Paul Lambert

[romavillan]

 

 

From what I can gather he hasn't said much other than that there's a level playing field for all. He's not even mentioned either of those players by name.

Am I missing something?

 

Mat Kendrick, with a noted disdain for Lambert, is using his media platform to stir up trouble.

 

 

I think Mat Kendrick is desperate for Lambert to go on account of the fact his own job is going to be extremely difficult if he stays. I'd argue he has a vested interest in Lambert going.

 

 

Indeed he quite spectacularly lumped all his eggs in the Lambert out basket and it's backfired big time. He'll be feeding off crumbs until there's a managerial change now.

[MikeMcKenna]

Yea I'm in the support Lambert group. Whatever happens this season is not going to be his fault, and the blame will fall entirely on Lerner. I am expecting disappointment. If that does not happen and we manage to surprise a few people then that would just be exceptional work on Lamberts part.

Things are a mess at the moment, and if a takeover doesn't happen quickly...I think we are done for.

These type of comments really do make my blood boil.

Did Lerner choose the policy of buying younger inexperienced players? No he didn't because the Chief Executive has already stated that Lambert was given a budget and it was up to him how he spent that. He has brought in the region of 18 players the majority of whom being a miss rather than a hit.

Did Lerner have any tactical input into choosing how we played over the past two seasons? I don't think Lambert would have stayed if that was the case so the answer to that question would also be no.

Was it Lerner's idea to form the Bomb Squad thereby devaluing every player within it? Lerner wanted the outlay on wages to come down but did he advocate a no returns policy on those players? Certainly not.

If reports are correct then Lerner has told Lambert to start using members of the Bomb Squad which Lambert has previously bombed out. Now we can blame Lerner for wanting out and not investing but should Lerner be blamed for not trying to use some of those players in the first place when budget constraints were tough?

Lambert has got it so badly wrong in his two years here that he become nothing more than the puppet for the puppet master while awaiting his pay off and having to endure the ultimate embarrassment of his failed plan being ripped to pieces while also having one of those members of the bomb squad as a coach.

Lerner must however take some of the blame for the choice of manager and in Lambert he has made the worst choice of all whose transfer policy, tactical awareness and choice of coaching staff has been the catalyst for this awful mess.

The reality is that we do not know the answer to many of your questions, but it could as easily be argued that the "bomb squad", cheap young players etc were a direct result of Lerner's mismanagement of the club and and that there is another version of the possible truth:

Lambert joins Villa on the understanding that he has a limited transfer budget and has to proportionately reduce the wage bill. He actually had no choice but to buy lots of lower priced players as the existing squad was a mess for many reasons.

Lerner wanted the high wage earners off the books and as many clubs have done in the past these players were "encouraged" to leave by either loaning them out or dropping them from the squad and effectively putting them up for sale. Unfortunately for Lambert and Lerner nobody else wanted them (which speaks volumes) and their contracts meant there was sod all the club could do about it. Players such as Bent and Warnock had reputedly caused a lot of problems behind the scenes and Lambert rightly or wrongly felt they would hinder rather than help.

I accept that it is extremely difficult to defend Lambert's tactics at times, but he had very little to work with and there have been glimpses that had he had more experience and quality in squad it may have all been very different.

As you claim Lambert was only the puppet and Lerner was the puppet master! So ultimately he is responsible. Lerner imposed an austerity drive that went badly wrong and despite everything I would give Lambert another chance IF any new owner is prepared to invest. IF not it doesn't matter who the new manager is and I doubt many would risk their career as Lambert has done on a club that is not ambitious.

[TrentVilla]

 

Indeed he quite spectacularly lumped all his eggs in the Lambert out basket and it's backfired big time. He'll be feeding off crumbs until there's a managerial change now.

 

 

I think it will be more than a change of manager that Kendrick needs.

[villan_007]

 

Yea I'm in the support Lambert group. Whatever happens this season is not going to be his fault, and the blame will fall entirely on Lerner. I am expecting disappointment. If that does not happen and we manage to surprise a few people then that would just be exceptional work on Lamberts part.

Things are a mess at the moment, and if a takeover doesn't happen quickly...I think we are done for.

These type of comments really do make my blood boil.

Did Lerner choose the policy of buying younger inexperienced players? No he didn't because the Chief Executive has already stated that Lambert was given a budget and it was up to him how he spent that. He has brought in the region of 18 players the majority of whom being a miss rather than a hit.

Did Lerner have any tactical input into choosing how we played over the past two seasons? I don't think Lambert would have stayed if that was the case so the answer to that question would also be no.

Was it Lerner's idea to form the Bomb Squad thereby devaluing every player within it? Lerner wanted the outlay on wages to come down but did he advocate a no returns policy on those players? Certainly not.

If reports are correct then Lerner has told Lambert to start using members of the Bomb Squad which Lambert has previously bombed out. Now we can blame Lerner for wanting out and not investing but should Lerner be blamed for not trying to use some of those players in the first place when budget constraints were tough?

Lambert has got it so badly wrong in his two years here that he become nothing more than the puppet for the puppet master while awaiting his pay off and having to endure the ultimate embarrassment of his failed plan being ripped to pieces while also having one of those members of the bomb squad as a coach.

Lerner must however take some of the blame for the choice of manager and in Lambert he has made the worst choice of all whose transfer policy, tactical awareness and choice of coaching staff has been the catalyst for this awful mess.

 

 

 

Yes as he only gave him the money to go down that road. If you group the fees for tonev and the like together you still coudln't afford one player, and one player doesn't make a team.

 

Yes he wanted them off the books.

 

Lerner has done a 360. If he can't sell he won't provide extra funds, so Lambert has no option but to use the players left at the club. If you think any of them will make a difference anyway I find that baffling.

 

Lambert deserves some blame yes, but not to the extreme you are suggesting. The damage was done at villa, and lambert never had a chance form the start.

[Rob182]

Kendrick will just change from the 'unofficial AVFC mouthpiece' to 'educated guesser', like every other journalist that isn't in bed with a football team.

His articles will probably be more interesting now, as he wont only be telling us what the club want him to.

[omariqy]

Didn't Bill Howell get taken off Villa duty for the very same reason?

[HanoiVillan]

 

 

Indeed he quite spectacularly lumped all his eggs in the Lambert out basket and it's backfired big time. He'll be feeding off crumbs until there's a managerial change now.

 

 

I think it will be more than a change of manager that Kendrick needs.

 

 

Whether he should have written what he did or not, we shouldn't be turning ourselves into the Democratic People's Republic of Newcastle United Mark II. Clubs that freeze out the local press are lame, and it never works in the long run. 

[Robbie09]

I think the West Midlands press is anti Villa given the drivel spouted by Tom Dross and that Franksy on WM. They all take any opportunity to knock the Villa

[dont_do_it_doug.]

Indeed he quite spectacularly lumped all his eggs in the Lambert out basket and it's backfired big time. He'll be feeding off crumbs until there's a managerial change now.

I think it will be more than a change of manager that Kendrick needs.

Whether he should have written what he did or not, we shouldn't be turning ourselves into the Democratic People's Republic of Newcastle United Mark II. Clubs that freeze out the local press are lame, and it never works in the long run.

They won't be freezing him out, they just won't be giving him "sensitive" info anymore.

That's my issue with Kendrick. He suddenly grows a pair and writes an opinion piece and then quite clearly throws a strop when he's taken off mouthpiece duties and looks for an angle in everything... Bent and Hutton won't be starting games for us, that's a ridiculous notion. But it suits Kendrick's new agenda to make us believe otherwise.

I'll not be falling for it. Any of it. The club will be sold in good time, we'll sign who we sign and play who we play and that's that for me.

[Jarpie]

Kendrick will just change from the 'unofficial AVFC mouthpiece' to 'educated guesser', like every other journalist that isn't in bed with a football team.

His articles will probably be more interesting now, as he wont only be telling us what the club want him to.

 

I do wonder if Kendrick knows more than he's letting on, as he must know that under the current ownership he will be blacklisted by the club faster than he can say "blacklisted".

[TrentVilla]

 

Kendrick will just change from the 'unofficial AVFC mouthpiece' to 'educated guesser', like every other journalist that isn't in bed with a football team.

His articles will probably be more interesting now, as he wont only be telling us what the club want him to.

 

I do wonder if Kendrick knows more than he's letting on, as he must know that under the current ownership he will be blacklisted by the club faster than he can say "blacklisted".

 

 

Depends what you mean. If you mean about the attempted sale of the club, I highly doubt it.

 

If you mean in other regards then yes. I've good reason to believe he knew/knows the restrictions on Lambert and the identities of players he wanted or tried to bring to the club last season but wasn't able to. Those names came out in other areas of the media but not through Kendrick.

 

So yes I'd say he at times knows or knew more than he opted to share.

[Jarpie]

 

 

Kendrick will just change from the 'unofficial AVFC mouthpiece' to 'educated guesser', like every other journalist that isn't in bed with a football team.

His articles will probably be more interesting now, as he wont only be telling us what the club want him to.

 

I do wonder if Kendrick knows more than he's letting on, as he must know that under the current ownership he will be blacklisted by the club faster than he can say "blacklisted".

 

 

Depends what you mean. If you mean about the attempted sale of the club, I highly doubt it.

 

If you mean in other regards then yes. I've good reason to believe he knew/knows the restrictions on Lambert and the identities of players he wanted or tried to bring to the club last season but wasn't able to. Those names came out in other areas of the media but not through Kendrick.

 

So yes I'd say he at times knows or knew more than he opted to share.

 

 

I meant about the sale or position of Lambert, or he might think he knows.

[omariqy]

I don't think many if any journos know what is going on with the sale.   Villa are being extra extra careful not to let anything out about the sale.  It is my slight glimmer of hope that a sale is closer than is being reported on in the media.  Slight glimmer.

[TrentVilla]

I don't think many if any journos know what is going on with the sale.   Villa are being extra extra careful not to let anything out about the sale.  It is my slight glimmer of hope that a sale is closer than is being reported on in the media.  Slight glimmer.

 

Or alternatively, there isn't much happening.

 

But that is for another thread.

[Isa]

That's kind of true from his track record, on the other hand, he didn't exactly leave his other clubs in poor shape and quit wycombe without another job lined up because he felt he had let them down by not getting them promoted. So he doesn't really screw clubs over. Except maybe colchester, but I think few would've turned down Norwich in that situation.

Don't get me wrong, I never blame anyone, players or managers, for moving up the food chain whenever they get an opportunity as I'm sure I would do the same myself. I was just making the point that to say he "loves the club" as Patrick did is gullibility of the highest order.

if it's true that he gave him 10m last season to spend on players then it's not Lamberts fault that we are deep in the mire.

Quite clearly that isn't true.

The net spend was £11m.

False. He spent £18.9m this season, so where are you getting the idea that we've made £8m from player sales from? The £10m spend figure was just pushed by Hairyhands and has proven to be complete fiction. He embellished with financial figures to support his Lambert-apologist agenda.

[omariqy]

 

I don't think many if any journos know what is going on with the sale.   Villa are being extra extra careful not to let anything out about the sale.  It is my slight glimmer of hope that a sale is closer than is being reported on in the media.  Slight glimmer.

 

Or alternatively, there isn't much happening.

 

But that is for another thread.

 

 

Why do you always have to give us the bad news eh?  One day your ITK will be positive.

 

Btw I've devised a new ITK list.  Not based on accuracy but a ranking system that takes in to account lots of factors.  Handling (ridicule on VT by posters who hate ITK's) skills is one of those factors. 

[Isa]

Regarding Kendrick, would we all rather brown-nosers like James Nursey who just apologises for any manager here (including McLeish) in order to retain his privileges? No point in even having independent journalists if they will never divert from some sort of club approved script.

[TrentVilla]

 

 

I don't think many if any journos know what is going on with the sale.   Villa are being extra extra careful not to let anything out about the sale.  It is my slight glimmer of hope that a sale is closer than is being reported on in the media.  Slight glimmer.

 

Or alternatively, there isn't much happening.

 

But that is for another thread.

 

 

Why do you always have to give us the bad news eh?  One day your ITK will be positive.

 

Btw I've devised a new ITK list.  Not based on accuracy but a ranking system that takes in to account lots of factors.  Handling (ridicule on VT by posters who hate ITK's) skills is one of those factors. 

 

 

That was more hunch than anything mate. I would though personally argue, all things considered, that telling people Lambert wasn't going despite claims otherwise was positive but I know some won't agree.

[samjp26]

 

That's kind of true from his track record, on the other hand, he didn't exactly leave his other clubs in poor shape and quit wycombe without another job lined up because he felt he had let them down by not getting them promoted. So he doesn't really screw clubs over. Except maybe colchester, but I think few would've turned down Norwich in that situation.

Don't get me wrong, I never blame anyone, players or managers, for moving up the food chain whenever they get an opportunity as I'm sure I would do the same myself. I was just making the point that to say he "loves the club" as Patrick did is gullibility of the highest order.

 

 

if it's true that he gave him 10m last season to spend on players then it's not Lamberts fault that we are deep in the mire.

Quite clearly that isn't true.

The net spend was £11m.

False. He spent £18.9m this season, so where are you getting the idea that we've made £8m from player sales from? The £10m spend figure was just pushed by Hairyhands and has proven to be complete fiction. He embellished with financial figures to support his Lambert-apologist agenda.

 

 

Sid apparently said the £10m thing was true at some event last night

[TrentVilla]

Regarding Kendrick, would we all rather brown-nosers like James Nursey who just apologises for any manager here (including McLeish) in order to retain his privileges? No point in even having independent journalists if they will never divert from some sort of club approved script.

 

I agree, to a point.

 

Any decent journalist should be impartial and offer a balanced perspective based on all the information available. That goes both ways though I would say.