General Krulak pt 4 - Q & A (No transfer Questions)

[UTVPK]

Hi General,

Please can you confirm if a decision has been made to take the current kits into the 2011/12 season?

I visited the villa park store and was informed that it is basically a "done deal" that the away kit will be used as a third kit next season, but due to the risk of loss of revenue, a new home and away kit will be released as planned, so this seasons kit will change in six months.

I am sure that only if villa qualify for europe can they have a Third kit anyway?

The last time we spoke on here you said the legal team were looking at the legal side of things, in respect of the carrying over the kits to next season. Surely, with the releases on the horizon (finally), a final decision has been made with Nike and AVFC?

I think we should be told, either way. That way, at least we know where we stand.

Please could you look into this general, as we have heard nothing from the club.

Regards

[Villarocker]

Hi General,

I have to add my weight to the folks complaining about the city council. I think that's exactly what they are, Birmingham City's council! I mean, how can they justify reducing our allocation when the fans from Small Heath always stand when visiting our stadium? Also, they are always thuggish and vandalising our stadium. I trust that the club has pointed this out to the powers that be at City's council?

I also like the point that Steaknchips made. How does the council justify allowing people to stand and sing at a pop concert when they won't allow it at the same venue when the activity it was built for is in operation? Can you confirm whether or not the club has asked this question? and if we have, can you tell us what the response was, please?

[ChrisNichollsToe]

Hi there, General.

Im in a health and safety mood today, and thought i should post a couple of questions to your good self in relation to my mood

1. Will any standing at the Take That concert affect future ticket allocations due to the standing?

2.If not, could you please expain why not?

3. Could you please tell us whose idea it was to allow the Blues supporters out of the ground at the same time as our fans, and what were the reasons behind that atrocious decision?

Many decent Blues fans want to know the reasoning behind it aswell, since both their safety and that of our supporters were put at risk for the sake of a few photos.

Innocent women and Children should not have to go through that General, so what about there health and safety?

[b6bloke]

General all this off a council who put the lives of 1000's of kids at risk at a concert last Christmas is laughable. 60 people were injured about 27,000 people turned up for a show at Millennium Point, where laughably Birmingham city council expected it to only attract just 5,000 fans. And they have the nerve to dictate!! :evil:

[Gingerlad]

Could you please tell us whose idea it was to allow the Blues supporters out of the ground at the same time as our fans, and what were the reasons behind that atrocious decision?

Many decent Blues fans want to know the reasoning behind it aswell, since both their safety and that of our supporters were put at risk for the sake of a few photos.

Innocent women and Children should not have to go through that General, so what about there health and safety?

It makes much more sense to release fans together then keep one set behind. Just ask anyone who went to St Andrews when they did it.

it gave all the thugs time to re group and find nice hiding places away from the majority of police.

[Undesirable]

Birmingham City Council are an absolute joke, they seem inept in every field of their work and now they've gone and reduced our allocation for "persistent standing", we stand wherever we go, all away fans do, this is how we've done it for years, it's how we support our team, there is no health and safety issue that i'm aware of, i have two legs they are for standing and wlaking, i am in no danger to myself by using them!

Is this the same Birmingham City Council that suggested we change our name to Birmingham Villa because the name Aston Villa doesn't give any indication of where the club is from? These people are absolute morons.

[villan_avfc]

to clear some things up. blues had their allocation cut at villa park this season, as have many other teams over the past few seasons. it would seem the council have turned their attention from the back of the upper holte to the away support in recent years.

general, it would have been nice if blues and villa could've pulled together on this one with blues just giving us the 15% despite what the council said. they're working on the FLA's principle; a principle that is totally flawed and one that has been shown up as being nothing about fan safety, but more about being able to control fans in the stands with cctv and the like.

the local authorities and FLA safety officers like to think they have all this power but in reality they don't. do you really think they'd revoke the safety certificate for grounds like villa park and the sty: stadiums that offer so much to the community and bring people to the city of birmingham?

i implore the club to fight this next time they attempt to cut the allocation of away teams at villa park, thus reducing our income. villa fans who have been to old trafford or eastlands will know both clubs have home supporters that stand up for the entirety of the match. years back now the council tried to close parts of the stretford end - man united asked them to prove standing was unsafe and they couldn't do it. and regarding the fans that stand next to the away fans at eastlands, man city's stadium manager wrote to the council telling them that fans would be standing and singing next to the away supporters and the club and its stewards would be making no attempt to get them to sit. the club have faced no repercussions.

and numerous other clubs now have these 'singing areas' which, in layman's terms, translates to 'the fans will stand and sing in this area, and there's nothing you can do about it'. even the whole terminology about it is a load of tosh. allowed to stand in 'moments of excitement'? who's to judge when somebody is excited or not. i made this point to a steward at white hart lane the other week who was constantly trying to get us to sit down and despite almost being ejected from the ground, he seemed to take my point on board.

i also wonder if you could make an enquiry as to why the council constantly deem it unsafe for 2800 away supporters to stand at villa park (cutting it to 2300 and 2400 over the past few seasons) yet will allow 4200 liverpool, man united, arsenal, spurs, west ham, man city into the sty; all of whom stand for the entirety of the match. nothing like a bit of favouritism.

perhaps if the two clubs were more clued up on all of this, it wouldn't have come back to 'bite' us on the arse. if you want the villa to have an away support that doesn't support the team at all and sits in silence for ninety minutes then the blue scousers are the blueprint you'll wish to follow.

finally, i'd like to ask if the club still support the idea of safe standing areas. not long before you arrived the guardian asked all premier league clubs if they supported it and villa were one of very few to respond saying that they would back it. now with a change in ownership, do the villa still back the idea of safe standing areas within the ground?

[ChrisNichollsToe]

I think the allocation is down to safe segregation. Also, they have to keep the two back rows clear due to the boxes!!

This is whats being said over on the Blues sites. Justs points to what a dump it is!!

On that General, in your short time here, whats been your fave away outing?

[c-krulak]

General Krulak here:

1. PLEASE let me say something. First, we have some Fan web sites that are naming specific B'ham City Councillors as being responsible for the decision to limit the nubbier of tickets for the game against the Blues; that is not true. The decision to cut the Club's allocation was taken by a B'ham City Council's Safety Advisory Board who took that decision based on the "no standing" rule being continually broken by Villa Fans.

The Club has good relations with the local Councillors and they are always helpful and responsive to the Club. Calling them or emailing them with vitriol is NOT helping the cause at all.

Fans also need to be aware that this decision hasn't resulted from any local rivalry between us and the Blues. The B'ham Safety Advisory Group WILL APPLY this same rules to away fans at Villa Park where those fans are considered "persistent standers." IN FACT, THOSE RULES WERE APPLIED TO BLUE'S TICKET ALLOCATION FOR LAST SUNDAY'S DERBY GAME.

At the end of the day, whether we like the no standing regulation or not, it IS the regulation. On many occasion, I have written that standing would eventually cause repercussions...and it has happened. The Club is very sorry about it...it 1) denies our players the Fan support that is so important and our Fans give in such a large measure and 2) it limits revenue. BOTH are not good at all.

We HAVE tried to get this reversed but to no avail. As to whether we support a "standing" rule, that is such a moot point it isn't even worth discussing. Simply put, the rule has already been made, "tested" and it still remains. Changing it would be like trying to push a wet noodle up and incline! We have a choice...either abide by the regulation or continue to be limited on ticket allocation. If we continue to flaunt the regulation, we may come under even greater penalties. Expecting a Safety Group to have to "prove standing is unsafe" is a pipe dream.

2. chrisnichollstoe: Releasing fans at the same time was and is the best way to go from a safety standpoint. That was a hard learned lesson from a year or so ago. I have no idea about the impact of standing at a concert. My sense is that "standing is standing".

3. markdraper. The Club has looked into loyalty points...to include talking to other Clubs. We have not done it because those other Clubs who tried it recommended that we not do it.

[ChrisNichollsToe]

Once again General, thankyou for the reply 8)

In regards to the Councils rigorous enforcement of a ridiculous and pointless rule, may i ask that since we all are now going to remain seated, what plans does the club have in place for deep vein thrombosis?

Sitting around on an exspensive piece of square plastic with very little leg room, is sure to cause a deluge of cases.

Also General.........Blisters?

Have we got the first aid people in hand for the increased occurence of posterial blistering of the buttocks?

Will the club provide cushions to each and every once of us, in the name of health and safety.?

I wont mention piles, General :winkold:

[villan_avfc]

General Krulak here:

Fans also need to be aware that this decision hasn't resulted from any local rivalry between us and the Blues. The B'ham Safety Advisory Group WILL APPLY this same rules to away fans at Villa Park where those fans are considered "persistent standers." IN FACT, THOSE RULES WERE APPLIED TO BLUE'S TICKET ALLOCATION FOR LAST SUNDAY'S DERBY GAME.

At the end of the day, whether we like the no standing regulation or not, it IS the regulation. On many occasion, I have written that standing would eventually cause repercussions...and it has happened. The Club is very sorry about it...it 1) denies our players the Fan support that is so important and our Fans give in such a large measure and 2) it limits revenue. BOTH are not good at all.

We HAVE tried to get this reversed but to no avail. As to whether we support a "standing" rule, that is such a moot point it isn't even worth discussing. Simply put, the rule has already been made, "tested" and it still remains. Changing it would be like trying to push a wet noodle up and incline! We have a choice...either abide by the regulation or continue to be limited on ticket allocation. If we continue to flaunt the regulation, we may come under even greater penalties. Expecting a Safety Group to have to "prove standing is unsafe" is a pipe dream.

It's like your account has been hijacked by the FLA and they're reading us the party line.

on your first paragraph, why is it that known persistent standers are allowed to take 4200 to the sty (not us though, of course) yet when the same teams come to villa park they have the usual allocation of 2800 cut to 2300/2400. does that not show favouritism towards birmingham city football club?

secondly, it hasn't 'eventually' caused repercussions. we've had our allocations cut a number of times in the past so i'm not sure why you think that claiming you've written about persistent standing on numerous occassions means you've somehow enlightened us in this instance. this cut in numbers has just gained a lot more attention because of what match it is and the way in which the ruling seems to show some bias against our club; again, why is it that 4200 united, liverpool, chelsea, citeh, west ham fans can occupy the railway end whilst standing for ninety minutes yet it is deemed that only 3800 villa will be safe in that same end? it doesn't make sense, does it?

as for it not being worth discussion, in a recent poll, it was shown that 94.2% would like to see safe standing areas implemented in the UK. so clearly you shouldn't be so dismissive...these fans are the ones who put money into the club and it's a debate that rages on with the majority of football fans clearly backing the idea. pretty disgraceful response, that, from a club that prides itself on its interaction with the fans.

it's a simple, pointless, flawed regulation, general. the FLA quango isn't needed and hopefully the new coalition will see that. they're certainly looking into it as david cameron himself has talked about. and if you'd like to send me the ground regs i'll happily delete the part about standing in all seater stadia. hardly like 'trying to push a wet noodle up an incline'.

and no, it isn't a pipe dream. what are the threats that the council, its SAG, and the FLA can make? closure to a stand or part of a stand or revoking a club's safety certificate. for action such as this (or in deed any action) to be taken, they must prove in court that the action being taken is in proportion to the risks involved. there is not one single piece of evidence to suggest that seating is safer than standing and nobody has been seriously injured because they've been standing in a seated area. in the case of man united, it never even got that far. it's plain to see from the above that they'd have won the case and as such trafford borough council decided to back away from the situation.

that's the problem with people in this country, they don't know their rights and will go along with anything somebody in an official role tells them. most people are still under the impression that it is illegal to stand at a football match.

so i ask again, what is the club's stance on the possibility of safe standing areas in football grounds? would the club welcome them? would the club back them in a vote as the previous regime would have done? as i say, this is an answer i would like (and i'm sure many others would too) from the club, not a throw away comment from you about it not being worthy of discussion.

thanks.

[terrytini]

Must echo the above General.

I work with Environmental Health Officers who have responsibility for safety at Sports Grounds, and they tell me they do NOT enforce the no standing rule in their Authority - so there are choices.

Edgbaston Cricket ground ? Persistent standing.

NIA/ NEC - persistent standing.

Old Trafford - persistent standing

All Champions League games - persistent standing.

I don't live in Birmingham, but I ask all who do to petition your local councillor to ask why, when all Services are under review, this has sufficient priority to be enforced. Their EH Service has just been drastically cut, so that little food enforcement and noise pollution can now get done - so why are they singling this out ?

We as a club should challenge it - what good to the fans is you having a good relationship with a load of councillors if this happens ?

And as it is a Tory/Lib Dem Authority they are under INSTRUCTIONS from Party HQ to 'listen to the community....

[brommy]

General,

Could the club submit a written request to Birmingham City Council for an answer to the points rationally put by by villan_avfc and terrytini, in this thread above? Unless the Council’s answer is logical enough to be publicly available, may I suggest our club appeal against the Council's lack of impartiality? I'm sure there is a place for recourse to their uneven-handedness. I’m not denying the rules as they stand, just questioning the Council’s prejudice in enforcing penalties. Does our club genuinely believe the Council provides a ‘level playing field’ when it would appear to all others that the Council enjoys ‘taking the piss’?

[jack_bauer87]

General, hope this message finds you well.

I would like to make an observation on the Milner/Ireland deal. Taking into account Houllier's comments about Ireland after the Blues game last week and the starting line up today where we are down to our bare bones and Ireland hasn't even made the starting line up I can only say that the whole thing has left me baffled...

Milner was outgoing and Ireland was incoming, both at the same time when we had no manager. Surely it could have been foreseen that any future manager may not like, want nor rate Ireland and it now appears that it has happened and we are left with a player not wanted by the manger.

General, as I'm typing this very message Nigel Reo Coker has just been injured and Ireland still hasn't come on!! He clearly isn't wanted by Houllier! What a terrible bit of business by the club, who sanctioned this move General??? We've been left short changed General, short chnaged big time, let's just hope we can recover the cost somewhere....

[paulanddonya]

General

It's kind of the same as above really.

We are at the moment winning 1-0 so fantastic. However, again its Magic Marc that scored - who scored our last goal, some 397 minutes earlier.

Apparently, Heskey is in the form of career, and yet, in November - he is on 3 goals ! - three goals in 4 months is the best form of his career ?.

Now, each time I have raised this in 4 yrs (our lack of strikers) you have said the same thing "MON is watching what you are watching, he knows what we need". Well, quite clearly, he didn't.

THEN, we have, as above, the Ireland deal - and thats put beautifully above so no need for me to go further.

Then, when I raised our lack of strikeforce last week you said "Houllier knows what we need".

Well, my observation is this. From May 2006 (was it ?) I have supported the board, and, each time, I have questioned MON about ridiculous transfers, and, not addressing what we all could see (RB , Forward etc.)

I am always supporting the board to my friends I go with, who think I am just gullible, and taken in by the famed American Spin machine.

Well there is another 56 days until we find out who is actually right.

January - I want answers !. If we do not address what we have all seen for 4 years, then it will clearly show that the fault was the board and not the manager.

I blamed MON, but then you left yourselves open by buying Ireland without a manager, so, you have got to ask the questions - who actually bought Sidwell, who actually bought Carew, whose decision was it to sell Cahill etc...

And please don't give the "Its hard signing players in january" rubbish -

Its time for answers. And this isn't in temper - we are winning !. I have never seen our squad so threadbare - Bannan, Albrighton and Clark (a defender) in midfield - Delfonouso up front.

No matter what the result - that is shocking. Time may tell that these are the golden generation and we win the league with them. The point is, the manager should be allowed to play them when he feels the time is right - not forced into it because we haven't got anybody else.

[Cracker1234]

Hi General,

I would just like to point out that not all of us feels like the poster above, well me personally.

The manager is the person who chooses what players he wants....I understand the Milner/cash/Ireland deal was maybe too far to pull the plug on after MON walked out...So I personally don't blame the board for that.

I fully understand that no one off the board can say....Oh we need a striker I'll go and buy one..Some people don't understand that as you can see above....I wouldn't even answer them because they will never understand that the board don't say what players need buying.

Really gutted about the draw today, but we played some real good football at times....Injuries aren't helping us, yet the young lads did well today...Shame about the foul Albrighton did in the dying seconds.

Sadly some people on these message boards will only see the bad and they will do their best to make themselves heard.....Time for them to blame everyone under the sun.

Edited: oops, I put loss.

[jacketspuds]

Hi General. Personally I will not be blaming you and RL for the lack of squad depth as you backed our previous manager fantastically and it was this person who wasted at least half of the money made available to him. However, my question really is any chance you could use your military experience and tell our players to concentrate to the very end? Oh, and if you could get some of them to grow a pair that would also be nice. We have once again bottled it after so much promise.

[Villarocker]

Hi General,

I just want to say that I thought the lads played much better today. There were a lot of young lads out there today and they did well considering. I thought we played some of our best football of this season and that we were unlucky not to hold out for the win. I think the ref could have helped us a little. It was a bit naive of Albrighton to get so close to Duff but he clearly bought the foul and the ref fell for it, together with allowing more time than was added, which turned out to be just enough for the ball to go in - typical of our luck!

I understand the frustrations of the folks who bemoan the lack of goal threat but clearly that was down to MON's lack of vision in the market. I am still convinced that we would be playing Champions League football this season if MON had the vision to buy Darren Bent, but that's all in the past now and so is that manager.

MON spent millions concentrating on all other areas of the team, hopefully the forward line will be the area that Gerard Houllier concentrates on, together with a decent ball-winning midfielder and someone who can unlock stubborn defences. I think that we are probably only 4 real quality players short of having a great squad and I just hope that Randy can spare the cash in order for Gerard to put his mark on the team.

It's going to get difficult soon General. We have a very tough run of games coming up and with all our injuries, it is going to be a tough time. Hopefully, the lads will come out of it ok though and be better for the experience.

[jackbauer24]

Whilst I have a feeling you won't answer this question, I'll ask it anyway.

How early would the Aston Villa board consider sacking a manager? Is there a set period of time you feel you should give a manager, or is it an ever evolving time frame? Would the board step in if, for example, Villa found themselves in the relegation zone going into the New Year?

I sometimes get the feeling the board are more interested in being loyal rather than clinical. That is admirable in many senses but in football it is dangerous - no one else is and we can't afford to be.

I'm trying not to make you say you're giving GH x amount of time, it's more a general question of how you assess a manager's tenure, whether that be GH or anyone else. What performance triggers a board meeting as to the future of a manager? Obviously there are peaks and troughs throughout the season, but if we were 4/5 points adrift in the relegation zone would there be a meeting?

I can't hide my disappointment at GH admittedly, either his appointment or his performance thus far. He looks lost, behind the times, lacking attacking intent, far too public with his attacks on players and I question the new fitness regime with the numbers of injuries we're having - although I admit that could be a coincidence. However I'm NOT saying he should be sacked or that the meeting I've talked about should be imminent.

I'm a teacher, I assess children's performance on a day to day basis, see what they're doing well, what they need to improve on and assist them as much as I can. Like football there are a multitude of issues, both within my control (my lessons) and outside (parents/ social) but ultimately there is an alarm bell the second a child's performance isn't meeting the requirements, this is monitored but if no improvement is seen after providing additional support (or finance in football terms?!) then I will have to step in and remove that child for one to one support - in football that would be firing them! If bad enough this time frame can be as little as three months as leaving it later (in both football and the child's education) can be extremely detrimental to everyone involved. My headteacher would assess me in the same way - they wouldn't leave it 12 months for me to be an ineffective teacher as the kids would suffer and the school would suffer.

Would you give every manager a minimum of a year regardless of performance?

Three wins this season against teams in the relegation zone at the time. If this was still the case come Jan 1st I'd hope the board would ask the right questions. I can understand the need to get an experienced manager in in Sept/ Oct but I worry we'll stick with him regardless of performance.

[theunderstudy]

Hi General,

I would just like to point out that not all of us feels like the poster above, well me personally.

The manager is the person who chooses what players he wants....I understand the Milner/cash/Ireland deal was maybe too far to pull the plug on after MON walked out...So I personally don't blame the board for that.

I fully understand that no one off the board can say....Oh we need a striker I'll go and buy one..Some people don't understand that as you can see above....I wouldn't even answer them because they will never understand that the board don't say what players need buying.

Really gutted about the loss today, but we played some real good football at times....Injuries aren't helping us, yet the young lads did well today...Shame about the foul Albrighton did in the dying seconds.

Sadly some people on these message boards will only see the bad and they will do their best to make themselves heard.....Time for them to blame everyone under the sun.

Cracker... we drew!

But I second this General