General Krulak (part 3) - Questions

[YorkshireCoop]

Chris,

No need to apologize....you buy your ticket, you are entitled to say your say. My only point is that 2 years and 704 posts on this site alone is a wee bit more than PR work. Particularly for someone who is on 4 boards and does a huge amount of travel and consulting. Time is hard to come by.

I don't know what I can say to ease your concerns that I haven't already said. Money is NOT an issue. Wage structure is NOT an issue. MON KNOWS Randy will NOT say no to him...he has NEVER said no to him.

Finding and obtaining players from other Clubs...world-wide...to take us into the top 4 is NOT as easy as finding and obtaining players who will move us to the top 10. You can believe that or not...your choice. We work EVERY day at strengthening the squad both in numbers and quality. The idea that you, or any fan, think that they know better than MON what the squad needs is just unbelievable to me. Football is his life. He knows we need a keeper...he knows we need a right back...he knows we need help in the middle of the field. Geeeez!!!! Do you honestly believe that he is sitting on his ass watching all this happen and not taking action. Did it ever occur to you that getting players is not just a matter of offering money? It is very complicated and becoming moreso.

Hi General

My concern two years ago when we had this conversation, was that the guys who " bleed claret and blue " are having us on for a bit of a PR ride.

Id just like to ask today, whether the above ambition is still the same? How the 5 year plan is doing, and where you see the club in 2 years time.

To a neutral, the club has lost its best two best players in the last two summers - both English. The club has also lost Martin, who is regarded as one of the best managers in the game. Why? Is the ambition really there, or is it a bit of seat selling marketing scheme?

If seat filling is what we need to do, then my marketing advice would be to go out and lure a top european manager, and get him to bring a top european player with him. Double launch with the new kit and bobs your uncle, you have a few more seats sold.

[micflair]

Evening General,

Just a quick one, after the Newcastle game maybe some `punishment' should be inflicted upon our players for the performance, I'd say a dock in wages but Im sure the agents would have something to say about that. How about extra training (which should be happening anyway after that!) and maybe some apologies from the players themselves, people work hard to afford the 100+ quid to get upto Newcastle for the day, that a couple of days working for me. Where as for the likes of the players its what they get for just tying up there laces. They should also be asked to pay for some of the away fans travel expenses as a gesture of goodwill, its the least they could do after that.

[ChrisNichollsToe]

GK

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.

Perhaps castigate is the wrong word General, its been a long weekend, and i lost a lot of money watching that shower Sunday. I apologise for that, so please accept it.

All im trying to ask for is some clarity on what our ambitions are now. Its been a pretty dismal summer, Milner gone, Martin resigning, quotes about sell to buy, ect...ect...ect.

You go on about how much Randy as put in, and yes im grateful and still do back him. But remember that i, and many have spent a small fortune on this club we love, and in my case for over thirty years. Im there thick and thin, and will continue to be. But dont think that we have to sit and not ask questions.

This summer has brought all the HDE memories flooding back. They eat away at me, and then i see what we told when Randy and your good self rolled in. I guess its reassurance that im after, and hope those goals remain the same.

If that makes me fickle or less a fan than anyone else in your eyes, then so be it. We used to have an old saying General, which is you dont become Villa, your born it. Older heads and some of the younger guys will know what i mean.

But thanks for your reply, it is appreciated and i will leave things at that. 8)

[Risso]

General Krulak here:

4. 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."

5. 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.

You correctly point out in point 4 that the football hasn't been very good for years [which begs the question as to why nothing was done about it before, but I digress], and then in point 5 say that fans want to see exciting football.

I think therefore, that in a roundabout way you've answered your own question about the disappointing ticket sales.

[konsoul]

I am absolutely flabbergasted and disgusted that the disrespect and downright uneducated comments made on this board. Name one other club where a director takes his time out to interact with fans on an internet message board. Some people really need to get some perspective and realise the Manchester City situation has completely altered the playing field. General, I can only hope you do not take too many of these anonymous ‘Vocal majority’ post too seriously. Rest assured, you have the 100% backing of 99% of fans.

[gilbertoAVFC]

Hi General, great to see the club interacting with the fans from the highest level - can't question you or Randy's commitment to our cause in any way. Anybody that does, is just looking for a fight?

I am a little concerned about our activity in the transfer window, but more to do with SELLING players than purchasing them. I appreciate we may need a few new recruits before the deadline on September 1st - but if we are to believe some of the figures given to us from papers and posters 'in the know' - what are your plans to reduce the huge wage bill we are under?

I know you can't satisfy them all, and you must be thinking 'how can I keep 'these' fans happy about their need to buy players and 'these' fans happy for their need to sell them'? I understand it is a tight balance.

But what I will argue is that, stopping the loss of money that has happened in recent years is CRUCIAL to the well-being of our club. You've seen what's happened to Portsmouth - on the verge of ceasing to exist at one point.

I know bringing in good players means spending lots of money, but I for one would accept a few years to 're-build' with perhaps lower ambitions following Randy's brilliantly generous spending in recent years, in order to ensure the long-term health is this club is good.

I think I speak for all Villa fans when I say that keeping this club in business is more important than ANY result. I obviously want to see us do as well as we can, but I'd hate to see us putting success ahead of potentially losing the existance of my club. I know we're a long way off that, but it nearly happened to Leeds.

Thanks for your efforts in keeping in touch with the fans General.

[smetrov]

Hi General.

I will judge the boards actions when the new manager is appointed. However I trust you will understand the fustrations of some - Prior to RL - for over 25 years - we kept getting so close - then it all fell apart - then a new guy would come - we get close again -. A mate of mine who is a Blues fan, said it must be worse being a a villa fan - because you get so close - then it all goes wrong - where as blues have never looked doing anything in over 100 years.

[markavfc40]

General,

Regarding individual match ticket sales being down. I'm spekaing as someone who purchased a season ticket 3 months ago for the 23rd season on the bounce so I've already put my money up but I can fully understand those that are staying away when you consider:

We currently don't have a manager and have just recently lost a very good one in my opinion.

We have just sold our best player something we did last season as well.

We have made one signing who in my opinion is far inferior to the player he at this moment in time appears to have replaced.

We have just lost 6-0 to, again in my opinion, a piss poor side that have just been promoted.

The likelihood of the new signings required just to stand still appear highly unlikely.

You also seem to be saying fans just expect you to go and pick up a top class manager. Well to be quite frank General damn right we do. We are Aston Villa one of the biggest names in British football and who in recent history, thanks to the previous manager and the current owner, have again established ourselves as one of the top 6 sides in this country. You constantly talk about the owner still having ambitions of breaking into the top 4 and winning trophies. Attracting a highly regarded top class manager with a proven record should not be a problem. If Paul Faulkner and/or Randy are having difficulty then I suggest they are incompetent.

[Holtender_in_Sky]

General Krulak here:

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.

Sorry but dont agree with point 5 Sir

If you went out and got a top drawer manager (Jol) or someone with a top class reputation (Klinsmann) the fans would flock back believe me.

And sorry what do you mean by "good old days"?? This has been a horrific 2 months for the club, the worst for 20 years. A complete balls up from start to finish.

[Brumstopdogs]

In terms of attendances do you really think 8 wins in 19 home matches and only 29 goals was something that made us an attractive team to watch?

How was selling our best player and then not reinvesting the money back into the team really going to improve that?

The team surely is crying out for a decent striker. The likes of Heskey, Sutton, Harewood and Carew are the ones we have acquired under your regime! Look at the teams we are up against and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to show we've massively under invested in this part of the team.

As for the manager choice look at our rivals:

Tottenham: Redknapp

Liverpool: Hodgson

Everton: Moyes

Man City: Mancini

The common link they've all very successful managers. I hope the Board have more foresight and ambition than giving the job to McDonald. A manager for 2 premier league games and in one of them gave us one of the worst league results in our history. It was refreshing to see him admit his mistakes after the 6-0 humilation but the sheer number of gaffes he made was unacceptable.

Thanks for your comments though General. I trust in you to find the right man.

[Brumstopdogs]

General

If I could make another point.

Based on recent seasons we'll probably end up with an average attendance of around 37-38k which is about 5k empty seats.

Quick maths here: 19 home games * 5000 seats * say a price of £30 = £2.9m

Emile Heskey's projected wages: £50,000 * 52 = £2.6m

Problem solved?!

[Wol.]

Ticket sales started to drop off last year and the club still choose to raise the prices to keep the "brand value" rising, the result is the club make more from hospitality and sponsors but less fans get to see the games.

All well and good, we need to compete after all.

But I keep hearing season tickets are up, is this really the case or are we including the free ones the club has been giving away to families?

[paulanddonya]

Gen sorry to post 3 times but I must raise this.

3 seasons running you have drastically increased the prices for children, and three years running I said we will suffer in the long run.

I know many people who used to have a season ticket for them and their children - and due to the increases, dropped the kids ticket and "picked" games for them

So sorry, you were warned !

On below- lighten up - it was a joke - and a funny one at that !

[Razor]

I appreciate your words General, i really do. I understand that getting a manager at the moment must be hard and im glad we aren't just rushing out and appointing someone like Bob Bradley or Gareth Southgate. However, to say there is no strikers available is just not true. Don't get stuck in the MON way of only looking on these shores, there is a whole world out there full of talent, why not go for a hot prospect from Brazil or Argentina? If we keep limiting ourselves to proven Premier League players then we are destined to fail, it's time to broaden our horizons and take a risk on an exciting young foreigner.

[The_Rev]

General, I don’t often post about my relationships on here because I find it a bit weird, but something happened to me that I just have to share with someone and as a neutral party I cant think of anybody better than you. I could use some advice too, so please read.

I’ve recently split up with an amazing girlfriend, we were going out together for six years and she was perfect. Anyway, through one thing and another things didn’t work out, and we broke up.

I’ve learned from bitter experience that the best way to deal with heartbreak is to get right back in the saddle as it were, but as I wasn’t really sure how to go about it. I am a bit old for going to clubs and getting into drunken fumbles, and to be honest I’ve done enough of that anyway.

I thought I’d try to find a new way to meet women, and also get into something that I’d fancied learning how to do for a long time. I’ve always wanted to learn to ice skate, and there is a great rink in Tamworth that offers classes, so I signed up to go for lessons each Friday night, followed by an over 18s ‘ice boogie’ (naff I know, but it’s good fun, honest!)

My instructor is a woman, about ten years younger than me, who is absolutely stunning. A real head turner. Very Scandi looking...she reminds me of Bibi Dahl out of ‘For Your Eyes Only’. Not only is she great looking, but she is a really lovely person, very friendly, really helpful as an instructor...she’s easily the most popular girl at the ice rink.

Anyway, I’ve been having lessons for about five weeks, and I’m getting better, but to be honest I’m a bit clumsy. I have to hold on to the sides a lot, and quite often ‘Bibi’ has to grab hold of me and support me. Now, I thought it was my imagination, but she always seemed to help me before anyone else in my group, and seemed to look for opportunities to drag me around the rink by the hand. She always has a ‘dance’ with me at ice boogie too.

So last night, I don’t know if I seemed particularly clumsy, but she seemed to be all over me in class, and I just thought ‘go for it!’ I plucked up my courage after the lesson and asked her if I could buy her a drink before ice boogie (there is a bar at the rink).

Well, we had more than a drink...I had four pints of Westons, and so did she. Basically we got smashed. And it turns out that she really fancies me too, I wasn’t misreading the signs! So because of the cider I got a bit forward, and she got a bit lewd, and before I knew it she had dragged me off to a store room where I got one of the greatest blow jobs of my life. So far, so amazing!

I was bang up for taking her home there and then, but ice boogie was in full swing and she really wanted a dance, so we got our skates on and she pulled me across the ice.

I was too drunk for this, I have a hard job ‘dancing’ on ice at the best of times, and she was basically trying to spin me on the ice. I ended up trying to spin her, and to cut a long story short our legs got tangled and she fell over backwards, hitting her head hard.

She was badly stunned, so I went with her to the BRI which is luckily around the corner. She was really groggy the whole time, and acted really confused whenever I spoke to her. She got checked out by the doctor who said she was alright, but she had got concussion and they put her in a bed for observation over night. I stayed with her for about an hour, because by that point I realised that she didn’t remember what had happened that evening at all...she just thought I was there because I had been in class with her! No drinking, no blow job, nothing.

So now I am in a real pickle...I want to get something going, but how do I broach the subject of our little indiscretion? I know there are a few people at the rink with their eyes on her (as I said she is the popular girl at the ice rink), so I can’t leave it too long or someone will get back in there before me.

But if I tell her what happened she might think I’m making it up, or be embarrassed and feel too awkward to go out with me again.

I know this is a tough one, and sorry it's so long, but advice please.

[bickster]

The rules for tis topic haven't changed, no discussion (if its worth discussing, start a new topic) and no transfer questions. Also I very much doubt the General is ever going to tell us which people we're approaching to be the next manager, so stop asking, its not going to get answered

[Maradona10]

General Krulak here:

...A great many good people at Villa Park and Bodymoor Heath have been working their butts off to move the Club forward...we will get there!

Thanks for your response General, I will quote your last words "We will get there!" Get where exactly? That's the unclear vision for me, Where do we want to be? As it seems were happy to just be on the fringes and be one of those nice clubs, you keep quoting previous expenditure, I appreciate we were big spenders but General in the Premier League we have to spend to stand still, taking into consideration we sold our best player, we have a -minus spend of 20Million, considering we sold Craig Gardner in January. My point is we seem to have people working their butts off in the wrong area, we have this big kit launch in the centre of birmingham, have these promotional campaigns for ST's. I renewed my ST without no hesitation at the end of last season, that's due to the faith i had in you guys at Villa, If you ask me now, is that faith dwindling, too right it is and i think that's with many supporters. You say i made insinuations and conclusions, Uncertainty around a club which is where we are will always cause performances such as Newcastle.

[Villarocker]

Hi General,

Talking of putting bums on seats, when are you going to be back over here watching the games with us? Are you planning on taking some games in anytime soon?

Keep up the good work General.

UTV

[jacketspuds]

Hi General, I wanted to know your opinions on the PR side of our club. I think our website, although very pretty, is a bit wishy washy. We never seem to hear anything from the club on this site unless it's a rundown of Curtis Davies' favourite socks. Obviously this is understandable to a degree what with MON running for the hills but we have not heard a peep regarding the search for a new manager for quite a while. I am aware that you post some fantastic comments on here but not every Villa fan is aware or, for some silly reason, bothered to read the comments on here. Surely it would make sense for RL or PF to announce on the website what exactly is going on. Have we got a shortlist? Have we interviewed anyone? Are we waiting for KM to say if he wants it or not?

I would much rather hear/read comments directly from RL on the official site - even if it involves saying that we are no further along in our manager search - than hearing nothing at all.

The silence coming out of VP is deafening. And there are only so many silly transfer gossip pages I can take regarding Ashley Young going to Spurs, even though we have no manager, before I lose all of my hair. And not just the ones on my head.

Anyway, this is not a dig at all. Please keep up the great work as I know you don't have to do this.

[Pilchard]

General,

Your past few messages have been ones as equally as passionate as those by posters on here. But I think theres a part of it that's missing a vital point from a lot of people on this thread, and onlly based on my own thoughts, feelings cast further than just on here.

People are getting frustrated because not only were we beaten by a poor side 6-0, which, as you have admitted yourself, is unacceptable, but the silence regarding the managerial appointment is one which is worrying and frustrating. With MON's coaching staff unwilling to hang around after their leader left us, we are apparently having to use Friedel as a goalkeeping coach, do without a fitness coach, and of course are without first team coaches whilst the few left at the club try to spread themselves as thinly as possible. Their work ethic and dedication is appreciated but this is not a situation that can continue for much longer, or it will seriously damage the club. Ignoring the fact that O'Neill had molded himself into 'Mr Aston Villa' and we now do not have a leader, a figurehead at the club, we need to allow people to be doing their jobs with more time to make considerations to the good of Aston Villa.

The disapointment, and perhaps, anxiety for me is that we keep being told that we are willing to wait until the right manage comes around, that O'Neill left at the worst possible time which means it's very difficult to find a manager. Which is fair enough. However, we can't possibly wait around for much longer. We need coaches. We need time for players to settle under aa new manager, learn new ways of playing off them. These things take time - longer than it does chosing a new manager.

People aren't asking for names. They are aren't asking for hidden bits of information. We just want to know what's going on at the club. Has Randy or Paul met with any candidates so far? Has a list been drawn up, or a criteria been decided upon? Is there a rought date in which you are looking towards having a manager in place by? Have we had many applications or declarations of interest - are they from people who have got a proven record or are they considered as risks, but risks worth taking? It's these kind of things which people wish to know - we don't need to names, or details - we just want to know what's going on.

It wouldn't be so panic-striken if we hadn't lost 6-0 partly due to a massive tactical error. It perhaps wouldn't be so up-in-arms if there were names being mentioned in the press about managers. But there's been nothing. A silence as equally loud as the one to do with purchasing policy this year.

There have been a number of situations when people have commented on the need for players, better players, to be brought in just to stand still this year, to which you've always explained there is plenty of time left in the window. Last night, in response to those talking about reinforcements we are told "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". Well there has been the whole of the summer to do this in.

This is why people are getting jittery about the management situation. Because it seems like we are going around in circles.

The ticket situation comment is a fair one. However and as one of the people who didn't renew his season ticket this year let me explain why. I had felt that the club had gone as far as it could go under Martin O'Neill. I felt that we were lucky enough to have had a lot of money to spend over the past few years and I was disappointed in a number of players that it had been spent on. I couldn't see any progress - none of which is yours, Randy, Pauls etc fault. I was also disappointed at the home form of last season, and felt the dip in form over February and March again was one too many. £550 is a lot of money to me - and I couldn't justify it anymore.

I've been a season ticket holder for longer than since you have been in charge, but when your takeover happened it felt like we were buying into a plan, into something forward thinking and moving forward. It didn't feel like it anymore. It had moved into the realms of 'habit'. And I just couldn't afford it when I looked at it like that. Especially when we were once again selling the best player at the football club.

Saying that, I did buy a ticket for the Everton game. And I will continue to buy tickets when I can. And despite humiliation on Sunday, I'm still looking forward to it. Hopefully we'll have a new manager by then so that hope, the idea that we are back on track and thinking about moving forward again, will once again return.

I hope these thoughts come across as intended - they are ones which are meant to explain the feelings of myself, and perhaps others like me. They aren't meant to be criticisms or complaints - just explanations.