Gareth Barry

[TightEnd]

A year ago its all "I want to play in the champions league desperately" and Villa have a major job to persuade him not to go to Liverpool

Villa fail to make the champions league this year, so, fair enough, you expect him to go to Liverpool. Gerrard wants him there, Rafa presumably would take him there

but no Man C. To get him they are paying him a reported £100,000 a week with an assurance that he'll be involved in every meaningful Man c game if fit

What a farce. One shouldn't be surprised but his words of a year ago are nothing more than a hollow proclamation from yet another footballing mercanary

Barry is 29, I think. Man C are long shots to be in the champs league on a two year view I would contend.

It was, as always, just about the money for him behind a Champions League veneer for respectability purposes

[The Baron]

Yup. I personally don't think we are after him this summer but he would have walked into Arsenal's side.

[Nem]

Thank fuck Spurs never signed him. One of the most one dimensional footballers around.

[Robert HM]

£100k a week is pretty hard to refuse.

[relaedgc]

£100k a week is pretty hard to refuse.

Would change my priorities, too, likely!

[ACE2M]

Who in their right mind would refuse? football is just a career the same as everyone else's and we are all looking for a pay rise. The only place where i lose respect for a player is if he doesn't respect the national team.

[kinboshi]

Who in their right mind would refuse? football is just a career the same as everyone else's and we are all looking for a pay rise. The only place where i lose respect for a player is if he doesn't respect the national team.

But when they come out and say that like Adebayor did, they get slated.

Barry obviously lied though.  I expect he'll get a great reception when he goes back to play at Villa Park with Citeh.

[mondatoo]

Why would he turn it down to be a squad player at liverpoool,gl to him imo mbn but that's the life they live so gl to him pretty sure mostpeople would do the same

[boldie]

Why would he turn it down to be a squad player at liverpoool,gl to him imo mbn but that's the life they live so gl to him pretty sure mostpeople would do the same

Yep, this makes sense. It's not like he's going to their nearest rival or something. He also needs to keep playing every week to get a chance in the National squad and at Liverpool he probably wouldn't play every week. He can make a ridic amount of money and play every week, fair play to him.

[Josedinho]

He wants more money, just like the rest of us - which is fine but he would never come out and say that unlike the rest of us.

[gatso]

yep, agreed, I've never understood this criticising of footballers who move for the money.

it hurts if they do it from your club but even then deep down you understand

[boldie]

He wants more money, just like the rest of us - which is fine but he would never come out and say that unlike the rest of us.

Yeah that seems to be a footie thing. As soon as someone goes "I want to make more money so I'm off to another club" he is classed as greedy and disloyal.

[Rooky9]

Football like a normal career? Maybe. My main career aim isn't to earn xxx though. I have recently jumped ship from a loyal employer, more money helped but it wasn't the driver.  I'm less inclined to slate forballers for doing it now though. It all depends on how Barry performs for man city for me. If he plays to the top of his game, they make Europe next year and CL at any point during his time there then he has made the right move.

I think leaving now, where villa make 12m profit on a 29 year old with 1 year of a contract remaining seems to work all round.

[The Baron]

He wants more money, just like the rest of us - which is fine but he would never come out and say that unlike the rest of us.

Disagree, once you get into the EPL paygrade.

It's the choice between being uber rich and a bit richer. His life will not be affected by the difference in wages between say 80k per week and 100k per week.

[Hairydude]

Being a regular starter would also have been a major factor considering the world cup is next year...that and that £28+ million he is reported to be getting up until the ripe old age of 34