LancsVillan Posted November 6, 2006 Moderator Share Posted November 6, 2006 as before can we keep in ON Topic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted November 6, 2006 Administrator Share Posted November 6, 2006 Carlsberg is the cheapest beer if you are buying in pub quantities. There's a reason it's called cooking lager. I don't really care what it is as long as I can get some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardCanning Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Hey General, Couple of general questions: How and when did you first meet Randy? What does the average day as Aston Villa Director involve? Up The Villa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted November 6, 2006 VT Supporter Share Posted November 6, 2006 Can I repeat my earlier suggestion to the mods that this thread be made into a sticky? Meanwhile my question to General K is: are there any plans to appoint a CEO? Like everybody else on here, I am mightly impressed by the commitment and intelligence shown by the new board. But it would seem to me that there is a place for a CEO who has a background in English football (at a business level rather than coaching, etc.) as the main conduit between the manager and the board. Any thoughts? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-krulak Posted November 6, 2006 Author Share Posted November 6, 2006 General Krulak here: 1. I met Randy in 1996. I knew his father, Al, who was a Marine Officer when he was young. Unfortunately, Al passed away several years ago...which was a blow to the family and all of his friends. Randy and I worked together in the financial business after I left the Marine Corps. Our relationship started out as almost a father-son thing but has since turned into a true, deep friendship as well. I probably know Randy better than anyone outside of his family and I can tell you, we have a VERY special Chairman. He is selfless, has great moral courage and tremendous integrity. What you see is what you get!!! He is humble, lacks ego, and cares about people. 2. How do I spend my days? I travel almost every week. I am on several other Boards. I spend time in Washington DC trying to make a difference in the foreign policy arena...VERY difficult to do right now. I talk with Randy almost every day and with folks at Aston Villa every day. 3. What about a CEO? As you can imagine, that issue is one we are looking at. It was NOT our highest priority at the beginning because we knew we had to make our own evaluation of the Club before we made a decision re. a CEO. Like everything that we will do, we will think it through first. Randy has a very good mind and will weigh everything and then make a decision. My sense is that it will not be long. Again, like Martin, it is VERY important to make the right call. Rushing something just to say we have a CEO makes no sense. 3. Roger on the uniforms. Tradition is the key for Randy...and he will do right. Let's face it, not everyone will always be happy but if we all keep in mind that tradition is key for Randy and that he does not want to "screw it up"...then we can feel pretty secure about the kit. Semper Fidelis, General Krulak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condimentalist Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I spend time in Washington DC trying to make a difference in the foreign policy arena...VERY difficult to do right now. I don't envy you. You should have a look at the Saddam thread in Off Topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianrobo1 Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I spend time in Washington DC trying to make a difference in the foreign policy arena...VERY difficult to do right now. I don't envy you. You should have a look at the Saddam thread in Off Topic. name me another board member in the British football world with this kind of influence ..... phew !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bully Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Once again General can I just say thank you, to you, to Randy and to Bob and Michael. With every new post, every new answer, my hopes and dreams for the future get stronger and stronger. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasthevillan Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I spend time in Washington DC trying to make a difference in the foreign policy arena...VERY difficult to do right now. I don't envy you. You should have a look at the Saddam thread in Off Topic. name me another board member in the British football world with this kind of influence ..... phew !!! I hear that David Gold is very big in the International Federation of Dildo Producers based in Amsterdam! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Hi General, Great to see you posting here at Villatalk. It makes a VERY refreshing change! Just wondering what other boards you are on and would you be interested in the CEO position? Also another little thing that annoys me - the fact that we still have our shield from the 90's and not our current shield on the majority of frontages at Villa Park (all except the Trinity Road Stand if memory serves me correct) Any chance this can be updated as the old shield badge isnt very nice at all. Once again - great to see you posting and Thank You for all the hard work you are putting in at our football club Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condimentalist Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 You're right sparky, the old shield looks awful. Villa Park needs a bit of a makeover generally if you ask me and it sounds like we've got the right boys to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juju Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Sorry to arrive late ot the party General, I saw the thread title and assumed it would be "about" you, not "from" you. The fact that you spent even a few minutes (its taken me half an hour) posting here, talking to the people who eventually will repay Mr Lerners investment and your wages, commands immediate respect. You may have reached the very heights of the Marine Corps, and one doesnt achieve that lightly, but we are all judged on what we do today, not what we did yesterday. And may I say that your light touch in coming directly to the fans, with humility and honesty, along with the huge breath of fresh air being blown round Villa Park, leads me to think you, Bob Kain and Mr Lerner may well become the most influential figures for Aston Villa FC since William McGregor, and if you achieve that, then to 42,500 sports fans, you will become truely "great". You will be in fine company if you can sit at thesame table as Mr McGregor when the history of Aston Villa is re written. There appears for the first time, complete integrity about the clubs interaction with the fans, from the way the bid was conducted, to, well, moments like this. That you spare your incredibly valuable time here, impresses me. As it is, there are over 1000 potential consumers you have reached out to in a way that the marketing experts under Herbert Ellis failed to figure in 5 years. Honestly, this has to be one of the most impressive threads on the internet. Even going to work, as I do, with my Villa scarf on, people have laughed at me. (I work in South London). But it gets worn with pride these days, rather than a faint sense of embarassment. I know we have sounder, more honest, more straightforward management in place at the positions that matter, than any other club in England. We might get a little "pissed" from time to time through the next few years as things change, but you have my respect. More than that, you have I believe, time. Villa fans are more down to earth than many. We expect change, and quickly. But results take longer, and football is a results business. But I believe with the actions of the present board, from bid onwards, you are winning "the hearts and minds" of the vast majority, and we will give you time. Congratulations to Mr Lerner buying the best club in England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Zen Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I spend time in Washington DC trying to make a difference in the foreign policy arena...VERY difficult to do right now. While I realize that you, a military man of the American South, and I, a pacifist progressive liberal from Scandinavia, may well have our differences on the subject, I'd just like to say it is fantastic to have such an influental man on our board. You and mr. Lerner are sending out all the right signals, and I firmly believe you are the right men in the right place. Added to the wisdom of Martin O'Neill, the club couldn't possibly be in better hands. One question, if you don't mind: Living miles and miles away from Villa Park in Oslo, Norway, travelling to the Villa takes a lot of planning and organizing. I would love for there to be some capacity at the club to help fans from abroad with arranging trips to Villa Park, perhaps even the possibility of purchasing package trips through the club. Is this something that you plan to look into in the future? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condimentalist Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 That's a good shout Michelsen. We seem to have a decent following in Scandinavia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianrobo1 Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 totally agree excellent idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Zen Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 We seem to have a decent following in Scandinavia. English football is massive in Scandinavia and kids grow up watching the Premiership. Though Northern Europe may not be the largest market in the world in terms of population, there are many potential fans up here as the Premierhsip is so popular. Winning over a couple of young glory hunters from the cold North could boost our shirt sales quite a bit. We're wealthy too, you know, and plenty of oil money to spend on tickets and merchandise :winkold: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condimentalist Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Free coach trips from Oslo?? :winkold: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Zen Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Free coach trips from Oslo?? :winkold: I'd rather pay 50 quid for a plane ticket, to be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LancsVillan Posted November 6, 2006 Moderator Share Posted November 6, 2006 totally agree excellent idea. A fan Liasion officer would take this on I guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianrobo1 Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Yes Al, that is one position as I mentioned in mmy ideas a few pages back that needs to be implemented. We need the opportunity to pass our comments through to the club through this person. for me it is the perfect job for a Villa fan to do good, I can think of a few people who would be excellent at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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