nick76 Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 4 hours ago, KMitch said: Rant Incoming: With Manchester United being bought out by the Qataris, it'll mean we'll be competing against yet another sovereign nation with unlimited oil money in the League. This Qatari ownership group has already shown they'll break FFP rules at PSG and bribe officials to avoid anything more than a fine, so what's going to stop them here? Between Newcastle & Chelsea's new ownership and Man City's blatant disregard of the Premier League FFP rules setting the precedent for other English clubs to follow, I'm really finding it hard to bother caring about football anymore. Starting to feel like my love with Aston Villa is like a long term relationship coming to an end. I love this club and I can't even entertain the thought of supporting another one, but I think this relationship will bring me nothing but anger and frustration in the years ahead. What's the point even supporting the club when even at our best, we'll never be competing for more than just the scraps of the oil nations? Why bother subjecting myself with the pain of season after season of finishing outside the 7 teams that are allowed to spend more money than everyone else, hoping that one of them will slip up for a season or two so we can slip into Europe or sneak a domestic cup win before dropping back into mid-table mediocrity? As much as I hated relegation, I really enjoyed our time in the Championship because we were actually competitive again for the first time in a very long time. Going into every match knowing that we were likely to win and competing for the league title, or the very least automatic promotion, was frankly a breath of fresh air after years of circling the drain down the Premier League table toward relegation. That 10 game winning run resulting in the Wembley win and subsequent promotion was arguably the best of times as my ~20 years supporting the club. The Premier League is broken because it's not competitive anymore. There are 7 clubs who can outspend everyone else and on a long enough timeline, they'll be the teams who will continue to dominate the table and pocket more money than everyone else. Sure, occasionally you'll have a Brighton or a Brentford who will punch above their weight for a season or two and take advantage of poor form from the top 7, but that isn't sustainable long term. Look at Leicester & West Ham's fall this season for example... What's the point in following football anymore and continuing to support a broken system that continues to bring me more headaches than joy every season? Before anyone says "go support another club" you're missing the point... I love Villa and I'd rather stop watching footy all together than sell my soul and glory chase with the other plastic fans, but the Premier League is broken. Unless NSWE start regularly spending a ridiculous amount of money on player wages/transfer fees and start breaching FFP rules, even having an elite manager like Emery, the chances of us breaking into the top 4 consistently are very low. I can't be the only one frustrated by this fact... Just look at the match threads when we're losing or the transfer window threads. Every day we're in there venting our frustrations about "why aren't we winning, signing good players, being competitive like the teams ahead of us, etc". For the first time ever during my ~20 years as a fan, we finally have an ownership team who is competent and making consistently solid decisions, but I feel like the Villa fanbase is even more volatile than it was 10 years ago. I feel like the goal posts keep getting moved further and further away from us and we're more and more likely to stand still or fall backward down the table without additional significant financial backing. TL;DR Can Villa compete long term in the Premier League with the continuing injection of oil money into other teams? What keeps you going as a fan, knowing just how stacked against us the deck is? When do we walk away and stop contributing to this broken system? To be honest, none of that makes a difference to me. I’ve been a Villa fan all my life but I was too young to remember the league and European cup win. Since then the last time we challenged for the title was in the first premier league season, since then we’ve won two league cups, been in several FA Cup finals but been relegated twice. It’s been almost 30 years since we were 5th or won any competition. Arguably the current period under Smith and now Emery, under this Ownership duo (let’s exclude Gerrard’s period) is my favourite period over the last twenty years. We’ve always been a giant club but we always seem to be outside the top few clubs for whatever reason. Are we further away now, yeah maybe but for me it feels the same….we are just one of the big clubs outside the elite. At the end of the day it’s 11 players on the pitch and however much money teams spend that’s still the same. Liverpool had the best team on the pitch in my early years, then Man Utd and now Man City. We can still play these teams and compete in any particular game and that’s what I care about. I emphasise with your point but feel if that’s your reasoning in supporting Villa it was naive because we living in hope for decades, it’s just now there is a different reason to back then why it probably won’t happen. Villa is ingrained into my being, so just like anything else I can’t walk away but I honestly don’t feel any different now about prospects than I did 20 years ago. We have the best players in the world in our league that I get to watch weekly, we have an elite manager, great owners, a good competitive squad that on its day gives any team a good game. The PL is the most exciting league in the world and the Villa is part of my family and the vibe around the club is progressing and happy at the moment. So yes, the league is fixed but there is so much to be positive at the moment that a few elite clubs dominating and cheating isn’t going to take away what we have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 4 hours ago, KMitch said: Rant Incoming: With Manchester United being bought out by the Qataris, it'll mean we'll be competing against yet another sovereign nation with unlimited oil money in the League. This Qatari ownership group has already shown they'll break FFP rules at PSG and bribe officials to avoid anything more than a fine, so what's going to stop them here? Between Newcastle & Chelsea's new ownership and Man City's blatant disregard of the Premier League FFP rules setting the precedent for other English clubs to follow, I'm really finding it hard to bother caring about football anymore. Starting to feel like my love with Aston Villa is like a long term relationship coming to an end. I love this club and I can't even entertain the thought of supporting another one, but I think this relationship will bring me nothing but anger and frustration in the years ahead. What's the point even supporting the club when even at our best, we'll never be competing for more than just the scraps of the oil nations? Why bother subjecting myself with the pain of season after season of finishing outside the 7 teams that are allowed to spend more money than everyone else, hoping that one of them will slip up for a season or two so we can slip into Europe or sneak a domestic cup win before dropping back into mid-table mediocrity? As much as I hated relegation, I really enjoyed our time in the Championship because we were actually competitive again for the first time in a very long time. Going into every match knowing that we were likely to win and competing for the league title, or the very least automatic promotion, was frankly a breath of fresh air after years of circling the drain down the Premier League table toward relegation. That 10 game winning run resulting in the Wembley win and subsequent promotion was arguably the best of times as my ~20 years supporting the club. The Premier League is broken because it's not competitive anymore. There are 7 clubs who can outspend everyone else and on a long enough timeline, they'll be the teams who will continue to dominate the table and pocket more money than everyone else. Sure, occasionally you'll have a Brighton or a Brentford who will punch above their weight for a season or two and take advantage of poor form from the top 7, but that isn't sustainable long term. Look at Leicester & West Ham's fall this season for example... What's the point in following football anymore and continuing to support a broken system that continues to bring me more headaches than joy every season? Before anyone says "go support another club" you're missing the point... I love Villa and I'd rather stop watching footy all together than sell my soul and glory chase with the other plastic fans, but the Premier League is broken. Unless NSWE start regularly spending a ridiculous amount of money on player wages/transfer fees and start breaching FFP rules, even having an elite manager like Emery, the chances of us breaking into the top 4 consistently are very low. I can't be the only one frustrated by this fact... Just look at the match threads when we're losing or the transfer window threads. Every day we're in there venting our frustrations about "why aren't we winning, signing good players, being competitive like the teams ahead of us, etc". For the first time ever during my ~20 years as a fan, we finally have an ownership team who is competent and making consistently solid decisions, but I feel like the Villa fanbase is even more volatile than it was 10 years ago. I feel like the goal posts keep getting moved further and further away from us and we're more and more likely to stand still or fall backward down the table without additional significant financial backing. TL;DR Can Villa compete long term in the Premier League with the continuing injection of oil money into other teams? What keeps you going as a fan, knowing just how stacked against us the deck is? When do we walk away and stop contributing to this broken system? I had this feeling back in the early 70's......seasons after seasons, and manager after manager of disappointment and the same old, same old.....couldn't see away out....Then Ron Saunders arrived, with his disdain for disappoinment and a refusal to contemplate defeat, he set about the rebirth of our great club....built on a foundation of hard work and a mantra of 110% effort, he added guile, balance and ultimately a self belief, that reigned after he left....it wasn't complicated, it was basic, simple and durable, it had substance and bred consistency and all the missing things from the grim old days of the past.....Ron may have been a sargeant Major type, but that would be simply derogatory, he was a fighter, he was a prolific goalscorer himself in his playing days....but above all he knew, what won football matches. He was doggedly determined and no ones fool....He wasn't a man of many words, his team did his talking and he was fiercely loyal to them that worked hard for him....as his famous words go ...." do you want to bet against us".....fighting talk. Our destiny lies within the football club.....its about getting it right, and when its wrong, it seems the world is against us......its not, its about getting it right. Our destiny lies in the decisions we make.......trust me.....its not complicated. We are fortunate in the sense, that we have owners who make it possible to fund transfers......but getting that right, is key......and that does not mean spending big.....There are examples around, that prove that cute buying, brings untold success. Its not always the stand out player that all journalists are fawning over, and every Tom,Dick & Harry are bidding for, its the stealthy and the savvy scouts who can maximise their worth......where were the big boys, when Ivan Toney was at Peterborough.....where were all the big boys when Vardy was at Fleetwood.....sure the examples are less.....but the interest is less congested too. We are the architects of our own fortune, good or bad......its down to us....There will always be outside forces to navigate, there always has been, always will be.....Its part and parcel of an competing environment, with lots of rewards. UTV 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVByrne Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 51 minutes ago, Zatman said: Not sure the panic, as said in United thread. Qatar have been poor owners in PSG for the investment made. 1 CL final and lost the title 2/3 times with an unlimited budget Money helps but need smart ownership and football people I think if we are focussing on the player development and being elite at that we have our advantage. To do that takes time and effort and focus, The big money owners will focus on buying in ready made players or exciting young players ready to play in a season or two. We can always limit the financial side with regulations over time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulberto21 Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 Reality is we’re scared of success. The top 6 talk about winning trophies every season. That’s their goal and ambitions. We on the other hand talk about how top half and getting into the Europa League is a successful season. Standards have to be set from within the club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwivillan Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 There's a bid but not done deal right? Assume it goes ahead. Totally ****. Losing interest with this league 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 4 minutes ago, Sulberto21 said: Reality is we’re scared of success. The top 6 talk about winning trophies every season. That’s their goal and ambitions. We on the other hand talk about how top half and getting into the Europa League is a successful season. Standards have to be set from within the club. Even the clubs around 4th to 6th have a revenue 3 times higher than us. Can't just snap our fingers and close that gap unless you have a nation state behind you and get your hands very dirty. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulberto21 Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 Just now, sne said: Even the clubs around 4th to 6th have a revenue 3 times higher than us. Can't just snap our fingers and close that gap unless you have a nation state behind you and get your hands very dirty. I hear what you’re saying but no one has come out and said we want to challenge for the league. It’s all been about bringing European football back etc etc. When you say it out loud it’s like you finally believe it however long it takes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HKP90 Posted February 18, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 18, 2023 I think the Qataris would be well advised not to chuck all their money away. Oil demand is going to plunge in the next few decades, one way or another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Scorpio Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 No we cannot ever. That's the reality. Well until they all go and have their own super league but the the league is a different thing to what it is now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Scorpio Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 13 minutes ago, HKP90 said: I think the Qataris would be well advised not to chuck all their money away. Oil demand is going to plunge in the next few decades, one way or another. You don't think they haven't invested in being provider of the alternative sources already? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HKP90 Posted February 18, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 18, 2023 Just now, Hank Scorpio said: You don't think they haven't invested in being provider of the alternative sources already? Well they live in the Desert, if they are not placing ev panels as quickly as they can make them, then they have missed a trick. Point is, they are an oil state, and in 25 years, when people REALLY start to drop like flies because of climate change, they are going to find it a hard sell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 2 hours ago, Zatman said: Not sure the panic, as said in United thread. Qatar have been poor owners in PSG for the investment made. 1 CL final and lost the title 2/3 times with an unlimited budget Money helps but need smart ownership and football people All them egos in the same team was never gonna work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farlz Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 Man. United dosen't really matter. We haven't been in competition with them for over 30 years if not longer. Be more worried when more mid table teams get serious takeovers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 The answer to the question posed in the title is 'no', and that has been the case for many years. The 'best' we will ever be able to hope for is 'not getting relegated', and our luck on that will run out sooner or later. I don't mind personally, I had more fun in the Championship anyway. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 2 hours ago, HanoiVillan said: The answer to the question posed in the title is 'no', and that has been the case for many years. The 'best' we will ever be able to hope for is 'not getting relegated', and our luck on that will run out sooner or later. I don't mind personally, I had more fun in the Championship anyway. Nah our best hope is a cup and some fun nights in europe Its actually disgusting that so few of the other 14 neglect the cups as its all of our only real chance of doing something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 (edited) We can't compete with United at the moment so I don't think it is an issue. We just need to focus on regularly finishing above teams like Brighton, Palace and West Ham first before anything else. I resigned to myself that football is basically f**ked and the best we can hope for is about 7th and a cup run. I am resigned to the fact that we won't win anything ever again as the rules are against us. Still isn't a hobby isn't it? Edited February 18, 2023 by The Fun Factory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lupinthe5th Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 Can we compete with Fulham who are currently 6th? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzy Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 We can moan about oil money, but we’ve spent a **** ton since we’ve been promoted. We haven’t exactly been that restricted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
est1874 Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 (edited) Honestly, and it's not just the oil money, I don't see any point in English football in general anymore, certainly not in the top flight. We're talking about a league where Alleged rapists and abusers have so much wealth they can just pay off their victims to have charges dropped or cases thrown out and carry on with their careers as if nothing ever happened. Innocent until proven guilty loses all meaning when you're so powerful and rich you can easily avoid all opportunity at being actually found guilty by a jury and brought to justice. Add that to the general wealth that the top 6 clubs have, and how the top tier does not appropriately distribute wealth downwards through the pyramid, and it's basically an end-to-end fix. It's all rigged - rigged so that these young men with more money than education can do what they want and never be held accountable, and rigged so that the top clubs can never lose their spot at the big boys' table. And, yes, of course you now have to add to all that the fact that clubs are being owned ostensibly by nations, and not just any nations - some of the most backwards, homophobic, misogynistic and anti-freedom and anti-human rights nations in the world. None of it is remotely excusable, it's dirty from top to bottom, and it all begs the question whether it's really worth tuning in or going to the games every week, letting results affect us the way we do. Have supported Villa and had a love for football since I was 6, over 30 years now, but this season has me the closest I've ever been to just packing it in tbh. Edited February 18, 2023 by est1874 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts