ccfcman

8 minutes ago, jon_c said:

Looks like Alison Brie. Your welcome.

I thought that's who it was. Very happy to see she's filled out dem boots

Possible typo noted.

9 hours ago, Wainy316 said:

Greggs coffee and a sausage, cheese and bean melt for £2. What's not to love?

Cancer of the colon, cardiac arrest, taste bud damage, the impending sense of dread that any one or all of these things will occur ...

James Corden. This guy is the anti-thesis to funny but people lose their mind over him. Just sensationalist celebrity muck. Really does appeal to those lacking critical faculties.

15 minutes ago, AJ said:

Pearson wont take it because he has been made to feel like a bottom shelf prize at a  carny ring toss stand. If Di Matteo says no, who is left? Tim Sherwood?

Oh God...NO!!!

Who is this and how can I learn more?!

3 minutes ago, PieFacE said:

Yeah if Xia fancied Pearson to be our manager, the club would just employ him now as I'm sure Pearson is Hollis' choice too. So Xia obviously wants someone else, can only assume RDM. 

Certainly has more X Factor than Pearson. Perhaps he sees that as being better for the Chinese market? I also get the impression Pearson if signed, would be jettisoned upon promotion. 

3 minutes ago, bobzy said:

I do indeed recall that.

Leicester won't be finishing top 4 next season

Wouldnt be surprised if they do or don't. Thing is, they've been the best performing team over the course of both the last season and more.

Since April 2015 they've only lost to Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea.

4 minutes ago, bobzy said:

Fair point - I suppose my reference to being a "top 4 team" means a team that could regularly finish in the top 4.  At the moment, there are probably 6 of these teams - Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man Utd, Spurs and Liverpool.

I think Everton are just behind all these teams.

Leicester did win the league you'll recall  

I do of course understand the point of top 4 team but it in itself is volatile and simply anyone could end up there now with the mega bucks splosihing around.

1 minute ago, PauloBarnesi said:

Spent £5 million on Per Krøldrup

 

Every manager has a couple shit transfers, standard.

4 minutes ago, bobzy said:

I fail to see this "Everton could do much more" thing.  Moyes took them to, basically, their peak.  I know Martinez managed to take them a whole position higher, to 5th, in his first season - but that's basically the same area.

They aren't a top 4 team. 

Moyes did a fine job at a very cash strapped Everton. They did of course finish in the Top 4.

The thing is "top 4 team" doesn't exist as much any more. Granted the CL places are allotted according to this but that was a term for Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United almost a decade ago. You already have big changes to this guard. The term is null and void given only one of those legacy teams actually managed to qualify for the CL this season.

49 minutes ago, AlwaysAVFC said:

Yes it's definitely been mentioned that the premier league are doing their checks but The Football league won't start till we are officially part of them. Which just seems like some pathetic bureaucracy.

Hopefully it is under way and will be announced when we are officially in the Championship. I suppose at least this way it gives them time to do what they do without any timescale pressure.

You'd struggle here in Germany

2 hours ago, Chindie said:

I would be disappointed if journalists weren't digging into this.

End of the season, Villa have a disastrous campaign, and note they're being sold to a Chinese buyer, which is unusual, who nobody knows anything about, which immediately should have inquiring minds want to get digging.

There's nothing special about us that's making journalists want to look deeper in this. It's the intrigue of what of actually happening.

This.

To further your point, it is also the silly season with a lull before the Euros. Aside from lying about transfers, LVG/Mourinho, they've actually got very little to go on at the moment. Digging is good, it's better we find turds now than later but I do of course hope and expect this to be a pretty standard take over. That it is Chinese I think (no pun intended) adds some spice to things. More of the unknown and very easy to be written about in a certain fashion. The Daily Heil and other bird cage lining rags won't actually come up with much rather than the salacious.

7 hours ago, Tommo_b said:

I remember the season after Friedel left I think it was and Guzan came into the first team, I remember him being an incredible shot stopper, and being responsible for saving us loads of points in a season....

What the hell happened to him?!

He has been absolute awful this season. Surely no premier league club would want him as their first choice given the chance.

 

He'll make a mint in the MLS.

36 minutes ago, 007√ said:

How so? Ton's of little gems in the Bundesliga.

 

Budesliga > Championship sadly. Even going to 2. Bundesliga matches here (Union Berlin) is quite an experience.

Just now, sexbelowsound said:

This.

There seems to be a few people on here that are adamant he is a crook but i'm yet to see any evidence of that yet.

Guilty until proven innocent tends to be the way with these things.

18 minutes ago, villa89 said:

He'll only be on the bench because every player is. He can't get into a terrible Irish team which says it all about how bad he is. Richard Keogh is ahead of him in the pecking order and people on here want to make him club captain? Jesus wept.

You're speaking to an Irishman

Will be kept busy this summer at the Euros. Perhaps a season in the Championship will bring back the confidence too. Hardly a huge risk keeping him on.

I heard they wanted to set up a launderette business but it just seems far easier to run that money through Villa instead. It'll come out nice and clean on the far end.

Should be noted the UA kit I posted is just something a fella whipped up himself if all MLS clubs were to change to UA from Adidas in 2018.

I personally like the grey sleeves but it would be a big departure for us and frankly, more like a West Ham kit than Villa.

As an aside, given our new owner(s) should we be expecting a red third kit in time? Would definitely expect a yellow away for the same reason.

2 minutes ago, mwj said:

This has just surfaced on Twitter...

http://biz.zjol.com.cn/05biz/system/2005/07/19/006240659_01.shtml

Not quite the Birds Nest, but still...

Well it is where the birds nest as opposed to The Birds Nest.

Slightly off topic but it would appear the Chinese are not dicking about.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-soccer-china-stellar-exclusive-idUSKCN0YB19V

Four Chinese investor groups are locked in a more than $140 million bidding war for one of the world's most powerful soccer agencies, UK-based Stellar Group, a source said, a sign that China's appetite for sport is outgrowing trophy club investments.

According to documents reviewed by Reuters and a source with direct knowledge of the talks, bidders include model car maker Rastar Group (300043.SZ), which last year bought a majority stake in Spanish soccer club Espanyol.

A deal for Stellar Group, founded by British agent Jonathan Barnett, would be a major addition to China's fast-expanding roster of global soccer assets, which includes stakes in England's Manchester City, Spain's Atletico Madrid and a growing domestic league.

Earlier this week, Chinese entrepreneur Xia Jiantong bought struggling English club Aston Villa.

Barnett is one of soccer's so-called "super" agents, the sports world's jet-set equivalent of investment bankers, who broker multi-million dollar deals to trade players between clubs. Stellar Group was behind Wales international Gareth Bale's record-breaking 86 million pound ($125 million) move to Real Madrid in 2013.

A deal, if secured, would give the winning Chinese buyer access to some of the most connected soccer agents, and a list of high-profile players at a time when China is ploughing money into grassroots academies, television rights and transfer deals for overseas stars.

The Chinese Super League, still way behind European leagues in terms of quality and prestige, spent around 340 million euro ($381.5 million) in the latest winter transfer window, more even than the cash-flush English market.

Stellar Group could cost around 900 million yuan ($137.5 million) said the source, adding prices had only been verbally discussed. The person said Barnett was planning to travel to China at the end of the month to meet the suitors.

Reuters was not able to independently confirm the valuation.

The person, who asked not to be named because the negotiations had not been made public, declined to disclose the names of the other three investor groups.

Reuters could not immediately reach Rastar for comment. Barnett did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

The investment would be another boost to China's global soccer profile, and music to the ears of avid fan President Xi Jinping, who has made it a goal to one day win the World Cup.

Stellar Group represents hundreds of athletes, including footballers Bale and current England internationals Joe Hart, Luke Shaw, Phil Jagielka and Danny Drinkwater, according to transfermarkt.com.

2 minutes ago, Gary Thomas said:

I agree with this.  There also seem to be a lot of private companies (not listed) that we really know nothing about.  For example, Hollis on the OS said, "If you look at Tony Xia's business career in China, he has been instrumental in the regeneration and the building of over 60 of the new cities and relocating 500 million people into the urban areas."  Well that sounds like a pretty lucrative business but it is probably not listed so the FT or anyone else has no information about it - hopefully Hollis does.

Relocating half a billion folks rather does have a suggestion of state sponsorship.

Just now, villarocker said:

Is anybody worried/concerned/suspicious that Lerner - either out of spite or purely to make himself look like less of a failure - sold us to someone that he knew or suspected couldn't take Villa to where us fans want our club to be?

Isn't it suggested that if we are promoted he gets more? If true I feel this rather neutralises the Lerner paranoia.

1 minute ago, Xela said:

I grew up in the late 80's watching football so caught the end of the era when football wasn't fashionable to the media, where clubs were owned by local businessmen, people stood on terraces and players were predominantly British and wouldn't dream of diving, cheating or feigning injury. Did I prefer that era? I think I probably did. Playing on the school playing fields pretending to be Alan McInally or David Platt (was never quick enough for Tony Daley!) I was never happier.

However the football we all knew and loved started dying in the 90's when Sky and the Premier League were formed. Things change and not always for the better. The days we loved are gone and now you have to adapt or die. On that note i'd rather see is adapt than wither away into nothing so I welcome our new owner and the plans he has.

What I think we are forgetting is a lot of fans nowadays have no memory of the 'good old days' and what we see in front of us now has always been the norm for them. Footballers earning hundreds of thousands a week and living in castles. A long way away from Derek Mountfield shopping at my local Asda in his Colliers sponsored Rover 200 that Villa provided with with when he played for us and heading back to his 3 bed semi in Walmley! 

 

Christ he's only just come up in discussion on the Cork City Fans Forum. Dear me, he was dreadful.

33 minutes ago, markavfc40 said:

Cheers mate. I can't speak for the others involved in AVPG but I personally don't want any praise until we have won the Prem, Champions League and have established ourselves as one of the top three clubs in the world

Luckily Big Tone has a short term solution for you chief!