thunderball

Don't know if it's been mentioned on here, but any takers for NRC as the DM being mentioned? Wouldn't say no - oh how times have changed!

Always liked Benyaoun, won't set the world on fire, but he makes things happen and like Osman at Everton is low profile but always has energy and contributes positively. Would make a very decent squad player at the very least when we are bemoaning our lack of depth?

Even £8m sounds too much on a young undeveloped Belgian, Villa's offer sounds spot on to me but no doubt Faulkener will get stick if it passes us by. We just don't have that sort of money to speculate, teams like Chelsea and City can afford to have these purchases around the club to see if they blossom, but our striker needs to work straight away. Would rather see Owen on a PAYP, or £8m on Dempsey.

If arsenal come in for Bent, he'll be gone. And who could blame him?

The good news is the transfer window is still open. The bad news is its only for 7 more days and Lambert needs [at least] 11 new players before it closes.

No. We will get relegated. Bad decisions have been made and money squandered for the past 4 years and now the chickens are well and truly roosted. Piss poor, piss thin squad, terrible morale - why would any half decent player join Villa? We are going no where except the Championship, we have an untested Manager, an owner who has both lost interest and doesn't understand the Premier League, a disgruntled fan base who will boo this team's every move from now until the last nail is in the coffin. Incidentally if Lerner is fretting about his investment now, he will shudder when we get relegated, coz I don't even fancy our chances of getting back - we are the new Nottingham Forest. Is that negative enough for you?

Zlatan's price will reflect his mega wages. Sturridge is too much in the mould of Bent, although wouldn't say no. Carroll, despite his questionable temperament/attitude would be a good signing if its not for silly money, it would certainly send out the right signals and put bums on seats. There seems to be legs on the rumour however - who knows....

He doesn't instill confidence, but he is a money man and appears to be doing an ok job, and in fairness we might not like it, but seems capable of difficult (wage and player sales) decisions. The answer is surely a football man alongside him, a DOF. Give the fella a chance, there's enough negativity and turmoil around the club as it is, and nothing that a solid managerial appointment wouldn't fix.

Could work, but maybe too much of a risk for Randy given the previous appointments? It has a good feel about it though, he should command respect in the dressing among the more intelligent players and as long as he has cash and we can get rid of the disruptive influence win the dressing room.

God, how depressing. Still get the feeling we should have persevered with Houllier. At least next season can't be any worse, can it?

Lets have some common sense? Some one will be able to tell me what our [dire] position was this time last year when we bought Bent (I seem to recall we are +3 points this season like for like). The board were sensible enough to realise we needed to address the situation and bought Bent. We have less quality in the squad than this time last year, and selling Bent, when (a) we are hardly red hot in these scoring department; ( we are only just above a relegation fight; © the fans would be apoplectic. And after all how much do you think losing Bent and adding Keane will improve the bottom line - £20 - 30K a week for a few months at best? Bent is a rock solid asset - 4years left on his contract, fringes of the England squad and a proven goalscorer. We payed between £18-25m so expect his resale to be £28-30 in January. Any less and it makes a mockery of the logic in buying him last January - we are actually inviting a flirtation with relegation and disastrous financial hardship. We won't sell Bent this January.

**** rubbish, even when we play with a degree of dominance we don't have the talent (or memory) to put it in the net. Sorry for the negativity but I only see bad things. I really don't think Randy realises how this league works, it has no sentiment. We will finish 17th or worse. At best 16th, and this will be viewed as success and nothing more will be done after Bent, Petrov, Heskey, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Ireland, Cuellar and N'Zogbia all leave in the summer. Its that grim. This is no fun - how far we have fallen in such a short time. Perhaps MON was right after all.

Didn't see it today - match report is grim though, our midfield appears gutless, and I don't think Bent, N'Zog or Makoun would have made a difference. Parker & Milner on loan anyone?

£20m great bit of business, thats like getting £8m for Beye. Lets move on now, I am looking forward to new faces and a fresh start.

We are back to where we started before MON signed, and before Randy's tenure began. Thanks for the investment Randy, but sadly its appears the excitement of the past four years are over, and I can only see a gradual erosion of the team personnel and Aston Villa's standing as a football team. I can only wish Ashley Young well, and I fully expect Downing and Bent will depart shortly for more ambitious teams, and I can't blame them. This is our lot now. Over the past four year, despite our fall-out of love with O'Neill, Aston Villa was on the up: exciting youngsters, biting at the heals of the top four - not quite there but not far away, always maybe next season. Not any more. I feel properly deflated because I didn't think in a million years they would appoint McLeish - and not because of Birmingham City FC, but because I don't know what he stands for as a manager, he has a poor track record. While it isn't yet official I will hope and pray Randy and the board are having second thoughts....

He's our man now, I actually feel sorry for him with all this sh*t going on, but credit where its due, this move takes some bottle even if £2m a year helps. I hope its a 1 year deal though. We need to get behind him and team, I just can't begin to see how this makes any sense though, I just don't know what AM stands for?

Whilst theres still a couple of thousand viewers/members online, is it possible for the mods to quickly arrange for a new poll for Randy to review before his purported meeting tomorrow? Could I suggest a few names to put the fans opinion into context: McLeish, Adolf Hitler, Bin Laden, Darth Vader, Ian Brady, DOL..... Seriously though, I am sure AM is a decent fellow, but the real concern is how much division this will cause at the Club, especially after a very divisive season already. It was getting bad under MON, it got worse under GH, I cannot begin to think what might happen if results don't go his way, especially as we will again lose our best talent and seemingly little will be spent to replace them? *Shudders*

I can't keep up with the speed of things (and therefore can't check back far enough), but there is twitter chat suggesting that Moyes has signed a 2 year deal for Villa, and separately there is a press conference tomorrow? Not sure how this squares with the club statement or whether its total shit, nor the statement by Chelsea today seemingly intimating that Hiddink will be in place shortly (Hiddink to CFC > Hughes to EFC > Moyes to AVFC?). My brain won't allow me to consider AM..........

Problem is, even if we approached MU for Sir Alex there would be vocal hysteria on forums vehemently objecting to him, that's the nature of forums - most people don't think it through rationally, and the multiple posts from a vocal minority get the attention.

I am patient, and will not be concerned until mid-July, but you have ask the question "what's taking so long?". Randy is known to act with integrity, therefore logic points to the delay being some deal perhaps involving an agreed 'chain' and our new manager already being with a club who are waiting for a replacement? If this is the case it could involve eg Hughes [to Everton and say Moyes to Villa], this makes total sense: Villa_insider and MM suggesting the same, the board suggesting "two weeks" when Hughes is out of contract, the silence eminating from Villa and EFC. But if it isn't the case what other scenario would point to the delay, or which other managers are bound into obligations until later in the summer

I see Phil McNulty has written a pretty insidious article on the BBC Footy website quoting Graham Taylor's "surprise and dissapointment" at how the Board have gone about their business?? WHAT?!! First, cheap journalism Phil - quoting GT and offering nothing yourself. But I assume by your silence and lack of counter that you must have an agenda here? Maybe you no longer get an inside line at VP? Secondly, whilst the fans are as interested and frustrated with the appointment process, its only about 10 days since GH quit. Villa have not been shooting off in the press and have maintained a dignified silence, and its only co-incidence that Hughes & McLeish have quit. The press got hold of a story that McLaren was not being interviewed for the position, which McLaren denied - not Villa's doing. Martinez was asked for an interview via the correct channels which was turned down. Rafa may have been interviewed but who knows? Just because no one is saying anything why get so uptight, its a VERY important appointment after last season. Why are Chelsea not getting the shit we are getting?

It will never be McLeish. On so many levels this doesn't fit - I would put my house on the the fact it will not be McLeish. This will definitely not happen.

No. :cry: He was about GH last year apparently? [Can't back this up - hears say]

All points to Moyes. Will shake up the dressing room. Still think he's a Scottish MON, but will do a good solid job all the same. Upstanding and has respect in the prem and fellow managers, won't be messed around thats for sure. Anyone for Houllier retaining a position at the club (DOF) with Moyes blessing?

I remember feeling distinctly deflated with the appointments of Brian Little and John Gregory, but they did a good job and took us pretty close. What had Guardiola done before being appointed at Barcelona?