Jareth

I also read that from now on, as accounts are put in for scrutiny in March, that penalties will be announced before the season ends, and penalties now include points or disqualification from promotion or play offs. In other words there's just no getting around the rules now. Would love to know how they have got down from £120 mill to £83 mill.

Having done some amateur sums in the FFP thread, it does appear that Tony has spent the absolute maximum he is allowed so far, and has been completely hamstrung by the losses incurred the last two seasons of the prem. We also are yet to see what sponsorship advantages he has brought in, there will be no accounts reflecting how he operates the business until next Spring. If we stay down again, I think his plan next summer will be hugely designed by FFP (i.e. 13 mill max overspend a season) as such I can definitely see him playing a more patient game and probably with a new Wagner esque manager, mostly playing the yoof. He should probably go the whole hog and get some promising Chinese players in too.

So with this news from John Percy that we are now doing ok with regard to FFP, I was hoping that someone who knows all about it can shed a little light. Villa were teetering on the edge of the stringent new rules on February when the deficit stood at £81.3million - with clubs allowed to post losses of £83million. http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/reports-summer-sales-help-aston-13572625 Thought I would simplify this post from what it was - 2014/15 - £26 mill loss 2015/16 - £81 mill loss 2016/2017 - approx £13 mill loss (after being given the summer window to comply) We are specifically allowed to lose £83 million over the last three seasons total. We have lost £120 mill, even being conservative. I haven't the foggiest how Tony has clawed that back to £83 mill, even after player sales. Maybe there is some creative sponsorship afoot after all...

Is this a large part of the reason he is still in charge?

Will be interesting to see what the Championship do next, there has been a lot of petitioning by owners to lift FFP and as the third most watched league in Europe it's a matter of time before they rebrand as Premier League 2. As for parachute payments, they are a huge advantage as it stands, so long as the club actually want to spend the money, Sunderland for example. A third season in the championship will not be good news, but I would love to see a Villa team built around the yoof and we need to get the likes of o'Hare signed up now, we can flog Kodjia to bridge the gap next season, Gabby and Hutton off the wage book too.

Well as Trent says, some folks plain just don't hold any value in win ratios full stop - so no point in hammering an opinion on that one. If you happen to believe the opposite, again, what is the point debating it, some folks are in it for a long winded debate more so than anything else and today there simply ain't the time mon ami!

Fair enough.

OK, so only this side of the argument is ignoring facts? Jesus wept.

Well I hear this all the time when it comes to win ratios, but it just ain't so simple to say that a win ration achieved in the prem is better than one achieved in the championship. Premiership managers have premiership squads, championship managers have championship squads. If anything the championship is more competitive, the prem has about 4 teams who could win the thing - not so in the championship. And if this sounds like codswallop, please explain why.

They have very different jobs.

It's not like sacking managers past...

He'll get 1 year's pay.

I like this team, maybe give Kodjia the last 20 mins instead of Green and like you say Whelan or Jedinak dependent on fitness. Can see Snodgrass and Hourihane doing lots of damage so long as Davis keeps up his form.

If Tony goes for someone like Clotet it will be because Bruce has failed badly over the next five games. It would be a very good position for a new manager to begin work, as expectations will be adjusted to give him time to implement his style and also Tony will be somewhat redeemed amongst the board and the 'football' men, as technically they will both have picked a wrong un as manager previously.

#PotatoBot

I hate to indulge in Bruce ridicule outside of the Bruce thread, but the thought of Steve Bruce using Twitter really did make me chuckle.

Well a bruised potato is ugly but give it a peel and a good mashing and you've got a great lunch. Might need some gravy as well. And some sausages.

Yeah but apart from that...

Yeah, I would say Gary was worth more too, just needs a whole season of game time and I am sure his value will increase - Forest loved him when he went there.

Pretty much sums up the Bruce outers and their general approach to EVERY thread on VT.

£1,000,000.01

You would think, but surely all Tony need do is show him his cave of gold and job's a good 'un. Also what the actual F is the lure of West Ham?

Benitez open to offers from similar sized premier league clubs - so rules us out, but would be 6 mill well spent if only Tony could get in his ear!

Steady on, Ross has much better dress sense

Also - Bruce buys Jota = clueless manager keeps buying players. Bruce doesn't buy Jota = clueless manager misses out on good players. Annnnnd repeat....