DeadlyDirk Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 General, I have a nice open question for you. Why do we keep seeling all of our best players? Why don't we replace them? Much Love, Deadly Dirk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brumstopdogs Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Firstly congratulations to the club for securing a sponsorship deal and giving details of the away kit - a couple of positives there. On the negative side when will you answer the question about why premier league experience was seen as such a key criteria when all the top four managers last season didn't have it when they joined their clubs? Come on you're part of the Board who is making decisions for OUR club - the least you owe us is an explanation when decisions are made that seem daft/restrictive. As for on the playing side (which is of course what is the main concern) considering we have lost possibly our best player in Young, Friedel and Reo Coker with Downing being linked away it's no wonder fans are worried. Even with these guys we almost got relegated. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out we're much weaker than last season already. While we don't invest in the team actions speak louder than words and at present those actions are negative. It's time to SHOW US because you won't be able to use the "had no time in the window" excuse this time and, believe me, goodwill and patience for the Board is at an all time low for a number of fans after an abysmal last 12+ months of error after error. The Board need to make it crystal clear what the club's realistic ambitions and goals are because I feel we're getting mixed messages. The fact that we even have to ask says a lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted June 26, 2011 Moderator Share Posted June 26, 2011 General, what is the state of play with Luke Young? I was fairly sure that when he signed he signed for three years (which are now up), is he a free agent or was there a clause in the contract for extension? I note he's still listed on the OS as our player so would it be possible for you to clarify his contract status please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 General Does your new university role mean that you can't devote as much time to Villa related matters as you'd like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 Hi General Can you confirm something for us - Do we really need to keep selling in order for Mcleish to buy his own players in?? We knew Young was going - but is potentially selling Downing absolutely necessary if Alex Mcelish wants to spend some money?? Wouldn't you agree that when we had Milner, Young and Downing we Could have had the best midfield in the prem - if we had kept them together?? Just to have two of them back would be brilliant. Not very happy at the moment to be honest :/ - this summer window could be quite depressing for us fans. Tayls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaineyboy Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 General, When are you going to accept my fb friend request. My username should give you a clue as to my name on fb. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted June 26, 2011 Author Moderator Share Posted June 26, 2011 Hi General, I just wanted to ask if the people who update and run our official website actually work during the summer? If they do you might want to point out to them that Ashley Young is still listed as our player on the squad list. I would have thought by now they would be used to removing star names from the squad list in the summer but obviously not, perhaps we need to boost the numbers though as its looking pretty threadbare. I notice that Michael Bradley is also listed as a part of our squad, any chance we could have some clarification on the situation with him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omariqy Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 Hi General, What are the clubs ambitions going forward? Obviously the so called 5 year plan did not come off but it was not for the lack of trying. Further, if Downing is to leave then fine but a word of advice - get his replacement in before we sell Downing. Selling A Young then having the gaffer saying that he will not have the money to spend and then selling Downing will send a terrible message out to not only the fans of AVFC (your consumers) but also potential recruits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaztonVilla Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 General, having worked in the upper echelons of the military and business sectors, any advice for a young manager who is struggling to control some insubordination amongst his 'troops'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awol Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 General, Given the cumlative effect of selling Ashley Young, Freidel and 'potentially' Downing, combined with a less than inspiring managerial appointment, there is some speculation that Randy maybe drawing in his horns and taking profit from the most valuable assets. The investment in January was impressive and necessary but current activity might suggest a 'balancing the books' approach that negates that progression - one step forward, two steps back. My question then is whether Randy is still determined to push the Club forward or whether, when it comes to playing staff, we are simply shuffling the pack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted June 27, 2011 Author Moderator Share Posted June 27, 2011 This thread is not for debate between posters, it is not for discussion and it is not for posters to respond to or answer posts from other posters. I've just removed a number of posts from people who have been on the site long enough to know that. No matter what you think of a question please leave moderation to those who are responsible and please remember that posts on posters or abuse are not tolerated anywhere on the site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maradona10 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 General, when are the board going to kick on into action? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasethevillain Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 General, When are you planning on coming out of hiding again, before or after we've sold Downing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_nice! Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Hi General When the following statement was said about Aston Villa's intent "In five years time, we aim to compete in the Champions League." Did you guys actually mean "In five years time, we aim to compete in the Championship." With the way things are going one is more likely than the other Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykeyb Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 General, Can I ask why the Villa Board felt there was nothing wrong with pretty much hanging the Villa Fans out to dry by not making any comment about the McLaren interview being cancelled because of opposition to it from the fan base. Bearing in mind the final appointment of McLeish engendered considerably more opposition than McLaren it makes a complete mockery of the whole McLaren issue. Bad form on this one, very bad form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.I.C.O. Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 General, Is Randy Lerner financially solvent? You claim that you will back the manager yet all I'm hearing is talk of cutbacks, revising ambitions to merely "competing" (from the mouth of the CEO you lot appointed, no less), players wanting to leave and the manager only receiving a small portion of money from player sales to reinvest in a small squad which is severely lacking in quality. It seems to me like he is scaling back his investment to sell us on. If that is the case and he can no longer back us to reach the targets that you lot set back in 2006, what the crap is he still doing here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave1380 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 General Firstly, I appreciate that one of your abiding comments is that we should trust Randy (not a criticism!) and that we shouldn't believe everything that we read in the press. I also appreciate that you regularly state that our club does not do it's business in media and that if we were to comment on every piece of press speculation, our club would forever being doing so. However, I firmly believe that the club is not doing itself any favours of late when it comes to recent press speculation. We, the majority of fans, appreciate that not everything we read should be believed but in reality the current speculation in relation to the appointment of AM & now the daily articles in relation to Stewart Downing is farcical, and in truth the latter situation is doing nothing to calm an already irrate fan base! I've kept the faith with the structure and management of our club since day 1 of Randy's tenure, I renewed my season ticket the day of the so called protests over AM's appointment but I am beginning to lose faith. We all expected A. Young to go to Man Utd, we got good money and he had a great opportunity to play for a massive club, but after a frankly disastrous season we need our board to make a statement of intent - do you want to compete at the top end of the league or are we happy being average? I hope we will opt for the "top end of the league" but in truth I am Villa through & through and whilst I won't like it I'll continue to support my team - I'd just rather know what we are in for. As a football fan, no feeling is worse than one of disappointment - at the moment I have had that feeling for longer than I care to think about. Last season was very much a case of the board/club over promising & under delivering, I would rather we had a bit more under promising & over delivering. I'm afraid that at the moment we don't have a clue. I appreciate that 4 out of 5 seasons since Randy has been in control of Villa have been good and during those seasons communication was first class. Unfortunately, I dont believe that this was the case last year and I truly hope that this was a blip We could do with some of our faith being restored - as you have said actions speak louder than words, how about a bit of both General? UTV Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villarevolution2007 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 General, I very rarely post on this thread but feel I have to echo some of my fellow fans and vent my concerns with yourself. I would also like clarity over what can only be described as the precarious nature of AVFC. Our motto is 'Prepared' (one which you were part of having placed on our remodelled badge). Would you describe thinning the squad as preparation for the upcoming season? Any murmur about the club at the moment is negative. 'Actions speak louder than words'... But we have received three years of actions involving selling our BEST players, with the potential of losing our TWO BEST players in one window. It is the year before the financial fair play comes into effect, if you want to spend, NOW is the time. You won't because from here on out you will have the excuse of having to be sustainably investing. We receive no confirmation of the club's ambitions. Your actions speak volumes to fans. You sign Darren Bent, a big coup, yet it spoke of fear and desperation that we may be relegated. And now Young has gone, adding to the long list, we have no positive murmurs, just flatly we wont be investing much of the fee. What happened to the ambition we were sold on? General, you told us we had a shared vision to awaken the sleeping giant. The five year plan may not have worked but what was the contingency plan? ACTION and CLARITY is needed. WHAT IS THE LONG TERM AMBITION OF ASTON VILLA? CAN IT BE ACHIEVED, HOW? IS RANDY HERE LONG-TERM and HOW COMMITTED IS RANDY TO ACHIEVING HIS GOALS FOR VILLA? Is he the type of man who would cut his losses if Villa is not viable, success achievable? because some of his actions can be seen as an attempt to cut losses and head for the life rafts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil. Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 General, Do you think Randy will still be the owner of our club in five years time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avid_1977 Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 General, it's been over a week now since your last post and in your words "I think you will be hearing quite a bit from the Club in the next couple of weeks...from the Manager and from the Board. More importantly, you will see "action" which is the way Randy has always operated...words mean very little but actions speak loudly" So far we haven't heard a thing.... General I'm quickly loosing faith in anything that the board have to say. So please, honestly, when will we see this action you've mentioned? Or is this just more PR bullshit to keep a lid on things for a week or two? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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