Christian Purslow

[DJBOB]

14 hours ago, MWARLEY2 said:

We are yet to know whether any blame needs to be apportioned. Whether this was a board decision to spend right up to the maximum in order to move us forward. In my opinion it is this. NWSE are not here to post healthy profits. If you dont win things then theres very little point in owning us. They could invest in many other things that make huge profits  . But they are here to go for glory and be excited. Its a good thing rather than bad if we have managed to stay the right side of it 

I think the issue is more that Purslow made the wrong decisions in increasing the costs/wages with Gerrard, Coutinho, Diego Carlos, Digne, Chambers, Dendoncker, Bednarek, Olsen, and Ludwig. Now - fair play - not all of that is down to Purslow as we did have Lange at the time, but he ultimately signed off on all of these decisions. Kamara was a gem and a great recruit but you rattle off that list and see how it set us back in terms of FPP. for a few years (not to mention the payoff to Gerrard, the buyout of Unai).

It all ended well enough, but while Purslow had a lot of credit in the bank for promotion/survival/key signings still playing for us now - all of that credit went out once the Grealish transfer started all the way until his departure.

[sidcow]

On 05/03/2024 at 13:54, Zatman said:

Maybe he should be taking some of the blame for these financial results since it seems the wage bill issue is from 2022/23

[Mark Albrighton]

18 hours ago, DJBOB said:

I think the issue is more that Purslow made the wrong decisions in increasing the costs/wages with Gerrard, Coutinho, Diego Carlos, Digne, Chambers, Dendoncker, Bednarek, Olsen, and Ludwig. Now - fair play - not all of that is down to Purslow as we did have Lange at the time, but he ultimately signed off on all of these decisions. Kamara was a gem and a great recruit but you rattle off that list and see how it set us back in terms of FPP. for a few years (not to mention the payoff to Gerrard, the buyout of Unai).

It all ended well enough, but while Purslow had a lot of credit in the bank for promotion/survival/key signings still playing for us now - all of that credit went out once the Grealish transfer started all the way until his departure.

With respect, the buyout of Emery’s contract is going to be an unavoidable cost. If you want him, you pay the compensation. 

The only way that could be levelled at being a stick to beat Purslow with is upon Smith’s sacking, Emery wasn’t employed but Gerrard was still chosen anyway.

Paying Rangers for Gerrard, paying him off, yes fine, his doing, his fault. Paying off Villareal in order to appoint Emery, not so much.

Also, maybe I’ve missed something, but were the likes of Bednarek on wages that warrant their inclusion with the likes of Coutinho? I dare say someone like Barkley was a bigger hit to the finances all things considered but he wasn’t signed under Gerrard so subsequently he’s not so much of a stick to hit Purslow with.

I suppose ultimately the difference is I don’t discount all the previous years credit for a bad 12-18 months.

[Zatman]

4 minutes ago, Mark Albrighton said:

With respect, the buyout of Emery’s contract is going to be an unavoidable cost. If you want him, you pay the compensation. 

The only way that could be levelled at being a stick to beat Purslow with is upon Smith’s sacking, Emery wasn’t employed but Gerrard was still chosen anyway.

Paying Rangers for Gerrard, paying him off, yes fine, his doing, his fault. Paying off Villareal in order to appoint Emery, not so much.

Also, maybe I’ve missed something, but were the likes of Bednarek on wages that warrant their inclusion with the likes of Coutinho? I dare say someone like Barkley was a bigger hit to the finances all things considered but he wasn’t signed under Gerrard so subsequently he’s not so much of a stick to hit Purslow with.

I suppose ultimately the difference is I don’t discount all the previous years credit for a bad 12-18 months.

Bednarek was probably on 40-50k a week. Coutinho cost more than him and Barkley since we also didn't buy them

Apparently he spent 1.2 million on Critchley who we then had to pay out because his highly paid Golden Boy was inept

[Mark Albrighton]

6 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Bednarek was probably on 40-50k a week. Coutinho cost more than him and Barkley since we also didn't buy them

Apparently he spent 1.2 million on Critchley who we then had to pay out because his highly paid Golden Boy was inept

Bednarek on that for a matter of months, yeah? Not great business, no one is saying it is. I’m saying it’s not Coutinho level bad business.

What was the loan fee for Barkley? I seem to recall it being quite high. I’m betting his wages weren’t terribly low either.

Edited March 7 by Mark Albrighton

[DaveAV1]

On 07/03/2024 at 08:23, sidcow said:

Just a question Sid, why is the post by the previous poster boring? I think it was a post by @Zatman

Edited May 20 by DaveAV1

[rodders0223]

1 hour ago, DaveAV1 said:

Just a question Sid, why is the post by the previous poster boring? I think it was a post by @Zatman

You answered your own question

 

[sidcow]

3 hours ago, DaveAV1 said:

Just a question Sid, why is the post by the previous poster boring? I think it was a post by @Zatman

Just the constant unnecessary bringing Purslow into the thread for a bashing. It's boring. 

[Demitri_C]

Yeah purslow gone now time to stop bashing him.

 

[DaveAV1]

1 hour ago, sidcow said:

Just the constant unnecessary bringing Purslow into the thread for a bashing. It's boring. 

The name of the thread would suggest that he is automatically discussed in this thread surely?

[bobzy]

5 minutes ago, DaveAV1 said:

The name of the thread would suggest that he is automatically discussed in this thread surely?

And anything bad that happens is his fault?

[sidcow]

2 minutes ago, DaveAV1 said:

The name of the thread would suggest that he is automatically discussed in this thread surely?

Sorry, I just respond to your post, didn't even realise what thread it was in. 

Equally just coming onto this thread to Bash Purslow unecessarily. He would have had a  budget to work to, agreed by the board. If our wages were out of control it would have been an agreed strategy. Unless that's what he was sacked for which I think we would have heard. 

And it's still boring. Writing this is boring. I can't believe people keep bringing it up. 

[DaveAV1]

On 05/03/2024 at 14:48, Mark Albrighton said:

Out of interest, does he take any of the credit for taking part in the negotiating the (relatively) inexpensive deals for Konsa, Watkins, Martinez, Kamara…? Or is it just the bad deals he’s responsible for?

I guess it’s like how he’s to blame for the Gerrard appointment but Smith’s hiring doesn’t count in his favour for some reason. 

He should definitely take credit for the appointment of Dean Smith but to be fair thst was  relatively obvious choice for all the reasons we know. The poaching of a manager from Scotland isn’t quite so obvious or successful. When Nas and Wes first arrived here they needed someone who had experience in the business of running a PL football club, which he did and so that was very good for us and him in the early NSWE era, possibly he did such a god job that like Deano he reached a point where he was t the man to take us further in their opinion and so they started to appoint people who they thought could do that, which so far so good. Christian Purslow has a weakness for the limelight and left Chelsea for similar reasons as stated by others he liked to be involved with the playing staff at LFC, indeed Stevie G is his personal friend. Appointing friends in any business has it’s pitfalls in a high profile business like football these things tend to be very much in the public eye, so here we all are saying our peice! 

[Mark Albrighton]

@DaveAV1 I don’t recall Dean Smith being the obvious candidate at the time. There was talk of Thierry Henry, there was talk about some assistant coach from either Chelsea or Man Utd.

Smith’s name was discussed of course, but I don’t remember it being a given it would be him. And just to try and provide some nuance here, I don’t necessarily give ALL the credit to Purslow for Smith’s appointment. I’m not sure how involved he was in the decision, I would imagine he played a big part.

Gerrard, yeah, mistake. Huge mistake. We know. Although I don’t think hiring a recent (Scottish) league winning manager is quite as outlandish thinking as you do, but it was clearly a mistake. 

The limelight stuff, to be honest, that seems to bother people a lot more than me. He could have had his own YouTube channel, as long as things are going well at the club, I couldn’t care less. He probably does enjoy rubbing shoulders with names like Gerrard. But I honestly don’t think he would hire Gerrard if he didn’t also think he would be a success at Villa. It was still a mistake, but it’s a mistake made due to bad judgement on a managerial abilities rather than “Oooh let’s get my best bud Stevie in”.

Tied to that limelight thing, I think he probably wants to be the main guy and as the club progresses, it will naturally follow that more people - high profile individuals with more experience in certain areas - will arrive. I believe if he wanted to stay in some sort of joined up linking role between Heck and Monchi, acting as the front man of the board, NWSE would have been more than happy to have him stay. I suspect such a role would have fewer responsibilities or less of a leadership, so doesn’t meet the “main guy” requirement he enjoys.

I think if there was sufficient ill feeling from the owners towards him, we would have heard a bit more. I believe he’s still well regarded by Nas and Wes.

[DaveAV1]

 

On 21/05/2024 at 10:50, Mark Albrighton said:

@DaveAV1 I don’t recall Dean Smith being the obvious candidate at the time. There was talk of Thierry Henry, there was talk about some assistant coach from either Chelsea or Man Utd.

Smith’s name was discussed of course, but I don’t remember it being a given it would be him. And just to try and provide some nuance here, I don’t necessarily give ALL the credit to Purslow for Smith’s appointment. I’m not sure how involved he was in the decision, I would imagine he played a big part.

Gerrard, yeah, mistake. Huge mistake. We know. Although I don’t think hiring a recent (Scottish) league winning manager is quite as outlandish thinking as you do, but it was clearly a mistake. 

The limelight stuff, to be honest, that seems to bother people a lot more than me. He could have had his own YouTube channel, as long as things are going well at the club, I couldn’t care less. He probably does enjoy rubbing shoulders with names like Gerrard. But I honestly don’t think he would hire Gerrard if he didn’t also think he would be a success at Villa. It was still a mistake, but it’s a mistake made due to bad judgement on a managerial abilities rather than “Oooh let’s get my best bud Stevie in”.

Tied to that limelight thing, I think he probably wants to be the main guy and as the club progresses, it will naturally follow that more people - high profile individuals with more experience in certain areas - will arrive. I believe if he wanted to stay in some sort of joined up linking role between Heck and Monchi, acting as the front man of the board, NWSE would have been more than happy to have him stay. I suspect such a role would have fewer responsibilities or less of a leadership, so doesn’t meet the “main guy” requirement he enjoys.

I think if there was sufficient ill feeling from the owners towards him, we would have heard a bit more. I believe he’s still well regarded by Nas and Wes.

I agree that there was t any real ill will between him and NSWE and both sides had nothing to gain from that both sides will have appreciated the other for what they’d done during their association together. Most things run their natural course after a while, there doesn’t have to be a big but up, public falling outs are usually expensive one way or the other, with or without the involvement of lawyers. 

 

Edited May 22 by blandy
fixed quoting

[Captain_Townsend]

I personally am thankful for the job Purslow did here, from 2018 to 2023. He represented the club well, was clear about what the plan was and showed some vision. Those in place now operate in a different Club to the one he walked into in 2018.

[Demitri_C]

2 minutes ago, Captain_Townsend said:

I personally am thankful for the job Purslow did here, from 2018 to 2023. He represented the club well, was clear about what the plan was and showed some vision. Those in place now operate in a different Club to the one he walked into in 2018.

Thats where im at.

He made a error with gerrard i wont set him on a fire for that

[Zatman]

40 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Thats where im at.

He made a error with gerrard i wont set him on a fire for that

And Coutinho who we need to probably pay off and Castore made us and especially our womens team an embarrassment 

[Demitri_C]

1 hour ago, Zatman said:

And Coutinho who we need to probably pay off and Castore made us and especially our womens team an embarrassment 

I dont know about that. Wouldnt gerrard have said i want him and then purslow would have tried to back what the manager wants?

That has gerrards grubby hands all over it

[Rds1983]

As much as Gerrard and Coutinho were expensive mistakes, and his limelight show was a bit annoying, those things definitely helped make Villa more 'noticeable' and spoken about more. 

That was potentially something that helped to convince Emery and some of players to join.

Either way, we're in our best position for 40 year's, when only 5 year's ago we were in the Championship. 

Purslow clearly helped with that and will have done more good than bad. For that, I'm grateful to him.