The Insiders View: Nobby Solano
|
Newcastle-Online.com teamed up with John Atkin, the
Editor of an Aston Villa supporters website - The
Villa - to get his views on Nobby Solano's shock return to Newcastle,
his thoughts on James Milner going the other way and he also tells
us how well Aaron Hughes is doing.
Q: Solano, how good a player has he been for Villa, then? Can
you describe to Newcastle fans just how well (or poor) he has
played in his time there? |
Well he was Player of the Year last season so he didn't do too badly.
He flitted in and out of the game at times but when he was in form
sides found him difficult to cope with, most memorably against Southampton
when coming off the bench at 2-0 down he orchestrated a stunning comeback.
|
Q: How has his sale went down with the Villa faithful? |
Not overly happy but he obviously wanted to leave so there is nothing
you can do, and James Milner is a pleasing makewieght.
|
Q: Are you surprised he has left and what are your thoughts
on the whole thing? |
I'm not all that surprised because he is a bit of a mercenary. For
all his love of the Barcodes it was purely money that inspired his
move to Villa Park: a wage cap-breaking £23k a week and a handy £1.5m
pay-off from St James' Park. And i'm sure his return will not leave
him out of pocket.
|
Q: Will he get a warm reception on his return to Villa Park,
or booed? |
Although he made a positive impact at the club, see the previous answer.
|
Q: He's returning to Newcastle a year and a half older, do you
think he will offer Newcastle what he offered Villa and will
he be a success second time round in your opinion? |
He's the same player he always was and could easily become the Beardsley
to Owen's Cole. Also, you will see a lot more of him because he has
retired from international football after being dropped, i mean, deciding
to concentrate on his club career.
|
Q: Did he get into any trouble away from the pitch while at
Villa? |
There was some self-inflicted personal strife but judging by Freddie
Shepherd's famous canine declaration, he should find the urge less
in Newcastle.
|
Q: Was he a fans favourite while at villa? |
Yes, he's a class player with a great deal of inventiveness. And we
are Aston Villa.
|
Q: I have to ask, how is Aaron Hughes doing? Good signing for
Villa? |
Hughes has surprisingly been excellent so far and while he is far
from being a Cafu, he has done enough to convince me that the tackle-happy
Mark Delaney will not walk back into the side when he returns from
injury. Which is always a good thing.
|
Q: James Milner has joined on a season's loan as part of the
Nobby deal, what do you make of that? |
Very happy. I think he is a class player and don't think
Tubbs would have given the green light on the Solano deal without
his arrival.
|
Q: What do you think Milner can offer Villa and can Villa make
him a better player? |
We can give him games and he can give us creativity and a late runner
into the box.
|
Q: Finally, where do you think Newcastle and Villa will finish
in the League this season? |
Despite the brilliant buys of Emre and Parker and the over-the-odds
purchase of Goody Two Shoes to compliment Mary Poppins, Newcastle
are currently second-from-bottom of an admittedly embryonic league
table. I think the battle for a uefa cup spot will be much broader
this season and it is no guarantee that you will even end in the top
half. The only consolation is that i don't think Middlesbrough will
either. As for Villa, it's hard to say with eight newcomers but anywhere
between seventh and eleventh.
A massive thanks from Newcastle-Online.com to John for taking the
time out from his hectic schedule to write a few lines for us. |
