General Krulak (part 3) - Questions

[b6bloke]

General, you and Randy keep doing what you are doing

[imavillan]

General,

You are certainley finding out about ''the good the bad and the ugly''

Sir, i have my opinions about the names being mentioned in the press about who we are supposed to be interviewing and i will keep them to myself. As i for one will not be able to do anything about who Randy decides to employ or not.

I have two questions that i would like you to respectfully answer after the managerial appointment has been made.

What i would like to know is the following.

1, Who was actually interviewed for the job.

2, Who was on the shortlist for the job.

PS,

All of the agnst, rage and ranting from many posters on this and other sites is because people have a serious passion about this club and really really care....AVFC is a way of life.

Thank you

[c-krulak]

General Krulak here:

1. I am not sure what "naming names" will do...now or after the choice has been made. What I will say is that there is not a single name that I have heard that hasn't been the brunt of VERY serious discussion. Simply put, we have discussed every name I have read on this Board and have done more than discussed with the VAST majority of them. Some Fans seem to have the impression that for the last 20-30 days we have been doing nothing...that we have just be waiting around for a miracle. Nothing could be further from the truth. We have interviewed and met with a significant number of people...spoken, written, etc. To think that we have only looked at two or three people is simply dead wrong.

2. briny_ear: I love it. I gave you my view of what happened and you simply say that my comments "don't apply in your view." How in the name of anything am I to deal with a comment like that??? You asked me what I thought happened and I gave you the best answer I could and you arbitrarily blow it off. So what am I to do now? Make up an answer that I hope will satisfy you? Seriously, put yourself in my situation and ask yourself how you would answer a comment such as you made. I gave you my opinion...I gave you the best rundown I could of what took place...leading up to the day when MON resigned. I am not a mind reader...I can only give you what I think.

[T.Daley]

General,

Both yourself and Randy are already legends in the Aston Villa FC history, but importantly your are part of our great future, and future that I shudder to think would of looked like if Randy had not arrived in 2006.

Things maybe could be better at this exact moment in time yes, and many people on here see you has an outlet to front their frustration and anger, I think that shows just how much we all care about this great club, which for most of is is like an extended family. I think the problem with this forum is at times we forget who YOU are, a board member of a Premiership football club, who is happy to share at much as you can with us all.

It was only 6 months ago that we had returned to Wembley, a mass of claret and blue, and no doubt those times will come again, soon. I think we all know deep down that you will make the right decision, its just at times we all get carried away with the media (who know F all about the club) and with snippets you 'throw' us. Again maybe we should just count to 10 and remember who YOU are, and that you are not going to give us a copy of the interview notes for all the managerial candidates!

MON has gone, thanks you helped to be part of raising the lion, but now we look forward and put our faith back in these 2 legends of AVFC.

All I ask general is that depsite some of the comments thrown at you can come across as personal, please do not take them that way, and just that its passion coming through. We as fans care, just as you and Randy do.

UTV

[C4rvillan]

I'd like to second this General. I don't think many fasn are being personal, just passionate.

Can I just ask the media (because of a certain Graham Taylor) have mentioned the need to update our scouting system in your opinion, do you think our scouts have been underused in the past 4 years?

[shambles]

Hi General, when will the decision on the new manager be announced?

Thanks to you, Randy and the rest of the board for all your efforts.

Matt.

[villanesque]

General Krulak here:

... What I will say is that there is not a single name that I have heard that hasn't been the brunt of VERY serious discussion. Simply put, we have discussed every name I have read on this Board and have done more than discussed with the VAST majority of them. ....

We have interviewed and met with a significant number of people...spoken, written, etc. To think that we have only looked at two or three people is simply dead wrong.

That, kind General, is the type of answer that for me, at least, makes a huge difference. So thank you. I doubted you would name names but in a round about way you have.

As for some who think or suggest you and Mr. Lerner and the Board have been down to the local pub having a beer or two while singing old college songs for the last few weeks and are now playing taps on a bugle, well, you can't really do much to appease some one with that point of view.

[string28]

Hi General

Do you think we will see a new scouting system at villa?

I know some of the comments off fans are a bit over the top at the moment but believe me there is no other owner we would want so keep up the good work.

[bc54vfc]

General.

I should just ignore some of the idiotic comments being made on this thread; you'd probably be better off not responding further at least until an appointment is made. I'm sure the vast majority of Villa fans appreciate what the board has done / is doing and that there is not a bottomless pit of money to throw at new players, particularly when attendances are in decline.

Keep up the good work.

[Risso]

General Krulak

.and those that you have guessed correctly, you have something negative to say about all of them. Suppose we happen to pick one of them...or suppose we are trying to get one to come to the Club...I am sure they enjoy reading the blogs to see how our fans react to their names...and rest assured, anyone we would want is smart enough to do some due diligence on the Club and Fan base. season...

And? Are you suggesting that we hold back on our honestly held opinions in case a manager you may or may not have interviewed reads some less than flattering posts?

I have two problems with that. Firstly, this site is for fans to give their opinions, both good and bad. If a person thinks that Alan Curbishley for example, isn't up to much, why should they not say so?

Secondly, you said that you personally would be against appointing a manager who was currently employed as there would be loyalty issues. Yet you worry that someone offered a million pound contract and the prestige of managing Villa would be put off by a few negative comments? Would you really want to appoint such a shrinking violet?

[briny_ear]

2. briny_ear: I love it. I gave you my view of what happened and you simply say that my comments "don't apply in your view." How in the name of anything am I to deal with a comment like that??? You asked me what I thought happened and I gave you the best answer I could and you arbitrarily blow it off. So what am I to do now? Make up an answer that I hope will satisfy you? Seriously, put yourself in my situation and ask yourself how you would answer a comment such as you made. I gave you my opinion...I gave you the best rundown I could of what took place...leading up to the day when MON resigned. I am not a mind reader...I can only give you what I think.

General.

I think I may not have been clear in what I was saying. I didn't actually say your account "did not apply in my view". I was pointing out that, logically, it cannot be the case that MON was, at the same time,

(a) fully on board with the financial direction set out by Mr Lerner

but

( not tackling the wages to revenue issue

since, as far as I understand things, ( was the direction set in (a).

I actually think it is right for the board to draw a line under the MON issue and get on with dealing with the future, so I don't really want to pursue this any further.

[steve_avfc]

steve, sorry, but this thread is for new questions for the gen, only, not asking him to answer a question posed a few posts ago. Also, on the next manager, the general isn't going to announce whether or not it is donadoni or anyone else on a messageboard

[jackbauer24]

I'm tired of getting into what I think the board are and aren't doing right so, inspired by a thread in the main Villa chat area, I'd like to ask you what you think the Board have done WRONG since they took over. Fans are being honest enough to admit the mistakes about Villa they've made over the years.

I think it's important we can admit what mistakes we make and I'd love an actual example of a mistake you feel Aston Villa have made.

To even it up (speaking as a teacher here!) you could say 1 thing you feel we've excelled at and one thing we messed up.

[sickmick99]

General

Has Randy found his first appointment of a new manager more difficult than he expected ??? (not sure how much input he had into appointing MON).

On a personal note, may i say that most Villa fans i talk to can see that this has probably been one of the worst times to be looking for a new manager, due to the lack of quality available. There is not much anyone can do about that, other than get the best we can.

Best of luck with it, and remember that most fans are very happy with what Randy has done for the club. And hope we can all soon forget this shite summer.

[c-krulak]

General Krulak here.

1. jackbauer24: I guess if you look at the micro view of decisions made, then the lack of Fan consultation over the Trinity Road renovation was one of our biggest mistakes. We should have definitely spent time getting a sense of what the Fans thought of the move of seating. It was something that we could have done easily and should have done but just failed to "think things through." We have made other mistakes...internally as well as externally...but you asked for one and I gave you one.

[Mr_Dogg]

General, I accept I have little or zero input into what happens at Villa but Steve Staunton cannot be a part of anything that happens at Villa. Please.

I pray to anything that exists that this cannot happen.

[markavfc40]

General,

I just nearly choked on my supper. It is being reported in one of the national rags that on Monday the club are to announce a three man dream team (now please don't laugh ) of Houllier, MacDonald and wait for it Steve Staunton. Now I know you aren't one to comment on speculation but surely this one, aside from its comedy value, should be dismissed immediately.

Now if you were to announce this "dream team" on Monday or any day this month for that matter can I please remind you that in the UK April fools day is always on April 1st and not in September.

[carlitobrigante]

difficult times, the majority still have faith general, im still hearing 'one randy lerner' sung at the games, fans turn quick when things go wrong but in the main we still think your doing your best for us

this post below though explains why some are so upset. On a side note ill give my backing to any new boss regardless if i rate him personally and give him a chance like we all should.

General

This summer we have lost a manager of undoubted premiership qualty and as yet no one knows why. We have lost our player of the season to a competitor. We have spent no money on the squad for over a year (wages aside). We have a smaller squad than going into last season. We have no manager. The names linked to the vacant post have, for the majority, been inferior to the manager that has just left.

I'm not saying that the criticism you are recieving is just but please do try and understand as to why emotions are running high.

Thank you for your time.

[OLDVILLAIN]

General..in a few weeks all this malarkey about what randy and yourself should have,could have and didnt say... will be a distant memory.

The vast majority of the fanbase will be back enjoying the best of what this football club has to offer.

Football being the game it is, has its "fickle" fans,and villa has its fair share of those as well.

I just want to say general that the way you deal and answer all these posts,wether good intentioned ones or the just plain rude ones, stands to you,your replies exude honesty and i can see they are from somebody who holds my club in high esteem.

semper fi and UTV!

[Biffta]

Like a lot of people the unknowing, the waiting is torture...The "good, bad and the ugly" all want the same thing, we have been watching football for many years and to be honest, the new generation of Villa fans have never seen success, we didnt know what success looked like until Randy and MON gave us a glimmer of hope...I will still support Villa through thick and thin and I want a top Manager ASAP but I understand people's availability issues, I hate to say this, then if the right ones are not available now, would it not be prudent to wait a while longer, if you guys said no-one of the right calibre is available right now, then I for one would go along with that judgement...we have seen some good managers at the Villa but some useless ones, just trawl the annuals of our history and other clubs and see the impact of a poor choice, have a look at the end of season tapes for the teams that are being relegated and see the pain on anguish on the faces of their fans, then you will understand why we are anxious, football is a religion!! and Villa is our church!!