PompeyVillan Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 8 minutes ago, mikeyp102 said: Xia talks about making wide changes, that’s all well and good as long as people take players off our hands. But I can’t see the likes of jedinak or Whelan going anywhere as no one will pay their wages. Therefore outside of those already leaving, will the changes be that much? I think that's a fair point. If we have to sell Grealish to offset the wages of Micah Richards, Ross McCormack and to a lesser extent Jedinak and Whelan (decent enough players but surely pretty poor value for money), that just exposes how badly we have invested over the last few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 (edited) 18 hours ago, mikeyp102 said: Xia talks about making wide changes, that’s all well and good as long as people take players off our hands. But I can’t see the likes of jedinak or Whelan going anywhere as no one will pay their wages. Therefore outside of those already leaving, will the changes be that much? Thats the trouble with quick fixes, they attract hasty decisions....we have made too many over the years that has not helped us in the medium to longterm. Edited May 31, 2018 by TRO 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob182 Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 1 hour ago, hippo said: I wonder if that Eurpean club that were close to going bust - and we were considering buying - I wonder if they still want Dr Tony's advice ? They got relegated. I wonder if Tony (or Recon) can somehow gift, er, I mean invest, £15m into Melbourne City, so they can sign Ross McCormack. That sounds like a plan along the lines of the whole Mendez bullshit at Wolves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuffolkVillan Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 2 hours ago, OutByEaster? said: I think the statement makes sense and tells us something about where we are. I think we've spent ten years with plans that don't stretch further than the end of the season, whether those plans have been "stay up this season", "go up this season" or (a while back now) "get into Europe this season". I think that's going to end, I think we're about to enter an era where the plan is just to get better and grow from a starting point that makes sense - where the plan is as much about 2025 as it is the week after next. I think we'll see Grealish go, and I think we'll lose some of our older players, I think for now we'll invest small amounts in younger ones and try to develop them. I don't think promotion next season is part of the plan, I think it's a near impossible dream. FFP relates to losses over a three year period and I think it's going to take us three years to get to a position where our losses don't stop us trying something. I think we'll put in a stopgap team of younger players to see us through that period; with maybe the hope that one or two will be better than that. I don't think this means an end to Dr Xia's investing in the club - but I think it means an end to not recognising the difference between investing and spending. Mile Jedinak is a decent player, Glenn Whelan is too - but they're bad investments. I think we're in for a strange time, one where the balance of the club and our eye for a player will matter as much as star names or reaching playoffs. I think the structure of the club is sound, but new - we've rebuilt scouting, we've rebuilt our youth set up, we've rebuilt most everything - now those things will need to produce. I think it's going to take a little while to improve our underlying health and it's not going to be easy - but given where we are, it's not the worst plan and it may be the only option. I don't think it needs to be as extreme as that sounds and I'm hopeful we can keep the ride reasonably smooth, but it's the ride I think we're on. Excellent post and if it is to be the plan, delivered thoughtfully, most Villa fans would be right behind it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifamad Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 That statement basically confirms we are screwed then, also I believe he’s gonna stick with Bruce. Wow I’m depressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjc Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 11 minutes ago, fifamad said: That statement basically confirms we are screwed then, also I believe he’s gonna stick with Bruce. Wow I’m depressed. I’m not so sure - he thanked him for his work, but made no comment on his future. I took it reasonably positively - it confirms we have a big problem, but I think we knew that anyway. It also confirms he’s keen to act on it and make proper change. If that takes time, so be it - just much more important to do it right rather than chasing the quick fix and getting it disastrously wrong. I thought he came across as pretty measured in it - now to see what the changes are... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 I don't think it will go entirely unnoticed to Tony, what warnock has done in the same time frame. Second Bottom of the table when he took over, 4 new players, 2 free's and a swap, bought 1 Gary Madine......automatic promotion. Now we all know he had already established Championship players, but they were in the cellar. I am not having a go at SB he was able to go a different route. but Tony will look at that and with reduced finaces, say, it can be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 (edited) 59 minutes ago, PompeyVillan said: I think that's a fair point. If we have to sell Grealish to offset the wages of Micah Richards, Ross McCormack and to a lesser extent Jedinak and Whelan (decent enough players but surely pretty poor value for money), that just exposes how badly we have invested over the last few years. Oh i think it had been the nucleus of our problem....when you look around at some of the bargain successes.....its quite sickening. I won't name because someone will say thats just one example. our problem is, we haven't been able to impliment a shewd and patient policy, because we have always been panicing to keep or finances in place.....its like a dog chasing his tail. We need a patient and sensible rethink and more due diligence on prospective signings. it strikes me we had much more success, before the transfer windows were introduced, its as if we had more time to think ,plan and swoop....now its just a rat race, that we seem to struggle with.....but it is what it is, we just have to cope. Edited May 30, 2018 by TRO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREAT_BEARD_OF_ZEUS Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 It is a very depressing read isn't it. In my most optimistic of moments since the loss on Saturday, I've thought that another challenge next season wouldn't be impossible. Yes we've lost Terry, Johnstone, Snodgrass, Grabban etc... but with a few savvy purchases and the younger players stepping up to the mark, we could rise again! A fresher, faster, more vibrant team. A new manager with real attacking intent! Convince Jack to give it until January and see where we are then. But following those words from Dr Tony I just can't see it. He's basically said we're resigned to playing the long game. Wait it out and see where we are in a few years once the clubs in better health. Bruce will keep us in the division and whilst we plod along we can start to implement a much longer term approach. And if that is the plan, then keeping Grealish is pointless - best to sell now whilst he's got years on his contract and we can get a good price for him. We can invest that money into 10 potential future Grealishes who might be flourishing by the time we're ready to have another crack. We basically just mortgaged the family estate for two spins of the roulette wheel and now the bank's come calling. In hindsight it was utter stupidity when you consider the risks involved which are now becoming reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srsmithusa Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 My take is not negative. “We tried safe hands, and experience to bounce back. It almost worked, but it didn’t hit the goal. We need a whole new plan. We will be changing our strategy. It won’t be safe hands and big experience. It may take longer than ideal. But it’s the only realistic plan. We’re not ready to announce specifics yet. But change is coming.” I hear Bruce will leave, we’ll focus on youth and aggressive ball control. We may get it right at the first asking, but it could take longer to develop. Either way, it will look completely different. So strap in, the changes are coming. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dounavilla Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 37 minutes ago, srsmithusa said: My take is not negative. “We tried safe hands, and experience to bounce back. It almost worked, but it didn’t hit the goal. We need a whole new plan. We will be changing our strategy. It won’t be safe hands and big experience. It may take longer than ideal. But it’s the only realistic plan. We’re not ready to announce specifics yet. But change is coming.” I hear Bruce will leave, we’ll focus on youth and aggressive ball control. We may get it right at the first asking, but it could take longer to develop. Either way, it will look completely different. So strap in, the changes are coming. Heard from where ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 7 hours ago, markavfc40 said: I am not sure what to make of the statement but I'd have hoped for something more optimistic and fully focused on the fight back from Saturday having already started. Plenty of clubs have shown over the years, most fresh in my mind Cardiff, Brighton, Huddersfield, Wolves, Burnley, Bournemouth, Fulham that you can be out of the Prem league for 3+ years, or never have been in it, and still get promoted from the Championship. I hope this is the last time I see the owner state he is still hurting/still can't recover from Saturday. With the new season under 10 weeks away it is already past the time he moved on and now shows he has the means, business acumen and had the foresight to plan for this eventuality so he can now ensure we can still move forward and be succesful. I hope that is not wishful thinking on my part. Agree with this. He needs to get his head back in the game. Yes, it's going to be difficult, yes, we're going to have to do more with less, but we can't give the impression we're giving up because it's all just a bit hard right now. It was always likely we wouldn't go up last season. 21 of the 24 teams who started the season didn't get promoted. 'Not being promoted' was not some kind of wildly improbable scenario, so there's no excuse if there was no plan in place. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zapbranny Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 I don’t understand this. Doesn’t he just start some creative accounting as per Man City and Wolves. I.e RECON or another subsidiary sponsor the stadium for £30m a season and no need to worry about FFP. Sounds like he doesn’t have the money to do it. Worrying times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob182 Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 7 minutes ago, zapbranny said: I don’t understand this. Doesn’t he just start some creative accounting as per Man City and Wolves. I.e RECON or another subsidiary sponsor the stadium for £30m a season and no need to worry about FFP. Sounds like he doesn’t have the money to do it. Worrying times. The league will only allow you to count the positive figure for FFP in line with market rate. So a £30m sponsorship will get reduced in the accounts to a £3m (for example) income, in line with what other top 6 championship clubs could get for the same deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zapbranny Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 3 minutes ago, Rob182 said: The league will only allow you to count the positive figure for FFP in line with market rate. So a £30m sponsorship will get reduced in the accounts to a £3m (for example) income, in line with what other top 6 championship clubs could get for the same deal. Interesting. So do you know how Wolves managed it this season? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciggiesnbeer Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 I like the fact we have an owner who treats us like adults who can handle straight talk. Xia gives me confidence, a smart man who speaks plainly. While the news he gave us isnt good, the way he handled delivering it is. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAuthority Posted May 31, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted May 31, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, zapbranny said: Interesting. So do you know how Wolves managed it this season? Well Wolves didn't pretend that they had huge fake/dubious sponsorship deals. Wolves managed to get a Champions League manager and several CL level players on contracts that kept them within FFP. The question is, did Mendez or Fosun somehow compensate those players and managers outside of the Premier League/Premier League and keep it secret? Edited May 31, 2018 by TheAuthority 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiezels Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 3 hours ago, zapbranny said: I don’t understand this. Doesn’t he just start some creative accounting as per Man City and Wolves. I.e RECON or another subsidiary sponsor the stadium for £30m a season and no need to worry about FFP. Sounds like he doesn’t have the money to do it. Worrying times. Wolves did it knowing they would go up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danwichmann Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 13 hours ago, Nabby said: We are all aware that we will face severe FFP challenges next season. I am an Aston Villa fan. But I am also a businessman. Under the current circumstances, I think the club needs to rethink not only the past two years but also the past ten years. Villa needs to be a sustainable football club. People join. People leave. That is the cycle of football. But the football club always remains through it all. This is the ultimate reality that cannot be changed, but I can assure you that everyone behind the scenes is working tirelessly towards achieving our ultimate goal. We have been heavily investing for the past two seasons. However, the loss on Saturday means that we need to change a lot of things. No one wanted to see the club have to go through this, but I believe that only changes can help the club to progress towards the positive direction and this requires the joint efforts of everyone associated with this great football club. No matter what the changes will be, I sincerely hope that everyone can unite and overcome the challenges together. Our goal has not changed and as long as we believe, regardless of how tough the process will be, I am sure we will succeed in the end. This sounds like it could have written by Randy Lerner himself. Not that cutbacks are completely avoidable but it sounds like we'll be going at them pretty hard to me. I don't think that we'll putting together a squad that looks capable of challenging for promotion next season, so unless we appoint a manager that can get great results from average players my expectation is mid-table at best. On the bright side, I enjoy the Championship much more than the Premier League, but the longer we are in this division the harder it becomes to return to Premier League riches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wainy316 Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 We are the only club I’ve ever known be this crippled by FFP. Everyone else just ignores it or sponsors their ground for £400m. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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