A number Aston Villa fans have been reacting with anger after manager Steve Bruce admitted he’s struggling to offload high-earning flops.
The Villa manager spoke to the Birmingham Mail about how difficult it is to sell Ross McCormack and Micah Richards.
“We’ve got to be realistic, the only time you can shift them is when somebody wants them,” Bruce told the local outlet.
“Obviously we’ve got some big earners at the club.
“That’s what Aston Villa is, it’s a big club and people have earned big money.
“What’s important is we keep the ones we want and of course there will be a few who ultimately move on.
“But sometimes when they’re on big salaries then you’ve obviously got to be patient and wait for their contracts to run out.”
McCormack reportedly has two years remaining of his £40,000-per-week Villa deal (Mirror), while Richards currently earns £50,000-per-week in his contract which expires next year (Sillyseason), meaning the pair are costing the club £90,000-a-week.
Supporters were not impressed with the revelation, with one Villa fan asked if the club can now afford to pay up their contracts.
This is Futbol have rounded up the best tweets from a section of Villa fans regarding Bruce’s comments:
I think xia was right to 'gamble' on promotion and has now done the right thing. Most fans would have wanted to gamble. What is wrong is the Richards and RMC Situations and signing players like bree hogan, Lansbury when we really did not need them and don't play them #avfc
— Curt Haycock (@CurtHaycock) July 20, 2018
Can we now afford to pay up contracts like bunn, Richards and Ross and get them out of villa park asap #avfc
— Dan Baker (@bakes1311) July 20, 2018
https://twitter.com/AndoServise/status/1021007951971209216
https://twitter.com/therealpmoney/status/1020989220708642816
@MicahRichards ur wages are spent better off on a different players so agree with villa to leave or terminate ur contract via mutual agreement. Uve spent more time injured ur another Charles n zogbia
— Andrew M (@Mustin2014) July 21, 2018
We are in FFP trouble because of signing the likes of @MicahRichards, Whelan, McCormack, De Laet, Hogan, Lansbury, Taylor, the big players, for big fees, on big money, that we either didn’t need, or haven’t performed… or in McCormack’s case, have refused to perform.
— Phil Roberts (@PhilHRoberts) July 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/elie_ward/status/1020592118358839296
OPINION
These Aston Villa fans are right, Micah Richards and Ross McCormack seem like they are more than happy taking their wages and not playing football, what does that say about their ambition to be footballers? Wouldn’t they rather leave and play regular football somewhere else? Players like these have been taking advantage of Villa’s big contract offers for years and that’s why the club is the financial situation that it is now. Regardless of their recent investment, the Villa wage bill must come down, so fans will be hoping that these two players leave before the end of the transfer window. Don’t count on it.