nick76

I sit here on the first day of the season writing a few hours before watching our first game. Normally I'm really excited and feeling this could be the year to win the FA Cup, maybe we can surprise a few and pinch 4th in the league.....all dreams but that's the excitement of the first day, the over expectations or dreams of the elusive. This season though I sit here writing, still very excited but very worried, hoping that we get off to a good start so we are not fighting relegation battle all season, that key players don't get injured because we don't have quality to back them up......the board have changed us from dreaming of what could be to fearing what could happen by your actions....

Why when something good happens to me, something equally bad happens to me straight afterwards and vice versa. Seems to be very equal in goodness and badness. Happened again today, something great happened this morning and then something of equal measure in my mind anyway of badness happened this afternoon. I even expect it these days. If something bad happens I expect something good later to happen.......instant balance in the world. I know I sound loopy.....

Will there be any other comments/announcements/statements coming from Randy over the next few weeks?

Ireland was playing with Gabby being the lone striker today and, as we saw, Gabby doesn't play on the shoulder on the last defender in the same way as Bent does.

Ireland's game is all about through balls to the frontman, or surging runs past the defence, and that's not going to happen when playing with Gabby upfront and static midfield around him.

When Makoun came on, his passing and movement brought others into the game. We've yet to properly see Ireland in a midfield with Makoun and Delph with Bent up front, so lets hope we get the cahnce at Derby on Wednesday.

gabby played really well on his own up front when MON was in charge but he seems a different player now. He seems to have lost his spark?

seemed to happen after that close season when he bulked up, hasn't been the same since

General,

Given your expectations mentioned in your previous comment which is at stark contrast to Alex's who feels 9th will be difficult, if Alex achieves 9th which I assume he will feel a successful season, whereas this will be a disappointing season to you, will you and the board be searching for a new manager? Or will the board review their decisions of this close season and take some of the blame? It seems the manager and the fans agree of our level in the league but the board are setting unrealistic aims or at least one member of the board is. Always great to be optimistic but out of anybody the board need to be realistic.

I think it is time the fans, as they have always done back the club, can I ask will the board be joining us any time soon this close season or forthcoming season? The fans support the club, will the board be supporting us as well? At the moment you are just hurting the club!!!

for everyone saying randy hasn't been spending... who do you think is making up our financial shortfalls every year. if the downing and young momey isn't there it'll be coz it was used to pay wages in the past

I'm edging towards being on Randys side but I think.....I think, you are contradicting yourself there or Randy was just loaning us the money until we make some big sales I.e. Young and Downing

General,

Well from Alex's comments the action you meant a month ago was Given and N'Zogbia and no more, after all the players that have left leaving us down to the bare bones and all the money we have recouped this summer it makes a very long hard season ahead doesn't it? I pray we avoid all injuries or we could have problems. Can i ask, is the action you mentioned just Given and N'Zogbia? Or was it something else?

General,

Given that you have said that Randy will back the manager on this forum and I have no reason to doubt that. Given that it has previously been mentioned how small our squad is before the end of the season. Given we have lost so many players in close season, 3 of significance and a number of others you would agree are at least 1st team squad members if not better.

Then Alex concludes we only need Given and one other.....Randy must be questioning his appointment of Alex following that statement given our squad size and now depleted quality???

With a chairman ready to back you, a depleted squad, the loss of at least 3 key players and arguably around 10 players from the playing squad. You would expect the manager to want to sign more wouldn't you? Expect to sign more? Surely? Am I missing something because this is baffling

So action will be Given and one other player, words from our new manager......god help us all. General, what did you mean by action specifically if it was not regarding players as the manager has now told us?

and what was with the club statement. I appreciate being kept up to date with what the Villa are doing as we usually dont get told but the statement from the club was amateurish at best. Yes we have a agreed a fee for Downing.....but honestly everybody we are trying to get a keeper. The part also about the goalkeeper stengthening our squad...no shit sherlock seeing as we dont have a 1st choice keeper at the moment.

Honestly I just dont understand what is going on with the club.....aside from hiring Alex, i could almost accept that, and I will over time. The problem I have is that we have great attacking strength with Young and Downing, that attack with speed, create opportunities and I assume is one of the reasons Darren Bent came to our club and then not only did we sell Young, which we expected but we sold/are selling Downing....yes we argue he put a transfer request in but why didnt we lock him into a longer contract when he wanted one, why didnt we just say he cant go until next season like we did with Barry (he had a good season that season). Almost seems like we give in straight away........

What must Darren Bent be thinking now, where is his supply going to come from? Yeah he'll be all fine to everybody and positive about getting the number 9 shirt but he must be questioning things inside

What are our strengths now? our defence struggled last year and we have lost a goalkeeper since then, and yes we are trying to get another keeper. Obviously Kyle Walker has gone back to Spurs so we are another down in defence. Our midfield has lost the two attacking/flair players and NRC.....and then our squad is thin away with a number of fringe players being released which is fine but we are now at bare bones......

Just wondering what our strategy is because there seems a lot to do and players arent cheap even very average ones.......

you can understand why fans are nervous, so many excellent and fringe players leaving.....rumours (and yes only rumours) of not a lot of money and a wage bill that still needs to be cut (managed). I dont expect you to answer any of this but Randy must be aware of all this, I know that sounds obvious and I know he will but it just seems like he is unaware because otherwise why is this all happening, why is it all just unfolding infront of our eyes........

General,

Yesterday I thought well at least we are at our lowest point that we could be and looking at my little nephew I need to continue to bring him into the Villa family. My sister-in-law family are all blue noses but between my mom and me, we are confident we will bring him to our side rather than the dark side as their club is a joke. I thus ordered him the full Villa away kit yesterday, so he could be proud to wear the Villa the colours......another day goes by and the Board have made me question them again. I never want to see him go to the Blose and that will never happen but part of me is thinking do I want to bring him into the Villa family to suffer what the board are doing to the club. As my previous post to you said, we are to not listen to the media but wait for your actions........so I re-iterate.....

Recent Actions:

1. Young gone (expected),

2. Alex appointed which only the board thought was a good idea and

3. Now Downing fee being agreed.......

the boards actions are speaking very loudly. I'm deeply embarrassed by the club.......what are your thoughts? I assume you will say wait and see or Randy always backs the manager but it is getting a little weary at the moment

So we are still waiting for action? Ignoring the words as you say....still waiting?

So far we have sold our star player who we knew was going anyway and hired a manager who it appears nobody wanted apart from the board.......not great action you would agree. So we are still waiting for action

General,

I have just pre-ordered my Away shirt, which I will wear with pride. Can I ask that you and your board make that a little easier in the next month before I receive my shirt because at the moment I'm proud to be a Villa fan but I'm not proud of my club as everything coming out at the moment is negative. As you say action speak louder than words, I think we need to start seeing some actions because all we have is words at the moment and those are mainly negative words either through potential players wanting to leave, respected press conveying limited transfers likely, fans unhappy with the manager and views about the board are well documented throughout the media channels.......so please make me proud

I personally believe that personal insults and disrespect is not the way any of us should act....

I completely agree that personal insults and disrespect is not the way any of us should act, and I have not done that and I cringe when fellow Villa fans do do it, but on the same note do not you not think it is disrespectful that the board has not listened to the fan base regarding the appointment of the manager.

While you may argue it is but a few, I would argue that along with the protest, there has been the message boards, the radio talk ins, the press and general feeling amongst the fans and what seems the majority are not in favour of this appointment yet the board has decided to do it anyway. So surely that is disrespectful to the fan base? The fans, who are the lifeblood oif the club have pleaded through whatever means possible (some bad I agree) that they don't want this, yet the board have still gone ahead with it knowing that we as fans will turn up anyway because of our love for the club........surely that is disrespecting the wishes of the fan base? I know the Villa isnt a democracy and Villa fans have no say but when a key decision is being made and the fans are so opposed to it, it's strange the board ignores that.......disrespects that......would you not agree?

Can I ask who the key advisors are that advise the board? I assume we have spoken to many many people but there is always close key advisors in any big decision in a business, who were ours on this managerial appointment?

No way this is going to happen, it doesn't make any kind of sense. Like everybody on here I've thought and thought about this and it makes no sense. I know that's not a valid reason why it won't happen but I'll be shocked if he is appointed. I'm just shocked the club have let it drag on like this, for what reason I don't know because it has tarnished the affection we have for RL and GK

We won't get moyes put money on it

Quote or link on this?

Morning fellow villans. Day 6 of the Steve campaign, hopefully today will be his day.

Day 6 of failure then

While i would agree that Mr Lerner should recruit somebody that he believes is right for the club as he will be the one held accountable by the fans. I would urge you to get at least a feeling of how the fans feel about the next appointment. I dont mean post it on a message board but if you feel like somebody is the right person then review what the message boards say about that person as it may give an insight to how well that manager will be received. You seem to have done this with McLaren, which is great.

General, can I ask a favour. When the sad day comes, hopefully not for many many years that you step down from involvement from Aston Villa in the capacity you are in now, can you write a book about your times at Aston Villa because as a fan I would love to read it. In the position you are in, the ear of Randy and a legend to Villa fans, to see how you see things whether because you know whats going on or just that you have come to this new environment which is very different to the Marines, how you have probably wanted some fans to sod off or even the press, then to the great moments you have walking and chatting to people around Villa park.....I think it would be a very interesting perspective. I hope it is something you would consider because as football fans we love to here about the past in our clubs. Just a thought anyway.

Or the board are flooding the media with McLaren because we are so fickle as fans that this will lower our expectations so much that when we do appoint somebody we will be relieved and happy it isn't McLaren

How can you be a good coach but a crap manager - I mean how would you know ? -

Stuart Gray was always touted as a top coach - but so far as I am aware never did anything to justify his tag

Dont know enough about Stuart Gray to comment. But Carlos Quieroz was/is the same. Some coaches are great at training the players, man management and day to day work but when it is a manager and making those vital decisions in matches to change games or how to play against certain opposition or player they dont have that or dont have it to the level we need as a manager.

I'd have MON back over McClaren. Hell, I'd have O'Leary back over McClaren.

NO to McClaren!

I respect your opinion,but i disagree. It has to be steve for me.

What is wrong with you? Mclaren? Really?

Good coach mate. Title winner,fashionable and he has great hair.

Seriously,if we can`t get ancelotti i think steve is the next best option.

Only if every other manager is dead or refuses us. Good coach I agree but as a manager I dont

I'd have MON back over McClaren. Hell, I'd have O'Leary back over McClaren.

NO to McClaren!

I respect your opinion,but i disagree. It has to be steve for me.

Hi Steve, welcome to the Villa. I assume you know the General posts on here and are trying to improve your chances of getting the job hahahahahah 4 votes out of 611 for you to get this job on the board.........i.e. nooooooooooooooooooo chance, see ya!

It is alright saying get Ancelotti as it will show the ambition the club has but what is the point of ambition if the cash is not there to back it up. Say we wanted to be ambitious and go for CL we would need to spend more than the current 5 or 6 teams to catch up and the overtake them.

Plus it will need higher wage costs at a time when revenues are going down in some areas and wages are over 75% turnover it may a massive risk to the clubs future

well I'm sure Ancelotti wouldn't come without some commitment of funds would he. We have backed the manager haven't we, probably not to the sums you are suggesting but we have been 6th for the last seasons, and with a bad season still 9th. We have some real quality in the squad so doesn't need a massive overhaul so a few key acquisitions and some luck we could go close to fourth place......