Aston Villa reunion in the Algarve
In between gruelling double training sessions at their Algarve hideaway, it is unlikely Villa’s players are short of subjects to talk about.
From a certain viewpoint, Villa’s pre-season camp has elements of an awkward school reunion, with remnants of the ill-fated class of 2015/16 returning to a club with whom they had hoped to make a permanent break long before now.
There is plenty of catching-up to be done and in many cases introductions to be made.
To Carles Gil and Jordan Veretout, two players who have made no secret of their desire to depart post-haste, the dressing room must be barely recognisable to the one they left 12 months ago.
The scale of upheaval at Villa over that period has been remarkable.
John Terry this week became the 18th signing since Tony Xia’s take-over and the bulk of the squad is now made up of the first – and failed – rebuild under Roberto Di Matteo and the ongoing one being carried out by Steve Bruce. Players who will have a huge part to play this season are mixed with those who already appear to have their hearts set on leaving, along with several more who are facing at best uncertain futures and could find themselves elsewhere by the time the transfer window closes next month.
Keeping the latter two groups happy while at the same time focusing minds for what is a crucial campaign is therefore the test which presents itself to Bruce in the opening weeks of pre-season.
It is far from a unique challenge. Almost every manager in the game would like to get the majority of their business done before pre-season begins but it almost never pans out that way.
Owing to the club’s less-than-stellar record in the market, a host of Bruce’s Villa predecessors have found themselves in a similar situation.
Yet while others have opted for division and bomb squads, Bruce’s approach, for now, is one of conciliation. Given the uncertainty of the weeks ahead, it is a shrewd tactic.
Right now, it appears almost inconceivable the likes of Gil and Veretout, or Jordan Amavi to take another example, will remain on the club’s books much longer.
Nothing, however, is guaranteed, not in this game and particularly so when Villa are determined to hold out for the best fees possible.
Keeping all avenues open, no matter how unlikely they might appear, is the only sensible option.
As the weeks progress, the manager will be able to further shape the squad the way he wants it, with the anticipated outgoings supplemented by a handful of quality incomings.
For the time being, there is a balancing needed to keep everyone happy.
