AVFCinSpain

I was interested in the following Neville quote as part of the BBC article. "It will take a bit of time but we are working on it at the moment and remain optimistic. We would still love to take the club over." The tone of this statement seems to me, to be very different to earlier comments from him. It's going to take time, well they've been at it for months already, and we would still love to take the club over. This sounds like they are not certain of the outcome. Once again I suspect Ellis is being as difficult as possible, making impossible requests to encourage the Comers to give up. Can't we ask the undertaker guy who carried out the financial investigation to offer Ellis a cut price deal, Ellis just couldn't resist any offer to save him money, even his own funeral.

Petcy certainly has enough clout to make life uncomfortable for Ellis, but he is choosing not to do so. Someone said Petchy is a business man and that is true, he'll do whatever is in his interests, and at this time it appears to be to sit tight.

Agreed, and if the 10 mill had any influence on transfers, is that the kind of owners we would like? I would like people that are ready to invest in the club, not Ellis clones. It works the other way around too, you know. As said before, even if they can afford they won't be paying a price they don't think mathces the value. You wouldn't do it, I wouldn't do it. It's hard to say whom of them is right or wrong though. I think this is right, the problem is valuation and the two sides disagree and it is probably down to "who blinks first". Unfortunately, I don't think Ellis is going to, unless the likes of Petchy put some pressure on.

But you've just said it, he lies!!!

Obviously they dont value the business as highly as ellis. I doubt very much that they can't raise £10 million - more likely they cant justify the valuation There in lies the problem, a closer investigation of the books has indicated £64m is not good value and maybe the Comers are now playing on how much Ellis wants to sell. Unfortunately, I fancy they will lose, as Ellis doesn't want to.

Rumour has it that the latest operation was to ensure his wallet was secure, as the strings had got a bit loose in the summer.

Given the due diligence exercise, it seems likely that they've found the books lacking in terms of supporting Ellis' valuation. Would also have to agree with Denis. We are unfortunately, very unlikely to find an investor who is a die hard Villa fan. Therefore, anyone putting in money will want to see a return on their investment, and more importantly, want to have control. As I've thought since this saga began, Ellis will only be departing in his box.

Ian, I agree that if Ellis was a little creative in his portfolio, it wouldn't have been too difficult for the Comers to find out more from other sources, but perhaps they initially believed Uncle Doug's spiel, and only due diligence has flushed out the half truths (lies). However, if the land is not worth what Ellis reckons, the Comers will I guess, say enough is enough. With regard to Pompey, I thought the money involved is £15m for 50% now and an option for the other half at some time in the future.

Ellis will confuse and distract in anyway he can, and I'm sure he knows plenty of ways, he's had enough practice. If he can deflect the flak for a period, he will, he's done it plenty of times in the past. He will never sell his ego trip willingly and his reasonable recovery from the bypass probably has him believing in his own immortality. Perhaps the Comers wanted to buy, but whatever the portfolio included, if it did contain inaccuracies (lies), maybe due diligence has brought them out and Comers are hoping to renegotiate. In which case, forget it, Doug will put up another smokescreen and the Comers will just quietly fold up their tents and steal away.

Ian, Why should Ellis change the habits of a life time at B6? He's not said he's going. He's not said he's selling, only might if the right offer is made, whatever the right offer is for Ellis. He has publically said he supports the salary cap proposed by Caborn, that's in the future and why if he's sold Villa, should he care?

Which is?

Ian, You reckon Ellis is telling the truth for once!!! :roll:

Ellis has never had any intention of selling, it's all been part of his smokescreen to keep fans off his back since the AGM. He's a cunning coniving old man, who by the look of it, has probably outsmarted the Comers. I can't believe they didn't have the intention to buy Villa, but whether they can raise the money or not is probably irrelevent at the end of the day, and if they can't raise the readies, it's just the excuse Ellis would like to say, "I tried but they hadn't the money" and we will be back in lah lah land again. Of course, due diligence may have uncovered some of Uncle Doug's practices to balance the books he's so proud of, and the Comers don't think £64m is value for money. Bring on the box Ellis keeps talking about, it looks like the only way things will change!!

True Bob, the fans don't know what's happening and the press are doing their usual, print any rubbish to fill a space. However, I've never been able to accept that Ellis will sell voluntarily. At his age what does another great wedge of cash provide that he's not already got or could have? Being the Big Wheel at Villa Park is all that interests him and I don't believe he's going to give that up. Compare that to Pompey where Mandaric has the club at heart and is welcoming the Russian's investment, and I'm sure an eventual takeover. All this being achived in a very short time scale because Mandaric is the very opposite to Ellis, he wants the best for the club. I know the takeover scenarios are not a like with like comparison, but if Ellis was a willing participant, it wouldn't be taking this long. :x

Doug is remaining true to form. Continually confusing the fans with conflicting reports being dribbled out by his mouthpieces. The one thing he's said that you can believe is, "I'll only leave Villa Park in a box". Don't like to say it, but in his case, I'll make an exception, please let it be soon. He's never going to voluntarily give up the ego trip he gets from being in control at B6.

I don't think he's the right manager long term. OK, he's got some good results over Christmas, but his longer term record is still poor. As Malcolm said, still a lot of games left.

From BBC Football web page "And Portsmouth have already been linked with Chelsea striker Mikael Forssell and midfield trio Leon Osman (Everton), Steve Sidwell (Reading) and Michael Tonge (Sheffield United). The manager met this week with Mandaric, executive director Velimir Zajec and chief executive Peter Storrie to start planning their transfer activity" Sounds similar to how Ellis forward plans, except he's normally doing this sort of exercise if at all, in August. Lets hope if the £20m is true DOL can get on with it before the decent players are already gone.

I hope not. We don't want another midfielder of Butt's type. Berger I can understand, will add to the squad some skile and ingenuity. Butt not a lot, going on his Newcastle form, just going through the motions and picking up his wages for as little effort as possible :evil: .

According to the Mirror today, DOL is interested in geting Butt in the summer for £1.5m. I don't know what other on VT think but Butt is well past his best and his performance on Sunday made me think he was still wearing a ManUre shirt. He's well past his best, and hasn't performed for the Magpies. If we're going for some mature cheap players, Villa should go for more skilful players than Butt, whose days as a midfield hardman are finished. Although a different type of player, give me Berger anytime.

If we could get him for around £1m plus sensible wages, he'd be a good squad player, but can't see him accepting squad wages or Soton a £1m :roll: