General Krulak (part 3) - Questions

[ChrisNichollsToe]

Well General, i thankyou for your robust responce. But i guess September the 1st will answer our questions, and whom you appoint as manager.

May i also point out that those fans you castigate follow the club everywhere, and have done so for years. Some struggle to do so, but still do it out of love. That does give them right to question the clubs ambition and its goals.

Also, you say that Randy has always supported Martin. So are you saying that Martin Quit for other reasons than transfer funds?

[Jez]

Cheers General,

You dont have to come on the message boards and give us updates but you still do.

Some will always claim its PR regardless of what you say, you'll just have to prove them wrong!

I have one question though, can you clarify Randy's last statement about challenging within our means?

Yourself the board and Randy are not stupid you see what is needed to succeed and i admire how you are going about it but will Randy be investing in anymore himself, i'm not talking about City billions?

I fully appreciate the club should be self sustained but i feel that a little of both continued investment within reasons as well as running the club well should be our aim... Is this what Randy thinks as well?

Thanks again.

[Moorski]

Thank You to General Krulak for posting again today, I think that has answered the questions as well as possible.

[srsmithusa]

Thanks for your last response, General, I consider every villa fan a mate, but some of my mates are cranky, suspicious, paranoid, unlikeable sorts.... I think your irritation at them is every bit as reasonable as their disappointment of the "Newcastle nightmare."

I have a request of you or the mods. Is there some way to flag your responses to make them easy to locate? Sometimes I like to check in and see your most recent posts.

Yes there is - click this or save it as a bookmark

Wading through a bunch of amateur attorneys trying to ask a question in such a way as to trick you into revealing things you cannot possibly know. (i.e. when will we get a new manager?.

thanks,

[Cracker1234]

Click on his name and check his post history?

[RMB]

I feel sorry that after all your efforts and where you and the rest of the Aston Villa team have got us today can be forgotten by so many, so quickly. A lot of the responses seem very short sighted and un reasonable.

I know how you and Randy and the AV team love the club and put so much effort in but would he ever sell the club if he felt his work was not appreciated by the fans?

I would like to point out I would hate this to happen. Randy has brought class back to this club, added a big amount of money into transfers and revamped much of villa park which I don't think anybody could argue with. I would hate to forfeit all that just so that we had some rich owner who pumped 200m into transfers yet didn't give a toss about our transfer dealings and who forgets about our history and heritage.

I would prefer to be in our shoes than Man Citys with that idiot Garry Cook, seriously.

[C4rvillan]

Strong words General, I pray that the actions that the club now takes in the near future echoes them.

This General, don't TELL us, SHOW us. Because at the moment, there is a big feeling a de ja vu.

[pacbuddies]

General, you would make a good politician (but you would have to curb your swearing).

As fans we wait in anticipation of a sound managerial appointment and we hope (without holding our breath) of playing staff improvements.

[kerms]

Fantastic , honest reply to some very negative comments, your restraint is admirable.

Always Faithful ?? Somehow I dont think many people realise how much that term applies at the moment.

[steve_avfc]

General

Excellent post, thank you Sir.

Just to say, I passionatelly support Villa and everyone at our club through thick and thin. I have FAITH and appreciation in what you, Randy, Paul and others are doing and have done at OUR great club. I say our club as we are all in this together. I say faith as I know you and Randy in particular are fans as well as board members. My support is ALWAYS there.

Yes, I wonder what is going on but I know work is being done behind the scenes because it has to be, as we are too big to stagnate. I don't believe all I read in the media. We are not ''a club in turmoil'' as previously reported. I feel that the next few weeks will be a turning point for us. So to you and all involved - keep up the good work. Hopefully you can keep us informed and updated on developments as much as possible (depending on what you are at liberty to divulge - I understand this).

Thank you for continually coming on this site, very appreciated.

[bearwoodvillain]

Hi General,

First time posting to your thread but just wanted to say thank you to you & the board for your efforts.

I agree with VillaIoW about the rallying call & whilst we are all gutted after yesterday we should all get behind the team & show our support on Thursday...

UTV

[harris21]

General

Excellent post, thank you Sir.

Just to say, I passionatelly support Villa and everyone at our club through thick and thin. I have FAITH and appreciation in what you, Randy, Paul and others are doing and have done at OUR great club. I say our club as we are all in this together. I say faith as I know you and Randy in particular are fans as well as board members. My support is ALWAYS there.

Yes, I wonder what is going on but I know work is being done behind the scenes because it has to be, as we are too big to stagnate. I don't believe all I read in the media. We are not ''a club in turmoil'' as previously reported. I feel that the next few weeks will be a turning point for us. So to you and all involved - keep up the good work. Hopefully you can keep us informed and updated on developments as much as possible (depending on what you are at liberty to divulge - I understand this).

Thank you for continually coming on this site, very appreciated.

This General,

Allthough I can't help feeling depressed regarding the result yesterday.. I will be hoping that all will come good!

[c-krulak]

General Krulak here:

1. ChrisNicholsToe. "Fans that I castigate"??????? I haven't castigated ANY fans. I have no idea of what you are talking about. September 1 is going to somehow "answer all our questions"...or who we pick as Manager is somehow going to say everything? That just doesn't make sense either. If we sign no one...if there is no one out there to sign that 1) will make a difference or 2) is available...then we should sign someone anyhow just to "answer the question" that we are willing to spend??? Are you serious?? Is that how you will measure the intent of the Club? I wish to goodness that things were as simple as you seem to think they are. Hey, just go out and sign someone...quality players are all over the place in the 2nd week of the season. Hey, there are great managers just waiting for us to call....if we pick the "right one", then we will have shown people that we are really serious. Forget the fact that the owner has already spent millions of pounds above the purchase price on the Club...that he has put money against players, the facitlites, etc. The only question that seems to matter is what have you done for me tomorrow??? Pretty shortsighted. Most fans understand the difference between a sprint and a marathon. Many a great business has failed...many a great team has failed...trying to make one "statement" that falls short in the end.

2. Jez_Villa: Yes, Randy will continue to put his money against the Club. Is he a multi-billionaire of the type found in some of the Clubs in the Premiership? No. So expecting him to throw around 100 million pounds like some others is not in the cards. But he has proven his willingness to spend...but it must be on someone who can truly help the Club.

3. C4rvillan: "Don't tell us, show us"???? Again one of those comments that just leaves me shaking my head. What do you want us to show you....that we can run out and buy a player that we don't really value just to say we bought a player. Run out and find a manager that is not what is right for the Club? What do you want us to show you? I would hope and pray that you would want us to show some good business sense, some vision, some dogged determination to get the right person if at all possible, etc. etc. Am I missing something?

4. Again, less than 10 days ago, people were saying that KM was "the man." Our lads came out under him and played inspired football and a brand of football we had not seen in years. We have one howler and it is "chuck him out." If Randy responded to every single twist in the wind, we would never get anywhere. Someone needs to keep focused on the goal and do their very best to achieve that goal...Randy is trying to do just that.

5. AND, oh by the way, all of this questioning about whether or not Randy is willing to spend money is set against a backdrop of lower game ticket sales...not season tickets but just games. It's called "what came first, the chicken or the egg?" The fans want to see exciting football played by talented players...Randy spends the money...we have a howler, and sales drop. Even before Newcastle we saw thousands of empty seats for our first game...and Everton doesn't look that good now. My point is NOT to say that Fans should spend their hard earned money to come see a bad display of football...my point is simply to say that there are always two sides to every argument and that we need to recognize the reality of attendence. Even in the "good old days", attendence drove the ability to move forward...and the ability to move forward drove attendence. Randy is doing his best...he has NOT changed.

[StewieGriffin]

Im not too sure what else you can say General - some fans will just never ever be satisfied. We could win all our remaining 36 games with the existing squad and KM, but people will still moan that we bought no-one and got thumped 6-0.

[PhilGibson]

Good evening General,

I do not think fans are meaning to question Randy for what he has done in the last four years the facts are there for all to see. Villa fans are a very sceptical bunch and have seen many a false dawn over the years, my friends who support other teams cannot understand how we can be so melancholic at times.

The problem we have at present is a lack of clarity in an age when the 24 hour news media, internet social networking lifestyle needs feeding all the time. The media churns out stories 10 to the dozen and fans are posting opinions whether knee jerk or considered all day every day on this and many other message boards. This means that with yourself posting across all fan sites that as you have said you are getting the good, the bad and the ugly of peoples opinions. Everyone on these boards is passionate about our club including your good self. We all articulate our passion in different ways.

Sunday was an abomination we all know this fans, owner, players, manager and yourself. This has only served to accentuate the passionate opinions of the internet fan base, the opinions have been somewhat more feisty than normal during the last few days especially given the end of August fast approaching and no permanent manager being in place.

What I can say is I feel that we all ultimately want the same thing a manager who can take us forward with the backing of the owner and some succesful winning football.

I trust that Randy will make a considered strategic decision not a simple tactical one. The decision could alter our planning for the next 5 - 10 years so it is not one to take lightly, good luck in the search for a new boss.

[UTVPK]

General.

Thank you for your reply, respect where it is due.

I do not agree with some of the fans views and a lot of it has come from the raw feeling of what was a piss poor performance on sunday.

no, two games do not make a season, but at least after the WHU game, it gave a lot of people hope and relief. I do blame MON for the predicament, the timing was a terrible and selfish, in my opinion.

I love hearing that you love AVFC and its in your blood, music to my ears. Most of us just seem to worry that the club is going to stand still and even worse, tilt backwards. I do think it was time for a new manager, just maybe too late in the day.

Like i said in my last post, i will be happy to sit and wait, knowing that we have the right man/men for the job.

I for one, will not attack individuals at board level, as i do not know what they do/dont do. What has made me feel better is recalling the old doug ellis years --- they were...shit.... and the club has improved ten fold, no doubt. i just think the game on sunday made us fear for the worst.

General - are you thinking of getting an AVFC tattoo? i hear randy has one, is that right?

one more thing, are u based here in the UK?

[C4rvillan]

General,

Your response in number 5 sums up the situation perfectly. When were our ticket sales at their highest? 2007/2008 I believe the first full season into Randy's ownership. What did the fans see? New Nike kits, some new player arrivals and hope for a 'Bright Future'. Fans were excited. Since then gates have been on the decline. Why do you think that is? Because the excitement has slowly worn off.

You want bums on seats, we have to be excited again. This is what I want you to show us. I want you to show us that you are prepared to finish what you have already begun, that we are still ambitious as a club and not just going to repeat our boom and bust years. Talk is pretty cheap General. We can all say this is going to happen or that is going to happen but actions speak far louder than words.

I will still go to games and do still have faith but what I am tryign to say to you is that you need to show us the ambition is still there becasue threr are alot of Villa fans who are starting to believe that it isn't. No doubt you will shake your head at this post too But please sir, keep your little fingers away from me.

[stourportvillain]

Paid fan or paying fan like me and my daughter

Not talking about randy

Just about yourself general

Just remember general all the good that you do for the club and I am very grateful I'm a bloke who works 60 hours a week to watch my beloved team

So to bleed claret and blue takes more than 4 years

[pacbuddies]

To echo the sentiments of some other posters, we had over 20 years of the Doug Ellis regime and that has made us very suspicious and wary of spin. The current regime has only been in place for 4 years so whilst we are not doubting its intentions we reserve the right to remain a little cautious about what we believe until such time as the proof is in place.

I want a Villa to be proud of and I hope that RL and crew can deliver that.

[hobbo]

General,

What is the application criteria for our next manager?