General Krulak (part 3) - Questions

[Denis_B]

General, I can clearly see the reasons forthe late kit saga.... as a result, and as we now have the same sponsor for a period, and the same kit manufacturer can you assure all fans that NEXt year the kit will be out early, eg June/July so those that wish can buy it to wear on their holidays?

[Pilchard]

Or will we actually be keeping a kit for more than one season....and if not, why will they be changed again despite the lack of need to change due to manufacturer or sponsor?

[The_Lions_Roar]

The kit should be reduced this year if its not being kept for 2 seasons, i wouldnt spend £50 on a t shirt that i'll wear for 7 months!

[jackbauer24]

General, I'm afraid it's a question on the kit again:

How come Fulham who also got sponsored by FXPro (after our agreement was signed) got their kit out TWO MONTHS before us?

Saying we were waiting for the sponsorship doesn't seem to make sense with that in mind - not saying you're lying but are Nike pulling the wool over everyone's eyes?! Are we just a little club to them and they're not doing a service to Villa Fans?

[kidlewis]

Just watching the Emirates Tournament on the box and i was wondering General if it would be possible for Villa to host a tournament of its kind?

Surely it would be fantastic preperation for the side, playing a tournament at home and also the revenue would be fantastic for the club. And given the opposition being decent enough im sure Villa Park would be packed to the rafters?

Agreed something like, The FxPro Tournament...

not sure on logistics and preparation for getting 3 clubs to play in a tournament at Villa Park but think this would be a very good idea.

Especially if it's added into a sponsorship contract that their name will be the main name for the tournament.

FxPro would be very happy I think to see their name plastered on programmes and tv for such a tournament. Even if it was ITV, SKY or ESPN who would want to show the matches it would be exposure for them.

The ground has excellent facilities and plenty of decent hotels around to house teams for the few days they would be here.

Bodymoor would be big enough for teams to train etc if needs be surely?

Last couple of years we have gone abroad to other clubs tournaments and charity tournaments, why not look into the possibility of Aston Villa, FxPro and Acorns look to organise a worthwhile, profitable and exciting tournament at Villa Park, to bring in money for charity and the club and get more exposure for the Villa 'brand'?

you could even talk to Birmingham council or the organisation in charge of the area around the ground and put on various fete type events and get a real community social atmosphere round the ground for a few days?

Fetes are quintessentially a British summer event, very popular and celebrates local and community achievements and offerings. Tie that in somehow with what Birmingham and Villa have to offer and what makes the area and community so important it would be a really good thing to do I think.

[c-krulak]

General Krulak here:

1. jackbauer: I am not sure where you got your information but....there is NO WAY that the Fulham contract was executed AFTER us and NIKE produced a Fulham kit 2 months before ours.

2. Yes, the intent is for us to get our kit out EARLY next season. As you all know, to try and make up for the lateness of our kit, we are offering free lettering on the shirts. We recognize the problem and are NOT happy about it.

3. Emirate Tournament. Let me look into this....at first blush, it sounds good. Unfortunately, the devil is always in the details and I am not in a position to do anything other than to start having some folks give it a think.

4. The soft launch of our new web site is going to take place very soon. I will give you the word on the exact timing. I think you all will really like it.

[Jez]

4. The soft launch of our new web site is going to take place very soon. I will give you the word on the exact timing. I think you all will really like it.

Hi General.

Have you got rid of the premiumtv content management system or is the new site running still with it?

Cheers

[Dante_Lockhart]

General,

Is the free lettering only available at the Club Shop or will it also be offered on the Club Shop Website?

[Hereford-Villan]

Free lettering still wouldn't persuade me to part with close to 50 pounds for the shirt. Why couldn't this shirt be used for 2 seasons?

[costa_villain]

General, 2 questions if I may:

1) Will the club take action and ban Vuvuzela's from Villa Park if it becomes an irritation for players and other fans? Other clubs have already taken action and banned them. I was at the Portugal Tournament, a couple of Villa fans had them and to be honest it just ruins any kind of atmosphere and becomes an irritant. Apologies if this question has been asked (Im new to this).

2) Who can be contacted for fans suggestions on future pre-season tournaments, and who ultimatly makes the decision? I guess it's MoN? The last 2 (Spain and Portugal) have been fantastic. As good as somewhere like the U.S or China might be, they are simply not financially possible for most fans.

Thanks.

[TheSufferingVilla]

Free lettering still wouldn't persuade me to part with close to 50 pounds for the shirt. Why couldn't this shirt be used for 2 seasons?

This question has been asked a million times. Our kits are sponsored by Nike. Nike don't usually sponsor teams our size as they have bigger fish to fry so part of our agreement with Nike allows them to produce and sell a new kit every season otherwise we'd be either paying Nike to make our kits (Fulham) or be stuck with a crappy supplier (Hummel, Le Coq, Canterbury, Macron, Jooma).

[sam_k_17]

please please please general ban vuvuzelas.. i want to hear the villa fans sing.. not a horn!!

[jackbauer24]

General Krulak here:

1. jackbauer: I am not sure where you got your information but....there is NO WAY that the Fulham contract was executed AFTER us and NIKE produced a Fulham kit 2 months before ours.

General,

According to all sources Fulham announced their deal with FXPro on June 25th and we announced ours 15 days earlier on 10th June.

Fulham's kit is now made by Kappa and was released on the 5th of August.

So we knew about our sponsors EARLIER than Fulham did and Nike are taking nearly two months LONGER to produce a shirt Villa fans can buy.

This is why I think Nike are letting us down. Did you realise the above information? I know it's hard to keep track of all the goings on in the Premiership!!!

Thanks

[GaztonVilla]

please please please general ban vuvuzelas.. i want to hear the villa fans sing.. not a horn!!

General,

I don't think an explicit ban on these horns is necessary. In this case, I have great faith in the the Villa Park crowd to be self-policing. In the absence of a ban, I believe the vuvuzela will have a life span of approximately one exhalation. After that, I expect the brave soul who decided to blow the horn would have a swift and decisive change of heart; assisted ably, I'm sure, by his claret and blue brethren in the seats beside and around him.

[chefdoc2000]

HI General,

I must say I was a little worried about you being gone so long. I do hope your health is well.

I don’t like to come on looking for something or giving out about something but I must say I was on the online shop and I had my jersey in the basket and was ready to check out but when I put on name etc and the price was climbing I started to think that this jersey may be out of date in a 7 months and I halted my buy.

Then I got an email letting me know about the free name & number printing and I was in again only to find out that it was in store only so buying was out again.

After reading your comments I was wondering if you would make this deal available to the online shopper, as I would be back in then but for now and especially since I guess it’s pretty much confirmed that we will have another new shirt next year I would have to bow out of a new jersey.

Also may I ask is it part of the Nike deal that we will have a new shirt every year that they sponsor our club?

Thanks

[Villarocker]

Hi General,

Good to see you back in the world of Claret and Blue

Hope you are well and Mrs K too!

I wanted to ask you whose idea it was for ITV4 to show tonight's game live on TV? I can't ever remember seeing a Villa friendly screened live from Villa Park before. Can you enlighten us on the idea behind this please?

I bet you are as eager as us lot to see the boys take the field against West Ham next week General. I can't wait to give my new Vuvuzuela a blast in the North Stand - don't worry all, I am just kidding and am one of those who think they destroy the cries of the fans that help make the game what it is

[c-krulak]

General Krulak here:

1. jackbauer: My point was simply that you were mixing two different issues...Kappa vs. Nike. I am sure that if we were still with Hummel they could have produced a kit in rapid fire fashion...but do we want a Hummel kit? Nike is producing sporting equipment world wide and cannot spin around on a dime. We were late in providing them the sponsor's name...simple as that and we went back a bit in the queue. We are not happy about it...and the fans are not happy about it.

2. Let me see about the lettering from locations other than the Villa park shop...not sure how it would operate...so need to check

3. I agree, the horns MUST NOT be allowed to destroy the game like they did for the World Cup.

4. Rather than spill the beans on the new web site, I will only say that it should make the fans pretty happy...it is good.

5. New shirt every year is still part of deal.

[Rob182]

Thanks for your answers Gen!

I personally enjoy the fact we have a new kit every year. Whether I buy it when it first comes out or a few months later, I can always spare £30/£40

I hope everything is well and good,

Rob

[Villarocker]

Hi General,

My mate at work got me all excited today. He told me that Villa had signed someone new from Holland. He then went on to tell me that it was Heineken! For a moment I was disappointed but then I thought back to all the warm points of weak Carlsberg I had have consumed over the last few years down the Villa. So, I am now a happy chappy that I can consume a better tasting beer at the mecca of football once again

Will you be able to tell us if we will be selling the Export version of Heineken, General?

[villanesque]

Hi General,

As far as I can tell I don't believe that you have commented on your thoughts of the World Cup and the Villa connections. I was proud of Brad Guzan and the Americans going from darn near elimination to winning the group all on one play --- Donovan's put back. Were you as excited as most Americans on that play? There was quite a bit of euphoria for soccer over here which I think is a real positive. I even converted a few non-soccer fans to following the Villa this season.

Also, obviously I know you do not comment on transfers regarding Villa but I wanted to ask your personal opinion of how you rate Michael Bradley. Bradley really seems to have both a work rate and never quit engine running in the midfield. He might look nice and fancy in claret and blue! (Yes, I'm a biased American!) Thanks General for your time.