Duck

Got distracted by the Socfin who deal in rubber trees etc there. http://socfin.gi/ Sounds largely what I expected the new board to do so makes sense I guess. As long as it's not Tom Fox Mk II. "Debt and equity financing and restructuring ♣ Sale and purchase of clubs, primarily football/soccer in Europe and the Americas ♣ Due diligence on clubs on behalf of buyers ♣ Stadium and academy naming rights, shirt & kit sponsorship ♣ Sourcing players with particular emphasis on Latin America, Africa and continental and Eastern Europe"

Point taken

.... Probably has the same number of millions as Micah Richards has had birthdays

From a practical point of view, we need to get confidence back in the squad. They need to win games to get that confidence back. Only way to do that is to almost guarantee a couple of wins in the trot. Next preseason I expect to see a tour of China though, so this could be the last European preseason for a while.

Still tough games for the current first team...

Because then they wouldn't have sold as many season tickets If they'd kept quiet about everything we'd be in a meltdown about how we weren't doing ANYTHING to prepare for next season. At least now it looks like there's a reason we aren't doing anything

Too much risk in that! There's a chance whoever is in charge of contracts will sign on the wrong dotted line and we'd end up with him for another 5 years! Would much rather the club forgot all about him til the 1st July tbh. Sleaking if which.... And slightly off topic. Who's actually looking after the expiring contracts? Not sure who's is up for ending but I take it SOMEBODY is responsible incase the Xia deal rumbles on past July...

Randy? Is that you?

Agree that Hollis is the one with the most knowledge of the club atm but I'm sure he doesn't know everything. As far as I'm aware he hasn't actually been chairman of a football club before, he hasn't exactly been here for very long and he wouldn't necessarily know the ins and outs of pre season etc. Hes a businessman. He'll know the business and how to sell it on efficiently. But don't think for a second he knows what Aston Villa as a football club needs.

You should get a Twitter account. You'd get loads of attention

Any info on where he's off to this summer yet? Obviously I mean on holiday, noones silly enough to make a bid for him

Good analysis. Couldn't have said it any better. This is Tony's first major decision, he will want this to come off and will certainly be demanding success. This comes with slot of pressure. On the other hand, he'll be willing to spend a fair bit to help RDM out in transfers to get this success. Hopefully everything work out. Ideally we woul have had RDM in a few months ago to work with the squad for a few games and work out the weak links. We've wasted basically all of our advantage of being relegated early. Somehow Newcastle have held onto Rafa so I'd make them the team to beat next year. Hopefully RDM can perform as well as his CV suggests, and perform from day one

That opening in all its 80s glory

.... Seriously? Another release clause? Are these plonked into our contracts as standard or what? Swear they make no sense in the long run, don't make us any money and if anything suck loyalty out of the players.

**** off preece you knob

That's that little rumour quashed. Same guy just tweeted this

Surely a wind up?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3573290/Alex-McLeish-quits-Zamalek-manager-just-65-days-charge-two-assistants-sacked.html Championship and premier league experience. Good record at his last club. Assistants are also available. Ticks a lot of boxes

LVG? Martinez? Can't think of anyone else who's recently become available... The list of out of work managers at the minute is very uninspiring

Careful now, this thread is quickly getting more points than we did all season.

To be fair to Tony here though, I think Hollis and Lerner are fairly happy that they have the money already. Nothing so far has given me the impression that we couldn't be sold. The only problem I have with this deal is Samuelsons involvement and what part he plays exactly.

RFC106 just said above that he didn't think Reading didn't need the loan either. Sounds like Samuelson was out to line his pockets. Another relegated club, another takeover and another set of parachute payments to set off loan repayments against. Its all too similar. I'm in a constant cycle between delight and despair over this.

If Samuelson wasn't involved I think we'd all be a lot happier. Having him as part of the bid puts Dr. Tony in shady territory and just casts too much doubt over the whole affair. That's without him being on the board. If he's just here to secure the incoming funds from China... fine. If he's working as some sort of middle man between Xia and Hollis then that's fine too. What worries me is if he's getting his foot in the door of the boardroom, and only out for himself through similar dodgy deals. Prove us wrong Samuelson! Til then there's plenty of smoke with a fire surely burning somewhere.

Didn't say not to bother. Just that we ballsed up the last chance we had with a similar amount of money to spend. The squad is that lacking in capable players right now we could be struggling to rebuild this summer regardless of funds

.... Didn't we just spend close to £50million on a rebuild. Remind me how that went again.... Not at all confident right now that we will sign as many decent players in as many key positions as some are expecting.