villabromsgrove

Randy is still the right owner for Villa, but he is definitely not the man to make footballing decisions on Villas' behalf. He has grown up with an American football franchise mindset, where you don't have to be successful or even entertain in order to make a healthy profit each season. Villa are currently a poor product in a very competitive market place, and while AM is manager our "product" is unlikely to improve. Randy needs to admit to himself that he is out of his depth and appoint a real football man to oversee all things football at executive level. In order for Villa to recover from our current malaise AM and PG have to go as soon as this season is finished. Commonsense for a Brummie football fan, but apparently less obvious to an American franchise holder.

I felt so sorry for McLeish yesterday. The players let him down badly by yet again conceding a late goal. If it hadn't been for that, AM would have achieved the respectable 2-0 defeat that he had obviously set up for.

We were much the better team and Brighton were delighted that we didn't have our shooting boots on.

You make a good point CI. If a high street retailer considered customers so unimportant, they would soon go bust. Sometimes I think football clubs believe that fan loyalty means they don't have to offer decent service. After all, where else are you gonna go to get your ticket, eh!

In response to "sellbydates" comment I have to say that a fair number of VT posters have the business acumen to accurately comment on RL's financial performance at AVFC. I'm no financial expert but I successfully ran a multi million pound budget (public sector) for some years. We were not allowed to run at a deficit, but we were still able to improve performance year on year. OK, that was pre credit crunch but by maintaining tight fiscal control and obviously keeping Mon "types" away from the financial decision making it was achievable. Having a structured rolling three year plan meant that we avoided unpleasant surprises. I accept that running AVFC is a much bigger challenge, but the same basic financial principles apply. Financial control and planning appears to have been sadly lacking during Randy's first three years as owner and custodian of AVFC. Randy has learnt his lesson painfully, and has switched from being apparently hands off, to taking very tight fiscal control. It wasn't an ideal way to begin managing a business, and it almost certainly means that as a result we will remain a medium size club with medium sized aspirations during the rest of RL's stewardship of the Villa.

It's clear that Villa will not be able to sign outstanding players. That takes big money and big wages. We can go the Bosman route and pick up average players and settle for average position and performances, or we can work with the emerging talent that years of Academy work has produced. They may well not turn out to be "Man U class of 94" but I would rather we took a chance on their development than buy in mediocrity.

Gary Gardner could be Stevie Gerrard mark 2 .... Andy Weimann could be Alan Shearer mark 2 .... Only time will tell, but they both have something special imo. Chris Herd is as tenacious and dangerous in the air as Tim Cahill (shame we need him as a DM) Bannan, Albrighton, Lichaj, Clark, Baker, will all get better imo. Then there's the next crop that are just starting to bang on the first team door. Keep the faith AM and don't shut them out with average Bosman incomers.

He will work hard just like his fellow Aussie Chris Herd. He's not the marquee signing that we would have been hoping for a couple of seasons ago, but times have changed and so have our aspirations. I can see why AM has gone for him, but it does seem to indicate that a BCFC blueprint has been dusted off and rolled out for next season.

Good result today, both the football and attitude on the pitch improved. If we build on this for the Bolton match we could get back to back wins. Ireland was influential, and the substitutions worked for the goal. UTV!!!!

I'd be amazed if three of the very poor teams below us gain enough points to relegate us. I don't think that Villa will pick up many points from the last 11 games, but fortunately we may not have to. Sad state of affairs isn't it.

AM perfectly demonstrated his obvious failings as a manager today. The first 45 minutes showed that our players can play good football when they're allowed to. The second 45 minutes was a blindingly obvious display of AM's interference with our players natural ability and inclination to play football. The pathetic and clueless tactic of dropping deep and trying to defend what we've got once again failed dismally as we all knew it would. How many more times does Randy need to witness AM/PG's staggering ineptitude before he pays off yet another manager and coach?

AM is hoping that he can bring in the type of players that he's comfortable with this summer. Maybe freebies and cheapo's will make him feel more at home. Possibly being around too many promising little footballers is a bit confusing for him and PG.

I don't think we'll lose today, so draw or narrow win is my prediction. I base this on nothing more than wishful thinking. UP THE VILLA!!!!

AM's footballing nous and new added Bosmans/cheapo's! Anyone for a season ticket 2012/13?

I don't agree that Gardner is all hype. Before his injury he played for the England U17's, U19's and U20's all in a 7 month period. He's now in the U21 squad and has been outstanding in the reserves while waiting for a first team oportunity. Gary is the real deal.

I would say that trying to learn your game in a losing team that's lacking confidence makes their job doubly difficult. It's hard enough for youngsters to come in and shine in good teams. Having to do it in a bad team where you're getting a lot less help than you should be, with the crowd waiting to pounce, is probably a bit of a nightmare even if it is simultaneously a dream come true for them. Thankfully though, the crowd do seem to be allowing Gardner to progress without any real blame being attached to him. Which is the best for all sides. No it doesnt help BOF, your right but if they are up to it, then quality will show. Their just not noticeable in the games - baring a couple of occassions - Gardner v newc or Weimann v Bristol Rovers (think it was). Other than that they are all pretty annonymous for much of the time. Chris Herd I notice but he obv lacks skill. Not giving up on them by any means esp with Gardner as its early days, but theyve got to step up for me. This club is surrounded by excuse after excuse (esp when the kids are involved) and we just havent got the time for it. ATM, from what I have seen we have another bunch of mid-table journeyman at best. Hope I am wrong, but they just are not delivering. I appreciate its tough for them to deliver, but the premiership is tough - and the best players as well as the future best players will deliver. How can quality show with the stifling "tactics" that AM/PG impose on the team? For large parts of the Wigan match Villa did nothing more than line up in our own half trying to keep the mighty Wigan away from our goal. There was a large gap between the lone striker and the "wingers" who were being shouted back to defend. Try showing quality under this sort of fearful, negative, suffocating excuse for a football philosophy. Martinez would have had young lads like Gary, Mark, Barry, et al playing fast flowing confident attacking football by now imo. We aren't short of quality players imo, but we're woefully short of management and coaching ability.

Gary is big enough, tough enough, skillful enough and determined enough. He's a Villa icon in the making!

Couldn't agree more. At £40 a ticket I just want to enjoy the football, win lose or draw.

Go, sorry Alex you're a decent hard working guy but I've stopped enjoying the Villa experience.

Protests just make a club's supporters look small time. Ultimately the only arbiter of a manager's future is results. Imo AM is a decent hardworking guy who is passionate about his job, unfortunately again imo he is the wrong coach for the players we currently have. Randy is only human and will probably react stubbornly to any public protests, thus making them counter productive. Why make Villa the butt of even more jokes by inviting the media to pick up on another "bunch of fickle Brummies."

That's me and I'll be wearing that shirt. Give us a wave.

I have a big Villa supporting family, but sadly none of them want to watch players that they expect will be sold on to other clubs rather than get into our first team. I shall be there on my own (sad). If you see a large fella with a silver beard talking to himself, that'll be me.

It's hard to compare but I would say he has more fluid movement and better instinctive positioning than his big brother. Craig was - and remains - a grafter who impresses through his hard work and flashes of brilliance. Gary just looks a more naturally gifted footballer. Sorry if this counts as "gushing". Obviously, it can all go pear shaped for him, as it does for so many promising youngsters but he looks the part at just now. Craig is a good player but has one serious flaw, a lack of pace. Gary has sufficient pace to make his ability more effective.

Gardner impressed me as a self assured seventeen year old, and now he has added height and strength to his undoubted ability. He could well emulate Steven Gerrard, as he has a lot of SG's attributes.

Albrighton is a potentially good player in a poorly coached squad. He is a proper winger in a team that doesn't play proper football.