooooh that was a low blow keef, bet paul's bollocks are hurting now....
Paul, you are right, bar Solano, Big J and Webcam, all the rest are shit unless i've missed someone out.... But £10mill for Doyle is a bit steep. There has to be an influx of quality goalscorer/s this summer whoever or whereever they are...
Anyone heard about AVTV showing the game live tonight??
Think thats good, especially for people who really cant get to the game.
cheers phil some one seeing my side..lol
keef petrov didnt count untill this season as he was shite the last two..
Fuckin hell that chris just pops up from nowhere with random comments.....
Paul, remember Stans debut at wet spam? We all thought he was the best thing since sliced bread after that! We should rename him king of the anti-climax... whether his wife agrees is a different topic...
We all know a goalscorer is needed... Whether doyle is the answer it remains to be seen...
ha ha I havent been in your little conversation n just read about it thats all....
Do you notice that as soon as someone mentions bollocks (Philbob) Chris suddenly appears as if by magic?.....
Talkin of poohs does anyone know what was been sung to Sol Campbell?
Philip, I take your point about Jan just couldn't resist.
Lol Keef very good!
Yea my mate text me that song, it really is pretty bad!!
I'm don't care what any of you think. It's only Aron's opinion I'm interested in.
Chris honestly I don't know wahst they were singing
wahst????? WHAT
Put it on your wall keef...
What were they singing chris??? Come on tell us... You show me yours and ill show you mine lol!!
Keef, ur right about bollocks, do u think he gets text updates to his phone? "BEEP BEEP, Philbob mentioned Bollocks and Keef mentioned poohs"
Does anybody know where i'll be able to get my Juventus shirt printed???
Hahahahaha you crack me up!
Cheers Chris, thats bad! No matter how much we hate Dwight he never got that much crap.
true Keef, didn't really want to put it on here. You can delete it now if ya like, it is a bit controversial after all!
Its all those bitter spurs twats!!! Cant hack the fact that no matter how many modric's they sign, they'll still be shit!
I always liked sol campbell, good defender...
Yea me too, think he's had a great career. Reminds me of Frank Bruno how he went a little bit nutty n disapeared
We need a new post to talk about...we're talkin shite again!
Chris....it only questions his mentality, sexuality and is slightly racist.
Philbob...how much you like him then?
campbell is a good defender but to shit on your first club and sign for there arch rivals is asking for it though..lol
Bit like Ridgwell.....although he did help us to victory in his first game against the mighty Villa!
its well known he kicks with both feet
not really ridgewell was not wanted and we got a good fee for him...
campbell was spurs star man and went on a free losing spurs 15 million..
I heard he had a 12" sausage like Dion Dublin...
I got a free Juve top and refuse to wear it until i have Mellberg on the back, where can i get it printed? Would the Villa shop do it?
Campbell did shaft spurs a little bit, but they deserve it...
All i was ever interested in was his formidable partnership with Ferdinand for England...
Go to JJB sports, they will do it Phil. How did you manage to get a free Juve top anyway?
i upgraded my phone, O2 and Sony Ericsson and i got a free football shirt from subsidesports.com! Only thing was, they dont stock the new Villa away top (gutted) so i thought i'd go for a juve top...
Oh right, sounds like a good deal....
Anyway, whos goin to the match tonight?? Im countin down the hours at work....really cant be arsed!
Villa shop wont print it in case they mess up and can't replace it. JJB or sports world should do it. Do you know what number Olof wears?
I was chuffed, i got a good deal on minutes an texts too. I'm not going down tonight, wish i was but the old cashflow is a bit tight still!!! Should do them though! Oh, by the way chris, u aint the only one counting the minutes...
Keef, Obviously Ollie got the number 4 shirt, apparently he's doing well for them, thats Our Ollie for ya!!
is that why your phone is better than mine..you upgraded see what i mean now...lol
Oh yeah i forgot i had a better phone than you paul!!! LOL! Not that it matters...
Niall Quinn's Disco Pants, they go from his arse to his chest!!!!
any news on the commentry damian?
Doyle is an improvement over Harewood, but we may get better if we are third or better come the new year. That's why these next three months are so vital.
whatever happens to him good luck,he may have plaayed terrible recently but hes gotten us out of rough spots
Marlon Harewood worth £4million? Or, should that me, valued at £4million. If that doesn't show the modern game up for the farce that it is, what does?
Does MON know that Doyle isnt english and hasnt played in the SPL?
doyle?? come on we need higher ambitions than that
maron on his day is better than doyle
I think we're jumping the gun here. Villa aren't yet a top four side. A top four side is a side that has FINISHED the season in the top four. Any big names will be taking that into account. We don't have a bottomless pit of money either so buying any slags like Robinho is also out of the question.
We DO have positives in our favour - in the UK. Which is where I think we might nick a "big" player from the premiership.
I don't think that many big name players from abroad will find us much of a draw yet.
MON knows this. He's bought the best available to us at the moment, and I'm sure when our stature improves he will buy as many bigger names as are willing to come to the club.
If MON thinks we need Doyle to get us there, then I'm quite prepared to trust his judgement.
Patience!
UTV.
i think doyle wud be a gd signin 4 us coz hes got pace and can finish hes been showing us 4 da season already wiv about 7 goals alredy
i hav 2 admit wiv most people that we cud be buying betta talent
UTV!!!!