bannedfromHandV Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 30 minutes ago, TrentVilla said: Had to dig down a few pages to find this thread which says a lot about Wyness. Since his arrival he has kept a fairly low profile, exceptional low profile compared to our enigmatic owner, yet I get the feeling he is playing a huge role at the club. There appears to be a quiet efficiency at VP in all aspects of the club at the moment and some real progress in a lot of aspects and I think his persona and experience have had a big part to play in that. He should have a fairly clear plan of action in place given his previous experience at what is/was a comparable club in pretty much all aspects. Whilst I don't believe that you always have to bring people in for jobs (wider context, not just football related) that they have direct experience of performing previously I think we can all agree that it was required for us considering the magnitude of the work that needed to be done. Sadly, this was not just the case this summer alone, I wonder how much better life might have been all round had RL appointed the right people to run the club for him from early during his tenure? Recruitment/hiring is not an exact science, there's pretty much always a leap of faith element to it, irrespective of how strong a fit they are on paper but I never did and certainly don't today have any faith in RL's ability to identify good talent and for the right roles. Dr T appears far more business savvy and, coming from a cut-throat, over subscribed business community like China should therefore be more adept at identifying the people he and we need......hopefully. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 (edited) There was a really good article i read earlier today in the Birmingham Mail about what Wyness is doing for Villa. errrrr, if anyone can find it online and post it that would be great! sorry for the useless post! Edited September 6, 2016 by ender4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ender4 Posted September 6, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted September 6, 2016 Found it! http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-ways-keith-wyness-11848630 Quote It’s been a whirlwind few months at Aston Villa but one man who can handle the storm is Keith Wyness. After all, Villa’s charming CEO survived Hurricane Andrew back in 1992 and has faced a fair share of difficulties since. There was the time when he returned to the UK from grief-stricken Florida only to break a bone in his neck after slipping on one of the photographs he’d taken of the twister. Less painful but equally as demanding were a number of his business adventures. At Aberdeen he had to find a way to compete with Rangers and Celtic. At Everton he helped meet the demand for higher finishes. It’s easy to forget his other business interests given the enormity of the task ahead in the Midlands. But Wyness is no stranger to a test or two. In the late 70s he appeared on University Challenge and he’ll be using all of his past experiences to assist him in his toughest assignment yet. So how has Wyness, the approachable and welcoming yet fiercely driven CEO, set about his first few months at Villa? Improved staff morale As the man tasked with the day-to-day running of the club, Wyness knew he had to create a feel-good factor in the offices at Villa Park. The mood was low on the eve of relegation. The largest staff cull for years had also hit the employees hard. What the workforce needed was a refreshing and friendly new approach. Up stepped the boss. “I will provide genuine, effective leadership - the staff will know that I’m here, that I care and that I’m listening and I understand,” he told the Birmingham Mail in the summer. So far he’s stuck to his word. Gone are the days when approaching the CEO is as daunting as a sudden-death penalty kick. Wyness is big on creating a happy environment and runs an open-door policy when he’s in the building. He’s also quick to praise those who have performed well. Long-serving secretary Sharon Barnhurst was singled out by the CEO recently. Transformed the squad When Roberto Di Matteo assessed his squad and provided a list of recommended targets, owner Tony Xia backed his judgement by stumping up the cash. However without Wyness as the middle-man, the transformation simply wouldn’t have been able to happen. This gentle giant is affable and pleasant but when it gets down to business there’s a stern streak inside of him. “He’s a solid, calm character who gets things done - a tough negotiator,” said new technical director, Steve Round. Moving on 13 players this summer and convincing another nine to join is tough going but the CEO worked wonders to make it happen. Hired the right people “This season we’re placing an even bigger emphasis on character,” he said when the transfer window opened. After a careful and considered managerial search which saw a number of candidates interviewed, Villa decided on Roberto Di Matteo. His personality matched his CV. Villa had a winner leading the way but they needed winners and leaders in the team. Recruiting players with Championship experience was essential. Five of the nine signings have won promotion from the second tier and three have previously captained their former clubs. Wyness also led the charge to bring in the experienced Round. His appointment is a step in the right direction. Engaged with the fans Reducing the huge divide between the club and the claret and blue fanbase was one of Wyness’ top priorities when he arrived. Morale was low, hope and belief had as good as vanished and there was little to lift a disgruntled set of supporters. Wyness was very keen to engage with a Supporters’ Consultation Group, initially set up by Head of Communications Tommy Jordan and Supporter Liaison Officer Lee Preece. He was pushing this kind of interaction during his time at Everton and it was music to Villa fans’ ears when they received the invite. Wyness and Xia met the group for the first time before the 3-0 win against Rotherham at Villa Park. It was well received by all in attendance. Social media interaction He might not be as revealing and prolific as Dr Tony when it comes to posting on Twitter. But when you see a tweet from ‘retsub12’ you know it carries weight. For reference, his social media handle refers to his 12-year-old son, Buster, but it’s the 140 characters that Wyness often uses to provide claret and blue-related updates that interest Villa fans the most. No previous Villa CEO has used social media to interact and engage with supporters during his time in office so this refreshing new approach has obviously gone down well. Not everything can be shared publicly but Wyness is clever enough to know what and when to update. Improved communication Heard more from the players in recent times? Well that’s down to Wyness, too. Placing his trust in the Head of Communications Tommy Jordan, players are now made available more often for interview than in previous years. It will also continue if Villa return to the Premier League despite the increased requirements from foreign media. New arrivals are told that it’s important to get their thoughts and messages across to supporters whether it’s through the club’s own channels, local or national press, or even on social media. Player appearances There was a heart-warming picture doing the rounds on Twitter last month when Tommy Elphick and Ross McCormack went to visit a terminally-ill child just days before he passed away. The Villa duo handed out club merchandise to the him and his family and also posed for pictures. Aaron Tshibola and Gary Gardner visited Birmingham Children’s Hospital on Monday to visit youngsters. Expect more of that in the future. Wyness witnessed the benefit of taking the club into the community when he worked at Everton and the players are encouraged and enthused about taking in more voluntary and charity work. Taking the club back into the community Recognising the need to give something back to the city, Wyness immediately set about forging closer links between the club and the community when he arrived. The aim is to introduce more coaching into local schools and develop tighter links with the future generation of Villa fans. Charities are also set to benefit. Wyness wants Villa to engage and interact with more volunteers to help support the needs of those who are working tirelessly for various causes. The introduction of a new role (head of foundation) at the club will see a specialist lead this charge with Wyness ably supporting from the top. Information Technology Believe it or not, Aston Villa need more than 18 players and a manager to function. Behind the scenes at both Villa Park and Bodymoor Heath lies a huge network of data that is essential to the day-to-day running of the club. Wyness has ploughed forward with plans to introduce top-of-the-range software at the club to help make the company more manageable in the future. The infrastructure is currently being upgraded and no doubt, Wyness, who has a wealth of business knowledge, will put his own spin on the transformation. Another specialist head of department role has been filled. Respecting club legends Wyness wants former players to feel welcomed and respected at Villa Park. He’s already reached out to a number of Holte End heroes and will continue to work closely with the likes of Brian Little and Ian Taylor. He wants those type of people around the club to help create a family feeling and aid Villa’s long-term aims of returning to the higher reaches of the Premier League. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 From Lerner and the fakers to Dr X and the professionals Via Steven Hollis I salute you Sir Steven Dr X and King Keith. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted September 17, 2016 Share Posted September 17, 2016 Come on then! let's see your balls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted September 17, 2016 Share Posted September 17, 2016 2 hours ago, Grasshopper said: Come on then! let's see your balls I wonder what his thoughts are at the moment? Stick or twist. Am i right in thinking he always stuck with Moyes when Moyes had the bad seasons finishing 17th? Or was he not at Everton at that point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted September 18, 2016 VT Supporter Share Posted September 18, 2016 13 hours ago, Grasshopper said: Come on then! let's see your balls I would much rather he just showed some leadership to be honest. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted September 18, 2016 VT Supporter Share Posted September 18, 2016 I must say, he has been very low key since he arrived. Possibly the genius of Dr Tony. He's everywhere, feeding the press, all over social media. Meanwhile the people who are actually running the club day to day are free to just get on with the tasks I hand uninterrupted and out of the limelight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morley_crosses_to_Withe Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 On 6 September 2016 at 21:14, Grasshopper said: From Lerner and the fakers to Dr X and the professionals Via Steven Hollis I salute you Sir Steven Dr X and King Keith. Premature to brand them as such. These professionals managed to pick RDM out of all the possible candidates available. Somehow they decided he'd be the best man to pick a massive club like ours up from it's malaise. Given the league we're in, and the money we've spent, he could end up being the worst out of recent spate of horrendously inept managers. I wonder why he was allowed to go unsupervised with £60M which has resulted in the squad being unbalanced. And if he was supervised, how have they, as a collective, left us lacking in key areas!? And what is Little's remit and Steve Round's!? Why was Round not appointed until the 1st of September? And if he was overseeing things before the official announcement...what the **** has he been doing!? And why was Reilly allowed to waft around the club for so long. This isn't just a failure of RDM's. This is a failure of those making decisions above him. They're currently showing themselves to be no better than the previous clowns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 I guessing a chat it just around the corner! Maybe not crisis talks but more of a bring me up to speed with what the **** is going on chap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eastie Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 1 hour ago, Kingman said: I guessing a chat it just around the corner! Maybe not crisis talks but more of a bring me up to speed with what the **** is going on chap! Interesting to see who makes the football decisions regarding the manager - does rdm report to wyness now or Steve round? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 It is good that we have a ceo who has run a football club before. That hasn't happened since Steve Stride left the club 10 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 I like this appointment - but have a horrible feeling he won't be around very long. XIA seems quite a hands on bloke - and just wonder how much influence Wyness has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyGray1985 Posted September 21, 2016 Visiting Supporter Share Posted September 21, 2016 KW isn't missed at Everton - and being stuck with his (at first) temporary right hand so far - the joke that is suntan Bob, that says a lot. He's great at spinning the press, though. I've written it before - his online presence/wiki seems to have been written by the man himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 10 minutes ago, AndyGray1985 said: KW isn't missed at Everton - and being stuck with his (at first) temporary right hand so far - the joke that is suntan Bob, that says a lot. He's great at spinning the press, though. I've written it before - his online presence/wiki seems to have been written by the man himself. Why so against him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 11 minutes ago, AndyGray1985 said: KW isn't missed at Everton - and being stuck with his (at first) temporary right hand so far - the joke that is suntan Bob, that says a lot. He's great at spinning the press, though. I've written it before - his online presence/wiki seems to have been written by the man himself. Don't get the temporary right hand, and suntan bob bit ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyGray1985 Posted September 21, 2016 Visiting Supporter Share Posted September 21, 2016 (edited) On 21/09/2016 at 11:52, hippo said: Don't get the temporary right hand, and suntan bob bit ? His Marketing manager was appointed acting CEO when he left very suddenly. In the end he was made CEO because of lack of funds and imagination. His name is Robert Elstone and is affectionately know as suntan bob as he's been attending the school of Tanning rather than the school of planning. He will very likely be disposed of soon now we seem to have a more commercial savvy board and an owner who dares to act on incompetence. Keith Wyness left very abruptly, is the only factual thing I'm allowed to post on here. Some inspiration can be found here: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/no-crisis-everton-over-keith-3482382 Quote For the past 18 months at least, Wyness’ sole focus has been driving forward the plans behind the hugely controversial move to Kirkby and he has been increasingly marginalised with regards to football matters. If you are looking for an example, cast your mind back seven short days to the story which this newspaper carried regarding Fulham having a multi-million pound bid accepted for Andrew Johnson. When news spread, Wyness did himself no favours by stating that a bid had not been accepted, nor were discussions going on, when that wasn’t the case. He subsequently ended up losing credibility among supporters who were already highly sceptical after a similar episode with Thomas Gravesen in January 2005. Don’t, though, believe for one minute that Wyness’ departure leaves the club in disarray and incapable of making any deals for new players. The opposite is true and Bill Kenwright and David Moyes will carry on with business as usual. Edited September 23, 2016 by blandy extract added 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvfcTheObsession Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 I'm not going to read too much into Everton fans' comments on Wyness after leaving them, as most of them have been very uncomplimentary about Moyes since he left, whereas any neutral could see with the budget he had his record there was very good, excluding the Cups (bar one year where he got to the FA Cup Final). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyGray1985 Posted September 21, 2016 Visiting Supporter Share Posted September 21, 2016 Well that's convenient. How do you know my views on Moyes? The Samuelson topic now locked for debate - I hope you get more from the two than we did, as I genuinely care about Villa. But I know a lot more about the ongoings at EFC than you and the average fan - notwithstanding the evident flaws in your argument. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa89 Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 (edited) I think what's striking is that just by having an apparently compotent CEO in place the huge underlying issues at the club have been exposed and addressed. You really have to wonder what kind of management the club had throughout the lerner era and be mystified at just how clueless Lerner was. He ran us into the ground and now we have to pick up the shattered remains. That's his legacy, and a pretty shit club badge too. Edited September 21, 2016 by villa89 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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