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Darth Villa

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Everything posted by Darth Villa

  1. I can see you're well up to speed on Chinese business regulations @TheEgo Given what you know about xia's cash shortcomings, do you have anything concrete about potential takeovers happening or do you believe the "ultimate" owner of our club has structured the position to make a sale difficult? For whatever reason that may be. Don't want to put you on the spot but in the absence of anything from the club I'd like to know how "ITK" you or others actually are. This isn't a challenge to what you've stated previously, just a desire to know if anyone knows WTF is actually going on.
  2. I wasn't advocating getting rid of Bruce or keeping him, just trying to highlight that it seems a bit of a pointless debate as we couldn't afford to anyway..
  3. @hippo my positive comment was referring to them actually getting their respective backsides into gear to look at what to do, not in expectation of an outstanding recovery plan. We need to understand the outcome from that board meeting as we are still lacking any solid facts about a lot of things we've all been debating.
  4. I was looking at reports of an emergency board meeting tomorrow to agree on funding and recovery plans going forward. Brum Mail in the same piece state it will cost £3m to pay off Bruce. It is at least positive to see actions finally being taken (if a little late!). I can't see us paying off Bruce at this time, not sure we have the cash available?
  5. To be fair to us all, (refering to @HanoiVillansignature) we're a caring bunch of mongs, spouting concerned bollocks, somewhat informed, mostly speculative but all aiming for the same thing - our Villa back, preferably competitive and debt free. Heaven help anyone who takes the piss, is bent, a fraud, incompetent or a bluenose (who collectively are all of the aforementioned and worse) - none will last long if they jeopardise the future of our club.
  6. Good research @Villa Stu, although I thought that was just to buy the club, with the other amount mentioned for running costs? Either way, we're screwed as that money has clearly gone after 2 years. We really do need to put some challenges in to the authorities about this I feel...
  7. It seems obvious doesn't it but he past the "fit and proper person" test with no problem, even when the illogic in the situation was easy to spot. The question is, how?
  8. He was meant to have £500m cash in UK accounts when buying the Villa, based on some reports at the time, enough to cover the next 2 to 5 years. Clearly that's no longer the case. I agree that the football authorities also need to take a long hard look at themselves too. I wonder if that was loan too?
  9. This ^^ for me is what's changed my view. I do think Xia is a decent bloke as like @Jareth highlighted his comments about our fans on that last day against NUFC show an inherent appreciation of how we feel and the support we bring but he's either been done by China Gov policy, ill-advised by Wyness or taken his eye off the ball due to other pressing matters across his business empire. My belief is he's trying his best but it's touch and go now and whilst he's learning fast about running a club - we're in desperate need of a savvy owner today. That's why I'm advocating a change in ownership to put us in the hands of someone like that (not just another billionaire) but if Xia can rebuild our finances and recruit a CEO who knows how to structure a club from youth and with a playing style (the Southampton model - not perfect but is our only real option now) that gets us out of the Championship (in the right direction of course!) then fair enough. He is still culpable for letting us get in this mess, I was prepared to wait to see his plan B but it seems lacking in detail and we're running out of time. The season is 8 weeks away, come on Tony, get it sorted!
  10. I've been watching VT on and off since the news of Wyness and then the HMRC story first broke. It's interesting to see how as fans we've gone from moaning about Bruce and his tactics (or lack of) to bricking ourselves silly regarding the club being around next week. I think we're lucky to have people like @Deisler123 to provide some financial insight and equally @hippo who have reminded us that we need to retain our suspicions at all times!. It's interesting that MOMS have referred back to an article from 2016 too where all the questions about Xia and Recon were first raised but never truly addressed - they soon disappeared in a flurry of optimism as we attempted to buy the Championship. My view (for what it's worth), is we are in the brown stuff but not so far in that we'll fold. Xia is clearly suffering cashflow issues (in the same way Lerner got his by his divorce and the global financial crisis in 2007/08), we clearly don't have a robust Plan B either and that is where Xia is at fault. Likewise, we don't really know if Wyness has been up to no good or simply raising the risk of going into Administration as he is obliged to do as a CEO. I'm not defending him, just suggesting alternative possibilities.. Bottom line, we've suffered ugly football, the heartbreak of losing the play-off final, now the summer stress of wondering if our club will exist when the new season starts in less than 8 weeks. We are clearly the most committed, resolute bunch of fans going and I think the best we can hope for now is a transfer of ownership and fresh start in the near future. Thanks for the efforts Dr Tony but we've suffered enough these past 10 years and would really like our Villa back in one piece..(debt free and winning team would be preferable but not essential this coming season).
  11. I agree with your points @hippo and suspect Xia's Plan A was invest £150m, get promoted and work with Brum Council to redevelop Aston alongside Villa Park as that's where the truly big £billions money would come in and prove the credentials of Recon all in one go. FFP and failure to secure promotion has scuppered that so Plan B is reaching the same goal but working within the financially constrained FFP regulations. That's the fundamental change, different road, same ultimate destination. Beyond that, speculation is somewhat pointless at this time as we've no real idea of how the new financial constraints will impact the squad. A tad frustrating but Wyness indicated that contingencies were looked at, so keep everything crossed as August will soon come around.
  12. Blind faith doesn't come into this in my opinion. Recon is definitely an odd ball mix of assets with little real track record but you can point the same accusations at some other better known businesses such as Tesla. Which is worth a fortune despite failing to deliver against production targets. I don't believe Xia is taking us for a ride but equally he does speculate to accumulate and what none of us can know is what the cut off point is for the Villa in his portfolio. His latest statement seemingly indicates that he's willing to accept a shift in approach as Plan A hasn't worked, let's see what Plan B looks like and then draw our conclusions. Randy got screwed by his divorce and the 2008 financial crisis. Xia seemingly had £500m in cash to support us when buying the club and FFP restrictions aside, I can't see any other reasons for him having the same problems as Randy. if however we are being taken for fools, you'll find me at the head of the mob aiming to remove the current Chairman and CEO from our beloved club!
  13. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing whilst expecting a different outcome. Plan A has failed us, Plan B has to be longer-term in its outlook and make the club self sustaining. It hurts but has to be a good thing in the long run. We're still a very big fish in a relatively small pond. At least Xia has recognised this and restated his commitment. What else could we reasonably have expected at this point?
  14. I think you've hit the nail on the head @Eastie, the only man whose opinion and wealth really matters is Xia. He seems truly passionate about our club and he went for the arguably "logical" (but not risk free) approach on paper when backing Bruce to secure promotion for a 5th time. I genuinely hope he (Xia) sticks around as I think he could redevelop the club and local area to give us a fighting chance of truly competing with the very best in the longer-term. As you suggested, it will be interesting to watch events unfold on and off the pitch this summer.
  15. I don't so much think he has a cunning plan, more of a pragmatic outlook. We have sell on clauses in place for Veretout, Gil is definitely leaving etc..etc.. I'm not sure what it all adds up to but I don't believe we are as screwed as many are fearing. The big shift will have to be towards a different playing style and a longer-term plan (in my opinion) as experienced Pro's and buying the league hasn't worked for us. That's raises the question about Bruce and is he the right man for that sort of approach. This for me is what the summer will be about or as you highlighted he might decide we're beyond him and look to sell the club but I feel as though he's personally invested now so I'm hoping it won't come to that. Unless we can get someone with even more cash and a proven plan to bypass any FFP restriction?
  16. Fair point @hippo, and he also came in talking about the size of our transfer kitty that first season which I equally thought was a mistake. He doesn't seem that naive to me now either. All that aside, I think he learns quickly and understands that he can't get value from his investment if he lets the club go down the pan. He will find a way because he has to or the loses will mount and we're screwed and he's blown his chance at the whole Aston redevelopment aspect that is worth £ billions... I'm taking a glass half full view until I have absolute proof he's actually a bigger plonker than Randy and his mob - not impossible, hopefully highly unlikely!!
  17. @Eastie and @daggy_333, spot on both...other pieces of the contingency plan..
  18. A crumb of hope? We are about £20m worse off next season given that's roughly the drop in parachute payments, Recon recently "purchased" the naming rights to Bodymore Heath, Wyness has said we would be hurt financially but able to cope, I believe he knows what he's talking about. We all feel crap right now, the London media would like nothing more than to see us implode. We're an easy target. Tony Xia is no fool, he has the money to support us and whilst I suspect we will have a cheaper squad/first team next season, I don't for one minute believe he doesn't have a contingency plan. Let's try and keep the faith and avoid the panic button until we really need it.
  19. He's done well to turn the club around, just ask any Sunderland fan about how the alternative feels. I'll worry about anything else if/when we get promoted..
  20. Lies, damn lies and statistics.... will the real Aston Villa please turn up for 3 games in a row. Do that and everything else will take care of itself, I find the growing lack of faith in our best eleven to see us through most disturbing. Unless anyone happens to have some bogus stats on incorrect refereeing decisions influencing the play-off results or is that a separate thread?
  21. We finally have a player who does his talking on the pitch, well done Jack Grealish for keeping your cool and slamming it down the throats of Warnock, his lumbering thugs and that sheep loving referee. It is a little too late for automatic but we're now mirroring the run (I.e. slump) Hull went on before winning the play-offs. Dare we dream again? Shout out to Sam Johnstone too - his ability to consistently pull off world class saves is priceless. Well done lads, so nice to leave VP happy again!
  22. @OutByEaster?, I agree we could and should have signed some better players for the money we've spent but I can't agree that Bruce has done a decent job with the existing squad. We're at the sharp end of the season and have collapsed, I respect Bruce's record of promotions but question his ability in light of what I watched today. I hope he proves me wrong but if not then I think a change should be seriously considered as we will need to build a longer-term approach for getting out of this league.
  23. To clarify, we have the most expensive, overrated squad of "experienced" and proven mostly in the premier league players, alongside cherry picked "top" Championship players. And yet they all turn inexplicably shit (or worse in the case of McCormack) once wearing our claret and blue shirts. I'm probably going off topic now but it drives me mad to see such professionals being out thought and out worked by Norwich players - who simply wanted it more.
  24. Only on paper...but I was feeling optimistic at the time as we hadn't kicked a ball yet! The point I'm getting at is our comparative resources dwarf the rest of the league and we're still screwing it up. Tired players, dip in form. ineffective management or all of the above - it shouldn't matter as we have the resources to cope. We simply haven't and that is not good enough..in my humble opinion.
  25. I said to a mate at work last summer that we'll have the best squad in the league but will still manage to make hard work of it as that's the "villa way". Just like we're doing whenever we're handed a chance to secure automatic promotion. We should have stomped all over this league but the lack of bottle and application when it matters is simply unacceptable. The manager has to be held to account if we're in this league next season.
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