Carney move is anything but carnage

“I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.” - Agent Dale Cooper

So said Kyle McLachlan's character in the legendary TV Show Twin Peaks when he made his way into the Pacific Northwest, putting pedal to metal as he rode along a highway surrounded with pine trees.

Here I am, meandering my way through bullshit. We're alike, me and Dale, except he's dealing with murder/pan-dimensional fuckery and I'm talking about Aston Villa. But at least the delving into lore thing works, right?

Right?

Let's talk Carney.

Carney

Believe it or not, other people are allowed opinions. I'm struggling with opinions that conflict with mine on the subject of the lad above, though.

I'm a baby.

Carney Chukwuemeka is off to Chelsea - The Chelsea. He's moving for £20 million from Villa to The Chelsea in the infant stages of what had the makings of a grand transfer saga in 22/23. Dortmund, Arsenal - The Arsenal - AC Milan and Barcelona were gearing up deals for him as well as Chelsea - I won't do the bit again - and we all know how that interest works. It almost never goes in Villa's favour.

Here's something for you that you might not know: Milan, Dortmund, Celtic and others had their eyes on Chukwuemeka the second he landed at Villa Park from Northampton. He's always been wanted. He has never stopped being wanted. If he signed a new deal, that want would continue. People have been asking about him for a long old time.

To be desired, so strongly, is an odd thing to contend with for a footballer of just 18. Imagine having that on your plate?

Honestly, the situation isn't bad for anyone though. In another time, you'd have seen dads aplenty make a scene on twitter dot com. In 2022, Villa nailed the deal - as Ashley Preece said. Carney didn't seem to mouth off or unsettle anyone. He moved at the first 'real' opportunity that came up. He didn't really seem to dick around at all. The only thing I really see Carney doing was to hold on to see how the land lies before committing to anyone.

There's a bunch of talk about how he's tried to dictate squad selection with his contract demands. I struggle with that, he'd just be told to do one, which is almost what occurred to be honest. Villa wouldn't suffer any of that nonsense anyway, so even if he did want to make an impact on high-up decisions, Villa wouldn't have allowed it.

I don't buy the 'lazy' and 'toxic' talk. He's barely 18 and he's getting called that and much worse. For some reason it's acceptable for us to speak about teenagers like that just because they are footballers. Lazy? Footballer? Mate, you'd be found out at 11 if you were lazy.

My honest feeling was that he was off to Milan or Dortmund on a free, and that they had pitched a clear pathway to the top for him. Chelsea is a genuine surprise. His head has likely been a long time turned at any rate, and agents won't help with that.

The truth (at least my truth) is simple - Carney ran out of time at Villa. I'd love to hear the off-the-record verdicts around a table soon, but my own belief is that he's coming of football age as his contract dies. He didn't excel before his contract expired, he feels he knows his worth and he pegs that at a higher value than Villa offered in terms of the full deal (wages and playing time). Playing time was offered. He didn't like the deal. Playing time declined. It was really only going to head one way, especially if there's something else on offer.

I mean, look at the competition he faces. At the start of last season, you'd likely have had him ranked first or second as the best midfield youth prospect at Villa. After seeing Jacob Ramsey (especially), Aaron Ramsey and Tim Iroegbunam excel, Villa are spoiled for choice in various midfield sports when it comes to young-uns before you even mention Douglas Luiz et al.

Villa can either waste a season grinding Chukwuemeka down until he moved on a free, or cash in.

They did the latter, and in reality it's the only thing they can do. There's no room at the inn for Chucky and to keep him would be to offer a commitment that Villa can't afford to give, not really.

He's now the highest paid teenage footballer in the UK, and at a team that is looking to do right by young players after years of fobbing them off to Vitesse. Will it all work out? Maybe! Even if it doesn't work out in the way Carney expects, you can't really begrudge him the move. Only time will tell, but you'll still perhaps seem him in a Vitesse shirt despite what Chelsea outwardly project in 2022 as opposed to 2016. All we know is that Tuchel says he wants him in the first team. Big cash and big promises? Try turning that one down.

For now, the important thing is that Villa are heavier in the pocket, and Northampton earned their bit as well. What goes around comes around, I guess.

I wish Chucky Charliemeka all the best, the exact same as I did for Jon Grandlish. May they sparkle in all stadia apart from the mighty Villa Park, or fabled neutral grounds where they might meet Villa in grand battle.

Thank You

Thanks for subscribing and sharing. We're over 100 subscribers before I even send this. That's wild. Shocking. Incredible. It means a lot and it's good to be back. The spotlight isn't on me though, I hate that. It's actually on you. You know where to find me if you want to talk, or suggest ideas.

Also, shout-out to my good friend Phil Vogel for being the first to subscribe, beating Dan Rolinson by a second. Russell vs Sainz-esque, that. Big Dan also sorted me out with graphics for this newsletter. He's a good guy isn't he. Don't watch Claret and Blue though because I'm not on it anymore (go watch Claret and Blue and enjoy all Villa podcasts because you're living in a golden age of Villa #content). Also, thanks to Stevie and Dave for helping me come up with the name, a riff on Marvel's 'House of M' series you might see in the MCU one day.

Peace and love and UTFV.

Spare Tickets

Here's some quick links to things non-Villa around the web that you might like. I hope you dig this section. I might add a tweet of the week or something, what other sections would entertain you?

Anyway here's some stuff on a Southend blunder, awful chat about Lyme Disease being 'intergalactic', a beautiful bit on my lovely city, talk about Michael Beale being sound as feck and Man City's smart scarf. Honestly, clubs should pay YOU for the amount of data they take from YOU for free.

Southend United accidentally creates 'Rose West stand' in stadium | indy100

Southend United accidentally creates 'Rose West stand' in stadium

Ryan Marino MD on Twitter: "I had to hear this so now you do, too https://t.co/70OQjF3Lxp" / Twitter

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