Digsby

Must mean he is going to be managing one of them in the near future

:nod: You're my favourite Old Fart - don't go changing!!!

I'm quietly hoping we go for him. He wants back into the England squad. Playing in England would achieve that in my, and other peoples, opinion. We're on the up and could pay him. Would be the 'signature signing' we needed to announce our return to the big time too. I don't think it's that far fetched although I have been delusional before :? I can see this too - although I do acknowledge that it is probably a bit too far fetched. Saying that, I don't see any of the big 4 going for him - which means that we are in with a shout, especially as a certain American will want to signal to the world that his new club mean business.

haha I suppose that is what this thread is about!! ...I really don't know who could do a job as wing back - they seem to have gone out of fashion a little bit. I like Gabriel Henize, but don't think for one moment that we would get him Luke Young? Wayne Bridge? .............I really don't know!

I would like us to go 5-3-2 Lauresen, Mellberg and Ridge forming the back 3 - that would be solid. I wouldn't mess with the rest of the team too much at this stage - but would love 2 new Full backs (left and right), allowing Barry to play in a midfield 3 of Petrov and McCann.

..........For the love of God, why? Why is he to be the next scapegoat? What has he done wrong, other than score goals that helped us stay up last season?

Yeah defo - and hopefully it will make very pleasant reading this season!

That sounds much better. Sell as many 'pieces' of the ground as you like Mr Lerner, just not the name. In some 40 years when I talk to my grandkids about the wonders of Villa Park I don't want them to ask 'where's that'. But we can have those players anyway (maybe not those specific players). There are hundreds of ways for a club of our size to make money without selling off our history. Granted they may take a little longer to come to fruition, but I'm in for the long haul. DDID - I don't think it means selling our history. The naming of the ground doesn't have to be forever - a 10 year deal that allows us to bridge the gap between us and the top 4 would satisfy a need that currently exists. Having had to live with the 'Doug Ellis stand' for the last x amount of years, and recieve nothing for it in terms of revenue, I can live with the idea of having someone pay a fat sum of money to have their name on the stands. Imagine pulling off the masterstroke that see's the D.E stand rebranded almost insantly, for a rather large investment. Would anyone complain about that?

I would be open to this - if done correctly then it could result in a fresh income stream that will assist us competing with our rivals. It also doesn't have to be in place forever - didn't Middlesbrough have a sponsor on their ground 'Cellnet' or something like that - they may even still sponsor them, I just know it as the Riverside these days. .........I dare say that income stream derived from Cellnet probably went some way to buying players such as Southgate, Ehiogu and Boateng Fact is, we are years behind our rivals in developing income streams - the re-naming of the ground represents, IMO, a valid way of 'catching up'

Cheers Richard - that makes it pretty clear, even for the likes of me!

As I walked in to work today I saw a B'ham post advert saying 'fans backlash against Lerner' I ignored it as it couldn't be true! .......Oh dear!

Oh dear god EDIT: At the article Jez posted!

We must stay with Lerner Truls, I think that quote is from December last year

To be fair, that's a response to an attack of sorts. I agree - I just chose to select that text as opposed to the original. Its understandble that things might have an edge at the moment - but there is no need to have a go at each other. We are all Villa fans, we all want the best for Aston Villa. End of

No need for the personal attacks guys :roll:

....maybe not for you Ian, but I am sure Doug would have a different take, has he not refused bids in the past becasue they were nowhere near his asking price? For Doug, if it matched his valuation, then the conversations about direction could start.

Perception is EVERYTHING - especially so when running a football club. Its this savvy use of the media that will start the revolution at VP, and is one of the key reasons for me having such optimism with regards to Lerner's bid. Villa have always, well, in my lifetime, been awful at this - just about stretching to keeping the local journo's onside (sometimes not even that!) - The Lerner approach tells me that the guys in charge appreciate the power of image, at all levels, and just by concentrating on that alone for the next 3 years will, IMO, make him a substantial profit on his original investment. The Lerner camp have won hearts and minds, and if they can win ours then they can win others too - others that include the great and the good that can make a strategic difference to the Football Club. I like the Lerner approach, even if it is 'spin-orientated' - its something Aston Villa has never taken advantage of, and it makes a nice change IMO

Good, good point. Does that holiday last 10 working days by any chance? ....Ah, thats made me feel better

Do you honestly think Doug and Petchey will care about the make up of the board and future prospects for the club? The cynic in me believes they will want the maximum profit now and bite the hands off the highest bidder on the table (regardless of who will be best going forwards). Petchey might not, but Doug is duty bound to accept the best offer for the 'club

Totti, The Mail have got 'everything' right during this saga. They may not have reported the facts, but they have called everything correctly. Are you trying to rain on my parade , bitch

Totti, The Mail have got 'everything' right during this saga. They may not have reported the facts, but they have called everything correctly.

Why didn't all parties agree on a 'hard irrevocable undertaking' ? SE Rules. But surely, if you are able to agree a 'hard' agreement, then it must be legal? .....and if AV06 improve their offer then it may yet become the bid that is reccomended to the board, surely? ....hence the 10 working days 'put-up or shut-up' period

Why didn't all parties agree on a 'hard irrevocable undertaking' ?