The Randy Lerner thread

[CI]

Things could be much much worse that's for sure

We just need to be patient

I think Eck will start to make his mark in 2012/13 season

[wedge]

I'd love to read the interview, if someone could PM me with it I'd be very grateful!

[Big_John_10]

Supporting the club is different to supporting randy.

I've had a season ticket for over 10 years and I'll continue to have it so I can go and support my team. Doesn't stop me thinking randy is a shit owner and wanting him to seek someone better to sell to.

And I don't know how many times it needs to be said but those of us who aren't all fans of the great Lerner are not basing this on the sole fact that he isn't stupidly rich. I don't know why that keeps getting ignored. I can only guess its because the Lerner fans can't actually argue against how poor we've been run financially and how poor his managerial appointments have been.

[makouns_grin]

And I don't know how many times it needs to be said but those of us who aren't all fans of the great Lerner are not basing this on the sole fact that he isn't stupidly rich. I don't know why that keeps getting ignored. I can only guess its because the Lerner fans can't actually argue against how poor we've been run financially and how poor his managerial appointments have been.

You mean he could never make mistakes and be perfect?

[Woodytom]

Supporting the club is different to supporting randy.

I've had a season ticket for over 10 years and I'll continue to have it so I can go and support my team. Doesn't stop me thinking randy is a shit owner and wanting him to seek someone better to sell to.

And I don't know how many times it needs to be said but those of us who aren't all fans of the great Lerner are not basing this on the sole fact that he isn't stupidly rich. I don't know why that keeps getting ignored. I can only guess its because the Lerner fans can't actually argue against how poor we've been run financially and how poor his managerial appointments have been.

Think you will find that many honest villa fans will admit Lerners mistakes and question some of his decisions - but some people just take it way too far.

Hes not Hitler or Gaddafi.

Hes appointed a manager and you dont agree with him that hes the right man for the job. We get it. Get over it. Its Football!!!

[John_Lerwill]

I guess I could be accused of splitting hairs, but RL quotes Rinder:

Finance is important but we must never forget that we are not talking about a mere business.

... this quote coming after the Times article stating:

(RL) is committed to strict business disciplines.

and then (by RL himself)...

Part of the job is to understand that there’s a perception of unlimited wealth. The bigger part is to live within what you can afford and what you think is appropriate to spend.

This he states after quoting how he has studied the Leeds United story.

I don't know what to think ... after seeing how he's raised the fans' hopes in the first 4 years and then dropped them comprehensively, it seems to me that he only read the Leeds United story sometime after 2008.

Perhaps the big problem is that RL is not 100% time committed to AVFC - the Browns and his children (in the US) must be occupying a great deal of his time when what Villa fans want is someone who is a 100% committed, seen-at-the-ground, everyday fan. If he thinks that letting PF run the day-to-day job for him is the answer, then I feel that's a duff deal.

[Big_John_10]

Manager keeps making mistakes that hold us back we want him out and replaced with better.

Players keep making mistakes that cost us points we want them out the team and replaced with better.

Why different with an owner? Because he's a nice guy? Because he talks about our history? Because he gave us a scarf?

And IMO the bad decisions and mistakes Lerner has made damage us long term more than anything any player or manager we've had could do.

[Dodgyknees]

Manager keeps making mistakes that hold us back we want him out and replaced with better.

Players keep making mistakes that cost us points we want them out the team and replaced with better.

Why different with an owner? Because he's a nice guy? Because he talks about our history? Because he gave us a scarf?

And IMO the bad decisions and mistakes Lerner has made damage us long term more than anything any player or manager we've had could do.

Agree with this and John Lerwill above.

[Woodytom]

Manager keeps making mistakes that hold us back we want him out and replaced with better.

Players keep making mistakes that cost us points we want them out the team and replaced with better.

Why different with an owner? Because he's a nice guy? Because he talks about our history? Because he gave us a scarf?

And IMO the bad decisions and mistakes Lerner has made damage us long term more than anything any player or manager we've had could do.

Agree with this and John Lerwill above.

Respect all 3 opinions but if you ask me, your all looking far too hard into a situation that is fundamentally simple.

Were not not competeing at the top because of Lerners mistakes. Were not not competeing at the top because Alex Mcliesh is our manager.

Jose Mourinho would need money - money we just simply havent got. And money, that since day 1 of Lerner, its been clear that we havent got. Probably never will.

If people were daft enough not to notice that signing Harewood and NRC in the 2nd summer was an indication that we were 'having a go', but were probably flogging a dead horse, then your blind. It was clear as day early on.

[makouns_grin]

Manager keeps making mistakes that hold us back we want him out and replaced with better.

Players keep making mistakes that cost us points we want them out the team and replaced with better.

Why different with an owner? Because he's a nice guy? Because he talks about our history? Because he gave us a scarf?

And IMO the bad decisions and mistakes Lerner has made damage us long term more than anything any player or manager we've had could do.

It's not as easy as that though, players make mistakes, managers make mistakes. If he listened to the fans we would have a new manager and set of players everyweek!

You say is not about the money but it clearly is, if he was buying players all the time you wouldn't be moaning. I was not around when o'neill was here but were you hating him then saying he was shit owner then? Or quite happy because o'neill was doing well and spending money?

[John_Lerwill]

Money is only one part of the equation. Who the personnel are and how they go about things is another major part.

[Woodytom]

Money is only one part of the equation. Who the personnel are and how they go about things is another major part.

You'll have to explain further John, as I am a bit lost.

Do you mean behind closed doors personnel??

[John_Lerwill]

Money is only one part of the equation. Who the personnel are and how they go about things is another major part.

You'll have to explain further John, as I am a bit lost.

Do you mean behind closed doors personnel??

Sorry mate! I'm essentially referring to the fact that RL is probably (I could be wrong) not a brilliant businessman but he's (also) probably got a good heart.

But his appointment of PF is to my mind the weak issue in how the club is run. PF is not a football man - why were Stride and Edwards allowed to leave so easily when they could probably have helped to control MON more effectively. Or, conversely, might have helped MON to leave earlier as he might well have got frustrated having to compete with someone at a senior level who knew what he was talking about.

It's a football man that's needed at the CEO level i.m.o.

[TheSufferingVilla]

Can someone share the interview with me by PM, would be much appreciated. Cheers.

[bred]

I wish Randy would sell us to an arab and we are promised fortunes only to have it backfired and get pompey'd. Nah. Randy is doing the right thing for our future, if you can't see that you should take a basic economics course. Yikes.

[John_Lerwill]

I wish Randy would sell us to an arab and we are promised fortunes only to have it backfired and get pompey'd. Nah. Randy is doing the right thing for our future, if you can't see that you should take a basic economics course. Yikes.

Yes, I have some sympathy with that, but it's the way RL's gone about it with (i.m.o.) the wrong man at CEO that may spell further problems ahead.

[Big_John_10]

. I was not around when o'neill was here but were you hating him then saying he was shit owner then? Or quite happy because o'neill was doing well and spending money?

I can only go on what I see and yes I was probably stupid to buy into the proud history bright future bullshit and the other pr crap spouted. I assumed we had an owner with a long term plan, I had no clue how badly we were being run financially behind the scenes. I had no idea we'd lose MON in the manner we did and that he'd be replaced with such a shit manager or that we'd then only be able to attract MacLeish to the job.

Now it's become clear that mistakes have been made and the stuff I believed was just pr rubbish.

So again it's nothing to do with happy when spending money and unhappy when he's not.

[KT3AVFC]

Money is only one part of the equation. Who the personnel are and how they go about things is another major part.

Money is the be all and end all in the CL era. We could replace Paul Faulkener with Davod Dein and it wouldn't make a difference as to whether we could challenge the top 4. Spend Man City type money and we'd be pushing for the top even with Paul Faulkener and AM in charge.

[makouns_grin]

. I was not around when o'neill was here but were you hating him then saying he was shit owner then? Or quite happy because o'neill was doing well and spending money?

I can only go on what I see and yes I was probably stupid to buy into the proud history bright future bullshit and the other pr crap spouted. I assumed we had an owner with a long term plan, I had no clue how badly we were being run financially behind the scenes. I had no idea we'd lose MON in the manner we did and that he'd be replaced with such a shit manager or that we'd then only be able to attract MacLeish to the job.

Now it's become clear that mistakes have been made and the stuff I believed was just pr rubbish.

So again it's nothing to do with happy when spending money and unhappy when he's not.

So you'd still be unhappy if he spent a shit load in Jan?

You do realise that there are no perfect owners?

Randy always tried to do the best for the club or always trying to **** if over?

[Risso]

There are no perfect owners, but some of them are better than others. I'd settle for somebody who was moderately wealthy but who was an excellent businessman, rather than a rich kid who inherited all his wealth and who sees Villa as an expensive plaything. lerner has been a crap owner of the Browns, and a crap owner of Villa. The bloke should stay away from sports teams, he hasn't got a clue.