Djemba_Villan

Hi All,

just wondering if anyone could give any advice for an upcoming trip I'm arranging.

It's a group of 5 fairly well-travelled lads (aged 23-25ish), hoping for a lively time but not OTT, hoping to see as much of the country as possible.

Current plan is to fly into Dubrovnik (End of Aug), then have 11-12 days to get to Zagreb.

We intend to do some island hopping, and have been advised that Dubrovnik, Hvar, Pag and Zagreb are all well-worthy of a visit. I just wondered if anyone has any specific tips/reccomendations - that would be great.

Thanks

Cheeky deluded scouse clearings in the woods.

struggling to really argue though

10,000 season tickets sold...lets face that is poor.

I agree, especially considering I read that WBA have sold 19,000.

Given, they are on the crest of a wave, and will probably progress no further - but I'd still expect Villa to be selling more season tickets. I read figures about which indicate that the size of our fanbase is substantially larger, you only need to look at facebook etc. to see more people follow Villa than many other teams, but this doesn't equate to bums on seats very well. Is it just that WBA have a small-but-hardcore following?

. MM has confirmed OGS was never the main target

No he has not CONFIRMED this at all. In his above post he says it is what he thinks.

Let's just leave it shall we. :!:

Big goss this morning is that Lambert has only ever been on a 12 month rolling contract with NCFC & it's up this week.

If that's true & he IS & has been the No 1 target all along then that MIGHT just be the reason for the delay.

A rolling contract, AFAIK, is always 12 months from expiring...i.e. 1 years compensation to pay at any point, it never actually runs out.

Anyway, I believe it will be sack McLeish day sadly...it's more important.

The club and local media are backing King Carlos day in the hope that McLeish protests will be forgotten.

...

that quiz is hilarious, I have tried to answer the first couple (for 10 minutes), impossible, and I'm a researcher, will certainly miss Carlos.

It's becoming very sad these recent years watching the likes of Mellberg, Laursen, Young, Barry, Carew also Dublin all depart...but that's football

The ghost of MON is almost gone

Just Dunne Collins & Warnock to get shot of now

and Lichaj and Guzan...

a) Lichaj wasn't a MON signing, he was a youth product

wow :shock: ! I have been really impressed with the lad. I dont think he is going to be a 'star', but has shown to be a more than capable squad member. Versatile, determined. I spoke to a Spurs fan who fel that Lichaj dealt with Lennon better than the majority of full backs this year - he was really impressed.

I guess football is all about opinions though

Some of these names are ridiculous.

If a manager is currently established at a top 6-8 club anywhere in the major european leagues, they are not attainable.

We are in the market of upcoming championship managers or failed previously established managers. Ranieri is on the lookout for a good "project". I personally dont see him at WBA (as has been rumoured), I think thats a case of 2+2=8 but he's about as high as we could go IMO.

We aren't the force some think we are.

Slightly controverwial question perhaps, I don't mean it in the way it could be interpreted.

But does anyone know the situation regarding insurance in these cases? If we assume it's going to take Stan several years to overcome this illness, it's going to take him beyond his contract expiry. From a short term point of view, do you think we have no option but to consider him as a squad player as far as the UEFA rules go i.e. his wages can't be redistributed to fund a replacement, or are we effectively 60k/week down until the end of his contract now?

I desperately hope we see him in a Villa shirt again, no matter how unlikely, but also am curious as to how our midfield may look next year, considering in theory we would have had Petrov + Jenas (60k/week + 40k/week ish) given more luck on the injury front, hence 2 midfielders will be purchased perhaps over the summer.

I am absolutely fuming. Sherer - what an uninformed muppet, why do we settle for this level of 'analysis', when was the last time MOTD pointed out something noteworthy? They pitch at the lowest denominator, assuming we are all mugs. I've had a good old rant on facebook about that one by Shearer, very out of character for me but it's becoming a joke now.

I dont know a single Villa fan who holds his previous club against him, I'm confident saying that generally speaking, us Villa fans, we're above that.

Even the spurs fans were singing "going down m'lord going down"

Our tune is catching on

Seemed to be some good banter going on with the north lower and spurs today

Very funny at one point

What was being sung? Sounded good on TV.

Ranieri 1-2 favourite for WBA job, my best mate (baggies fan) will be unbearable if this were to happen, he's been bad enough of late as you can imagine anyway.

How depressing is the thought of Stoke above us, a promoted Blues (lets say) with Hughton managing them, Baggies with Ranieri and a good financial footing, Wolves with a new fresh coach in the championship and us slogging along with McLeish. Football makes me sad...

I think the level of personal abuse directed at him against Bolton really got to him.

Seems like the way forward is to increase the personal abuse. It sounds harsh but if it works the **** it. Give him loads

I agree entirely, we must do eveything we can to get him out. Keep the pressure on until he goes.

He says he is thick skinned, if I was on his salary then I would be.

Obviously our first priority is survival but Mcleish has got to go ASAP.

I actually disagree with this.

He will certainly leave at the end of the season so there is no need to give him personal abuse. He wants to succeed and has worked hard for our club, but he just hasn't been good enough. It is RL who is culpable for appointing him in the first place. No one deserves that abuse for trying and failing.

As much as I want him to go, I believe it is already all over for him and to personally abuse him wil reflect poorly on the integrity of the Villa fans so I won't be joining in with any chanting.

THIS.

The bloke has undoubtedly put all his effort into this, he'd have wanted to have proven the doubters wrong, have made the minority who hold his Blues background against him eat humble pie. He's done nothing to deserve the level of hounding people are directing at him. Inadequate coach for our football team - yes....vile human being - no.

People, it's football, get a grip.

To be fair to McLeish (not something I say very often) he came to the same conclusion about Makoun as had his predecessors Gary MacAllister and even Gerard Houllier (who bought him but rarely played him).

also, in fairness to the guy, you cant legislate for a plaer getting a season-long injury. A fit Jenas would have been a key player this season.

I know he had some injury issues beforehand, but nothing serious. Also, in all reality, Jenas was probably about as good a calibre of midfielder a) available at the time one who was willing top play for Villa.

Reading this thread..genuinely makes me feel worse about the state of this club than the manager and players ever could...bunch of morons - sorry. What else the guy is supposed to do is beyond me, he cant just cure our players with a click of his fingers. The players vs Bolton were pumped up then inexperience lead to the loss. Some fans are just so unrealistic its depressing. Sick-of-it!!!!

I cant remember the last time he found himself in a position to take on a long range shot. When he burst on the scene, and when playing for Scotland he possessed a good deal of confidence in his long range shooting. It strikes me that as he isnt picking up the ball in attacking positions, he cant express the better parts of his game, rather he is restricted to being stuck as a deep winger or deep central midfielder, neither of which he will show his true colours. Realistically, Ireland has hindered his progress.

Sorry, but I just don't buy Lerner as the "pantomime villian" most of you paint him as.

What I see is an owner that:

- Has backed his managers

- Has invested in the club (pub, training grounds)

- Has improved the corporate governance of the club (proper board, for example)

- Has taken a back seat, rather than seek publicity

- Has pride in the history of the club and in the fans

All of which are miles ahead of our last owner.

However, I can admit that he has also made mistakes:

- Giving MON too much control

- Appointing McLeish

Many will see the appointment of Houllier as a mistake - I see it more as a risk since he had a known heart condition. At the very least, he (arguably) tried to get us playing better football.

So do these mistakes make him a bad owner? Nope. He's only a bad owner if he doesn't admit nor learn from his mistakes.

Whether he appoints a new manager or not at season end and who that replacement is will be a better indicator of his ability as an owner.

Thank you so much for restoring my faith that there is an iota of rationale amongst fellow Villa fans. Couldn't agree more, I feel physicaly sick when I hear some fans make some kneejerk direct link between results on the pitch at any one given moment in time and a chairman's contribution.

I feel sorry for the guy, he's been almost perfect as an owner, yes - he made some mistakes, but all the positive points cant just be forgotten. If I were in his shoes I'd think "sod it" If I heard some fans' attitude quite frankly.

My guess..... big fine, some sort of community punishment, and costs to HMRC.

Community punishment? Can't wait to see 'Awwy in a luminous orange overall sweeping excrement away with a broom....

We'll probably end up buying it off him...

Brilliant

FFS :evil:

He played dour football with Blackburn and Fulham, we wouldn't stand for it. I agree he is a good manager, but it's a similar situation with us lot whenever a player is left out the squad...we inflate their qualities.

Shame Ireland got injured. He was playing really well I thought. His touch was a bit rusty but he is the best passer we have, not to mention he actually sees what's going on around him. He put much more effort into chasing the ball too. It's seems as if some of you have already made your mind up on him and that's a shame, because he's the most creative player we have.

Agreed, very impressed with Ireland today. Great work rate, our best moves had him at the core.

Scoreline very undeserved, much more like it Villa!

Personally, I'm as despondant over Villa as anyone else (and associate a lot if this to McLeish)

HOWEVER

I think its more constructive to look at the bigger picture:-

He has been in charge for a very short period of time

He inherited an addmitedly decent (not brilliant) squad who didn't know where they were - having played under 4 managers in a year

He has had no option but to work on the dicipline of the squad

He has had no option but to try to instil some bite to the squad

He HAS been let down massively by some of our bigger players

He seems as fed up as us with the poor passing - I don't personally blame him for Warnock's, Delph's, N'Zogs, Albrighton and Bannan's terrible passing on Sunday

With the current squad we're a league below Liverpool/Ars/Man U.Man C/Chelsea/Spurs, so playing toe to toe WILL lead to disaster

Our natural league position currently I would say is 9th-12th

He does - in fairness have SOME dynamicism (no hoofing vs Liverpool),(Backs against walls when needed),(Several tried formations)

He isn't QUITE as negative as made out, though he is no Martinez. I see glimmers of hope that he has tried to integrate flair, though the role Bent is playing is not suited to a goalscorer, his movement is creating space for Gabby - hence why Gabby seems a new player.

Whilst having some optimism is obviously a good thing, there are a few points there I would challenge:

He seems as fed up as us with the poor passing - I don't personally blame him for Warnock's, Delph's, N'Zogs, Albrighton and Bannan's terrible passing on Sunday

Although some of the passes were just bad mistakes that anyone should be able to make, it's unsurprising that we weren't that good as a passing team when we've playing long-ball football season - and that is McLeish's fault.

Our natural league position currently I would say is 9th-12th

Although it is, we're at mid-table with a ridiculously difficult Xmas schedule - I think we'll actually be lower than 12th after the Chelsea game. And we've dropped points against sides that really we should be beating. Also the league this year is pretty misleading, considering we're just 6 points from the relegation zone.

He does - in fairness have SOME dynamicism (no hoofing vs Liverpool),(Backs against walls when needed),(Several tried formations)

No hoofing vs Liverpool, but the first time we try and play some passing, our best finisher is not even on the pitch. Bent would relish some balls into the channels but when he's playing we just start hoofing. We were also 2-0 down at the time, so neat football with no purpose was just ridiculous to watch.

I think you've made some really good points.

Part of me thinks that he may have reacted to a lot of the criticism in trying to play slighly more expansively against Liverpool - he forwent his probable better instict - which would have been to leave Delfouneso out - matching them in midfield. The two conceded goals were a disaster, which even he couldn't account for tactically.

This rapid change probably did contribute to the abysmal passing as it wasn't second nature, but maybe it is also possible that we overegg the capability of the likes of Albrighton, Bannan, Delph. They are learning, but not ready yet for being importaint players in demanding games.

The league position I would agree is false, I was going to state that, realsistically id place us 14th (accounting for the upcomign fixtures), I think my point was that he is underperforming, but not to the extend that some would believe. 6th is a pipedream, 8th is ambitious, 10th is acceptable, 12 would be 'meh', 14th at the end of the season - dissapointing, any lower terrible - thats my opinion (and i generally lean more optimistic - someone has to )

I like his honesty if I'm honest, I think that is a god virtue to have.

What honesty? This is the man that consistently talks about how we played well when in actual fact we did the exact opposite. This is the man that said he was going to sort out the defence months ago but still hasn't. The list goes on and on. McLeish is a nasty liar.

I don't think there has been a successful manager in football who has come out after a crap performance and said "oh my - we were awful, that was embarracing". That is reserved for the likes of McCarthy, Holloway, Dowie....

You can see in his face, he is livid, the players won't have been told that they played well - I dont think anyway. There is little point ruining the confidence of the young players in the squad by worsening the media/fan reaction by adding fuel to the fire by supplying them with quotes.

Look what happened to Curtis Davies for example...he had one bad game, he likened it to a "pub player", every article about him for the rest of his Villa career contained that sentance...it made it harder to shrug off.

I know its not popular, but nowerdays Brian Clough-alikes don't work. (MON is a very diluted version). It's all about PR, saving face, maintaining some sort of mentality within your squad. Mourinho, Wenger, Fergie - they are genuises at this, you wouldnt get them saying ill thought out "heat of the moment" statements which will harm morale.

Personally, I'm as despondant over Villa as anyone else (and associate a lot if this to McLeish)

HOWEVER

I think its more constructive to look at the bigger picture:-

He has been in charge for a very short period of time

He inherited an addmitedly decent (not brilliant) squad who didn't know where they were - having played under 4 managers in a year

He has had no option but to work on the dicipline of the squad

He has had no option but to try to instil some bite to the squad

He HAS been let down massively by some of our bigger players

He seems as fed up as us with the poor passing - I don't personally blame him for Warnock's, Delph's, N'Zogs, Albrighton and Bannan's terrible passing on Sunday

With the current squad we're a league below Liverpool/Ars/Man U.Man C/Chelsea/Spurs, so playing toe to toe WILL lead to disaster

Our natural league position currently I would say is 9th-12th

He does - in fairness have SOME dynamicism (no hoofing vs Liverpool),(Backs against walls when needed),(Several tried formations)

He isn't QUITE as negative as made out, though he is no Martinez. I see glimmers of hope that he has tried to integrate flair, though the role Bent is playing is not suited to a goalscorer, his movement is creating space for Gabby - hence why Gabby seems a new player.

It looks like im a McLeish fan...but I just try not to get swept away with bandwaggons either good or bad.

Id rather another manager if Im honest, but he isnt the antithesis of football, the guy seems genuine, I like his honesty if I'm honest, I think that is a god virtue to have. Im a realist...I dont want him slating individual players, but he does seem open, I THINK he is intellegent (albeit used to managing dross like SHA). Maybe it helps that I'm not anti-blues, I really don't care about them, Im from the Walsall area, so don't encounter any really.

Basically...lets save any protests until the end of the (probably crap) season, nothing will happen in the short term, it was an unambitious appointment - but we are in an unambitious phase, I'd like to think we're at the bottom right now.

I regret buying the ticket for the Arsenal game. Waste of money. I mean, first off the football will be shit with a defeatist attitude. Secondly, Randy can't even be bothered to turn up despite having the luxury to attend there for free with several privileges he hasn't earnt in his life. And thirdly, why should I and others keep funding the board who won't put it towards the team, but instead will waste it due to their ill thought decisions. Not only that but it'll no doubt end in their own personal back pockets anyway.

Nah, this can't go on. This will be the last time I'll spend any of my money until I see some improvements in all sections.

Also, I'll tell you something else. How much you wanna bet the first thing our yank friend asked regarding the match yesterday was not the scoreline, but the attedence? The greedy son of a bitch will no doubt have a smile on his face regardless of the scoreline and the performance he didn't see.[/quote]

Is this the same greedy Yank SOB who has personally invested over £100M into the club, with minimal returns?