Lambert shouldn’t have to answer Benteke questions
I don’t know what it is with journalists, Aston Villa and stirring up trouble but we always seem to be targeted. Whether it being 1718 questions on Bent every week, or questions regarding the future of our players like is the hot topic this time around, we can’t seem to be left alone!
Christian Beneke has only been at the club since August, and not even half a year later Lambert is having to answer questions surrounding his future. It seems he had an answer prepared though, and I still believe that unlike in the past, we stand a better chance of keeping this group of players together:
“There’s no point in us being here if it’s a case of bringing people in and then letting them go,”
“There’s no point in them coming for half a season or a year and then we let them go.
“We’re trying to build something here which can take a few years and you need good players to achieve that.”
That should be the end of the matter, but we all know it won’t be. As we’ve seen previously Benteke might make a comment about playing in the Champions League (as any footballer with a hint of ambition would) and that could miraculously be twisted into him wanting to leave for a top 4 club etc. Lambert clearly has a long term plan, and it’s exciting to see how he’s going about it. As he says there is no point in keeping players for half a year, and it would already take a massive bid to even consider selling our Belgium International (you would hope anyway).
I can’t imagine many other clubs being asked about the future of one of their players after only having them for half a season, well none of the media favoured ones anyway. Still ultimately hopefully it doesn’t matter, because as I have said in the past hopefully Lambert is under little pressure to sell (first team players anyway), and if he does manage to keep this squad together, good times could be coming back to Villa Park.
UTV.
Aston Villa News 24/7
Mr Lambert. Next time a reporter asks you about the club selling Benteke, here is your answer:
“Anyone with half a brain can tell we’re not going to sell a key player who we signed 4 months ago, unless there is an absolutely astronomical offer. Nobody is going to make an astronomical offer because he’s only played 4 months of premier league football. Which begs the question…how did you escape the asylum and where are the men in the white coats?”
Journalists are like bankers; utterly useless, unaccountable, unwilling to have any form of regulation, overpaid and expect a bonus for being unable to do their jobs properly.
We’re always going to be the target of beat-up merchants looking to sell papers, and to be honest, our good players are always going to be targeted by cashed-up nuveau riche clubs. At best it’s a compiment, at worst it’s frustrating. Especially in the case of Benteke when, as you say, we’ve had the bloke on our books for less time than Chelsea’s last manager. But everything everyone says about PL is that he is great for generating huge loyalty in the players he signs – so I reckon we’ve got nothing to worry about for a couple of seasons at least – and if we can keep on improving in a sustainable way then we’ll keep these guys anyway.