jackbauer24

I further this. Whilst the wallpapers themselves are nice, I'd like to see two things: Firstly the rest of the squad given the same treatment as the likes of Ireland, Petrov and Gabby have been (those wallpapers are ace, and even better as they follow the same theme) and I imagine quite a 'quickie' job. I also think it's good if kids can get their favourite player and not just get three to pick from as it is at the moment. Secondly, the 'weekly' wallpaper becomes something truly weekly - a game, picture of training session, pitch repairs or whatever - there must be loads of pictures taken over the week that could be uploaded as a wallpaper in a matter of minutes. This really would be great and a simple thing to be done.

I was wondering which one was likely to happen first General; 1) Houllier will be OFFICIALLY signed up as manager or 2) Villa fans will be able to wear this seasons replica top It's all a little corner shop now.... where have I heard that before?!.....

Fearing you may miss this with the last thread being closed I've posted this on the start of the new thread. What are your feelings on the following article? Daily Mail: To me, it paints a picture of dampened expectations for the fans, the press and perhaps even the wider footballing community - no assistant yet? It's all very uncertain at the moment....

There are some people who believe if you question Villa/ the manager/ the board then you don't support the club as much as those who follow blindly do. Today has thrown up some disappointing or worrying issues - no contract, possibility of him having to stay in France for three months (unlikely but shouldn't even be a possibility), Assistants turning us down left, right and centre (for whatever reason) and he's seemingly still hung up on Liverpool and seems to underestimate our recent history. All very concerning. People will try to put a positive spin on as it means they love Aston Villa more but they are all facts which need answering, some will take time but others (such as contract) should be answered now. I can't think of any other club at any level (EVER!) having a press conference to introduce a new manager who hasn't signed any contract, can't attend for at least two weeks and potentially three months with no clue as to who the assistants will be. Farcical in the extreme and if it was happening to any other club then we would ALL be saying how ridiculous it is.

What are your feelings on the following article? Daily Mail: To me, it paints a picture of dampened expectations for the fans, the press and perhaps even the wider footballing community - no assistant yet? It's all very uncertain at the moment....

Whilst I will withhold judgement on Houllier himself, I do think the bits in the press and that Press conference have conveyed a future that has been dampened down a lot. Houllier seems he's on the same songsheet as the board with their updated plan for the future. * We belong 7-12th * We need investment * Unlikely to be much money * We will struggle to compete * We'll mostly go for cups It's not all bad. It's sensible, progressive and sees us try to keep a pace without risking everything. All good - just not quite the dream we were sold four years ago. Now the plan looks like survival with cups rather than reaching for the stars.

I'm tired of getting into what I think the board are and aren't doing right so, inspired by a thread in the main Villa chat area, I'd like to ask you what you think the Board have done WRONG since they took over. Fans are being honest enough to admit the mistakes about Villa they've made over the years. I think it's important we can admit what mistakes we make and I'd love an actual example of a mistake you feel Aston Villa have made. To even it up (speaking as a teacher here!) you could say 1 thing you feel we've excelled at and one thing we messed up.

I really can't believe people still think it's anyone other than Kevin MacDonald. We leave it three weeks to see if he wants the job. He then publicly announces he wants job. OS highlight this fact. Players all clamour for him to be signed. Very easy (and cheap!) for Lerner to appoint him. It's a done deal. BUT don't make that obvious to the public. Look like you're going through the options, look like you're exploring every avenue. Pretend you would have had money for transfers if the transfer window hadn't been closed on announcement of new manager. Finally leave it at least a few days/ week until after transfer window has closed to try to dampen down any suggestions of previous comment. I'll quite happily eat my words but I'm convinced this is the case. Villa want to reduce the wage bill.... mmm, very lucky inexperienced guy desperate for a job in the top division or someone like Sven who may demand a reasonably high wage.... tricky....

Brilliant article IF we sign any other manager than KM. Now that's not a slur at KM but if it is him then all of the things you have said are simply not the case at all. He's lost, has never hired in the Premiership before and gone for one of his mates who already works at the club in a footballing capacity. And when, and I'm sure it is a when, KM is announced as the permanent manager your whole article, as well written as it is, holds no water at all.

Oh and regarding investment in the PLAYING side: According to Mr. Fear's list over on VitalFootball Villa have spent an average of £15m a season in transfers (very quick rough sums) and Villa's prize money for finishing 6th is £12m a season. Now forgetting everything else like ticket receipts, merchandise, TV money, cup runs this isn't the biggest expenditure ever is it?! I'm not saying we should be bankrupting ourselves and keeping a sensible financial head on is a great idea but on the same hand we've spent very very little in Premiership terms and RL has not been bankrolling a massive expenditure in improving Villa's fortunes. He's a business man and slowly making us a better financial prospect for himself or others - again nothing wrong with that but we just want honesty rather than suggesting RL is investing heavily in the club.

There is no question it's been a bad summer for the fans. But I suspect it's been quite a good one for the club owners: 1) Got rid of a manager they didn't so eye to eye with (either passively or not) 2) Sold the clubs most influential player for a huge profit. 3) Soon to hire internally for the manager so save a fortune and get a bit of a yes man. 4) Have reduced the wage bill by selling or releasing several players and management, ensuring we have smallest squad in the Premiership 5) Since the start of the year have made about £20m+ in transfer fees alone and not spent on new players for 14 months (Ireland doesn't count as part of deal Man City wanted and we as the small club had to accept) 6) Have MADE approximately £1-2m in transfer since BARRY left. 7) Gone out of Europe nice and quickly as Europa League actually costs the club money until latter stages. 8 ) Managed to get a huge sponsor in which means even more money for us (messed up shirts but that's just fans so not a biggy) 9) Have convinced the fans that we really care and it's all good in the long run and we aren't just feeding them positive PR. I'm sorry General but I would have a lot more respect for the board if they were just honest with us. Say we have no money and can't do x and y and fans will stick by the club and back them to the hilt. But say "well we could and we might and we want" knowing full well you can't just p*sses everyone off. It's not the last three weeks, pretty much since the turn of 2010 this club has been going backwards and it's only in the last three weeks that this has begun to accelerate to a degree where more people are seeing it. Please General - tell me one good thing that has happened this summer where it REALLY matters - on the field. Smallest squad has got smaller despite knowing that Dunne, Collins, Gabby, Carew and now Ireland have all had injuries within the first month of the season. I know unless we're telling the board how great we think you all are we won't be listened to, or will be over-reacting or aren't thinking about the long-term but the facts are I've supported this club for 25 years with season tickets whenever I can afford them and are beyond fed up with being told one thing while another is going on.

Or, more likely, he's already given the nod to KM and no longer needs to be here. Let people keep up the pretence that we're looking at all the options and dart off before transfer window closes just to ensure not a penny can be spent. Successful summer - few players sold/ released. Less management. All results in cheaper wage bill. Oh and £19m in bank. Nice work.

I have no issues with KM particularly - you never know how a manger will work out, experienced or not. I have an issue with the timing if it is KM - it could have been sorted a lot earlier. If he's an intelligent man like you all suggest then he's not going to throw his hat into the ring unless he's been given VERY strong indication that he's going to get it. KM manager - ok, will support him. But the timing sucks and is almost as bad as MON's choice of departure date.

The job is Kevin MacDonald's. He has spent weeks deciding whether we wants the job? It doesn't take weeks to decide if you want a set job in any profession - if it does then you really wouldn't want it. Sorry, the cynic inside me says he knew he wanted the job and has already assumed those responsibilities from day one knowing that. However as part of being given this great opportunity for someone relatively inexperienced he has agreed not to 'throw his hat in' until the last day of the transfer window to save the club from the 'why haven't you signed anyone?' questions that would have been put forward if he'd been confirmed as Manager within days of MON's departure. KM's manager, no players coming in and Villa fans led a merry dance again. Losing faith rapidly. It may all be me being overly cynical but I have no faith in a manager that can't decide if he wants to manage us for three weeks.

The bookies know nothing, they purely respond to the betting patterns. Because the Villa Manager market is probably quite small, it won't take much for a small flurry of bets to change odds drastically. Does anyone seriously (deep down) believe we are a) after Moyes could get Moyes or c) Moyes would want to come here at the moment?! All that's happened is a few people have got overly excited at a handshake, a few others have pretended their ITK and the rest is people finding meaning in unrelated Official Statement! All I do know is these little flurries of betting (JK last week) all help the bookies make even more cash!

Got to love how some people grab the bits of information they want to make decisions on what's going to happen! Random guy says we're after big manager in job, people want it to be Moyes - therefore it must be happening. Krulak says wouldn't want manager who'd bailed on club - ah but he's not the owner. Krulak says something you like and that part's true! There are precious few FACTS anywhere. I personally doubt many will be happy with the next appointment, but we won't find out for a while yet. No, I don't know anything, I'm no ITK and I very much doubt there are ANY ITK's on here - that's the other thing that bugs me, very little evidence that anyone is really ITK other than the General. Being intelligent and saying the bleeding obvious or predicting quite well known things will happen is hardly being ITK. Those who pretend to be ITK are no different from psychics, suggesting very open possibilities that can then be bent into "I told you so's...."

I take it due the date, the lack of manager and the fact you've dodged every question on it that there will be no incomings or OUTGOINGS before the transfer window closes then?!

You may feel this is an over-reaction, all these fans whinging based on a couple of games, but we feel the club aren't really communicating and we can all see a very bad season coming up. Serious struggles and back to square 1. MON is not bigger than the club but it seems silly that whatever made him decide to walk was not addressed at the start of the summer. Surely no 'new' issues arose five days before the start of the season to instigate such a drastic decision. And then we find we have a Caretaker manager for longer than we were led to believe (new manager before Newcastle). A caretaker manager who shows very little desire or eagerness for the job - hardly instils passion into the team or fans. We have one of the worst results in our history against Newcastle. (Bad games are one thing, but that was unacceptable) We have another flash in the pan European adventure against a really poor European team and it is again unacceptable to let the same mistakes happen again. All of what has happened has been unacceptable and someone needs to come out and say so, stop passing the buck and say it's unacceptable. We all know that no new players are coming in, so come out and say it rather than mislead fans. I think the strides have been good for Villa in the last few years, I don't particularly doubt intentions, I think occasionally backwards years will happen before another push but I do think clubs have a responsibility to come out and say that was unacceptable and tell us the truth. Villa fans would be much more appreciative if Villa came out and said "we can't find a suitable managerial candidate at the moment, KM will stay in charge til January advised by x and there will be no more incomings or outgoings until that juncture" This would allow the club and fans to accept the predicament, settle down and pull together rather than try to guess what is happening. Stop feeding fans little bits of positive spin and just tell the truth - we can accept it and move forward, we know we don't roll in money, but Villa fans are in the dark and getting exasperated at the lack of information.

With a group of very similar managers (in stature) couldn't someone start a poll on this site (with no comments required) on who they'd LIKE to come to Villa - including all the current forerunners. Say, Bradley, Sven, Curbs, Jol, Hughes, Southgate, Pearce and any of the other realistic names we've been linked to. It'd be interesting to see who the fans want.

General, Are you saying this is completely MON's thing and he's left us high and dry then? Surely even with the best Rose-tinted glasses on you can't see how we are possibly going to attract any players in this season now? The fan reaction is extreme, and I too am guilty of that. I think a lot of us feel that we began to get a little hopeful; ok Milner was leaving but possibility of Ireland coming in and maybe Keane and we can see the benefits. But we're all checking the sites and this comes out of know where and makes Villa, and by extension us fans, a laughing stock. Simply put, I want one question answered - nothing to do with today's events but tomorrow's: CAN WE BUY PLAYERS WITHOUT A MANAGER?!

Anyone who believes the General will be on these boards in the next few weeks is deluded! He can't/ won't answer any questions and will continue to drip feed the 'we love the club PR' that he has done so for years. But it is clear the boardroom has interfered at a playing level and that is unacceptable at ANY club. Not saying this as a massive MON fan or anything but there is absolutely no excuse for losing your manager days before the start of the new season. No players will join a rudderless ship and I'm sure a few will leave which will ultimately please the accountants. No manager before transfer window closes. Villa will survive but I suspect a little asset stripping will now start before the inevitable sale to whoever wants a new toy so our American friends can make some money. Villa were bought very cheap in the grand scheme of things and there is a very healthy profit to be made on resale. Well done Board, you've actually managed to tarnish your image as the only foreign owners who understood 'soccer'. MON is not blameless but why couldn't this have been done in May - the timing is UNACCEPTABLE. And I feel free to vent as the General will give only political PR answers that answer nothing. Goodbye MON, goodbye Milner, goodbye Young (?) hello.... oh yeah, nobody. Oh and I'm off to the bookies to put cash on Bradley taking over....

General, According to all sources Fulham announced their deal with FXPro on June 25th and we announced ours 15 days earlier on 10th June. Fulham's kit is now made by Kappa and was released on the 5th of August. So we knew about our sponsors EARLIER than Fulham did and Nike are taking nearly two months LONGER to produce a shirt Villa fans can buy. This is why I think Nike are letting us down. Did you realise the above information? I know it's hard to keep track of all the goings on in the Premiership!!! Thanks

General, I'm afraid it's a question on the kit again: How come Fulham who also got sponsored by FXPro (after our agreement was signed) got their kit out TWO MONTHS before us? Saying we were waiting for the sponsorship doesn't seem to make sense with that in mind - not saying you're lying but are Nike pulling the wool over everyone's eyes?! Are we just a little club to them and they're not doing a service to Villa Fans?

Fulham - sponsored by FxPro. Announce sponsorship after Villa. Theoretically a smaller club. Kit due on sale........ AUGUST 5th. Explain please. So now it's either Villa or Nike.....

As a fan - Cup final/ win every time - we want to see tangible success. But, like someone mentioned before me, 4th place is far more important. Status, money and opportunity to progress further.