Djemba_Villan

5.5 million euros

If true not terrible business, considering he's in his final contract year so would walk free in 10 months or so. 

Plus the £80k/week or so frees up about £4M over a year.

Saw an article on Newsnow where Ron Vlaar talks about Villa's drinking culture, specifically saying that a few of the other lads might have made the world cup (besides him, Guzan and Benteke (usually)) were it not for their drinking.

I found it mildly interesting. Might explain some rationale behind appointing Keane? Cant see him standing for Weimann and co on the beer every weekend. I really really hope we hold onto Vlaar. I was only thinking the other day, our starting XI isnt THAT bad. Losing players like him, Delph and Benteke would be enormous.

Well, I'm fairly well placed to offer advice as I did an almost identical trip last year. Ours, for the record covered - LON-New York(2 ni)-Rio(3ni)-Ihla Grande(3ni)-Paratay(2ni)-Sao Paolo(1ni)-Iguazzu(2ni)-Overnight bus-Buenos Aires(3ni)-LON

I'm envious of the fact that you have slightly more time available to you, as I can honestly say, you'll have an absolutely fantastic trip! 

Highlights for me were Rio, Ihla Grande and Iguazzu.

If you wanted to include the Amazon or Buenos Aires, you could do a lot worse than drop Paraty IMO - It was enjoyable, but it'll get lost amongst the other places you're visiting. A lovely beach, a short bus ride from Paraty was Trinidade...you might want to investigate whether this place might compensate for dropping Salvador if you're intent on the amazon.

Buenos Aires, this might be controversial, but I wasn't overawed by the place. It was comparable to a scruffy European City, like a Paris without the obvious sights. It did have pretty amazing steaks though. You might want to fly back from here, in which case, get the overnight bus from Puerto Iguassu. It takes a while, but the busses are very comfortable, the only annoyance is the constant drug checkpoints. I'm not sure if they are always as regular as when we were there however. If you're hostelling, I recommend Milhouse hostel..it had a good atmosphere, was cheap, but not full of 17 year olds.

Rio - Mind blowing. I absolutely loved this city. Similarly, Iguazzu is the most impressive natural sight I've seen. 2 days barely seemed enough, but if you're on a tight schedule, you'll have no choice.

I can't comment on Salvador. Lots of people recommended it to us however, similarly with Forteleza in the north.

Depending upon what you and your missus are like, one additional option might be to visit a working estancia. I had my heart set on one, but had to settle for a tourist one in Buenos Aires, however with your additional time, it might be an option. This was the one I was thinking of - http://panagea-uruguay.blogspot.co.uk/ - it also has the benefit of ticking of Uruguay if you so wished.

Sao Paolo - I personally enjoyed it, it's a metropolis of a city, slightly rough once you venture away from the nice areas, worth a stopover if it fits, but not a place to aim for. We only went there to hook up with a few girls who we'd 'befriended' in Rio

I've probably not helped at all, but If you need any specific advice, don't hesitate to ask. All I would say is:-

Dont listen too much to the stories regarding safefy in places like Rio...it's overblown IMO - we both felt very safe
Don't skimp on your time in Ihla Grande or Iguazzu

Go to Lapa in Rio for some very enjoyable nightlife
Lopes Mendes beach on Ihla Grande...as nice a beach (and enjoyable boat + trek) as you're ever likely to experience
Invest in a good SLR camers
Enyoy Caiprinhas and acai fruit

Be careful not to be caught gawping at the Brazilian girls, your Mrs may not appreciate it
Do your best to get some Reals before you leave. Withdrawing money in Brazil is a bloody nightmare, as it's pretty sporadic which cashpoints work with UK banks at any one time.
Learn a tiny bit of Portugese before you leave, its MASSIVELY appreciated and if my experience is anything to go by, they'll really like you for making the effort.

Again, anything else, please ask.
 

 

Looks like Celtic will be looking for a new manager. That might be a big carrot 

 

Neil Lennon is to end his four-year spell as Celtic manager over concerns about his playing budget.

 

Or not...

 

Celtic will win their league irregardless of budget. Our budget means were at a very high risk or relegation, which would ruin his career. I know I'd be considering it if I were him.

Bit of a conspiracy theory here...but maybe, besides the obvious financial reasons, there might have been a personnel clash between Karsa and Culverhouse and Bent/Hutton/Given/Delfouneso/N'Zogbia to exacerbate the bomb squad relations?

Bit of a conspiracy theory here...but maybe, besides the obvious financial reasons, there might have been a personnel clash between Karsa and Culverhouse and Bent/Hutton/Given/Delfouneso/N'Zogbia to exacerbate the bomb squad relations?

I think the only way us Villa fans can look at this without getting too despondant (dont worry, I feel the same too) - is to think of this as........We have a hungry striker, who used to be good, who will be busting a gut to make an impression during the final year of his contract to earn a pay day at the end of it. Let's just hope he scrapes enough goals to see us through this potentially abysmal season. 

One bonus is that we will have a big target man (Kozak, then Benteke) to play alongside him, as he always has had wherever he's flourished.

Hutton, again, will be busting a gut to make an impression and might be a decent option against some of the opposition.

One thing I noticed at the Spurs away game, was the lack of height/build in our team. I'd say that about 8 of the Spurs players were considerably bigger than our lads. Cant help but feel that this is a hinderance, and something we need to address to provide us some PL consistency.

 

 

Pat murphy tweet,

Keith Harris,investment banker who finessed Lerner's takeover of Villa in '06 on board again for sale,along with Merrill Lynch.RL trusts him

Understand Harris starting from scratch,that RL doesn't have buyer up his sleeve.Any deal wouldn't go ahead without Harris' recommendation

 

I really don't believe that there is currently no interest, or that Randy woke up this morning and called up his banker mates to get the ball rolling. This has been going on for a while IMO.

 

 

What about if Randy has been trying to sell us on the quiet for a couple of years with no takers - realising that relegation is a distinct possibility next season - this is his last ditch effort to sell us a top flight club ? 

 

Ok i'm usually an optimist..but that post is soberingly probable 

Wonder if he'll recover just in time to be sold in January to Arsenal.

I take heart from the face that Doug Ellis had 5 potential suitors when Randy brought us. Therefore justifying my opinion that Villa are a far, far, far more attractive proposition than say the likes of Everton and West Brom who have been for sale for ages.

Grant holt ‏@Grantholt31

Big thanks to all the players staff and fans @AVFCOfficial really enjoyed being there and good luck in the future.

cue a load of undeserved stick.

My favourite part of the statement is this...

 

"I owe it to Villa to move on, and look for fresh, invigorated leadership, if in my heart I feel I can no longer do the job."

 

So Randy has stated that he is now looking to sell the club, but in the meantime his heart is not in it anymore. Not the best move from a financial perspective to openly admit that you don't want it anymore.

 

I think there is someone lined up and we just have to be patient.

 

**** hate waiting...

I read  it more that: In his hert, he know's he's not the person to offer "fresh, invirotated leadership" due to his own personal curcumstances and therefore, owes it to us to move on. 

Coudlnt really expect any more from him tbh.

 

 

Club statement: Randy Lerner

12th May 2014

Several weeks back I said that following the end of the season I would clarify my future role with the Club, and address what had become seemingly constant rumours of a sale. I have come to know well that fates are fickle in the business of English football. And I feel that I have pushed mine well past the limit. The last several seasons have been week in, week out battles and having now come through this last season unfortunately limping amidst very meaningful injuries and constant sale rumours, I feel further that now is the time for me to look for new ownership and thus new leadership. I have asked the world of Paul Lambert and Paul Faulkner and they have both delivered selflessly. On a personal level it is time for me, like the Shunammite, to dwell among my own and get on with other aspects of my career, following a sale.

Above all, the debt I owe Aston Villa whether as owner, Chairman, custodian or simply as a fan is to put the Club first. To make good on that debt, I owe it to Villa to move on, and look for fresh, invigorated leadership, if in my heart I feel I can no longer do the job.

During my time with Villa, I have tried to strengthen and improve the Club's physical infrastructure both at Villa Park and Bodymoor Heath while also trying to carry on the McGregor tradition of being mindful of the local community we serve. Above all in this effort is the connection the Club has made with Acorns; the caring, kindness and warmth that players, staff, managers and supporters have shown to Mr Strudley and Acorns has wiped away all disappointments and sobered my finest memories. Still, I can see now that it is time, if possible, to hand these privileges and responsibilities to the next person or group to take the Club forward. I am appreciative of the support I have received, even in these last years of comparative struggle when criticism was due, and will look on with others - with fingers crossed, for stronger future performance appropriate to our size and heritage.

On a practical level, the Club will continue with its normal operations and plans for the summer. I've no doubt that the core staff at both Villa Park and BMH, to whom I owe a massive debt of friendship and loyalty, will continue to guide and protect the Club through this period of transition according to their collective sense of professional pride and long term service to Villa - the vast majority having preceded my tenure.

Finally, in light of the above, I have engaged Bank of America Merrill Lynch to advise on the sale of Aston Villa.

 

 

For me that statement sums up an awful lot of what has been wrong these past few years. We've waited and waited for some decisive leadership. Then, when it arrives it's ambiguous and open to whatever interpretation you wish to push upon it.

 

Not a born leader.

 

When told we needed a spade, he promised future acquisition of the means to procure an indentation in some grounds at some point notwithstanding the price of garden tools in a market which has fluctuated since the need for a spade was first established by the Shummanite woman.

 

I dont wholehartedly agree with all of this, but it did make me laugh. Great post.

All the ITK's have been royally shown up here.  HH was the only one with an ounce of integrity.

Not sure if i'm one of the intended targets for this, but:-

I made a massive effort to distance myself from being an architypal 'ITK'er

I got told by a very reliable source, who has no reason at all to lie that Ellison is/was interested. Straight from the mouth of someone close to him within his organisation.

I made an effort to say that this didn't mean he was about to buy us, and as we all know, many things can happen i.e. Changes his mind, Crossed wires, it derived from 'hearsay', however still thought it worth posting as it was of interest to Villa fans and ok, I got excited by it.

Anyway, I think we owe some gratitude to Lerner, he tried, we nearly succeeded (first 2/3 years), we failed (regrettably), he hasn't done anything to disrespect the club, or meddled with our traditions. IMO we were luck to have had him. Fingers crossed for the future, and it could still be Ellison.

I'd love to see how many times the OS and this page have been refreshed in the last 10 minutes.

If the statement is simply 'up for sale' then that might explain Lambert's most recent remarks about a lack of investment...he's worried he'll still be here next season with the same squad (with Okore, Benteke and Kozak still not fully recovered) and the owner having an easy excuse for the lack of investment.

Very worrying if so. Also would explain why Lerner was so keen to praise Lambert.

 

 

They've just said in the news that we were thrashed last night.

It probably says everything about our defence that I'm so used to letting in four goals that I no longer see it as being thrashed anymore. It's just the norm.

If he is to stay, he needs to buy defenders. Not strikers.

 

I would suggest he needs to buy some midfielders who can offer more protection to the defence, and offer more help to the attack. Midfielders with experience and guile. Sadly missing from our current lineup.

 

 

What's the point in protecting garbage? I'd be with you if the Chuckles were not making ridiculous mistakes, giving away silly, stupid free kicks and penalties week in, week out.

 

Without a fit effective target man, we struggle to control the possession of most games (not talking just about % of time on ball, but even where we're able to contain the other team to use their possession) therefore, the likeliness of our CDs giving away fouls in key areas increases due to the higher proportion of opposition possession in and around our 'danger zones'. 

Most teams aren't unlucky enough to have their 2 target men injured at the same time for prolonged periods.

Taking last night as an example, neither Bowery nor Weimann are the hold-it-up/stretch their defence type strikers unlike Benteke/Kozak ang Gabby. Therefore, Man City were able to push up and put pressure on our defence.

Just watch any other bottom half team, it's a common issue.

 

I think for nearly an hour last night we were in the game but we couldn't defend like that all night. City have put more goals past better teams so im not that down after the result. He does look like a dead man walking though

I'm sorry mate, but stretching every sinew to defend,defend,defed and holding on for grim life is not 'being in the game'.

We didn't park the bus, we parked a fleet of buses and still got battered.

 

Yes, we were always on a hiding to nothing last night.

Yes we have injury problems.

Yes man City are champions elect.

 

But **** me, show some pride....get in their faces, harry and chase, try and play the game further up the pitch than on your own half way line.

'The shackles were off last night', according to PL.

 

So, why didn't we play like it ?

 

Hmmmm, I wonder if West Ham will approach their game on Sunday the same way we did.

They'll probably get tanked as well, but at least go down fighting.   

 

I hate this kind of argument.

That starting line-up he had available to him last night was not premier league standard (not his fault, but TERRIBLE injury luck and due to lack of NET investment)

PL has made his team punch above their weight numerous times this season, a fantastic example being the bloody REVERSE FIXTURE.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to apply basic statistics to situations like this. Going into the game, given the title challening circumstance and our lack of depth, we had a limited chance of success..on the odd ocasion we'll overcome those odds, but the MAJORITY of times we wont. You cant EXPECT to win games like last night, we adopted a game plan which was fairly effective for 60 minutes, we didnt have the available quality to turn it around. It happens, it happened to a lot of teams this year and will happen a lot more to us unless significant investment happens.

Getting rid of PL would be short team reactiveness, just another orbit of the merry-go-round and wont address the fundamental issues at the club. I have a horrible feeling that we'll be sat here debating whether <insert next manager> has what it takes too.  

 

If Lambert leaves the club, the only direction for him is down. He will not get a job better than this. He may as well stay. 

 

He won't stay as it will affect the business, ST sales will be down if he stays. Instead we will get the corporate sales pitches of an American with a new manager and repeat the cycle.

 

STs make up such a tiny proportion of the overall income to any premiership club that this effect is totally over-estmated by some. Obviously if people turned away in droves i.e average 25k attendances, we'd have a problem...but lets face it...underneath is all, we're a loyal bunch and will always fluctuate between 33 and 42k average. 

 

 

They've just said in the news that we were thrashed last night.

It probably says everything about our defence that I'm so used to letting in four goals that I no longer see it as being thrashed anymore. It's just the norm.

If he is to stay, he needs to buy defenders. Not strikers.

He bought one last summer that got injured.

 

 

Not true. He bought another one which has already been demoted to the bomb squad.

 

One central defender was not enough, and I said so at the time. The Chuckle Brothers shouldn't be anywhere near a Premier League team. It's not just about talent though. The general organisation of the defence is awful.

 

How many other comparable teams have 4 well paid, established Centre Halves?

Lambert shelled out £4M + Decent wages on a promising centre-half talent. The intended partnership was Vlaar + Okore with Clark and Baker as backup. Clark and Baker as not as bad as you make out...first team top 6 prem defenders...no.....squad players within a mid-table prem side...yes.

West Brom (unfortunately) are about our level at the moment and their centre backs are Olsson, McCauley, Dawson and Lugano. Clark and Baker are better than 3 of those.

In a way. I wouldn't mind Norwich winning today at all. It'll keep WBA sweating. My mate's smugness has been a bit tedious last couple of years. If we blew them out the water next year (with a takeover and renewed investment) I'd love to see him attempting to pretend how unbothered he'd be.

 

Larry, we're yours now. Do what you please. But please let us know NOW!

 

C'mon the Ellison link is pure fantasy. Completely ridiculous. People are losing their minds if they think there's a hint of truth to it

 

I have very good sources which contradict what you said there. I'm not saying it'll definitely 100% be him taking over...but I know beyond reasonable doubt that he is/was interested. 

(I put in a previous post a while back..i'm not an attentions seeking childish 'ITK'..just passing on information I've been told from someone I've no reason to doubt whatsoever.)

Mourinho, unquestionably a world class manager, would have undoubtedly become a broken man &  hounded out of Villa Park by the Solomonic & wise after the event fan base with his reputation in tatters.

 

He would have been accused of being tactically inept, totally unable to either identify or motivate players & practically every fan would claim they didn't want him here in the first place. All this despite several of his major & influential purchases being out injured all season.

 

Once departed he would probably show up on the door step of Boing Boggies Albyun & lead them to their first ever Premier League title.

 

Get the picture?

Coudn't echo this any more.

Im sick of the same old retrospective arguments, same old "lost the dressing room" chiches, same old people twisting facts to suit their agenda (Holt being a BRILLIANT example of this...not praising the foresight of a manager to bring in a THIRD choice target man..oh no....let's moan because he's not a 20 y.o  unknown and ignore the fact he was brought in as that utter backup option).

This is how I genuinely see it ending up:-
 

West Brom 38 -13 38

Sunderland 38 -24 37

Fulham 38 -42 37

Aston Villa 38 -14 36

Cardiff 38 -34 34

Norwich 38 -28 33