It has been the same all through the years that I have supported us. The team that won promotion in 75 was soon broken up to create the swashbuckling one from 1977 (Gray, Little AND Deehan all getting 20 goals in the same season!), that in turn was broken up with the sales of three better players - Gray, Gidman and Deehan, to allow Saunders to create that side.
A side with a couple of kids from the youth and reserve sides and some quality professional to which team meant more than the individual, that proved to be the most successful for decades past and to come.
And so it went on through the 90s - coming 2nd and selling Platt. The league cup winning teams of 94 and 96 with no 'star' names unless you were a Villan, the promise of the Yorke, Collymore and Savo forward line and into the 21st century we have been there or thereabouts, looking up at a stronger and stronger glass ceiling.
Only for 19/09/2006 to come around and the club being bought by one Randy Lerner and three years of competitiveness towards the top of the table, beating those we should and giving a bloody nose to those for whom European nights were not something to cherish (Ajax 2009 anyone) but something they fit in every year.
Then two shocking seasons though not as disastrous as some would have us believe, I write this with the utmost confidence that come May no-one will be able to link me back to it with a smirk.
So where does the fault for the demise of the last two years lie - Houllier? McLeish or as a lot believe MO'N? For they have all agreed to work for AVFC under whatever constraints the owner has put in place (well OK as soon as some restrain was pointed in the direction of MO'N he walked, but you see what I'm getting at) OR does it lie at Randy's door?
As much as I too blame the initial manager for an awful lot of what has happened recently, I often read that Randy too has to shoulder a good amount of the 'blame', especially in the modern internet crazy world where someone has to be blamed for everything that happens, to anything and especially something as emotive as a football club. But what can I personally blame him for let's see:
I can 'blame' him for taking a gamble that never paid off. I refer of course to the monies spent chasing the that 4th place and CL football. Then again it is his club - as much as we believe it to be ours that simply is not the case - to do with as he see fit. For supporting his manager with money that he resolves himself of any blame though as that is what I as a fan wanted and agreed with at the time.
I can 'blame' him for giving MO'N too much freedom, almost unchecked, in the transfer market, for allowing him to sign rough diamonds and ne'er do wells as opposed to nurturing the talent available in the youth team. Again he was supporting his manager in that manager's plan, was it wrong, I felt so at the time and still do. Too much of our youth was allowed to walk out through the door whilst being replaced with players I felt no better in the short or long term. Beye for Cahill; NRMediocre for Davis / Gardner just two examples. Again though Randy was doing what a good chairman does - albeit rather naively concerning the finacnes - supporting the manager.
I cannot blame him for Houlliers ill health, at the time of GH agreeing to be our manager I thought him to be a good choice out of what was available. Towards the end the football was coming on, we had changed the way we played, we looked better and I'm sure if things had been allowed to continue would have improved further this year. Again Randy supported the manager with funds - Makoun and Bent.
Can I blame him for getting in McLeish - well as opposed to a lot NO I couldn't and didn't.
On Alex McLeish, people point to 2 relegations in 3 yrs / 3rd in a 2 horse race but forget that he took over when Rangers were in a shocking position post Advocaat (the money was gone - sound familiar) and took them to cups and titles too, add in the fact that the 3rd in a 2 horse race season also saw Rangers being the first Scottish side to get out of it's CL group, only going out on away goals to Villareal and you can see that maybe his record isn't as bad as some would have us think.
He came from small heath - so what.
He got them relegated - for me again, so what. He never played that cup final side again after the final such were the injuries they endured (and we enjoyed).
Out of those with hats in the ring at the time he was, to me, at least their equal. Martinez; Coyle; McLaren; Curbishley and FSW all held nothing I wanted to see at Villa Park. And although I stand in an increasing minority I still feel he can turn it around, though if he is given the chance has to be seen.
Away from the managerial position I cannot blame Randy for taking the club into the 21st century with the changes he has made to the way things work in the background, from our excellent ticket office, to the Holte Pub and the ever impressive Bodymoor. It was something that had to happen, some of which although not directly impacting on the football side do help the club to function better as a business anda bloody big one at that.
I can 'blame' him for taking his eye off the finances, though it may well be that he thought the 'success' of 4th (something I will forever hate UEFA, Sky and the 'Champions' League for) would bring in finance that justified the gamble. As fans it was what I guess all of us would do, the emotion and need for success overriding everything, including common sense.
I cannot, especially looking around at the likes of Pompey and Rangers, blame him for looking to take hold of them. Indeed, there is an excellent article out there on the interweb that I read today that breaks our finances down very well, please look it up (there is a thread about our finances and a link on page 18 Here
Have the 'cuts' gone too far - quite possibly but I think foundations are being laid from where we can grow, Not everythnig in football is easy, see our last two seasons, but it doesn't mean it is wrong thing to follow the right path.
If I were Randy I would look to do three things:
- Instill stability, another change of manager although gaining popularity with the fans, could actually destabilise things further. We've had four(counting KMac) in 18 or so months.
- Increase the football awareness aspect of the board, who although good at the administration and business aspects may require a little expertise and knowhow every so often. For fan acclaim I would expand Ian Taylors role into maybe a NED.
- Stay with the club, it's now in your blood do not walk away, the ride as I said initially will be a bumpy one but it's one we can succeed at.
- (ok I said 3, whatever as the kids say).. Talk to the fans, through the OS, twitter, Facebook whatever but talk to us regularly, we know you are a quiet man but it is nice to hear from you what our plans are and how we are moving towards achieving them (and/or the reasons why not).
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