07 May 2011 12:27:49
Aston Villa caretaker boss Gary McAllister has
revealed that the club have started discussions with Stewart Downing in a bid to
convince the winger to sign a new contract.
The former Middlesbrough star
is understood to be a top summer target of Liverpool, but he still has two years
remaining of the deal he signed when moving from The Riverside for £12million
during the summer of 2009.
McAllister, who is in charge in the absence of
Gerard Houllier, is aware of the need to ensure Downingremains at the club on a
long-term basis, particularly with doubts hanging over the future of reported Manchester
United target Ashley Young.
The Scot said: "Stewart has got two years
left and we are getting into that area where it's coming into our
vision.
"It's in progress at the moment. We are starting to make contact
with his agent.
Target
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"We have to keep good players here."
McAllister
admits he would vote for Downing as Villa's player of the year and believes he is
capable of becoming an England regular.
The former Middlesbrough player
impressed during the friendly international against Ghana at Wembley in
March.
McAllister said: "Another wee target for Stewart is that he has
always been in and around that England squad.
"The question is can he go
and become a part of the team? I feel he has enough in his locker to do
that."
Aston Villa Banter Archive May 07 2011
Use our rumours form to send us aston villa transfer rumours.
07 May 2011 12:30:13
As the season crawls to a close now there is an
inevitability of change in the air at Villa Park. This week, Randy Lerner s right hand
man, General Charles Krulak, made another contribution to one of the many Villa blogs
claiming that the club and board know what has to be done in the summer to ensure that
we don t endure another season like this.
What this means for the
Houllier regime is unsure but what it implies will surely leave him fearing for his job.
However, Houllier s transfer targets have suggested that he is aiming high (recently
losing out to Real Madrid for Dortmund defender Nurin Sahin) and in doing so he has
raised the expectations of fans.
I for one would be sad to see Houllier
leave as recent results have suggested that the players are finally warming to his
football philosophy but his recent heart problems may prove that the job is too much for
him.
Assistant manager Gary McAllister has said that his recovery is
going well and that he is in high spirits claiming that he fully intends to return,
showing that the anxieties that plagued his years at Liverpool is not
there.
It may have been a stop-start first season for the Frenchman but
it s clear that he needs a full season to mould his own team with his own players and
only then if he fails will fans be justified in chanting Houllier out.
If he doesn t return though then I wish him a happy retirement and I
will admit that I have lay awake at night wondering what Rafa Benitez or David Moyes
would do with the team if they had the chance (both of whom have been linked with taking
over in the off season.)
Either way, one thing you can be sure of is that
there will be some drastic changes before next season kicks
off.