VillaDave

I think we're merely speculating/stating that Solbakken had a fantastic record before he stepped up a level at Cologne. And then he bombed. Badly. So is OSG the 'new' Solbakken? Or is he more than that? Wenger was at Monaco wasn't he? Or am I imagining that? Wasn't he at VP when we played Monaco in a friendly at VP in the early 90s? And played them off the park I add. Or did my fevered imagination make all that up??

Cologne are completely dysfunctional as a club. They're like Newcastle were a couple of years back - big club, massive fanbase, over-inflated opinion of themselves, too many uncommitted high earners on the books. They were completely unmanageable last season. OGS - we need to take a gamble. The tired old candidates have failed. Lambert appears not to be interested. Same with Martinez. Personally I'd prefer someone with a bit of experience in Italy or Germany or Spain rather than Norway (no offence). But what the ****, fortune favours the brave!

Thats the thing - he would not do anything differently at all. This season has been a mirror of his last season at the Blues. He seems NOT to have learned anything. The style of football is the same (arguably even worse, as at least 'they' had a go). And he's signed the very same players he tried to sign whilst he was at Blues (N'Zog, Hutton). The man has learned nothing. Nothing.

Levezzi is a hero of mine. I'd give my right nad to see him pulling on claret & blue at Villa Park.

Obviously different scale, but that approached work remarkably well for Jose Mourinho.

Quote - Graham Taylor's words of wisdom for the day are "that we must hire soon". - hello captain obvious. No we don't. Downing has two years of his contract to run. He can sit tight until the new manager is decided. Same with Ashley Young. He can sit down until the new man comes in as well. Its far more important to get it right, than to rush in an appointment.

Blended whisky?????? Wrong. So, so, wrong. Its got to be single malt or nothing surely? Blended whisky is like drinking lager dash. Or cider and black. There's just no comparison between it and single malt.

And that my friends, is the difference between the very top (Man U) and the rest (Arsenal and us). Fair play to Utd they made Arsenal look exactly like they are - little boys who can play keepy up in the playground, but soon get found out when the big boys come to play. Just goes to show Utd are absolutely way ahead of the likes of Arsenal. The ga between them and Arsenal is far, far greater than the gap between Arsenal and us.

Italy v Germany in the final. The two best teams on the continent. France and Croatia loosing in the semis. Note - the FA should hang their heads in shame when they compare England's record against Germany's record since that 5-1 drubbing in Munich. Shameful. And believe me, I've lived in Germany - their press is even more scathing/critical than England's - so yu can't blame the media for any of the current shambles.

The 2-1 win at the Sty in the Championship season. Alan Evan's scoring a pearler of a volley on the turn, very late on in the game. Happy memories.

I'll say it now and I'll say it honestly - I would gladly take a 0-0 on Sunday. They're certainly no mugs at home so far this season. A point away from home is always a good point in my book. Every season we're in the same division I always think "draw at theirs, beat them at ours". And its no different this season as far as I'm concerned. Any talk of us crushing them is just pie in the sky. It'll be a draw, or one goal in it either way tops.

I'd agree with 90% of what you say PB, completely. The 10% where I'd differ is in the belief that its better to engage in informal dialogue with fans groups, as opposed to formal dialogue with a fans rep on the board. But its all down to opinions so thats cool. Have the fans group in question proactively engaged other potential buyers to ascertain their plans? I understand that the onus is on the buyer to contact the fans group, but in the absence of that happening, why not contact the buyer directly? Ask Padfield the same questions. Ask Still the same questions. See if we get the same answers. Hell, we may even get better ones. If we don't ask, we run the risk of never knowing.

Don't get me wrong, talking to fans groups is positive. But where's the minutes? What was discussed? What promises were made? People have short and selective memories. A blank cheque of £30M to MO'N will ensure that.

I guess in an ideal world, all parties would have published their plans, and we (the shareholders) would have had a free, open and honest choice. That obviously hasn't happened. We've had one bidder talking to a select few fans, we've had leaks, counter-leaks and denials in the local and national press. But we're still (or at least I am) none the wiser on who will be the best going forwards for AVFC. And there's still no end to it in sight.

Well said. To discount one (or more) bidders even before you have heard what they have to offer smacks of stupidity to me.