General Krulak (No Transfer Questions allowed)

[Digsby]

General,

Frustrations are boiling over this evening, frustrations that have been building up for a while with regards to the Club, MON and Transfers.

It feels as if we are being spun a line with regards to the Football Clubs intentions, and whilst this may have been a thought that many have harboured, it has - up until now, been supressed - mainly due to the positive messgaes / events coming out of the Club.

This has now been undermined with the latest twist in the Barry saga.

How and why the Club saw fit to announce to the World that Gareth Barry was not going to Liverpool is beyond me.

I believed it at the time as I figured that the Club would not be so stupid as to trust Barry once again, after the News of The World incident, and must surely have got Barry to sign the new contract that was being rumoured. I also figured that an announcement from Barry would be forthcoming, again giving the Club some sort of guarantee that he was staying.

It now seems that none of this happened, and the Club has allowed Mr Barry to make an absoloute mug out of us.

It doesn't taste very nice, and in actual fact the taste forces me to question, out loud, as to whether any messages coming out of the Club are to be believed?

As many people have already pointed out, our squad is pathetically low on numbers, with certain positions being vacant for 2 years. Our pre-season is over now and we still don't have re-enforcements. This is, quite frankly, pathetic - and all we hear are the same old messages.

It doesn't really wash anymore and I think it is time to be told where we actually stand with regards to competing - because this feels, with regards to the playing team, incredibly similiar to the pre-Randy days, circa 1982 - 2006.

[tonyh29]

General

The pub is very nice

The mosaics are lovely

The free bus travel to Leicester was a lovely thought

The electronic advertising boards are good for business

The acorns sponsorship is nice

But please, Aston Villa fans do not want to hear any more spin. This pre season has been a shambles, we are two weeks away from our first game with more goalkeepers at the club then full backs. Invest in the football side of the club please as fans can turn very very quickly and if you check out a few of the threads tonight....it's already happening

kinda have to agree ..Sorry

I remember us fans having to wave £ signs to get a striker ... do we have to do it again to get a right back ??

I assume from the lack of activity that either MON set his goals to high on the players he wanted or he needs the barry money and hence the reason he has been prepared to humiliate the club and himslef in order to get Liverpool to up the bid by a few quid

nothing personal ..but we NEED a statement of intent not a "we only adopt a dignified silence " because truth be known that doens't appear to be true either

[Mark8691]

General,

I feel i also must voice my concerns over the current situation at Villa Park..

I despised Gareth Barry for wanting to move on to Liverpool. But i feel his actions are being vindicated by the lack of ambition at Aston Villa.

MON told Barry that we would look to break into the top 4 and quality players would be brought in, However, Barry's head was turned and he said during the summer that MON has showed him nothing for wanting him to stay. And looking at our squad at the moment, his comments are justified! There as been no ambition shown this summer to improve our squad and get us playing at the level Barry craves..

I was so excited by the arrival of Randy and MON. But every tranfer window becomes more depressing than the last one!! The size of our squad and the lack of cover in certain positions is quite frankly embarrasing and pathetic for a top flight club.

I can just about handle Barry's defection...but i fear the day when Ashley Young leaves us (which wont be too long if we continue this way)

Thanks for listening...

[Ian_Taylor]

General,

I for one recognise that the date today is the 2nd of August (Ok we've just tipped into the 3rd). I am also aware that the transfer window closes on the 31st of the month. That leaves us what, 28 odd days to buy players. Therefore everyone talking about 'crisis' 'frustration' and a whole host of other ridiculous ideas need to stop jumping the gun. Can we not reserve judgment until the final closure rather than prematurely venting spleens? I guess some people who support this club have an innate desire to kick up a fuss at the slightest moment, it can be forgiven after the previous ownership had it installed into us. All I can say is that in the two years that Mr. Lerner, yourself and MON have been working at the club the positives far outweigh any negatives that have surfaced.

On a lighter note, today was the first time I played football since I broke my leg (March 10th), in the morning I went and purchased the new home shirt and wore it when I played. The best thing about my trust in MON is that whoever he signs in this window I know will have the same passion/desire/heart/pride that I feel when I pull on the shirt and not some twobit jumped up poser such as David Bentley who kissed the badge on his Spurs shirt after scoring even though he was at Arsenal through his youth.

All the best and UTV!

[RossAndreas]

Aston Villa additions to the squad in 2008:

Friedel £2m

Sidwell £5m

Routledge £1.25m

Total spent: £8.25m

Tottenham Hotspur additions to the squad in 2008 (after starting off with a much much bigger squad in the first place):

Gunter £2m

Woodgate £8m

Hutton £9m

Gilberto £2m

Modric £16.6m

Giovanni Dos Santos £4.6m

Gomes £7.8m

Bostock £0.7m

Bentley £15m

Total spent: £65.7m

So a team who we are supposed to be competing with has spent over £55m more than us on new players in 2008.

Villa fans are a passionate bunch and are certainly not stupid. It's time for some ACTION (not words) because most of us are sick to the back teeth at the lack of depth in the squad.

Why don't we show some ambition for a change?

[Wigsy]

General, ur a legend end of story.........BUT NO RIGHT BACK, NO LEFT BACK, NO RIGHT MIDFIELD...........on the official site NO BARRY SALE BUT THAT appears to be lies....Im distraught, though we had lies with Ellis.... please please JUST RESTORE MY FAITH (Season ticket holder for 15 years)

[dogbonus]

general

hope you had a good trip and welcome to the 500th page of your thread

I'm sure some pages have been easier to read than others

I'd just like to say to you and others on the forum that it is important to keep a sense of balance

the thread has gone from wild congratulation at the announcement that barry was staying to the current state of disapproval.

me, I'll try to refrain from posting inapropriately either way and adopt a wait and see policy, though it's not always easy.

But at the end of the day, football would be a bloody boring sport to follow if people didnt actually care about it

here's hoping you and the rest of the board have a very busy few weeks ahead!

[Wigsy]

General, one simple thing...PLEASE... SAVE MY VILLA. I love villa and i dont want 2 see it fall apart..PLEASE!!!!!!!

[A.V.F.C]

At the end of the day, we've paid loads of money, those who ran off when the going got tough have crawled back with the high attendances and as much as I keep believing what the generals saying about O'Neill and not sitting on his bum...there just needs to be some proof! 3 signings isn't that bad looking at opposition, but we needed more than them anyway, and it still doesn't balance out the outgoings of Carson, Sorensen, Mellberg and soon Barry, it just about breaks us even.

There has been a feel good factor since the takeover and since the MON arrival, but for the first time general i am looking around...and it's fading. When I spoke to Villa fans before it was all ambition, excitement..hope. Now when I speak to Villa fans it's frustration and worry. At the end of the day, as brilliant a manager as he is (and he is) you can't keep backing him up on some of the decisions, the lack of depth is scary, the lack of full backs even more so.

The worst thing of all and I speak for everyone, would be too fail this season. We were just shit before, we knew it and as annoyed as we got we knew inside we were shit....we're not anymore, and if that hope we crushed this year I think it'd be a real killer blow, and i think all those rising attendances etc would be a fading memory of what could have been. I'll always be at Villa no matter what league or what state the clubs in but for the sake of our true chance to push on....do NOT let him have another slow, arrogant window where he lets his idealism get in the way of this club, I know he doesn't like overpaying and I know he doesn't like to rush himself but sometimes he has to forthe team.

Don't read this as another negative post attacking you, if I didn't fully believe in the new Aston Villa then I wouldn't have spent my money on the ticket, I know we'll get it right, but for the sake of many less patient fans, don't let the season where hopes peak be the season where the revolution comes crashing down! I always have belief, but one of the things I have the least belief in is the players coming in time...and that's the most important thing right now.

Keep up the good work either way, whatever the squads like will be ok, but we have the potential to be a lot better than ok.

[c-krulak]

General Krulak here:

1. Let me make a few points to each of you. These come from someone who has had a desk plate on his desk for some 20+ years that reads "Integrity." I do not lie...and I try to always shoot straight. If I make a mistake, I am the first to admit it. BUT, I do NOT lie and I do NOT play the PR card!!

a) I am sick and tired of people still questioning whether or not Randy will spend money. I have said, time and time again, that Randy has NEVER, EVER said no to MON. Randy WILL spend money. He has absolutely made it perfectly clear that we do NOT have to sell a player to buy a player. To equate Randy with some other regime is just crazy. Randy's wallet is open and has been open. Seeing people who post comments that it is time for Randy to "show me the money" are simply out of it.

MON has asked for and accepted the role of Manager and the individual in charge of obtaining players. To have someone come on this site and say the answer is simple, just take the role of obtaining players and tell MON to just Manage the Squad is TOTALLY naive. Do you understand, MON believes it is HIS role to not only manage the team but to obtain the players too...players that he is responsible for molding into the type of team he feels he needs. He sees this is TOTALLY his responsibility and if Randy or the Board stepped in and took it from him, it would be a huge mistake. He gets all the help and support he needs and wants....NO ONE ever says NO to a request in this area. BUT, we start micro-managing MON and it would be wrong. Following some of the ideas recently posted would be a disaster. You all think we have a disaster now...you have no idea of what would happen (AT ANY CLUB) when an Owner and Board embarrass a Manager. MON has the responsibility he wants and it is up to him to make good things happen. This is the same MON who has won championships before...who took us to 6th place...who has us in Europe...who has brought in some pretty talented people since his arrival. And you would want us to cut him off at the knees?? Be very careful with this type of thinking.

c) V111AFC: "Rich, powerful, successful" "...honeymoon coming to an end." Give me a break!! Rich?? You have NO idea of my financial situation but I can assure you that having spent 35+ years in the forces, I am no where near rich. Powerful...my former rank and a few quid can get me a drink at a pub. "honeymoon coming to an end"...you are breaking my heart. Is that what you think I am about? You think I seek some sort of period of time where I am "loved"? You have NO idea who I am...or what makes me tick. Believe me V111AFC, your like or dislike of me has ZERO to do with this thread or why I am on it. As for money for being on the Board of AVFC....I have never been paid a pence...and wouldn't accept it if offered. And, oh by the way, no one else accepts money for the job.

d) Razor: "The Club lying to us." Again, give me a break!! NO ONE is lying to you!! The fact that a situation changes literally overnight...that at one point we have an honourable statement made only to have it turned around does NOT mean your Club lied!! Are you so naive that you cannot "read between the lines" as to what happened??

e) paulanddonya: "Et tu Brute?" I am going to have to re-earn your trust? As if I have done something to lose your trust? Let me tell you something, as a rifle company commander fighting in VietNam, I ran into some very tough times. NEVER did my Marines "pack it in" because times were tough and NONE of them ever told me that I would have to re-earn their trust. They understood me...and they knew what I was made of. They knew I would be with them thru thick and thin. All I see now is some people bailing out as fast as they can...and crying for the "good old days." I was asked what my biggest disappointment has been as a Director of Aston Villa Football Club...simply these last couple of days as I have watched frustrated fans take things to a personal level.

f) bakerbob: "white feather". Amazing comment and totally uncalled for. Do you fully understand the context of that comment? If so, you should be ashamed to have made it. We are ALL upset about the Barry Saga but, at the end of the day, I do NOT think YOUR Club should be ashamed...or feel like they have been had. Look at the reality of this saga. Liverpool wanted Barry...and Barry expressed his desire to leave. We set a price...simple as that. Liverpool attempted to negotiate that price and your Club's answer was simple...the price is the price! We are NOT a feeder Club! If you want Barry, pay the price. The ones who have been embarrassed is Liverpool...they entered the negotiations without the money to pay for the player. Who has played it straight-up? Who has not wavered? As for the announcement from the Club...if you cannot suss out what happened there, then you aren't as smart as I think you are. Do you really think we pulled that announcement out of thin air??

2. Finally, the transfer window: I honestly understand ALL that you are saying. I am a fan too!!! I spoke with Randy at length about your feelings...he, too, understands. Simply put, he has placed his faith in Martin...he has told him to get the players and not worry about money. He has said that since the day he took over the Club. He looks at what MON has done in two years and he is happy...he sees a Club in Europe and in 6th place. Much of the credit goes to the man (MON) that many fans are pilloring. We ALL know we need more players!! We ALL know it. We trust MON and believe he will do what needs to be done. REMEMBER, YOUR idea of who we ought to be bringing in is NOT important. What IS important is who MON feels he needs. HE is the Manager. We need/must trust him...to know what the Squad needs and go get them. Randy WILL pay the price...believe me.

[chefdoc2000]

Hi General,

I just want to comment on the people who are saying sorry for the negative posts and that’s not how we all feel and you are here on your own time and are just a fan too.

Now of course I do believe you are a fan too but I also believe that you are here to act as a go between for Randy and the fans.

Therefore I think it is very important that the fans post their concerns here, as you can probably tell it is starting to come to a head, with five pages of posts in the last eight hours.

All points are valid from ‘why don’t we have a right back for the last two years’ to ‘why don’t we have any players to cover at all’ (except goalies). By the way, I am very happy with the two new goalies - great idea for the older American to break in the young one and take him under his wing and help him adjust to life in England and become a better player. Then we are sorted for next 10 years.

I have to agree with most of the posts, I am getting worried now too and here’s why: looking at MON after the game today when asked about Barry, he looked like a man defeated. Not a man who was close to signing 5 or 6 international standard players (which is what I think is needed).

He looked like a man that is running out of time and options.

Now I hope I am wrong but that’s the reason I am a bit worried. I don’t think that we will be short players, but that we will have a squad of very nice lads - but not champions league quality.

Now, as I said, I know you are a fan too and you would not like to see this happen either.

Also what has been bothering me (while I’m here ) It came out that we bid for Bentley 10 million and it was not accepted, so that was that???? If MON wanted the player and he cost 15million and Randy has never said no and we have money available why did we not get him?

If he did not want to come, fair enough, but if it was about money why is he not playing with us?

So that’s about it, just like to say great to have you here and I know you will be chatting to Randy soon and letting him know what’s going on in the fans’ minds lately!!

“Hi Randy, Well the fans are losing the plot!!!”

You are here to communicate to Randy the feelings in the air right?

That is a question by the way. I am not being a smart arse.

[dancoker]

Long time reader of the forum, I used to post under the name 7taylor. Haven’t posted for a long time.

The title of this thread should be changed to “ Disrespect The General thread”, some of you would do well to remember that this is a forum for the FANS, we are lucky that someone of such distinction within our club actually lets us communicate with him like this, at the moment a lot of us don’t deserve it.

Anyway,

Me and my Dad have been season ticket holders for 15 years in the Upper Holte, I now travel down from London for the games, as I now work for Sky TV.

However last season we didn’t get an invite to the holte pub before a game, will this be rectified this term? Would love to see what it is like in there on a big match day!

Keep up the good work, I’d love us to be bringing in more players as much as the next fan, but I understand what MON is trying to do, I remember the days of us bringing in“filler” players such as Djemba-Djemba and Carlton Cole, the fans weren’t happy then either. I understand the need for quality over quantity, I’d much rather see a young player sitting on the bench rather than someone who is just with us for the money.

UTV.

I fear my question got missed amongst all the panic! There is a question in there somewhere!

fair play for your responses to the others general! I've kept the faith!

[kurtsimonw]

General, I do applaud that you keep coming on here, it seems some people use you as a means of frustration venting rather than realising we're possibly the only club on earth that actually has a link to the club through a member of the board.

It seems some people do not appreciate what has happened these last two years, either that or they have a short memory span. I couldn't have dreamt that Villa would have finished 6th just 24 months ago, but that is a reality that people need to get to grips with. As for the money, I'm not sure why people are complaining about that, since Randy and the current board have only been here 2 years, and we've broken our transfer record twice, I'd say it's not bad going. So thankyou again for bringing Pride back to this great club!

I for one really appreciate you coming on here and even though a certain peice of news has dampened the mood on here, it's still pretty obvious we're moving in the right direction.

Thanks general!

[dancoker]

General, I do applaud that you keep coming on here, it seems some people use you as a means of frustration venting rather than realising we're possibly the only club on earth that actually has a link to the club through a member of the board.

It seems some people do not appreciate what has happened these last two years, either that or they have a short memory span. I couldn't have dreamt that Villa would have finished 6th just 24 months ago, but that is a reality that people need to get to grips with. As for the money, I'm not sure why people are complaining about that, since Randy and the current board have only been here 2 years, and we've broken our transfer record twice, I'd say it's not bad going. So thankyou again for bringing Pride back to this great club!

I for one really appreciate you coming on here and even though a certain peice of news has dampened the mood on here, it's still pretty obvious we're moving in the right direction.

Thanks general!

exactly what i've been trying to say, it seems people are keen to remember whats happened over last 2 days as opposed to the last 2 years. Give people an inch and they will take a mile.

[Ian_Taylor]

I think people should read the post above from the General and at least wait until the transfer window has closed and no more deals have been made before shooting him or MON or anyone else down. We need to step back and put things into perspective here. We have the GREATEST owner in the Premiership, a man who is kind, classy, respectful and good natured. We have ONE OF THE BEST managers in the country, that Man United/L'pool/England would love. We are also one of the only clubs to have DIRECT COMMUNICATION with a senior member of the board. Since the takeover there have been numerous great things going on at VP, we have jumped 11th to 6th, raised our profile nationally and worldwide and become a much better club in the very short place of time. MON has developed a squad of young, hungry and spirited group of players, with a great English core and he will continue to add to that to what he sees fit. We are in a very fortunate position and are the envy of many other fans of other clubs, lets not **** it up by kicking up fusses because "we haven't spent what Spurs have" boo hoo. Look where they finished last season after spunking a load of cash, same for West Ham, Newcastle etc. Have faith and get behind the lads and we will get to where we want to be!

Finally General, after playing my first match today if we still need a RB come August 17th please tell MON I am available.

[Texas_Mike]

Thank F**k for your last point, I thought you were losing it to begin with. That is 100% the crux of the matter. Please do not criticize fans who care so much to express their opinions, it is what you are here for and the ones that are true followers are the ones posting (because they care). However you have confirmed my fears, MON is 100% in control of transfers and everybody else is standing around watching and waiting. Can Randy please call MON again and tell him players are important no matter what the cost. We are playing a dangerous game here in what appears to be bargin hunting English talent only. Why does MON seem so conserative with AVFC money when other managers want to spend, spend, spend? this I do not get becuase most Managers want to build a team no matter what the cost and it is the owners that cut then off when they want to go too far, MON appearrs to act like it is his money.

Do you share these comments with Randy and MON? I would love MON to get a real flavor of the concern that is buidling because he is a great coach and it would be so sad to see the fans turn against him. 2 or 3 injuries and a loss of form will kill us General.

Time will tell who is right, please let it be you, Randy and MON. This is one time I want to be so wrong in what lies ahead.

[Texas_Mike]

please don't enter discussions with other posters in this thread. The mods don't "censor" it (despite the temptation, on occasion). We let all views be put to the General. If you disagree with a poster, that's fine, but we want the General to see the range of views without the thread getting caught up in discussion between posters. Thanks. Blandy

[P3te]

dear mr krulak,

while i appreciate that you wont discuss transfer targets, nor will you disclose the funds available to our club because of the potential detriment it may cause in terms of clubs overcharging, i do think that at this stage fans deserve to know if aston villa can financially compete with our competitors for a top 6 place. im sure you understand the frustrations of fans right now, with so long having passed since the end of the season, and the impending transfer deadline, but after so long hearing the media what we do and dont have to spend, i think its about time we got a straight answer. do we have the required money to push our club towards challenging for a champions league place or not?

if the club were to come out and tell us that our aim this season must be consolidation on a tight budget, then i think youd find a good deal of acceptance, but claims that our manager has as much funds as required at his disposal (with nothing to point at that being true) casts aspersions both on the club itself, and the managers abilities in the transfer market. if mr lerner has never turned mr o'neill down in terms of financial request for potential transfer targets, then we must assume that mr o'neill's inability to recruit bodies rests purely on his own shoulders, as opposed to a lack of funds.

if the above is true, and it is indeed mr o'neills doing that we cannot bring in the players that are so obviously needed, then surely the fans deserve to be told precisely what is stopping us from building from our fantastic 6th place finish last season. i think if we are all led to believe that we are a club with upwards aspirations in mind, we should at very least be made aware how we propose to make these further steps forward, and ultimately who is culpable for a failure in this respect. this is not a case of playing the blame game, this purely a request on behalf of fans to know where we stand, and what our realistic ambitions can be.

at the end of the day, telling fans that all the money in the world is available, and seeing no results from it will only breed contempt for the manager and suspicion for the board, whereas telling us out straight that we cant necessarily go out and buy 8 figure players apart from in very rare situations, will at least give fans a sense of realism.

what the club risks doing right now, as far as i can see, is causing major discontent amongst fans, who have been waiting for big signings for almost 2 years, only to see a cheaper line of purchasing being pursued. this can neither bode well for attitude, nor support.

i think at this stage we need to know whats really going on, and i say this as a concerned season ticket holder appreciative of all your efforts in bridging the gap between the board and the fans. there is only so much blind hope any supporter can hold, when we are repeatedly seeing our dreams dashed time and time again as rivals sign players and we continue on an all to familiar path of budget priced hopefuls, and unfulfilled speculation.

i can completely understand if this is a post that runs a little too deep towards the day to day runnings of the club to be made common knowledge, but if at all possible, i think we deserve some form of answer

regards

peter nelis

[bully]

General,

The Barry going/staying/going saga is nearing it's conclusion(thank the lord, I am sick to the back teeth of it) and the latest twist seems to have sparked heightened passions amongst the Villa faithful who feel let down by their club and are probably a little embarassed at the ott reception given to Barry at the intertoto game. It is obvious, to me anyway, that Black and Barry (Dastardly and Muttley) agreed to a deadline which Liverpool failed to meet, surprise surprise, and instead of acting like honourable men they scurried off to discuss the next step to force the transfer through. I am sure MON, Randy and yourself are tired and disappointed of this saga, I am and I'm not directly involved in it. Can I suggest that we (AVFC) end our dignified silence and tell the world exactly how Liverpool, Dastardly and Muttley have manipulated this move. Let us, the fans, know exactly what happened, we deserve to know, if we didn't already, that our captain let us down NOT the manager or the board.

Re: Transfers, I am a little frustrated that we haven't got a squad like Real Madrid, but I am embarassed at some of the comments on here in the last 24 hours. We know we need full backs, MON knows we need full backs, the General knows that MON knows we need full backs, Mrs K plays right back but is holding out for Liverpool, and round and round and round we go. MON is a very good manager, he is not a coach of other people's signings, and the suggestion that Randy hasn't spent his dollars is an insult. The problem is that we've been here before, several times, a good team, the makings of a very good team, yet we never EVER went the extra step and always seemed to take 2 steps backwards losing our best player when we needed to add a couple more. I'm afraid the current transfer/Barry saga is deja vu for many frustrated fans, I hope you can appreciate that old wounds are starting to hurt again.

But I have faith, this is not the old regime. Some football fans have short memories, I'm sure that without Randy/MON we wouldn't have got off the treacherous, slippery slope we were on. Lets fight onwards and upwards towards our goals TOGETHER and what better way to rally the troops and pull us all together than to expose Barry and Black, to shut up those who doubted our great club, our manager and our board.

And a couple of signings wouldn't go amiss :winkold:

[Walmley_Villa]

Thank you General for your feedback. Emotions run strong in football fans but should never get personal (take a note VT'ers).

Ultimately MoN is charged with producing results and performances on the pitch and on those he should be judged. It was no different last season and we finished 6th and had a number of memorable performances to savour. MoN deserves the fans patience based on last season's performance.

The Barry saga leaves a sour taste in the mouth but whilst Villa have acted honourably, we have been stabbed in the back by Barry and Black.