Butterfingers

I'd be surprised if someone doesn't pay £7mil for him, even if its only one of the promoted 3.

After Amavi Ayew, Grealish and Adama, Gana is the only other one that I'd be happy to see play for us again, with the possible exception of Gestede.

Not overly bothered either way but I wouldn't want him loaned out. If we can't get our asking price, I'd expect him to stay.

SGC currently standing in the corner with a dunces cap on for the next hour.

Upon completion, he must come up with at least 10 words to describe Amavi that are more appropriate than fabulous.

I really cannot see what all the fuss is about here.

There were two choices-Pearson or RDM. Moyes may or may not have been in the frame also, we will probably never know for sure. Forget about Martinez and others who have been mentioned. The incoming regime started with a list of targets and narrowed it down to two or three (I'd wager most on here would come up with a different short list as there are that many permutations-What we don't know is whether certain candidates were actually obtainable) People need to understand that this has been a thoroughly thought out and researched decision, not a rash 10 minutes scrolling the internet.

Is the doubt about RDM never having built a team before any greater than the doubt over how well Pearson will work without his backroom team? The fine lines are marginal.

Someone had to make the decision and we have to accept that that decision was made with the advantage of ALL facts-Something none of us will have been privy to.

RDM is no mug-He is certainly of higher stock than when he took over at WBA-Just because he managed there shouldn't influence our thoughts here and now.

He has experience and he will hopefully have money-I dare say all the people worried about him never having built a team will be amongst the first to tell us who they would choose in the rebuild-Lets give RDM a bit of credit here-Of course he is capable of building a team. Hopefully, the money available will be well spent and that will give him an advantage over others.

1 minute ago, Delphinho123 said:

With our current crop of f***wits, RDM is exactly the type of manager we don't need.

I'll get behind him but I'm far from inspired. 

In fairness, hardly any of them will be starting for us next season. I'd wager a minimum of 6 new signings starting the first game for us in August, if not 7.

The f***wits will either be shipped out or sitting on the bench (if they're lucky).

Keeping any of Grealish, Amavi, Aywe or Adama will be a bonus and would mean one less signing/position to worry about. I'd also be interested to see if Gil would shine in this league, although not concerned at all if he leaves us.

We may have one, possibly 2 of our less inspiring players in there, a Westwood, Clark, Hutton or Baker type but I can't see the Lescots, the Richards, the Bacunas or the Guzans of this world being in the frame.

 The more that I think about RDM, the less inspired I am by the thought.

RDM is a very good manager with experience at many levels. In normal circumstances, I wouldn't have been so concerned (especially after the last few appointments)

My feeling is, this is not under normal circumstances. They are very unique circumstances and it is so important to clamber back into the prem at the first attempt. The new ownership will give the place an impact and hopefully a more positive feeling, right across the spectrum. The managerial appointment needs to be of equal impact and we need someone who is going to hit the ground running. My own (completely) unqualified feeling is that there is far more chance of Pearson doing this than there is RDM.

I envisage a team assembled by Pearson to be hungry and full of desire-I think that is one of Pearsons assets. I think these qualities will ensure that we hit the ground running in August.

The negative for me, would how would Pearson fare without his backroom staff? This has been a problem for us since the Lambert era and I personally am sick of it.

RDM has numerous qualities of his own. If we were to appoint him, I'd be 100% behind him and the choice.I urge others to be the same. There is a great divide amongst us fans-Whoever is appointed is going to create disappointment amongst a large section. There is no right or wrong appointment and each manager has individual merits-I hope everyone gets behind whoever comes in. The time to worry is when John Carver arrives at BMH, Not RDM or Pearson.

8 minutes ago, TRO said:

He seems to have the drive and energy that this job requires and I think we are in danger of losing him, if we haven't already.

I have never known such indecisiveness to appoint a manager....I fear its an opportunity lost.

I wouldn't call it indecisiveness. Someone has actually been offered the job and turned us down-Maybe that person ought to have been a bit more forthcoming at his interview? If he'd have mentioned that he didn't want to rush into anything, then I doubt he'd have been offered the job.

I personally have Pearson down as my choice to take over, way ahead of RDM who represents more of a risk.

I would hope that the board/prospective board have already spoken with Pearson again (if that's who they now want) but wasn't it always the case that the new manager wouldn't be announced immediately?

If it is Pearson, then it could be done quicker as he would be number 1 choice of both regimes.

22 minutes ago, Deisler123 said:

No, not at all. That is very strange. Typically a take over (Villa is quite famous (not very popular now) to football fans in China) like this will take the headlines of all newspapers. But no, it was not even covered by main media (1-2 news pieces in main internet media i can find). Certainly didnt hit anywhere close to the headline.

I actually had discussion on this with another VT user in private messages who is now working in Shanghai (he was born in Birmingham and supported villa for 30+ years).

We both think that 'not a big story in China' is in fact a sign of state support backing Xia up.

Otherwise he will make a very loud news coverage in China's media all over the place - because normally people needs that coverage to extend their business.

But, strangely, very little coverage on this take-over.

I wonder why.

Oi Deisler

Keep it quiet for a few weeks eh?

This deal still has to have the go ahead from the respective leagues. I doubt they'll pass it if they think a foreign Government are involved.

Pre takeover, Pearson was my ideal candidate.

Post takeover, the idea of Moyes is growing by the hour.

I echo everything that Gary Thomas says, we could almost overnight change from being the sinking ship to avoid like the plague, to the stand out club in the division who all championship players would want to play for.

My only nagging doubt is Moyes failures in his last 2 posts, although following on from Ferguson was a thankless task.

6 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

We have alot of players we should be in a rush to get rid of before him, definitely at the very least good enough for the championship, even if only as a squad player.

The issue is that he has a release clause of £5mil. Its not that we're looking to get rid, that decision may not be in our hands.

2 hours ago, briny_ear said:

My main concern at the moment is his plan to turn Aston into a "theme park". Do you think he has ever seen Aston? When this plan falls to pieces will he lose interest in the club?

Oh Briny please.

This is a very, very successful businessman. It is not Mr Wong from the Lucky House, who's had a good night in the casino.

Do you think he will plough millions into something on a wing and a prayer?

7 minutes ago, AVTuco said:

In isolation I agree, but if someone has to pay 5 m for Ciaran, what are the other options like?

Yes, I thought this too-My feeling was that there must have been one or two stand out CB's in the division last season, we could put that £5mil plus some of the additional funding towards a better model.

I really do not like Clark-He has participated in too many loosing games and has been instrumental foe some absolute howlers that have proven costly. There is every chance that he still has time to improve and grow as a player but Sherwood was right about one thing-There was a loosing mentality amongst the players. It is probably better for him, as well as us to part ways, enabling him a clean slate to develop elsewhere.

Snap anyone's hands off who will pay £5mil for him, its another £5mil towards the war chest. There surely must be better value out there than Clark?

8 minutes ago, AVTuco said:

This will provide good entertainment for the long summer months ahead of us.

I'm dreading the announcement of a new manager-This board will go into meltdown with conspiracy theories and "I told you so's"

5 hours ago, sidcow said:

The biggest club ground in the UK broke ground in 1909 according to Wiki. OK so it's only a babby compared to the grandest old lady of all. A Johnny come lately if you like but it shows there is no reason to abandon your traditional home just to develop big.  There are some interesting comments about Aston on the o/s tonight. I don't think we are going anywhere. We are ASTON Villa not Birmingham United

I'm in the small minority that doesn't really care what the ground is called or where it is situated, as long as we have a successful team.

Time moves on and lifestyles change. 100 years ago, the majority of our support came from within walking distance of the ground. This then developed to areas on the other side of the city centre, then to surrounding areas and towns (Lichfield, Droitwich, Daventry etc) and finally where we are today, with possibly the majority of the support travelling from outside of Birmingham (a complete guess on my part)

Villa park is unrecognisable now to what it was in eras gone by. On reflection, the bulldozing of the Holte was the final nail.

We are now not relying on support from traditional areas of Aston, Perry Barr, Erdington, Kingstanding etc-I don't see the tie with the local community that was once there.

Football is a completely different entity now. The big clubs attract fans from all over the country, not just the local communities. That's what we should be planning long term. We have a great potential catchment area down that M5 channel and also down as far as Northampton, maybe further on the M6. I know its a dream but to develop a fan base would involve requiring a larger stadium. There is also a potential of us outgrowing our hospitality options, which would be accommodated better in a new stadium.

I envisage most of these stadiums will go in the next 100 years. Arsenal & West Hams already have, Spurs are to follow, Everton may be next. Chelsea may need to move at some point, as will Liverpool. We have to accept that times change and be prepared to move with the times

11 hours ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

Does it matter? As long as he's ambitious and does right by us, who gives a shit. 

People put waaaaay too much stock in the words used as opposed to the sentiment behind them. 

Of course it doesn't matter.

Throughout the course of the day, we've had people dissecting every single comment he's made. Whatever he's said, someone has managed to turn it into a negative.

8 minutes ago, maqroll said:

Has the protest group started yet?

Theres certainly enough candidates on here to front it.

12 minutes ago, briny_ear said:

So battle lines drawn then?

Any time anyone draws unflattering comparisons between our new Dear Leader and other club owners they will be accused of racism; and any time doubt is cast on the totally unrealistic expectations set out in his first interview, the doubter will be accused of clinical depression if not some other sort of mental illness?

Just so long as we know how the new regime will work.

Brinny-I think we all know that we aren't going to be one of the top 3 clubs in the world.

Would you sooner our owner claim that, that is his goal or would you sooner he tell us that he'll assemble an honest bunch of lads who will try very hard for promotion to the Prem, every season?

20 minutes ago, Ponky said:

I don't know about anyone else here, but I'm absolutely beside myself with cautious optimism.

Me too-I think the buzz within football in China currently, suggests that theres a possibility of very serious investment-Maybe not initially (although initially, it could be as much as we would hope for)

The feel good factor alone is going to have a massive impact on everyone at the club.

My only negative is that we are not going to be able to ship all of last seasons dross out in one go-Just seeing them in a Villa shirt next season will upset my stomach in much the same way that the sight of Blues fans in our ground has, every time we've played them for the past 40 years.

1 minute ago, S-Platt said:

Yes bold statement that one I think since  China is the market he knows and that they make up around 20% of the worlds population I think top 5 in the world is more realistic!!  

Its all good fun at the moment makes a change from the past 5 years.

Lets all enjoy the fun whilst it lasts.

In fairness, similar statements were made when Man City were purchased. I doubt their fans are up in arms that it hasn't come to fruition.

11 minutes ago, allani said:

To be fair his figures are SO wide ranging that he hasn't really given much away.  I suspect that everyone would expect us to spend £20 million minimum - the £50 million is so much higher as to suggest that he will spend what the manager (and I assume others) think we need to spend.  I don't think he's opening himself up to being held to ransom - any more than you would expect of a new owner who seems to be loaded.

Possibly and I do agree that new owners are exposed to being held to ransom generally.

The fact that he mentioned that theres up to £50mil available, renders the £20mil quotation irrelevant.

There was absolutely nothing to have been gained by mentioning specific figures.

2 minutes ago, Richie k said:

i would hope hes not that stupid that he would throw money away, he is a business man and wants to make money. he got if for half the price. all he must do is invest and get back to the premier league and he will get his money back and mabye more

We have no idea how long he's been interested.

From at least October onwards, any deal was dead in the water, due to the uncertainty of where we would be playing next season. Lerner would probably still have been driving for a higher price at that point. It was obvious that no deal could have been completed until our fate was decided.

1 minute ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

Feel so much better after watching that. 

He was clearly nervous, which is actually a good sign. He's a businessman but that doesn't mean he specialises in PR. What he did say though he said it without too much thought but without rushing and I got the impression he genuinely believes what he says. He's a self made man who backs himself, a lot to be admired there. 

Yes, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. But without hope, what do we have? There is never going to be a better time than today to allow some of that into our hearts.

Agree

Should never have mentioned figures for the war chest though. First golden rule when entering into a transfer window.

I'd guess that there is a compromise regarding the debt, dependant on how next season goes. If we win promotion at the first attempt, the price rises around £30mil to reflect the debt.

Seems like win, win for the Dr to me.

One of the very few to emerge with any credit last season.

My only nagging doubt is how to play him in the Championship. I admit to not having watched anything from it but I have this vision of teams playing long to a target man. I don't think that's Ayew's game.

How do teams set up in that division generally? Could we go with a more traditional 4-4-2?

I'd really like to keep hold of him but my feeling is still that, that I won't lose any sleep over any departures this summer