Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Hookeysmith on August 07, 2018, 01:48:53 PM
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Not seen this discussed anywhere else and not sure if any other news to support the rumour.
https://astonvilla.vitalfootball.co.uk/first-hand-experience-of-peter-kenyon-from-a-chelsea-fan/
Was always considered an aggressive and very effective CEO
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I saw that yesterday, sounds pretty good. Lots of experience and a good reputation as far as I know.
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Not seen this discussed anywhere else and not sure if any other news to support the rumour.
https://astonvilla.vitalfootball.co.uk/first-hand-experience-of-peter-kenyon-from-a-chelsea-fan/
Was always considered an aggressive and very effective CEO
Yes, this appeared a day or two ago.
My concern would be that PK has been out of the job for a while and - whilst he has great experience - may not be as motivated as he used to be. Is he past his sell-by date (as, perhaps, Wyness also was)?
As an aside, I was once interviewed by him and David Gill in a final interview for a job that the other candidate eventually got; he came across as a decent guy. And, he has had loads of great experience.
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His links to Mendes might put the willies up Bruce.
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We could always ask Alexa and see what she thinks?
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This would be a statement of intent, I reckon.
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This would be a statement of intent, I reckon.
We need one of those, because we cant spend the owners megabucks on players.
Alternatively, knock down the North Stand and create the SafarisDome.
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This would be a statement of intent, I reckon.
It would show the new owners understand the one really important thing Lerner and Xia did not get, the need to appoint the best people you can get to run the club.
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I agree Paulie. PK is know to be a football person and has been at very big clubs. Something we hope to get back to.
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This would be superb and very welcome
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Back in the mists of time I seem to remember someone on the Villa mailing list worked for Umbro when he was there and wasn't too complimentary about him. Might be my memory playing tricks though.
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This would be a statement of intent, I reckon.
It would show the new owners understand the one really important thing Lerner and Xia did not get, the need to appoint the best people you can get to run the club.
You get in Kenyon and tell him to build an empire. Much like the Mansour's did at Man City. Provide the resources to put in place the foundations and building blocks to sustained growth and success. And even with Xia, there might be development plans in there that can still be incorporated, but much more importantly than that fix the football club. Everything will come in time if we get that right.
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If this is the case then he has European contacts too and maybe a few appropriate highly rated or players needed game time can come in from real Madrid or the like
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hasn't he been out of the loop for nearly ten years though?
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People like that are never really out of the loop. I’m not really for or against it, but it would certainly be an interesting appointment for a club where we are now. Things at Villa seem to be stirring.
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Kenyon has been working in football for all that time, just not for one club. From what little I can glean online, he seems to have been working with agents, including Mendes, so this link is hardly surprising. He's been linked with Middlesbrough and Atletico and Spain. I would therefore think he has stayed firmly within the loop.
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Being suggested by Bruce that the club is looking to appoint a new CEO by the end of the month.
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Hopefully it's not someone shit.
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I hope they've got blue sleeves, that's all.
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Being suggested by Bruce that the club is looking to appoint a new CEO by the end of the month.
When the loan window shuts?
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Being suggested by Bruce that the club is looking to appoint a new CEO by the end of the month.
When the loan window shuts?
I’m not sure if the two things are related. We’ve got deals done since the takeover so someone or a group of people including the manager/owners is obviously overseeing the negotiations and administrative side of things. What’s most important will be that they hire appropriately. We are in much the same situation as the previous two owners; that is they won’t be present day to day. So it’s imperative whoever is will be able to assemble a strong and knowledgeable team to handle everything that needs to get done.
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Christian Purslow ex Liverpool looking likely as CEO.
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Seems to have been a bit of a money man. Sorted astonishing commercial deals for Liverpool and Chelsea.
Smart bloke, but seems to be more a CCO, with pretty limited experience.
Would be nice to bag somebody like that, a director of football and a CEO to drive us on commercially but also in football terms too.
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I agree Ads..
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Liverpool fans hate him and associate him with providing the worst spell of their club by getting rid of Benitez and hiring Hodgson...
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Please don't let this be another Tom Fox!
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Haven't we been here before with one Tom Fox?
Edit: just seen Ad@m's post.
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Liverpool fans hate him and associate him with providing the worst spell of their club by getting rid of Benitez and hiring Hodgson...
don't anything about him
but he doesn't sound very progressive if he swapped Raffa for Roy
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Liverpool fans hate him and associate him with providing the worst spell of their club by getting rid of Benitez and hiring Hodgson...
Great. I'm sticking a tenner on Allardyce or Moyes.
don't anything about him
but he doesn't sound very progressive if he swapped Raffa for Roy
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I hear on the rumour mill that a woman CEO has been given serious consideration. I have not been told who but my informant commutes between London, Paris and Milan.
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I hear on the rumour mill that a woman CEO has been given serious consideration. I have not been told who but my informant commutes between London, Paris and Milan.
Karen ?
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Dan Roan (BBC) is saying that Purslow could even be announced this morning. As others have said, he seems to have a great record commercially, but not so much on the football side. Hopefully A Director of Football will be brought in to work alongside him.
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Well, that escalated quickly (as the kids say); Purslow has just been announced.
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https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2018/08/31/new-aston-villa-ceo-appointed (https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2018/08/31/new-aston-villa-ceo-appointed)
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Says minority investor so skin in the game too?!?
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Says minority investor so skin in the game too?!?
Interesting....has a more vested interest in seeing us be successful. Also applies that little bit more pressure on our Stevie B.
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"Move the club in a better direction". Reality dawns over B6.
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Great details and deals emerging from his Liverpool days but some very notable ones from his Chelsea days inc Nike, yokohoma, carabao
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I reckon it’s another way of tony selling another small bit of his stake as well
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Liverpool season ticket holder opposite me at work seems to think he did a decent job. Stopped them going under.
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Seems to me he’s got a decent track record of negotiating commercial deals. Suspect he’s been brought in with, among other things, a remit to grow the global brand and commercial power of the club
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Liverpool season ticket holder opposite me at work seems to think he did a decent job. Stopped them going under.
He's got a lot to make up for then.
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Welcome Christian.
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Great appointment.
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Pleased with this one although I recall being delighted we managed to get Tom Fox from Arsenal and look how that turned out!
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I hope he's really boring and we never have to talk much about him again, which will mean he's quietly and effectively doing a good job!!
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I hope he's really boring and we never have to talk much about him again, which will mean he's quietly and effectively doing a good job!!
Good point, lets hope he is a success. Welcome Sir
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anyone with commercial acumen is fine by me.
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He went to the same school as me, albeit several years before. Can only be a good sign... 😱
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Glad to see the new owners can appoint people in their right positions. Now for a new manager please. UTV
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A Borstalian? Perish the thought.
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Sounds very promising - certainly a step in the right direction. Who will he/they appoint to oversee the football side of things?
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Sounds very promising - certainly a step in the right direction. Who will he/they appoint to oversee the football side of things?
That's what I was thinking, will they appoint a DOF now?
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In the private equity businesses I've worked in having people at the top with shares has been seen as a prudent move to ensure continued interest.
He has good pedigree at Liverpool and Chelsea for commercial deals and seems pretty ruthless, see Benitez for that sort of detail.
Interesting snippets in this article and not listened to the podcast it trails yet but will find time later.
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/christian-purslow-exclusive-inside-story-14319159
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Let's hope he can pay the tax bills!
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Sounds very promising - certainly a step in the right direction. Who will he/they appoint to oversee the football side of things?
If we put in a another poor performance this weekend we'll find out soon enough.
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Pleased with this one although I recall being delighted we managed to get Tom Fox from Arsenal and look how that turned out!
I think we got excited because we thought we had enticed a big cheese from Arsenal. Only to find out that in reality he was the assistant manager of the club shop and helped out replacing the divots on the pitch with a garden fork at half time.
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Says minority investor so skin in the game too?!?
The massive pessimist in me says this could make it tougher to get rid of him if he's shit!
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I'm really encouraged since the arrival of Sawiris and Edens. Looks like we've got proper businessmen who mean business in charge of the club. Maybe light at the end of the tunnel and for a change it's not a train coming in the opposite direction
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Peter Hooton (lead singer of The Farm and Liverpool fan) tweeted this in reply to the news we have got him:
“Oh dear - when will he start giving team talks”
So I said should we be worried and he replied;
“our committee @spiritofshankly met him & he was totally disingenuous. If he sticks to finance fine but he starts getting involved in football matters - he replaced Benitez with Hodgson & declared it the best deal of his life”
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Peter Hooton (lead singer of The Farm and Liverpool fan) tweeted this in reply to the news we have got him:
“Oh dear - when will he start giving team talks”
So I said should we be worried and he replied;
“our committee @spiritofshankly met him & he was totally disingenuous. If he sticks to finance fine but he starts getting involved in football matters - he replaced Benitez with Hodgson & declared it the best deal of his life”
Benitez had just finished 7th in the league. That kind of ruthless approach to underachievement would be very welcome.
I know Liverpool fans don't rate Hodgson as it didn't go to plan but I still like the bloke.
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Peter Hooton (lead singer of The Farm and Liverpool fan) tweeted this in reply to the news we have got him:
“Oh dear - when will he start giving team talks”
So I said should we be worried and he replied;
“our committee @spiritofshankly met him & he was totally disingenuous. If he sticks to finance fine but he starts getting involved in football matters - he replaced Benitez with Hodgson & declared it the best deal of his life”
"All together now, all together now, all together now".............ad nuaseum
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As soon as I read the name an alarm bell rang and I had no idea why, the Hooton thing hasn't jogged my memory I have to admit but I still feel a bit off about him. Let's hope I'm utterly wrong.
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Peter Hooton (lead singer of The Farm and Liverpool fan) tweeted this in reply to the news we have got him:
“Oh dear - when will he start giving team talks”
So I said should we be worried and he replied;
“our committee @spiritofshankly met him & he was totally disingenuous. If he sticks to finance fine but he starts getting involved in football matters - he replaced Benitez with Hodgson & declared it the best deal of his life”
Benitez had just finished 7th in the league. That kind of ruthless approach to underachievement would be very welcome.
I know Liverpool fans don't rate Hodgson as it didn't go to plan but I still like the bloke.
I'd have Hodgson here in a shot.
As for "picking the team" . He might come to the same conclusions as most of us after the weekend watching us play that in this squad there is no pace, no movement (Grealish and McGinn excepted) in the final third, players in wrong positions, a less than adequate replacement for Terry etc etc. The sort of questions he should ask of his manager if his manager isn't already being asked them.
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Here's his Wiki:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Purslow
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Here's his Wiki:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Purslow
Christian Purslow has been appointed CEO at Aston Villa. Mr Purslow who has a degree in Medieval languages is reputed to have said, the degree would come in useful when reading the current managers' book of tactics.
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Here's his Wiki:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Purslow
Christian Purslow has been appointed CEO at Aston Villa. Mr Purslow who has a degree in Medieval languages is reputed to have said, the degree would come in useful when reading the current managers' book of tactics.
And his ancient dusty tome of outdated excuses entitled "That Be Ye Championshippe".
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And he would be just the man to prepare a Domesday scenario. E.g. 10 right backs and Kodjia (capt) in goal.
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Why is it that I feel like we're a club in turmoil, when I should be more excited about our future than I have been in years? I just cannot get my head around what is going on regarding transfers. I know the managers insecurities and intransigence regarding players positions has a lot to do with things but, bloody hell, this is so depressing. Knowing what playing positions need to be recruited and doing the complete opposite. I just cannot understand it at all. I hope our new CEO sorts this out asap. Leaving things until the last minute when positions of paramount importance need to be filled is sheer lunacy.
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Actually, now that I have had my medication, some of my Medieval language comes back to me and could be portentous. "Grealish" comes from Old English via Latin and means "very expensive". Levy eat your fucking heart out.
Hutton is from Low German meaning one who lived in Ein Hutte. A hermit. An outcast.
Bunn is an interesting one. You would think it derives from 14th century "cake" or "bread" but it goes back much further to "bunke" meaning to depart hastily.
At least I shall have something to talk about if I ever meet the new CEO.
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This Spirit of Shankly group?
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/spirit-shankly-group-promise-probe-3452002 (https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/spirit-shankly-group-promise-probe-3452002)
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So, our new bloke fucked up Liverpool? Good. Welcome Christian.
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I've had to interpret football from the dark ages for many years now. Degree or no degree.
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So, our new bloke fucked up Liverpool? Good. Welcome Christian.
No, almost the exact opposite actually, he negotiated the sponsorship that stopped them getting into massive financial problems and then triggered the sale by Hicks and Gillett who were looking on course to destroy them.
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So, our new bloke fucked up Liverpool? Good. Welcome Christian.
No, almost the exact opposite actually, he negotiated the sponsorship that stopped them getting into massive financial problems and then triggered the sale by Hicks and Gillett who were looking on course to destroy them.
No, it’s an ironic post as we are moaning about him already. We ask for someone with experience and a football background and we get it. I’m pleased with this appointment.
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So, our new bloke fucked up Liverpool? Good. Welcome Christian.
No, almost the exact opposite actually, he negotiated the sponsorship that stopped them getting into massive financial problems and then triggered the sale by Hicks and Gillett who were looking on course to destroy them.
No, it’s an ironic post as we are moaning about him already. We ask for someone with experience and a football background and we get it. I’m pleased with this appointment.
Oh I got that you were taking the piss, I was just pointing out that he played a massive part in Liverpool turning things around, which got them to where they are this year. Great appointment for me.
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His Chelsea deal with Nike was with £900m?
I just hope we add a director of football.
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Seems a very heavyweight appointment by the club, I just hope he has enough paperwork to keep him busy and avoid the temptation to play FootballManager. One thing is pretty certain, we won't have the financial mess we had under Wyness.
Does anybody know who was the DoF at his time at Liverpool? Please say it wasn't Paddy Reilly.
Anyway, good luck to him. I'm not going to get too excited over his appointment as I've called it wrong every time (with the exception of Wyness) with the appointments our CEOs.
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Please don't be shit, in fact be as good as the last Christian we had.
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So he is a former marketing man. Hopefully better than Tom Fox!
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Please don't be shit, in fact be as good as the last Christian we had.
another Christian thrown into the lions
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Seems a very heavyweight appointment by the club, I just hope he has enough paperwork to keep him busy and avoid the temptation to play FootballManager. One thing is pretty certain, we won't have the financial mess we had under Wyness.
Does anybody know who was the DoF at his time at Liverpool? Please say it wasn't Paddy Reilly.
Anyway, good luck to him. I'm not going to get too excited over his appointment as I've called it wrong every time (with the exception of Wyness) with the appointments our CEOs.
Yes. He seems to be a big hitter. A minor investor too.
Seems to be a chance, with whatever his minority investment is, to potentially add some creative accountancy numbers.
Would like to think that he's on a bring investment into the Club, and that he gets a share of that too and is incentivised.
Leave the football stuff to a Director of Football, who could also be an investor in the Club ?
And eventually get a better Manager. Who could also be a Club investor ?
FFP ? I don't think it's an issue for AVFC anymore.
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Why does he need to bring investment into the club?
We have 2 Billionaire owners.
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Why does he need to bring investment into the club?
We have 2 Billionaire owners.
He doesn't, but it adds a bit more for him doesn't it? Should we do really well, he'll be worth a lot more money.
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We've got two pretty big things happening in the immediate area over the next few years in the introduction of HS2 and the Commonwealth Games and I hope he will ensure that we maximise any potential opportunities that come out of that.
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Pleased with this one although I recall being delighted we managed to get Tom Fox from Arsenal and look how that turned out!
hear hear woz- I’m saying nowt!
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Why does he need to bring investment into the club?
We have 2 Billionaire owners.
I believe it’s called ‘having skin in the game’
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That's the phrase. It's good incentivisation and dilutes Xia further.
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That's the phrase. It's good incentivisation and dilutes Xia further.
Not necessarily, it depends where his share has come from.
I imagine it'll be very small in any case, but the general idea that he's in it for more than just the salary is a good one.
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True, but they alloted new shares on the 22nd August so I assume it's come from that.
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So he is a former marketing man. Hopefully better than Tom Fox!
I was one who thought Fox was a breath of fresh air- a bit like when Blair won his first election. Both turned out similarly...
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So he is a former marketing man. Hopefully better than Tom Fox!
I was one who thought Fox was a breath of fresh air- a bit like when Blair won his first election. Both turned out similarly...
Very much so. Despite searching abroad we couldn't find any weapons of mass destruction either.
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So he is a former marketing man. Hopefully better than Tom Fox!
I was one who thought Fox was a breath of fresh air- a bit like when Blair won his first election. Both turned out similarly...
:)
Very much so. Despite searching abroad we couldn't find any weapons of mass destruction either.
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Sack him please Christian.
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Sack him please Christian.
It’s gross misconduct if you don’t.
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First job. Quick text to Steve Sunday morning. You’re fired. Thank you.
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Sack him please Christian.
It’s gross misconduct if you don’t.
Very true
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Surely it's his Christian duty to sack him tonight??
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Curly finger time for Fist Face.
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Sack him please Christian.
It’s gross misconduct if you don’t.
Very true
Not sure I'd prefer Christian Gross to Bruce. He was crap at Spurs, not really heard of him since.
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Fetch the hook Christian
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Christian, the Lions want blood.
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Sack him please Christian.
You would hope that the decision has already been made for him. I can't see our new owners allowing this farce to continue.
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It’s a pretty difficult situation for a new CEO to inherit, particularly following the recent loan activity.
It’s the business equivalent of a hospital pass, the cost of offloading Bruce and his coaching team a major consideration.
I hope he comes to the right conclusion sooner than later.
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We've got two weeks to get a new Manager. Ample time to find someone you would hope.
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I just can't see him arriving in post and sacking the manager within a fortnight this early in the season
I do hope he's already initiating a search for a new manager though
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If he sacks Bruce he'll become an instant hero with the fans
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That is only half a job. Easy to get rid of the problem but they have to come up with the solution.
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The things is for Purslow, his success will be largely dependent on how successful Bruce is. Premier League football will make commercial deals a lot easier and therefore I'm sure he will be ruthless should it look (again) like Bruce isn't going to get us there.
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history tells us he isn't going to. Two years on and we look no closer to it.
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earlier posters are right.
The new C.E.O I am sure will have a set of given objectives.
Promotion is probably, Number 1 on his list
The time frame ? if you are given the job after the season is started, I would guess 1.5 seasons is a fair challenge.
He lives or dies by Bruce results
if we are off the pace after another 2/3 games, I would imagine him getting a bit nervous about his ability to give a result.
I can not imagine his objective is a play off place and then the lottery
I hope for some leadership and Vision from the new C.E,O
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*1.85 seasons
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He knew we hadn’t got a defence when he signed so I can’t imagine he agreed to any objective that involved getting promoted this year.
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I would suspect that if we fall more than a couple of points away from the top six a decision will be made to change the manager. Each season out of the top flight presents more problems for the people running the club and they won't put up with it.
Plus, obviously Bruce wasn't the new regimes appointment, they inherited him.
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they really should have dealt with this when they first came in. Leaving him in post has made it very much harder, as he has this uncanny knack of pulling results out of the bag when he needs them most.
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Is that really a disaster, that we go on a good run?
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As we expect to win the next few games, a good run will come as no surprise. It's what happens in December that should concern him. Will he wait for the inevitable collapse and sacking or take steps now and start the process a few months early?
I'd have sent him packing first thing Monday morning, assuming we had somebody lined up, even if that somebody was only until the end of the season.
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Is that really a disaster, that we go on a good run?
In a sense it's the worst of all possible worlds, Bruce possibly doing enough to keep himself employed, but not enough to get us up. Unless he can sustain it over the season it just keeps us in limbo. Since history indicates he can't sustain it, best to take the long term view and bin Bruceball.
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Is that really a disaster, that we go on a good run?
In a sense it's the worst of all possible worlds, Bruce possibly doing enough to keep himself employed, but not enough to get us up. Unless he can sustain it over the season it just keeps us in limbo. Since history indicates he can't sustain it, best to take the long term view and bin Bruceball.
I really don’t understand this way of thinking, I don’t care who is the manager as long as the team I’ve supported all my life wins more often than it loses
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Is that really a disaster, that we go on a good run?
In a sense it's the worst of all possible worlds, Bruce possibly doing enough to keep himself employed, but not enough to get us up. Unless he can sustain it over the season it just keeps us in limbo. Since history indicates he can't sustain it, best to take the long term view and bin Bruceball.
I really don’t understand this way of thinking, I don’t care who is the manager as long as the team I’ve supported all my life wins more often than it loses
I'd like us to win enough to be promoted, as this squad should be capable of.
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Is that really a disaster, that we go on a good run?
In a sense it's the worst of all possible worlds, Bruce possibly doing enough to keep himself employed, but not enough to get us up. Unless he can sustain it over the season it just keeps us in limbo. Since history indicates he can't sustain it, best to take the long term view and bin Bruceball.
I really don’t understand this way of thinking, I don’t care who is the manager as long as the team I’ve supported all my life wins more often than it loses
I'd like us to win enough to be promoted, as this squad should be capable of.
Indeed and for the second season running. There's only one person holding us back. Lance the boil.
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Shouldn’t we have heard from him by now.
Whether it’s something really profound and visionary, or the usual platitudes.
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Shouldn’t we have heard from him by now.
Whether it’s something really profound and visionary, or the usual platitudes.
Hopefully plotting Bruce’s downfall!!😁
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Is that really a disaster, that we go on a good run?
In a sense it's the worst of all possible worlds, Bruce possibly doing enough to keep himself employed, but not enough to get us up. Unless he can sustain it over the season it just keeps us in limbo. Since history indicates he can't sustain it, best to take the long term view and bin Bruceball.
I really don’t understand this way of thinking, I don’t care who is the manager as long as the team I’ve supported all my life wins more often than it loses
I'd like us to win enough to be promoted, as this squad should be capable of.
My view is they're not bothered about this season, it's all about the next one but if I'm wrong (and I think everyone thinks I am) then I would hope that, whatever run he puts together, they are already looking for someone better as just winning a few games doesn't make him not the overall useless tool he's been for years as evidenced by that ancient Sunderland article that (rightly) keeps getting posted.
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Shouldn’t we have heard from him by now.
Whether it’s something really profound and visionary, or the usual platitudes.
I suspect he's getting feet under the table, getting to know what's what before he says much. And perhaos speaking to folks outside of the club too.
Perhaps he knows Terry better than Bruce does and is lining him up form ore than a playing role. Perhaps I'm talking shit.
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Shouldn’t we have heard from him by now.
Whether it’s something really profound and visionary, or the usual platitudes.
Hopefully plotting Bruce’s downfall!!😁
Bruce is doing a good enough job of that himself.
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Shouldn’t we have heard from him by now.
Whether it’s something really profound and visionary, or the usual platitudes.
Hopefully plotting Bruce’s downfall!!😁
I wish someone would do a parody of Bruce keeping his job in that famous scene from Downfall which spawned many YouTube imitations.
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That would be good eamonn but I would really, really love *KK voice* a parody of Alan Partridge trying to keep his job.
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Indeed and for the second season running. There's only one person holding us back. Lance the boil.
[/quote]
Surely you mean Bruce the pimple?
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That would be good eamonn but I would really, really love *KK voice* a parody of Alan Partridge trying to keep his job.
"Hutton at left back?"
"Mile at centre half?
"Around the world with Micah in a bull nose Austin?"
"Smell my 4 promotions you mother !!"
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That would be good eamonn but I would really, really love *KK voice* a parody of Alan Partridge trying to keep his job.
“Have I got a 2nd season? Give me a 2nd season, YOU SHIT!”
Something like that?
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Christian: We don’t owe you a living. You are someone who has a proven track record of making mainly bad transfer decisions.
Steve: That’s – that’s – that’s the Championship, but carry on.
[Steve is now nervously playing with his lower lip. He looks to be in great pain]
Christian: It’s not the Championship. Your transfers are appalling. The goals from Hogan were a fraction of what we could have expected, and your defenders started badly, they got worse…
Steve: [Interrupting in child-like imitation] They started badly, they got worse…ooh, wor defenders, wor defenders…
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Is that really a disaster, that we go on a good run?
In a sense it's the worst of all possible worlds, Bruce possibly doing enough to keep himself employed, but not enough to get us up. Unless he can sustain it over the season it just keeps us in limbo. Since history indicates he can't sustain it, best to take the long term view and bin Bruceball.
I really don’t understand this way of thinking, I don’t care who is the manager as long as the team I’ve supported all my life wins more often than it loses
setting the bar low there
i would bet on every manager in all 4 leagues winning more games than they lost with Aston Villa
it would take a total buffoon to go a whole season and not win more than you lose with our squad and resources
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That would be good eamonn but I would really, really love *KK voice* a parody of Alan Partridge trying to keep his job.
Personally I think a bit of Monkey Tennis at half time would lift the spirits and mood of everyone. Even though it will inevitably be accompanied by the crowd chanting 'sign them up' and Bruce possibly doing so.
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Can we email this fella a link to the Bruce Out thread.
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That would be good eamonn but I would really, really love *KK voice* a parody of Alan Partridge trying to keep his job.
Personally I think a bit of Monkey Tennis at half time would lift the spirits and mood of everyone. Even though it will inevitably be accompanied by the crowd chanting 'sign them up' and Bruce possibly doing so.
As a Right Back, to play left midfield.
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Does anyone know why he left Chelsea? Just reading his Wiki page, he over-acieved in terms of commercial success and Chelsea seemed very impressed with him when he departed. Just wondering is he someone who embraces challenges and then leaves once they're done...I mean, if he's a great chief exec we'll want to him to hang around for more than three years.
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Actually I just remembered he has equity in the club so there's an incentive to keep building us.
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Would have thought an interview with the gentlemen would have surficed by now through the club website.
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Would have thought an interview with the gentlemen would have surficed by now through the club website.
I suspect that won't be far away in any event... Perhaps Sunday or Monday...
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Would have thought an interview with the gentlemen would have surficed by now through the club website.
I suspect that won't be far away in any event... Perhaps Sunday or Monday...
Holding a large scythe.
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Would have thought an interview with the gentlemen would have surficed by now through the club website.
I suspect that won't be far away in any event... Perhaps Sunday or Monday...
Holding a large scythe.
Dressed all in black.
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I hope we never hear from him. Let him get on with his job and leave it at that.
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I hope we never hear from him. Let him get on with his job and leave it at that.
I have to say I agree with this sentiment, we will know how effective a CEO we have by his actions.
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I hope we hear from him when we're getting promoted, winning cups and dominating the league.
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Is that really a disaster, that we go on a good run?
In a sense it's the worst of all possible worlds, Bruce possibly doing enough to keep himself employed, but not enough to get us up. Unless he can sustain it over the season it just keeps us in limbo. Since history indicates he can't sustain it, best to take the long term view and bin Bruceball.
I really don’t understand this way of thinking, I don’t care who is the manager as long as the team I’ve supported all my life wins more often than it loses
It's a shame you don't understand it because it's frequently the type of thinking adopted by very successful individuals or organisations. It's called, among other things, long term thinking. It involves seeing the bigger picture and recognising that, sometimes, short term sacrifices, setbacks etc. can and often do lead to better outcomes further down the line. We have a recent pertinent example - losing the play-off final was apparently a major setback, and then verged on a disaster when the financial repercussions were revealed. With hindsight, it may well be the best thing that's happened to us recently as it brought us new owners with new funds, and now a new CEO. Hopefully it will soon bring us a Manager or Coach worthy of the name. Winning that game may have seen us in the PL, but also continuing to be run like a basket case by Xia and Wyness.
Winning more games than you lose won't necessarily get you promoted, or become the foundation of any longer term success. It may satisfy you but for me it's a real "head in the sand" approach.
And do you honestly think that if we'd gone up we'd be winning more games than we'd be losing?
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I like to tell the Bluenoses that they did us a favour by beating Fulham, as it set in motion a chain of events which led us to where we are now. Getting shot of Xia, Wyness etc' and putting us on a path of more sustainable ownership and success.
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Is that really a disaster, that we go on a good run?
In a sense it's the worst of all possible worlds, Bruce possibly doing enough to keep himself employed, but not enough to get us up. Unless he can sustain it over the season it just keeps us in limbo. Since history indicates he can't sustain it, best to take the long term view and bin Bruceball.
I really don’t understand this way of thinking, I don’t care who is the manager as long as the team I’ve supported all my life wins more often than it loses
It's a shame you don't understand it because it's frequently the type of thinking adopted by very successful individuals or organisations. It's called, among other things, long term thinking. It involves seeing the bigger picture and recognising that, sometimes, short term sacrifices, setbacks etc. can and often do lead to better outcomes further down the line. We have a recent pertinent example - losing the play-off final was apparently a major setback, and then verged on a disaster when the financial repercussions were revealed. With hindsight, it may well be the best thing that's happened to us recently as it brought us new owners with new funds, and now a new CEO. Hopefully it will soon bring us a Manager or Coach worthy of the name. Winning that game may have seen us in the PL, but also continuing to be run like a basket case by Xia and Wyness.
Winning more games than you lose won't necessarily get you promoted, or become the foundation of any longer term success. It may satisfy you but for me it's a real "head in the sand" approach.
And do you honestly think that if we'd gone up we'd be winning more games than we'd be losing?
I do think there is an obvious need for a long term plan at the club, but feel we also can't overlook the short term goal of getting up and staying there for that first season. I think Bruce was never really a long term option, he was seen as a short term option who could potentially get us up and keep us up in that first season. If that can be achieved, then you are working from a much stronger base and with the extra financial muscle that the Premier League money gives you.
If Bruce were to go now, we'd wouldn't really be in a position to put long term plans in place just yet. We would be looking at someone who could come in and galvanise the squad for the rest of this season and begin the longer term planning in the summer.
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Is that really a disaster, that we go on a good run?
In a sense it's the worst of all possible worlds, Bruce possibly doing enough to keep himself employed, but not enough to get us up. Unless he can sustain it over the season it just keeps us in limbo. Since history indicates he can't sustain it, best to take the long term view and bin Bruceball.
I really don’t understand this way of thinking, I don’t care who is the manager as long as the team I’ve supported all my life wins more often than it loses
It's a shame you don't understand it because it's frequently the type of thinking adopted by very successful individuals or organisations. It's called, among other things, long term thinking. It involves seeing the bigger picture and recognising that, sometimes, short term sacrifices, setbacks etc. can and often do lead to better outcomes further down the line. We have a recent pertinent example - losing the play-off final was apparently a major setback, and then verged on a disaster when the financial repercussions were revealed. With hindsight, it may well be the best thing that's happened to us recently as it brought us new owners with new funds, and now a new CEO. Hopefully it will soon bring us a Manager or Coach worthy of the name. Winning that game may have seen us in the PL, but also continuing to be run like a basket case by Xia and Wyness.
Winning more games than you lose won't necessarily get you promoted, or become the foundation of any longer term success. It may satisfy you but for me it's a real "head in the sand" approach.
And do you honestly think that if we'd gone up we'd be winning more games than we'd be losing?
I do think there is an obvious need for a long term plan at the club, but feel we also can't overlook the short term goal of getting up and staying there for that first season. I think Bruce was never really a long term option, he was seen as a short term option who could potentially get us up and keep us up in that first season. If that can be achieved, then you are working from a much stronger base and with the extra financial muscle that the Premier League money gives you.
If Bruce were to go now, we'd wouldn't really be in a position to put long term plans in place just yet. We would be looking at someone who could come in and galvanise the squad for the rest of this season and begin the longer term planning in the summer.
So are you suggesting that sticking with Bruce is the best option for long term success?
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Is that really a disaster, that we go on a good run?
In a sense it's the worst of all possible worlds, Bruce possibly doing enough to keep himself employed, but not enough to get us up. Unless he can sustain it over the season it just keeps us in limbo. Since history indicates he can't sustain it, best to take the long term view and bin Bruceball.
I really don’t understand this way of thinking, I don’t care who is the manager as long as the team I’ve supported all my life wins more often than it loses
It's a shame you don't understand it because it's frequently the type of thinking adopted by very successful individuals or organisations. It's called, among other things, long term thinking. It involves seeing the bigger picture and recognising that, sometimes, short term sacrifices, setbacks etc. can and often do lead to better outcomes further down the line. We have a recent pertinent example - losing the play-off final was apparently a major setback, and then verged on a disaster when the financial repercussions were revealed. With hindsight, it may well be the best thing that's happened to us recently as it brought us new owners with new funds, and now a new CEO. Hopefully it will soon bring us a Manager or Coach worthy of the name. Winning that game may have seen us in the PL, but also continuing to be run like a basket case by Xia and Wyness.
Winning more games than you lose won't necessarily get you promoted, or become the foundation of any longer term success. It may satisfy you but for me it's a real "head in the sand" approach.
And do you honestly think that if we'd gone up we'd be winning more games than we'd be losing?
I do think there is an obvious need for a long term plan at the club, but feel we also can't overlook the short term goal of getting up and staying there for that first season. I think Bruce was never really a long term option, he was seen as a short term option who could potentially get us up and keep us up in that first season. If that can be achieved, then you are working from a much stronger base and with the extra financial muscle that the Premier League money gives you.
If Bruce were to go now, we'd wouldn't really be in a position to put long term plans in place just yet. We would be looking at someone who could come in and galvanise the squad for the rest of this season and begin the longer term planning in the summer.
So are you suggesting that sticking with Bruce is the best option for long term success?
No because as I said above, I think he was only seen as short term appointment anyway. Someone to get us up and keep us up for a season or two while other longer term plans were put in place. He has failed at that and had it not been for the pretty exceptional circumstances we found ourselves in at the time, I think he would have been gone after the play off final.
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He's been here nearly two years and we look no closer to a promotion winning side than when he came, yet you think we should stick with him in the longer short term? He's failed, and even if he somehow gets this massively unbalanced squad up it will be on unsound foundations. Why not start asap to put things right and start heading in the right direction? I'd be prepared to forget promotion this season if I could see we were making progress in the right direction for the longer term.
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He's been here nearly two years and we look no closer to a promotion winning side than when he came, yet you think we should stick with him in the longer short term? He's failed, and even if he somehow gets this massively unbalanced squad up it will be on unsound foundations. Why not start asap to put things right and start heading in the right direction? I'd be prepared to forget promotion this season if I could see we were making progress in the right direction for the longer term.
Correct
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He's been here nearly two years and we look no closer to a promotion winning side than when he came, yet you think we should stick with him in the longer short term? He's failed, and even if he somehow gets this massively unbalanced squad up it will be on unsound foundations. Why not start asap to put things right and start heading in the right direction? I'd be prepared to forget promotion this season if I could see we were making progress in the right direction for the longer term.
Hear hear
As much as I want out of this league all I want is a hope and pride back in my team
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Any long term planning must start with the present. Firstly you define the periods for short, medium and long term. You then work on a sliding scale of how much of the long term starts now up to your full long term strategy at the end of the transition period. I have not seen one thing since Bruce came here that contributes to a long term sustainable and successful result.
We have to start now. You cannot put it off as you will never get to your ultimate aim. The view of getting rid of Bruce when we get promoted is just fantasy. If we haven't got the b**** to get rid of him now, we have got no hope of somebody doing it after a successful promotion. It would only happen after a slide back down.
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Any long term planning must start with the present. Firstly you define the periods for short, medium and long term. You then work on a sliding scale of how much of the long term starts now up to your full long term strategy at the end of the transition period. I have not seen one thing since Bruce came here that contributes to a long term sustainable and successful result.
We have to start now. You cannot put it off as you will never get to your ultimate aim. The view of getting rid of Bruce when we get promoted is just fantasy. If we haven't got the b**** to get rid of him now, we have got no hope of somebody doing it after a successful promotion. It would only happen after a slide back down.
Yeah, that was always my problem with the "we'll deal with that when we're promoted" view. What would've actually happened is he'd have spent a fortune on average players in the summer, we'd have coached them and set the team up just as badly as he is doing now and we'd have stunk the league out sitting firmly in the bottom half until he got sacked in about February to be replaced with someone to make sure we avoided relegation. The new guy would, therefore, have been someone like Big Sam with a reputation for avoiding the drop and we'd have been stuck in exactly the same cycle as we were before we were relegated with a similar squad of average players in their late 20s/early 30s with no sell-on value.
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Doesn't always take poor results to make a change of direction. Can usually map out the s,m,Lt plans, and if there is no immediate buy-in then ways can be parted. If the new owners are shrewd sports team owners, and CEO good at what he does, then they'll be getting all of the strategic stuff sorted first, and then making those changes. On that basis, I'm not expecting (or wanting) immediate promotion this year. I was for 'give Bruce a chance', but I don't see young lads having freedom to learn, as long as they aren't stuffed every week, rather more old guard no value blockers. Terry was great last season, but it takes the piss to line a 37 year olds bank balance any more. If he coaches then should be at appropriate rate, Say £100kpa max.
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He's been here nearly two years and we look no closer to a promotion winning side than when he came, yet you think we should stick with him in the longer short term? He's failed, and even if he somehow gets this massively unbalanced squad up it will be on unsound foundations. Why not start asap to put things right and start heading in the right direction? I'd be prepared to forget promotion this season if I could see we were making progress in the right direction for the longer term.
No, I think he should have gone after the play off final yet can understand why he wasn't sacked given the circumstances. As I said, I think he was brought in with the short term goal of getting us up and keeping us up for a season or two, but he has failed to do that. What concerns me most about the season so far is that the same problems that have plagued us during his time here are still present and I agree with you that we don't really seem any closer to automatic promotion than we did when he first arrived. Therefore I think a change is required.
I was talking more about the general approach of the hierarchy at the club in the previous post. Let's say Bruce is sacked in the next few weeks - what would their approach be? Would they still look to have a good crack at promotion this season and go for a more short term approach or would they not prioritise promotion and look to begin implementing a longer term plan?
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The bottom line for me, is that there is literally no tangible progress thus far, and no cohesive strategy going forward. He’s spent all summer talking about not adopting the ‘sticking plaster’ approach to team-building again, but then systematically replaced players that we actually own with loan-signings from other clubs- exactly the same as he’s done for the last 2 seasons.
I’ve seen mention of the clubs strategy to be to aiming for promotion within 2 years, but surely if we don’t go up this season we’re going to even deeper in the FFP mire having spent a fortune on the likes of Abraham, El Ghazi and Bolasie’s salaries with no long-term return.
I’m honestly now at the stage with Bruce where every day that he’s in charge will seem like a day wasted.
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He's been here nearly two years and we look no closer to a promotion winning side than when he came, yet you think we should stick with him in the longer short term? He's failed, and even if he somehow gets this massively unbalanced squad up it will be on unsound foundations. Why not start asap to put things right and start heading in the right direction? I'd be prepared to forget promotion this season if I could see we were making progress in the right direction for the longer term.
Hear hear
As much as I want out of this league all I want is a hope and pride back in my team
I agree with both comments. Go, Mr Bruce, go.
Please.
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I’m honestly now at the stage with Bruce where every day that he’s in charge will seem like a day wasted.
I've felt like that since the day he was appointed.
I remember the mantra, "The football may be ugly but he'll get us up"? Well, they were half right and the less said about 'stability' the better. The only positive I can draw from today is that most have now reached the same conclusion - he's not up to the job and with each passing day we're that bit closer to getting rid of him.
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I’m honestly now at the stage with Bruce where every day that he’s in charge will seem like a day wasted.
I've felt like that since the day he was appointed.
I remember the mantra, "The football may be ugly but he'll get us up"? Well, they were half right and the less said about 'stability' the better. The only positive I can draw from today is that most have now reached the same conclusion - he's not up to the job and with each passing day we're that bit closer to getting rid of him.
Amen.
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I think it's in arguable that we're better than we first came in and were very close to being a promotion winning side last season.
I'm surprised that distortion has met with universal approval.
I think you can acknowledge the above facts and still think his time is up.
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I think it's in arguable that we're better than we first came in and were very close to being a promotion winning side last season.
I'm surprised that distortion has met with universal approval.
I think you can acknowledge the above facts and still think his time is up.
I'm not sure you can simplify it that much. Last season is irrelevant because, as Bruce himself has said, nearly half the team that played the final have gone, so whilst that squad got close we've seen no real benefit from it. From there I think Gollini, Amavi, Baker, Chester, RDL (effectively the best back 5 we had when he arrived) is better than the unit we have now. Centre midfield is clearly stronger, RDM got that completely wrong. Up front it's pretty hard to work out because we have a lot of unknowns and 3 of the 4 that will be involved don't belong to us. So whilst I don't think we're worse I wouldn't say we've improved massively either, certainly not in any way that will matter come June when we, once again, lose 'half the team'.
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I think it's in arguable that we're better than we first came in and were very close to being a promotion winning side last season.
I'm surprised that distortion has met with universal approval.
I think you can acknowledge the above facts and still think his time is up.
Nearly won promotion? I appreciate that we were one game away but it's a bit like saying 'hey, I nearly won the lottery, the house next door won five mill'.
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Have we heard any words of wisdom or rallying cries from Mr Purslow yet? How many more weeks does he have to be here to be our longest serving CEO in recent times?
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I think it's in arguable that we're better than we first came in and were very close to being a promotion winning side last season.
I'm surprised that distortion has met with universal approval.
I think you can acknowledge the above facts and still think his time is up.
Look at the match and post match threads of the Sheffield United game. Quite a few comparisons to RDM's Preston game away, including from people who were there. I don't call that progress or improvement, whatever may have happened in between.
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Any long term planning must start with the present. Firstly you define the periods for short, medium and long term. You then work on a sliding scale of how much of the long term starts now up to your full long term strategy at the end of the transition period. I have not seen one thing since Bruce came here that contributes to a long term sustainable and successful result .
We have to start now. You cannot put it off as you will never get to your ultimate aim. The view of getting rid of Bruce when we get promoted is just fantasy. If we haven't got the b**** to get rid of him now, we have got no hope of somebody doing it after a successful promotion. It would only happen after a slide back down.
To be fair to the club the so-called Villa Engine was at least an attempt at such an approach, but it was in spite of Bruce not because of him. The problem is they saw fit to place at the top of the pyramid a useless lump who wouldn't know what to do with any talented youngsters brought up to play good football via such a system. So it all seemed a little bit pointless.
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I think it's in arguable that we're better than we first came in and were very close to being a promotion winning side last season.
I'm surprised that distortion has met with universal approval.
I think you can acknowledge the above facts and still think his time is up.
Look at the match and post match threads of the Sheffield United game. Quite a few comparisons to RDM's Preston game away, including from people who were there. I don't call that progress or improvement, whatever may have happened in between.
I don't need to read them, I was there. It was very poor. I've seen a few very poor performances; Brentford away for example. I felt disconsolate after that such was the abject display and then we win 7 in a row.
We're certainly a much better side since October 2016.
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I don't need to read them, I was there. It was very poor. I've seen a few very poor performances; Brentford away for example. I felt disconsolate after that such was the abject display and then we win 7 in a row.
We're certainly a much better side since October 2016.
The performance was just as abject as two years ago. If it was unexpected, I'd maybe agree with you. Bur every man and his blind dog could see it coming. We may have been better last season, but that was last season when we had a defence and a lot of different players.
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Norwich away in December 2016
Leeds away
Brentford away twice
Blackburn away
Wolves away
Derby away
Sheffield United away
There's been a number of incredibly insipid performances amidst some gems and some more routine work.
If only our away form was as breezy and relative straight forward as our home form, as invariably when we're mince, we're mince on our travels.
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Don't you think that after almost two years and the best squad in the league to work with we should not be having displays like the one in Sheffield at all, or anything close to it? We look to have gone backwards since last season. Some of Bruce's bad runs aren't far off what got RDM sacked. We're potentially in one now. Where's the improvement?
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Don't you think that after almost two years and the best squad in the league to work with we should not be having displays like the one in Sheffield at all, or anything close to it? We look to have gone backwards since last season. Some of Bruce's bad runs aren't far off what got RDM sacked. We're potentially in one now. Where's the improvement?
Have to agree. No matter how well we are doing, you feel that a terrible performance and result is just round the corner. I still think our good performances in the second half of last season were due to being relatively stable defensively and heavily reliant on the quality of Grealish and to some extent Snodgrass. We aren't a as strong defensively as we were last season, Jack hasn't quite hit the heights of last season just yet and Snodgrass isn't here.
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Well, I hope that Purslow has had a good two weeks getting his feet under the table. Time to start getting this club back where it belongs.
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He was at the U23's game against Stoke yesterday and said hello to a fan. Is that a start?
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Do your job, Christian - sack Bruce. Thank you.
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I think the fact that he's so new will buy Bruce some time. He might not want to appear to be a hatchet man so soon, particularly if he drinks from the river of Proper Football Men, who will have told him how much of a Proper Football Man Bruce is. Didn't he replace Benitez with Hodgson?
Edit: he did. And then replaced him with Dalglish. Hmmmn.
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He was at the U23's game against Stoke yesterday and said hello to a fan. Is that a start?
Christ he seems to be some kind of bad luck mascot
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I've been thinking for a while that losing the playoff and the consequences of that, i.e. new ownership, will be a blessing in the medium to longer term, but it's surely as clear as day we need a new progressive manager.
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My concern is that we'd sack Bruce and then replace him with yet another manager who is just a continuation of the old school.
The Hodgson / Allardyce / Moyes style (I am not suggesting we'd get any of those, I am referring to their type).
I'm so sick of watching the inevitable result of that sort of appointment. We need to completely start again.
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My concern is that we'd sack Bruce and then replace him with yet another manager who is just a continuation of the old school.
The Hodgson / Allardyce / Moyes style (I am not suggesting we'd get any of those, I am referring to their type).
I'm so sick of watching the inevitable result of that sort of appointment. We need to completely start again.
this was my big fear when Wyness was here
I have more hope now with the new owners
Purslow's track record of replacing managers whilst at Liverpool doesn't fill me with great hope
but I hope he will have to carry out the wishes of the owners and i am making a big assumption that they will go the same way as player signings,
ie young with potential for the longer term
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My concern is that we'd sack Bruce and then replace him with yet another manager who is just a continuation of the old school.
The Hodgson / Allardyce / Moyes style (I am not suggesting we'd get any of those, I am referring to their type).
I'm so sick of watching the inevitable result of that sort of appointment. We need to completely start again.
Watching the re-run of MOTD this morning, it was so refreshing to see the likes of Fulham taking the game to Man City. Same can be said for teams like Watford, Huddersfield and Bournemouth.
What do they all have in common? Progressive, forward-thinking managers with backroom team of coaches who know what the bloody hell they are doing.
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My concern is that we'd sack Bruce and then replace him with yet another manager who is just a continuation of the old school.
The Hodgson / Allardyce / Moyes style (I am not suggesting we'd get any of those, I am referring to their type).
I'm so sick of watching the inevitable result of that sort of appointment. We need to completely start again.
Watching the re-run of MOTD this morning, it was so refreshing to see the likes of Fulham taking the game to Man City. Same can be said for teams like Watford, Huddersfield and Bournemouth.
What do they all have in common? Progressive, forward-thinking managers with backroom team of coaches who know what the bloody hell they are doing.
Not sure you can say the same about Huddersfield, whose promotion and survival has been fought in a dour and pragmatic way that rarely involves taking the game to the opposition. Also, Fulham got thrashed yesterday.
Aside from the style of play though you're dead right. The common theme is a manager who knows what he's doing and a backroom set up that supports him in executing the plan.
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My concern is that we'd sack Bruce and then replace him with yet another manager who is just a continuation of the old school.
The Hodgson / Allardyce / Moyes style (I am not suggesting we'd get any of those, I am referring to their type).
I'm so sick of watching the inevitable result of that sort of appointment. We need to completely start again.
Watching the re-run of MOTD this morning, it was so refreshing to see the likes of Fulham taking the game to Man City. Same can be said for teams like Watford, Huddersfield and Bournemouth.
What do they all have in common? Progressive, forward-thinking managers with backroom team of coaches who know what the bloody hell they are doing.
Not sure you can say the same about Huddersfield, whose promotion and survival has been fought in a dour and pragmatic way that rarely involves taking the game to the opposition. Also, Fulham got thrashed yesterday.
Aside from the style of play though you're dead right. The common theme is a manager who knows what he's doing and a backroom set up that supports him in executing the plan.
The concern would be that the likes of Allardyce and Moyes may well be on the short list if we do get shot of Bruce. Although personally, whilst he wouldn't be my choice I do rate Allardyce.
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My concern is that we'd sack Bruce and then replace him with yet another manager who is just a continuation of the old school.
The Hodgson / Allardyce / Moyes style (I am not suggesting we'd get any of those, I am referring to their type).
I'm so sick of watching the inevitable result of that sort of appointment. We need to completely start again.
Watching the re-run of MOTD this morning, it was so refreshing to see the likes of Fulham taking the game to Man City. Same can be said for teams like Watford, Huddersfield and Bournemouth.
What do they all have in common? Progressive, forward-thinking managers with backroom team of coaches who know what the bloody hell they are doing.
I can't comment on the coaching set ups of Watford, Huddersfield and Bournemouth as I only know their managers. Who are their current coaches/assistants and where did they work previously?
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Huddersfield have failed to score in almost 60% of their league games since promotion. Their manager appears to be more pragmatic than the sexy swine we all dreamed about who would come and save us from Nan'sHair.
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Huddersfield have failed to score in almost 60% of their league games since promotion. Their manager appears to be more pragmatic than the sexy swine we all dreamed about who would come and save us from Nan'sHair.
Completely wasted on me.
What do you mean?
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Sorry, it was a nod to how some of us were keen to nab Wagner from Huddersfield after he got them promoted on a shoestring.
NansHair is the wonderful, if sparsely used, alias of our manager due to his grandmother-hairstyle.
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Huddersfield have failed to score in almost 60% of their league games since promotion. Their manager appears to be more pragmatic than the sexy swine we all dreamed about who would come and save us from Nan'sHair.
Bit harsh on Wagner as he got Huddersfield Town promoted to the top flight and kept them up in their first season. Maybe he has developed a style that he thinks best suits the resources he has available to him and might have a different approach given a different environment to work in.
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True
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Mark hughes has a bit of Nans hair about him too . Maybe its a Manure thing .
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Huddersfield have failed to score in almost 60% of their league games since promotion. Their manager appears to be more pragmatic than the sexy swine we all dreamed about who would come and save us from Nan'sHair.
Bit harsh on Wagner as he got Huddersfield Town promoted to the top flight and kept them up in their first season. Maybe he has developed a style that he thinks best suits the resources he has available to him and might have a different approach given a different environment to work in.
You could have said the same about Bruce before he joined us.
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Huddersfield have failed to score in almost 60% of their league games since promotion. Their manager appears to be more pragmatic than the sexy swine we all dreamed about who would come and save us from Nan'sHair.
Bit harsh on Wagner as he got Huddersfield Town promoted to the top flight and kept them up in their first season. Maybe he has developed a style that he thinks best suits the resources he has available to him and might have a different approach given a different environment to work in.
You could have said the same about Bruce before he joined us.
You could and that is probably why he got the job in the first place. He has failed to achieve at Villa what Wagner has done at Huddersfield though and Wagner's time at Dortmund with Klopp might suggest at a more progressive approach in the right environment.
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Huddersfield have failed to score in almost 60% of their league games since promotion. Their manager appears to be more pragmatic than the sexy swine we all dreamed about who would come and save us from Nan'sHair.
Bit harsh on Wagner as he got Huddersfield Town promoted to the top flight and kept them up in their first season. Maybe he has developed a style that he thinks best suits the resources he has available to him and might have a different approach given a different environment to work in.
You could have said the same about Bruce before he joined us.
You could and that is probably why he got the job in the first place. He has failed to achieve at Villa what Wagner has done at Huddersfield though and Wagner's time at Dortmund with Klopp might suggest at a more progressive approach in the right environment.
Ive always thought he did well initially because we were a big club in dire straits so bringing in the small club siege mentality worked perfectly. When we hit Christmas 6points off the playoffs or whatever it was, we needed to start acting like the big dog on the block. We didnt and havent ever since. Even in the playoffs, set up, tactics and mentality were all of the smaller club ilk, like how id expect us to set up/play against Man Utd. Steve Bruce's Aston Villa of the past year and a half are the ultimate square peg in a round hole. He has entered self preservation mode, the away fans have turned and I think its a matter of when not if now...
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Has there ever actually been an interview? I have seen nothing about his vision, ideas, how excited he is joining club. Absolutely fuck all.
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Does he actually exist?
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He's been busy polishing his chopper.
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He's been busy polishing his chopper.
There’s only one chopper* polisher at this club
*nob
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It’s time for action, Chris. Get to it mate.
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I think this next week will tell us a lot about whether our new owners are genuinely the real deal and expect results or whether they are simply a bit disconnected but hopeful.
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Mark hughes has a bit of Nans hair about him too . Maybe its a Manure thing .
Perhaps excessive use of the hairdryer in the ManUre dressing room prematurely ages the follicles?
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For all those putting Benitez forward as a candidate, didn't Purslow work with him at Liverpool and criticise his managerial style in an interview afterwards?
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For all those putting Benitez forward as a candidate, didn't Purslow work with him at Liverpool and criticise his managerial style in an interview afterwards?
I believe so, yes.
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Benitez it will take 6 mil to get him ,not happening.
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Purslow and Benitez were not fans of each other by all reports.
Anyhow, if the press are to be believed Purslow thinks Bruce is worth sticking with. Hopefully his sporting director he appoints will quickly inform him of his fuckwittery.
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For all those putting Benitez forward as a candidate, didn't Purslow work with him at Liverpool and criticise his managerial style in an interview afterwards?
I believe so, yes.
He sacked him and appointed Hodgson
But in fairness they were in a huge financial mess, so can be argued he was cutting his cloth accordingly
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The report by Percy of the Telegraph that Purslow wants to keep Bruce has me very worried about Mr Purslow.
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Doesn't bode well if he thinks sticking with Bruce is the right choice, as much as anything too many fans have turned now and it's just going to get messier. You shouldn't be afraid to do things the fans don't like sometimes but when it's turning into a stand off between the manager and the fans there's only ever going to be one winner. Regardless I hope he's smart enough to be looking at the options right now and sounding people out because it's a matter of time before he'll be making his first appointment.
That said it might be that he's here as more of a commercial entity and the sporting director we're linked with will be the one who makes the call on Bruce, which would mean that Purslow thinks keeping the manager until that guy is in place and can get on with finding the replacement is better than potentially looking to employ both at the same time. If that's the case then we need to get a move on with the former because Bruce is already checked out and going through the motions of protecting his rep so he'll get another job(in my opinion).
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Mark hughes has a bit of Nans hair about him too . Maybe its a Manure thing .
Perhaps excessive use of the hairdryer in the ManUre dressing room prematurely ages the follicles?
I don't think it's the follicles that get prematurely aged - they've got plenty of those. It's the damaged brainicles that I think we need to be worried about 😉
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The report by Percy of the Telegraph that Purslow wants to keep Bruce has me very worried about Mr Purslow.
It may just be wishful thinking, but I'm going to interpret that as the quintessential 'vote of confidence' from the Board. Which hopefully means he'll be gone in a day or two.
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then I think you are going to be disappointed.
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Purslow out.
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Is he Tom Fox in a different guise? Myopic to say the least if true.
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Purslow out.
Yeah, he's had long enough. Get rid.
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I'm hoping his reasoning is that it will be the Director of Football's decision to make, and that his job is to find and appoint that DoF. That would make sense. That's what I'm clinging to anyway.
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Purslow out.
Yeah, he's had long enough. Get rid.
I don't like your tone.
Clampy out.
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I didn't like our Tone either. He's gone.
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Purslow out.
He had one task and he's blown it.
Fuck him. No nourishment here.
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Having read the Torygraph article (which means I have now had to shower thoroughly) I don't think there's anything too damning there. It seems to say they're willing to wait a while before binning him for 'stability'. Now I know that's become a dirty word but I read it as 'we don't trust anyone on the coaching staff to do a temporary job, we'll keep him for a few weeks until we find the right man then give him the old hollow praise for all he's done and a payoff'.
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I think he will be sacked at the next international break when the new Sporting Director is in.
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I think he will be sacked at the next international break when the new Sporting Director is in.
When we were chatting in the pub after the game we thought that the most likely scenario.
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Lets just hope by that time we are not to far behind, as I have just stated in the Bruce out thread, whoever is coming in, is going to inherit a talented, but very unbalanced squad. Bruce is beginning to do just as much damage as Pube head and it may take some time to get over it. Patience might be needed for the new guy.
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The squad isn't that unbalanced as there are players who ca do a good job for every position. It's just that the manager is just too fucking thick and stubborn to play them in the right places.
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I'm hoping his reasoning is that it will be the Director of Football's decision to make, and that his job is to find and appoint that DoF. That would make sense. That's what I'm clinging to anyway.
Agree. If the plan is to bring in a Director of Football then it doesn't make sense to make a managerial change until that person has been appointed. Whatever the plan is they need to implement it soon because as we saw last season, it is hard to make up ground on the top teams once they begin to pull away.
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Lets just hope by that time we are not to far behind, as I have just stated in the Bruce out thread, whoever is coming in, is going to inherit a talented, but very unbalanced squad. Bruce is beginning to do just as much damage as Pube head and it may take some time to get over it. Patience might be needed for the new guy.
I'm not sure it is that bad, as players have been brought in on loan which is a bit different to having players on big money tied to long contracts as has happened in the past.
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The squad is'nt unbalanced, we must have the most right sided defenders in the league, we have a proven centre half and even if he played Axel who has not pulled up any trees in that position, one injury and we are back to the worlds number 1 centre half in Bruce's eyes, the Jedi.
Loads of forwards, but as have been seen the last couple of weeks, trying to get them into a formation that does not mean our midfield is as solid as jelly and not able to protect our defence, that bloody hell needs protection.
Yes its down to the manager and his lack of ability, but those in-balances and just hoping we get no central defensive injuries leaves a new guy with alot of problems that will not be of his makings, at least till January.
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Tom it is that bad, yet again we have gone down the Bruce path, if it comes off we have polished some other clubs turds and if we get promoted, the parent club will want top dollar, if we do not get promoted we are back to losing 4, 5 or 6 players and the circle starts again.
Mainly because the manager has no coherent plan or ability to build something with foundations and when he does play the kids, if they do not hit the ground and have a cracking game he throws them under the bus. I truly believe this guy is doing as much damage to us long term, if he is not got rid of soon as pube head did.
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If we can get rid of any FFP misdemeanours by taking a, say, 20 point sanction, promotion is already blown and there’s no point in getting rid of Bruce. Start again in the summer and hope for at least 70 points this season. Clearly Bruce couldn’t give a shit and that’s perhaps why he’s knocking fans and doing less and less. Stability whilst we get the points deducted is the only thing I can think of why they are not dumping him. A whole crowd Bolton-TSMii effort might be the only reason they change their stance as surely they can see the mans fucking clueless. This is all very frustrating and time wasting.
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I'm hoping his reasoning is that it will be the Director of Football's decision to make, and that his job is to find and appoint that DoF. That would make sense. That's what I'm clinging to anyway.
I'm guessing we've already identified and agreed terms with our new Sporting Director, why else would we get rid of most of the scouts? I'd imagine too that he's been told to draw up a shortlist of potential new managers. As Ads suggests, the international break looks the most obvious in terms of finally getting shot of Bruce.
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Tom it is that bad, yet again we have gone down the Bruce path, if it comes off we have polished some other clubs turds and if we get promoted, the parent club will want top dollar, if we do not get promoted we are back to losing 4, 5 or 6 players and the circle starts again.
Mainly because the manager has no coherent plan or ability to build something with foundations and when he does play the kids, if they do not hit the ground and have a cracking game he throws them under the bus. I truly believe this guy is doing as much damage to us long term, if he is not got rid of soon as pube head did.
Agree with a lot of that, but the real danger a club in our situation faces is having a number of players on big contracts and wages who contribute nothing to the playing side and have no designs on leaving the club. At least loan players can be moved on and they are actually going to play.
Agree about having to replace them if a deal can't be reached in the summer, but we would at least be building from a bit stronger position if we did manage to get up.
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If we can get rid of any FFP misdemeanours by taking a, say, 20 point sanction, promotion is already blown and there’s no point in getting rid of Bruce. Start again in the summer and hope for at least 70 points this season. Clearly Bruce couldn’t give a shit and that’s perhaps why he’s knocking fans and doing less and less. Stability whilst we get the points deducted is the only thing I can think of why they are not dumping him. A whole crowd Bolton-TSMii effort might be the only reason they change their stance as surely they can see the mans fucking clueless. This is all very frustrating and time wasting.
What? If we aren't going up because of a 20-point sanction, then there is even more reason to get rid asap and get someone in to build rather than let him limp on, insulting the fans and providing turgid crap to watch to boot.
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If we can get rid of any FFP misdemeanours by taking a, say, 20 point sanction, promotion is already blown and there’s no point in getting rid of Bruce. Start again in the summer and hope for at least 70 points this season. Clearly Bruce couldn’t give a shit and that’s perhaps why he’s knocking fans and doing less and less. Stability whilst we get the points deducted is the only thing I can think of why they are not dumping him. A whole crowd Bolton-TSMii effort might be the only reason they change their stance as surely they can see the mans fucking clueless. This is all very frustrating and time wasting.
Wouldn't the sanction be next season?
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If we can get rid of any FFP misdemeanours by taking a, say, 20 point sanction, promotion is already blown and there’s no point in getting rid of Bruce. Start again in the summer and hope for at least 70 points this season. Clearly Bruce couldn’t give a shit and that’s perhaps why he’s knocking fans and doing less and less. Stability whilst we get the points deducted is the only thing I can think of why they are not dumping him. A whole crowd Bolton-TSMii effort might be the only reason they change their stance as surely they can see the mans fucking clueless. This is all very frustrating and time wasting.
I disagree with you about getting rid of Bruce - under all circumstances, the sooner the better.
I may be wrong, but I thought I read somewhere that the 20 points deduction would be made in the subsequent season following the ruling; which would mean the 2019-20 season.
Actually, that would be more damaging than taking the hit this season.
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I hadn’t realised it was next season. Sod that then, no reason at all not to get rid. In fact, get up this season to avoid the deduction.
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I hadn’t realised it was next season. Sod that then, no reason at all not to get rid. In fact, get up this season to avoid the deduction.
There is an obvious flaw in your argument.
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Ahh so he's decided we need to be consistently shit then so we don't rock the boat. When we are firmly mid table next season in the Championship this fucker can take his portion of the blame if fat sack of shit Steve is still drunk at the wheel. We'll probably have Glenn Whelan at centre back next year, unless he's out of contract, like Bruce I haven't done my research so don't really have a clue.
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who has actually stated that we may be hit by a 20pt deduction? That seems Dickensian and would surely be challenged legally?
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If we carry on with our current points per game ratio we would finish in 12th place based on last seasons final Championship table. Last season Ipswich finished 12th and a 20 point deduction would have left them finishing 23rd and relegated.
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who has actually stated that we may be hit by a 20pt deduction? That seems Dickensian and would surely be challenged legally?
It’s bollocks, the point deduction for FFP breach is new and there is no precedent.
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I hadn’t realised it was next season. Sod that then, no reason at all not to get rid. In fact, get up this season to avoid the deduction.
There is an obvious flaw in your argument.
And as per usual it’s a patronising poster who points it out rather than reasoned attitude and debate.
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who has actually stated that we may be hit by a 20pt deduction? That seems Dickensian and would surely be challenged legally?
It’s bollocks, the point deduction for FFP breach is new and there is no precedent.
Until the rags set the precedent that is
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Beat me to it jwarry. The Meaning Evil is saying that Bloose could have a 12 point deduction increased to 15 for what they describe as an 'aggravated breach' of FFP by signing Pedersen, so i think a precedent will come pretty soon. And it links to a Times article that says there'll be a sliding scale of points deductions according to the losses made, so it's starting to get interesting, and potentially not in a good way for us.
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I hadn’t realised it was next season. Sod that then, no reason at all not to get rid. In fact, get up this season to avoid the deduction.
There is an obvious flaw in your argument.
And as per usual it’s a patronising poster who points it out rather than reasoned attitude and debate.
Any one who thinks keeping Bruce is a good idea is beyond reason.
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Did I say keep him? Just for the sake of clarity to anyone not understanding my post: bin him. Regardless of FFP or not. That clear enough for you?
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Did I say keep him? Just for the sake of clarity to anyone not understanding my post: bin him. Regardless of FFP or not. That clear enough for you?
Brilliant! I understand now.
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The clubs should spend a truck load on the best legal minds they can buy and challenge FFP. It is a complete load of tripe.
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Did I say keep him? Just for the sake of clarity to anyone not understanding my post: bin him. Regardless of FFP or not. That clear enough for you?
Confused by by double negative.
Lots of love.
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Did I say keep him? Just for the sake of clarity to anyone not understanding my post: bin him. Regardless of FFP or not. That clear enough for you?
Confused by by double negative.
Lots of love.
Love and happiness. But only once he’s gone! 🍺
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Deal with it Christian, enough is enough.
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I am beginning to have concerns that this feels like the Lerner period where everybody could see that the Lambert was a busted flush and the absentee landlord was no where to be seen or heard..
It’s dejavu with there or there abouts replacing we go again.
This needs to end soon.
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Totally right. The sound of silence is beginning to worry me.
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We could do with Jesus Gil for about three days, pity he's dead. Either that or Jesus Christ to perform a miracle and shift him out.
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Would Carles do?
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As much as a change is needed, it shouldnt be rushed. I rather they line someone up then sack him, than sack him and start looking.
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And then the club gets accused of double dealing, being disrespectful to Bruce, going behind his back......etc etc etc?
If they have the appetite (balls) to sack him, the should have the courage of their convictions and get on with it.
If it means caretaker manager for the next 2 games into the break, so be it.
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And then the club gets accused of double dealing, being disrespectful to Bruce, going behind his back......etc etc etc?
If they have the appetite (balls) to sack him, the should have the courage of their convictions and get on with it.
If it means caretaker manager for the next 2 games into the break, so be it.
It wouldn't surprise me if Bruce was sounded out for the job while RDM was here. It's not a nice way to do things but he knows how it works.
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And then the club gets accused of double dealing, being disrespectful to Bruce, going behind his back......etc etc etc?
If they have the appetite (balls) to sack him, the should have the courage of their convictions and get on with it.
If it means caretaker manager for the next 2 games into the break, so be it.
It wouldn't surprise me if Bruce was sounded out for the job while RDM was here. It's not a nice way to do things but he knows how it works.
And, as we all know, that's the way football conducts itself.
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And then the club gets accused of double dealing, being disrespectful to Bruce, going behind his back......etc etc etc?
If they have the appetite (balls) to sack him, the should have the courage of their convictions and get on with it.
If it means caretaker manager for the next 2 games into the break, so be it.
It wouldn't surprise me if Bruce was sounded out for the job while RDM was here. It's not a nice way to do things but he knows how it works.
And, as we all know, that's the way football conducts itself.
That's The Championship forya.
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Not really interested in anything other than doing the right thing for Aston Villa to be honest and right now sacking potato head is the right thing to do.
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Any chance of any positive moves by the CEO and new owners before we go any lower ? Nero, fire and fiddle springs to mind
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Any chance of any positive moves by the CEO and new owners before we go any lower ? Nero, fire and fiddle springs to mind
Certainly not filling me with confidence.
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And then the club gets accused of double dealing, being disrespectful to Bruce, going behind his back......etc etc etc?
If they have the appetite (balls) to sack him, the should have the courage of their convictions and get on with it.
If it means caretaker manager for the next 2 games into the break, so be it.
It wouldn't surprise me if Bruce was sounded out for the job while RDM was here. It's not a nice way to do things but he knows how it works.
And, as we all know, that's the way football conducts itself.
That's how business conducts itself. Contingency planning.
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I’m pretty sure Blose announced Zola the same day they sacked Rowett! It goes on all the time. Also Liverpool sacking Rodgers once Klopp had indicated that he’d be willing to come.
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Bruce has also had ample time to address his failings. He can’t have any complaints if we’re sounding out replacements.
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This bloke will be held up for thieving a wage if he doesn’t do something this week.
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:D
Totally agree.
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The question is, are the board looking at table and seeing us 15th but thinking, nah, he’s doing ok. Only x points off top spot, we’ll be fine with Bruce. He’s got 4 promotions so knows what he’s doing.
In fact, he knows more than us, we are new to this game so we completely put our faith and trust in him.
I am becoming more fearful that this is the case.
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The question is, are the board looking at table and seeing us 15th but thinking, nah, he’s doing ok. Only x points off top spot, we’ll be fine with Bruce. He’s got 4 promotions so knows what he’s doing.
In fact, he knows more than us, we are new to this game so we completely put our faith and trust in him.
I am becoming more fearful that this is the case.
No they won't. Money and success is too important.
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The question is, are the board looking at table and seeing us 15th but thinking, nah, he’s doing ok. Only x points off top spot, we’ll be fine with Bruce. He’s got 4 promotions so knows what he’s doing.
In fact, he knows more than us, we are new to this game so we completely put our faith and trust in him.
I am becoming more fearful that this is the case.
I think that if you are the owner(s) of a sporting team and are looking at anything other than top spot then you shouldn't be the owner(s).
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Nobody can seriously believe the owners think 15th is acceptable after 10 games.
They've spent all this money, signed the players we have, made the appointment of CEO they have to be a lower mid-table Championship side? Not a chance. Not a single chance.
Beyond that, almost certainty, we can only speculate.
Whoever comes next needs to be a decision taken very carefully as we've made some appalling choices post O'Neill.
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I'd just been thinking something very similar to this and was going to post it but then I saw your post Ads. I agree. Why on earth would two businessmen pay millions for something and then just let it waste away? They won't. We can only wait and hope and at this stage that's something we're all getting used to.
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it costs them around £6m a month to run - that's (15th) not a good return on capital employed
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I'd just been thinking something very similar to this and was going to post it but then I saw your post Ads. I agree. Why on earth would two businessmen pay millions for something and then just let it waste away? They won't. We can only wait and hope and at this stage that's something we're all getting used to.
And, why bring in Purslow if he is incapable of taking the big decisions?
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Just at Birmingham airport browsing the shops in the departure lounge. You can’t buy an Aston Villa shirt anywhere here. You can buy a Leicester City shirt though.
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Just at Birmingham airport browsing the shops in the departure lounge. You can’t buy an Aston Villa shirt anywhere here. You can buy a Leicester City shirt though.
Not sure if that has something to do with our kit deal. Not seen one in any of the sports shops in and around town either.
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Yeah, the one thing we can't complain about is our kit sales
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I'm starting to feel like it is time for Purslow to become more visible, he's had time to get settled in, now lets see him acting like the CEO and engaging the fan base.
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Yeah, the one thing we can't complain about is our kit sales
What I meant Matt was that I am not sure if the deal we have limits kits to being sold at the club shop and LUKE outlets only. Went to thé Sports Direct at One Stop in Perry Barr the other day and they had no Villa gear in there, which was strange considering it's in walking distance of the ground.
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I was under the impression that 'Luke' Villa kits were rarer than bums on seats at the Sty.
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I'm starting to feel like it is time for Purslow to become more visible, he's had time to get settled in, now lets see him acting like the CEO and engaging the fan base.
I'm hearing he's been waiting for us to get back to back wins before making any statement thus the delay.
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I'm starting to feel like it is time for Purslow to become more visible, he's had time to get settled in, now lets see him acting like the CEO and engaging the fan base.
I'm hearing he's been waiting for us to get back to back wins before making any statement thus the delay.
Even if it was back-to-back passes, we might not hear from him for some time.
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Do the fucking job Christian. There is no alternative.
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Time for action followed by a statement of intent ........ we are becoming a laughing stock and rightly so ....
.we are a complete shambles on the playing side - let's hope the admin side of the club is sorted - if not we are fucked
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Any chance of you actually starting to do your job please Mr CEO?
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Wait any longer and you'll be another one accused of stealing a living from the club.
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Can you please say that useless bastrad of a manager is staying or sack him and tell us your plan. Thanks.
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Any chance of you actually starting to do your job please Mr CEO?
I’m worried that they think tonight is an acceptable result. As they clearly think the previous few are. Depressing
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We are a laughing stock already.
What sane club lets a manger sign someone on 80k a week? In the Championship. Less than 2 months after we were put in admin?..
Let’s him sign wingers left right and centre.
Let’s him stockpile fullbacks for fun.
Leaves us with one centre half in the squad.
Fucking nuts. Absolute nuts.
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Act now, or clearly you're as bigger coward as the current manager.
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Time to shape up Purslow...tough times call for tough characters, let's see what you're made of.
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We are a laughing stock already.
What sane club lets a manger sign someone on 80k a week? In the Championship. Less than 2 months after we were put in admin?..
Let’s him sign wingers left right and centre.
Let’s him stockpile fullbacks for fun.
Leaves us with one centre half in the squad.
Fucking nuts. Absolute nuts.
And not start him...
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Wakey wakey, time to start earning your wage.
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I hope the lights in the board room are still on at Villa Park....
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He's concluded the interviews for the Sports Director. Time to finalise the deal and get the man to work. Mark Delaney can step up for the Millwall game so no problem sacking Bodger in the morning.
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Not a peep. Shame on you PurSLOW.
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Not a peep. Shame on you PurSLOW.
You'd hope the delay is because they are negotiating the severance package.
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Training doesn't start till half ten, so perhaps Bruce is still in the drive through getting the Brains Trust their egg McMuffins.
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Training doesn't start till half ten, so perhaps Bruce is still in the drive through getting the Brains Trust their egg McMuffins.
Ha!
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Can we start a sweepstake on what picture is used for the club statement on Pravda?
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Can we start a sweepstake on what picture is used for the club statement on Pravda?
Sadness in his eyes.
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Can we start a sweepstake on what picture is used for the club statement on Pravda?
Sadness in his eyes.
That AVFC Corner Flag?
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Can we start a sweepstake on what picture is used for the club statement on Pravda?
Sadness in his eyes.
That AVFC Corner Flag?
No doubt it'll be a torn badge in the Mail.
Come on Purslow - get your thumb out of your ass and start firing. HDE would've got through two managers by now!
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Not a peep. Shame on you PurSLOW.
You'd hope the delay is because they are negotiating the severance package.
Maybe we are waiting on our American co-owner. It's still early morning there.
I expect Bruce gone by eight this evening. I think Lambert went at around about seven. McLeish was about lunchtime. O'Leary was after work as I remember celebrating in the pub.
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(https://www.highmowingseeds.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/image/675x675/e9c3970ab036de70892d86c6d221abfe/2/3/2366.jpg)
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O'Neill fucked off during the evening commute also
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O'Neill fucked off during the evening commute also
Nah, it was earlier than that. I was in a Polish salt mine mid-afternoon their time, and got a text when I resurfaced to say he'd gone. Must've been about lunchtime in the UK.
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I think it was early, maybe 1-2 o' clock. I was off work for some reason and got a text from a Blose mate.
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A polish salt mine! The mind boggles.
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Probably not the modern way, but I would like Purslow to make some comment on the current situation.
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Looks like he's going.
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A polish salt mine! The mind boggles.
It's incredible and highly recommended!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wieliczka_Salt_Mine
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Not a peep. Shame on you PurSLOW.
You'd hope the delay is because they are negotiating the severance package.
Maybe we are waiting on our American co-owner. It's still early morning there.
I expect Bruce gone by eight this evening. I think Lambert went at around about seven. McLeish was about lunchtime. O'Leary was after work as I remember celebrating in the pub.
O'Leary was about nine pm. O'Neill was four-ish, Little, Atkinson and Taylor were mid-afternoon. Gregory was around 7.30.
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I remember O’leary Leaving the investigation meeting late at night with a not so smug look on his face.
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What’s happening with the Director of Football? Presumably you’d want a good link between that role and whoever the new manager is.
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If as rumoured TH wants control of transfers then that would make the DOF position a different role altogether and would possibly alter the recruitment process.
Depends how willing we are to change direction slightly to get our man
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Omnipotence never works well - power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Look what happened when MON controlled everything. We need to get on with this to maximize the time the new guys have on the training fieldwith the squad before Swansea.
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He'll want a say on which players come in, that how it should be. Whether that particular rumour is true though is anyone's guess.
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the whole top table has changed in a matter of a few weeks since the new owners took over
they don't mess about do they
Purslow - Pitarch - Smith - Terry
new look, new Villa , renewed hopes
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This guy is good. Considered and determined by the look of it
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Interesting that the slate has been wiped clean.
So
Completely new management structure with a head coach whose team could play good football with limited budget.
I don't want to stick my neck on the block but I don't think even we could feck up the scenario we now have.
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Interesting that the slate has been wiped clean.
So
Completely new management structure with a head coach whose team could play good football with limited budget.
I don't want to stick my neck on the block but I don't think even we could feck up the scenario we now have.
The slate should be wiped clean as the way Bruce managed certain individuals wasn't good.
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This guy is a class above anything we've had for a few years. Every answer he gave at the presser today was considered and football based. No nourished romantic narrative or any of that bollocks. I got the feeling that we are doing much better than expected with the FFP stuff and him helping to build the rules previously will help our cause. I'm looking forward to seeing what unfolds in the January transfer window. I think the management team is a good one and whilst we are currently in 15th, I don't think for a minute we will end up in the bottom half.
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I'm glad he stayed quiet until today. I know some wanted more from him but from what I've seen he seems to be getting on with the job.
Slick.
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He came across as your sorted, serious uncle with a good sense of humour that you could discuss chicks with in a dignified fashion.
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I found him very impressive. Authoritive and intelligent, he gave across an air that he knew what he was doing.
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Came across as very polished but then again I got done initially by Tom Fox. Made a twat out of a lot of us. So while I am certainly very encouraged as usual it will need to be proven over time.
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You can definitely feel the difference with this guy. I liked the fact that he railed against the cliche about us having the right to be in the PL.
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Came across as very polished but then again I got done initially by Tom Fox. Made a twat out of a lot of us. So while I am certainly very encouraged as usual it will need to be proven over time.
Agreed, and Purslow has to the take responsibility for the cluster fuck at the end of the transfer window. He has been around football clubs long enough to know going into a season with one senior centre half was a recipe for disaster. No way should transfers for Bolasie and Abraham have been authorised without reinforcements confirmed in defence first.
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I think he has been a bit slow in getting rid of Bruce. But I liked what I saw of him today. I think Dean and John could be a cracking team.
But Jesus, I’m less convinced of. Was listening to a Spanish football reporter who wasn’t too complimentary about him. He could be risky. Hasn’t exactly been that consistently successful in Spain or liked.
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But Jesus, I’m less convinced of.
Who is it that you're not convinced of?
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Israel smashed TSM1's Scotland. Jesus roots for his home team.
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Dean was already calling Jeasus "Susu" in the avtv interview.
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Hey-Zeus! I'm wondering how his role will differ from Rounds.
He seemed to talk a good game, but didn't deliver. Purslow mapping out what he expects of Jesus was interesting.
Seems there's going to be 2 months to assess and plan recruitment. Plan recruitment! Plan! For players. That we may buy! Stuff of myth that.
How we meet the FFP challenge will be interesting. He seemed very respectful of it. Perhaps a better angle to be coming at it from than the Noses who just decided to do what they want.
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Came across as very polished but then again I got done initially by Tom Fox. Made a twat out of a lot of us. So while I am certainly very encouraged as usual it will need to be proven over time.
Agreed, and Purslow has to the take responsibility for the cluster fuck at the end of the transfer window. He has been around football clubs long enough to know going into a season with one senior centre half was a recipe for disaster. No way should transfers for Bolasie and Abraham have been authorised without reinforcements confirmed in defence first.
Two senior centre backs. It was just that one of them was being played at right back.
And then he would have been criticised for interfering in player transfers.
The decision on the composition of the squad should be the manager's (and now the DoF as well). Not a businessman. The fault for the transfer window lay with Bruce, and he quite rightly paid with his job.
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Agreed Sheffield.
From what Purslow said, Deano will assess the squad and suggest what is needed, Jesus will identify targets that meet the criteria, Purslow will confirm finances and a short list drawn.
It might not be too revolutionary from what we had in place before, but it was clear despite the talk there was no real strategy in place.
The hope this time is that our scouting and long term thinking is of quality. A genuine attempt to implement a style universally and have a genuine means to an end beyond buy more, buy more, buy more when things aren't working.
I genuinely hope we've cracked it this time.
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Agreed Sheffield.
From what Purslow said, Deano will assess the squad and suggest what is needed, Jesus will identify targets that meet the criteria, Purslow will confirm finances and a short list drawn.
It might not be too revolutionary from what we had in place before, but it was clear despite the talk there was no real strategy in place.
The hope this time is that our scouting and long term thinking is of quality. A genuine attempt to implement a style universally and have a genuine means to an end beyond buy more, buy more, buy more when things aren't working.
I genuinely hope we've cracked it this time.
As I said before the biggest problem with 'the villa engine' is that you can't implement something like that and ring fence the first team, that was another of the fucking stupid ideas that Wyness pushed (along with the whole 3 teams bullshit) that showed he had no real intention of doing anything of the sort but Xia probably wanted it so he made a token effort.
Even if the first team isn't ready to change to the style you want you still apply the policy and train the players towards it because then, as you add players, you're always moving towards your goal. Not applying it to the first team was, in my opinion, entirely about protecting Bruce and letting him build the squad as he saw fit (with established players) rather than facing any pressure to invest in potential and work on developing players.
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https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2019/06/03/christian-purslow-on-wonderful-journey
Christian Purslow is aiming to take Aston Villa on a “wonderful journey” as he leads the club into the “next chapter” of its story.
Purslow is excited about the future with Dean Smith at the helm, backed up by “tremendous owners” in Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens.
He told Club TV: “It’s the biggest and most important step so it’s not just another chapter – it’s a vital chapter and first step because essentially we’ve got back on the right platform.
“From there, for Dean Smith and his team, their talents can be given full vent on the right stage because the support Dean and I have now from tremendous owners, in terms of their interest, their qualifications, their knowledge and their financial resources, means on that platform, we can take this club on a wonderful journey and I think we will.”
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Any journey that doesn't involve the M1 night works on a Tuesday is just fine with me.
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It's a good sounding interview, following on from the one with Deano the other day in which he said he has now come to love the club.
I think we are in good hands, I'm sure the journey will have it's bumps along the way, and at those times we will have to believe in these guys and get behind them, but I'm excited!
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Well I miss Ed Winchester.
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I have to say this stuff goes in one ear and straight out the other with me.
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I have to say this stuff goes in one ear and straight out the other with me.
Same here. I’m sure they have the very best intentions but you’ll forgive me if I say I’ve heard it all before and look where we ended up.
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I have to say this stuff goes in one ear and straight out the other with me.
Same here. I’m sure they have the very best intentions but you’ll forgive me if I say I’ve heard it all before and look where we ended up.
True, but looking for positives, compared to Lerner and Xia -
Both Edens and Sawiris are hugely successful businessmen, with verifiable wealth. Lerner inherited his money, then seemed to be doing his best to fritter most of it away. Xia, well god knows to be honest.
Edens is co-owner of a US sports team that has been doing very well under him. Lerner owned the Browns, the worst American Football team in history, and if anything made them worse. Xia made gloop for Chinese takeaways. Possibly.
Edens and Sawiris have put good people in charge, who are making the right decisions and communicating well with the fans. Lerner appointed that pair of chumps Krulak and Faulkner, and Xia put Wyness in charge, and a work experience lad from back home.
And so on. You're right to be cautious, but so far they've got things right at the first opportunity. It bodes well for the future.
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I have to say this stuff goes in one ear and straight out the other with me.
Me too, and I didn't like the way he was acting Billy Big Bollocks, making sure everyone realised Dean is just the coach.
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But...that's what he is? Our Head Coach.
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Isn't it great to have pro-active people in charge of our great club. Long may it continue and keep up the good work!
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Agreeing with Risso.
And the language Purslow is using is different, there are no gimmicks, not too many cliches. No Engine bollocks.
Yes he comes over as very smooth and eloquent but that is what you would expect from someone with his background.
It looks like he and Smith have rapport and are working together but at their respective roles.
We now have the right owners, executive and coaching team in place and now they are building the playing squad. Long May it continue.
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Liverpool fans don’t seem to like him though, mainly for bringing Hodgson in.
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Liverpool fans don’t seem to like him though, mainly for bringing Hodgson in.
Hodgson is a good manager though
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I think his problem with the fans was sacking Raffa Benitez, it wouldn’t
matter who replaced him they Loved Raffa
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But...that's what he is? Our Head Coach.
He just reminded me of bosses I've had who talked all over me and tried to take all the credit when I'd done a good job. Plus, anyone who claims to love the club 5 minutes after getting here gets very little credence after the badge kisser Alpay. Having said all of which, I think Purslow is very good at what he does and I'm glad he's our CEO, I just felt a bit for Dean having his moment of glory stolen by a man in a suit.
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But...that's what he is? Our Head Coach.
He just reminded me of bosses I've had who talked all over me and tried to take all the credit when I'd done a good job. Plus, anyone who claims to love the club 5 minutes after getting here gets very little credence after the badge kisser Alpay. Having said all of which, I think Purslow is very good at what he does and I'm glad he's our CEO, I just felt a bit for Dean having his moment of glory stolen by a man in a suit.
Dean got his moment of glory on the pitch and on the balcony where it probably means a lot more to him.
I'm still impressed by Purslow though. He was/is pretty successful outside of football, so it seems he does this job, including at his other previous clubs, because he enjoys it.
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Christian Purslow running round Wembley with a trophy or Tom Fox keeping quiet as we get relegated? Tough decision.
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Xia made gloop for Chinese takeaways. Possibly.
This line really made me giggle.
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Liverpool fans don’t seem to like him though, mainly for bringing Hodgson in.
He got unfair treatment at Liverpool. Hodgson turned out to be a failure but so did Dalglish 2nd time and Rodgers. What people don’t credit him with is introducing the current owners to try and eventually successfully oust Gillette and Hicks.
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Xia made gloop for Chinese takeaways. Possibly.
This line really made me giggle.
not hungry
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Purslow talks straight and talks sense. In the past few years one or two of our hierarchy in suits have come out with stuff straight out of the David Brent phrasebook.
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Yes a lot of it is just the usual bluster - new chapter, great club, best fans etc - but you can always read between the lines to some extent. With Fox, you could read panic and fear and total lack of cohesion; with Xia, it was obviously all bluff and exaggeration, with no real plan or competence; with Purslow, on the other hand, it does actually seem like the club has a proper structure in place and contingency plans if things go better or worse than expected, as well as an actual sense of what we want to do on and off the pitch and how those two things work together. I'm pretty optimistic.
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Liverpool fans don’t seem to like him though, mainly for bringing Hodgson in.
He got unfair treatment at Liverpool. Hodgson turned out to be a failure but so did Dalglish 2nd time and Rodgers. What people don’t credit him with is introducing the current owners to try and eventually successfully oust Gillette and Hicks.
Until Saturday Rodgers did as well as Klopp had. Obviously Klopp is the better of the two by several miles.
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When you look at the commercial deals he has been instrumental in previously
2009 - £80mil - 4 year shirt sponsor deal for Liverpool (I think our deal in 2009 was around £1.5 mil per year - in 2015 we did a £5mil deal for 2 years with Dafabet to put it into context)
Chelsea
Shirt sponsor - Yokohama tires - £200 mil
Training kit - Carabao - £30mil
Nike kit provider - £900 mil
In his interview with Deano he stated about footholds in USA etc from a marketing perspective
This guy is a serious player
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Liverpool fans don’t seem to like him though, mainly for bringing Hodgson in.
He got unfair treatment at Liverpool. Hodgson turned out to be a failure but so did Dalglish 2nd time and Rodgers. What people don’t credit him with is introducing the current owners to try and eventually successfully oust Gillette and Hicks.
Until Saturday Rodgers did as well as Klopp had. Obviously Klopp is the better of the two by several miles.
This is true, but who's got the better teeth?
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Tough question Des.
Even if we were to go back down this season, we'd have a plan and hopefully a sense that we would be so much better prepared to come straight back up.
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We're not going down.
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I would guess we had a plan A if we went up and a plan B if we stayed down. In fact I think Purslow said that. So I would imagine there is something like a plan A, B and C for next season regarding European qualification, mid table security/staying up and relegation. The relegation plan obviously being how best to come straight back up. Surely you should have a general plan for all eventualities. That isn't being negative it is being sensible.
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I wish Purslow or the new owners would crack on with their Twitter accounts and start sending us cryptic hieroglyphs again. And maybe reassuring us that we'll be bigger than Barcelona in a few years.
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I’d much prefer they show us, rather than tell us. Like so many had before them. Top five in the world and all that crap.
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I see references to Unibet and 32Red have disappeared from the official website.
I presume a new shirt sponsor is incoming.
I am sure that any deal is commensurate with our new standing.
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So glad Pukka are our Pastry partner ::)
I remember seeing once (Insert some obscure farm machinery company from the back of nowhere) as being the official Tractor provider to Manchester United.
Well I guess every club need a tractor provider
Modern football finances eh ::)
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So glad Pukka are our Pastry partner ::)
I remember seeing once (Insert some obscure farm machinery company from the back of nowhere) as being the official Tractor provider to Manchester United.
Well I guess every club need a tractor provider
Modern football finances eh ::)
Good tractors cost a lot of money.
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So glad Pukka are our Pastry partner ::)
I remember seeing once (Insert some obscure farm machinery company from the back of nowhere) as being the official Tractor provider to Manchester United.
Well I guess every club need a tractor provider
Modern football finances eh ::)
Good tractors cost a lot of money.
Boring farmer alert. Mrs Rodders has a golf course on her farm in Scotland and mowing, harrowing, rolling, draining, brushing, fertilising and weed-killing need to happen on a facility like Bodymoor Heath just as much as they do for the stick and ball merchants. Just imagine the army of groundskeepers required if the club didn't own a tractor or two!
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A round of applause for Mr Purslow. No fucking around at all.
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Agreed. I recall last summer there was criticism from some on here for sticking with bruce, I still believe they were right to do that as it allowed them to get settled and formulate a longer term plan, rather than going in half-baked.
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This last year has been the most professional, clinical and thoroughly bloody enjoyable I can remember. It feels like the whole club is working together, long may it continue.
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It's a yes from me.
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Yes, yes and a big YES
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It's not the x factor....It's the V factor.
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I'm sure he promised us an exciting journey a few weeks ago in an interview. What a start!
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Breathtaking
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Great work, clinically executed
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He is a bit of a cock to deal with mind.
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He is a bit of a cock to deal with mind.
Please do tell. Have you had dealings with him?
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He is a bit of a cock to deal with mind.
Ah, but he's our cock.
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As long as he is doing the business where it counts is all I care about. Still he's no Tom Fox and his false narratives.
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He is a bit of a cock to deal with mind.
Ah, but he's our cock.
Seconded. I hope he's a bigger pain in the arse than Levy.
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He is a bit of a cock to deal with mind.
Ah, but he's our cock.
Seconded. I hope he's a bigger pain in the arse than Levy.
You beat me to it!
Levy's an enormous cock to deal with but it hasn't done Spurs any harm. I'm absolutely delighted Purslow's a cock to deal with too!
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Given Levys a cock for a club whose badge is a cock and whose fans are total cocks I'd rather see our Chris in the style of an indomitable lion. And no-one could say he's not prepared.
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Two things, Levy isn't that good.
One of the richest teams in Europe. Cuts a good deal won't pay over the odds or sometimes a fair price for a player. Never gets ripped off. Great. Now look at his trophy cabinet.
Two, now that Tammy has gone, I reckon Purslow should be our penalty taker.
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Not being forthcoming about the VP "sale" aside, hard to fault him this far.
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Not being forthcoming about the VP "sale" aside, hard to fault him this far.
I think he chose his words carefully about the 'third party'. He couldn't be totally honest I suspect because the deal was being prepared at the time. We have also only sold to those who own the club, removed FFP constraints and allowed ourselves to purchase several very decent players. I think we are in good hands.
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Is Purslow now becoming the best ‘football man’ in the boardroom since Steve Stride?
(Not counting Sir Brian as he’s an advisor).
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Have we not learnt anything over the last 10 years?
I’m not saying I don’t believe in the new regime, but after being burnt by Randy and the Dr I’m sitting on the fence for a bit before joining the hyperbole spouted by some on here at Twitter.
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Have we not learnt anything over the last 10 years?
I’m not saying I don’t believe in the new regime, but after being burnt by Randy and the Dr I’m sitting on the fence for a bit before joining the hyperbole spouted by some on here at Twitter.
As you are entitled to do, but for me, this has a whole different feel about it. No shite about being in the top five in Europe in five years, being romantically nourished or false narratives. Mr Purslow has done exactly what he said we'd do. So far, so good. Proper football men in charge and a Villa fan driving the club. I'm actually not sure we could get a better combination.
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Proper businessmen, don't owe it to inheritance, not treating us like a noble charitable worthy cause, their own money backing up their brave actions, all of it visible, competent committed staff put in place. It bears no resemblance to the previous two regimes. Nor the bloke prior to those, for that matter.
Sod waiting for VAR to tell me we've smashed one in the roof of the net, I'm getting excited now!
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Have we not learnt anything over the last 10 years?
I’m not saying I don’t believe in the new regime, but after being burnt by Randy and the Dr I’m sitting on the fence for a bit before joining the hyperbole spouted by some on here at Twitter.
Fucking hell....lighten up mardy arse.
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He comes across very well in interviews. Although to be fair I thought the same about Wyness at first.
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Have we not learnt anything over the last 10 years?
I’m not saying I don’t believe in the new regime, but after being burnt by Randy and the Dr I’m sitting on the fence for a bit before joining the hyperbole spouted by some on here at Twitter.
Fucking hell....lighten up mardy arse.
Haha. A long time since I've heard the word 'mardy'.
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What they're doing does seem to have a direction. Let's judge it on results though.
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Purslow is a smooth polished operator at this level. I am also little sceptical as he is an industry professional and will colour by numbers. Let’s see how we are in 12 months time to judge him properly.
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I entirely understand the caution, and people have the right to raise that if they feel that way.
Thus far, top marks all round, though, there's no shame in saying that either
We'll start to get a better idea of Purslow and co once we see how they handle adversity.
In Lerner times when all was going well, there were a group of us on here who got called miserablists for suggesting the same of Lerner. They said they'd be here through thick and thin and then what happened at the first sign of 'thin'? They legged it (disengagement on all fronts).
It's like any relationship - it has to be strong in bad times too, but that is no reason not to be happy when things are going well.
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To me it seems like the whole feel of the club is different to what it has been for many years. It just feels like the owners, the CEO, the manager ,the coaches the players and the fans have all bought into the idea of having a defined plan as opposed to the scatter gun approach of previous years. Will it work ? Who knows ? But as a betting man I would have my money on long term success rather than failure.It safe to say I am more excited at the moment than I have been for many a year.
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The feel at the club if you recall was much the same in the early years of Randy/MON. It was a wonderful 3-4 or so years. So I agree with the cautious optimism.
What is actually different though this time is that our owners, both of them are independently wealthier than Randy was and they have put in a staff starting with Purslow who has incredible knowledge of the game having worked at big clubs in the past. Something Randy simply failed to do, instead essentially handing over all power to MON. That’s the big bit for me that gives me hope now vs last time.
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If you get divorced because your wife spent all your money you will never move on if you think every other woman is going to do the same.
You have to judge Purslow on his own merits and so far so good.
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I agree TV. The early days were very exciting under Randy, getting MON in, signing Carew and Young together seemed like a big statement at the time. The difference with our current over lords and Randy is there wealth in terms of money and experience in business and successful sports team. Randys downfall was his love affair with MON and if things go sour here now, I don't expect the owners to share the same levels of naivety.
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If you get divorced because your wife spent all your money you will never move on if you think every other woman is going to do the same.
You have to judge Purslow on his own merits and so far so good.
This is a good point. Lots of men exhibit this characteristic too!
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If you get divorced because your wife spent all your money you will never move on if you think every other woman is going to do the same.
You have to judge Purslow on his own merits and so far so good.
I agree with that however it’s also natural entering the next relationship to be cautious because of your past experiences. You’re not as naive or carefree with your emotional energy but over time you learn to trust again.
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If you get divorced because your wife spent all your money you will never move on if you think every other woman is going to do the same.
You have to judge Purslow on his own merits and so far so good.
What else were they supposed to do?
We came up, and then the first decision they had to make was to either let the likes of Hutton, Whelan, Jedinak and Elphick etc go, or keep them on. I think most people don't disagree with letting them all go.
So we therefore had massive holes in the squad to fill. They then had to decide whether to do that on the cheap, or throw some money at it. So far, I really like how they've gone about it. We've got some continuity in Mings (Mings!), Hause and El Ghazi. Upgraded key positions at left back and defensive midfield. Brought in players that Smith knows like Jota and Konsa. There's a nice balanced approach to it all, where you can see what they're trying to do. They're not all decent Championship players, or foreign gambles, or tried and tested Premier League stalwarts.
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In comparative terms they're probably not much richer than Lerner, allowing for football inflation. The difference is that he tried to bankroll us while they want us to generate our own income. We were his hobby and their business.
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I dare say Lerner’s reign would have been a lot better if he had picked the right managers
the difference is always the manager
we could have the same owners CEO etc but with a different manager we would be no where near as positive
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MON was the right manager at the right time. He galvanized the club. But once that relationship soured it was one disastrous appointment after another with no semblance of a plan either in terms of management style or overall player recruitment strategy. What will be interesting to see here is how we look long term under our current governors. If things do start to get difficult do we stick with the manager and to the process?
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I think the money thrown around by Man City cut the legs off of both us and Arsenal, and perhaps to a lesser extent Everton.
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Man City’s money changed a lot of things directly and indirectly for all teams. And not everyone could compete and arguably, maybe now with the exception of Liverpool anyone can. Not that they get everyone but there is no cap to what they can do it appears. And not every owner has the appetite let alone ability to go toe to toe. Randy got caught in the Chelsea/Man City crossfire coupled with his own worsening financial situation. Toss in MON not giving a shit and being MON, nobody to check him at the club and the rest is history.
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I think the money thrown around by Man City cut the legs off of both us and Arsenal, and perhaps to a lesser extent Everton.
I agree. He also got caught in a perfect storm of global recession, his own personal circumstances changing, the general's illness and being shafted by two managers.
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I think the money thrown around by Man City cut the legs off of both us and Arsenal, and perhaps to a lesser extent Everton.
I agree. He also got caught in a perfect storm of global recession, his own personal circumstances changing, the general's illness and being shafted by two managers.
Fundamentally though, he's just a bad businessman, and so it was all likely to come crashing down at some point. Who else would buy a multi-million pound asset, and then put two such completely unqualified people in charge like Faulkner and Krulak? A call-centre manager and his dad's mate, both with no relevant experience whatsoever. The McLeish appointment showed perfectly that he just didn't get it, at all. That post on here from Krulak about Lerner keeping the letter from Ferguson in his safe was just about the most cringe-inducing thing I've ever read.
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That post on here from Krulak about Lerner keeping the letter from Ferguson in his safe was just about the most cringe-inducing thing I've ever read.
I found it somewhat romantically nourishing, myself. ::)
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Alex Ferguson royally fucked us with that letter the red faced turnip.
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Well his subsequent assistance in recruiting his successors at ManU have thankfully backfired.
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Alex Ferguson royally fucked us with that letter the red faced turnip.
The memory is a little hazy but wasn't the letter after the fact?
e.g. "Well done Randy for appointing Big Eck. I managed wee breaded ham face years ago in Aberdeen. he's a great lad blah blah" love Suralex.
I disliked the premier leagues Emperor Palpatine more than most but am almost positive we appointed Mcleish then got the letter.
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If you get divorced because your wife spent all your money you will never move on if you think every other woman is going to do the same.
You have to judge Purslow on his own merits and so far so good.
This is a good point. Lots of men exhibit this characteristic too!
#NotAllWomen
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I don’t properly recall Danno. You might be right. Either way it was fucking embarrassing to not just know it existed but that we got to know about it as some sort of validation for the appointment.
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I don’t properly recall Danno. You might be right. Either way it was fucking embarrassing to not just know it existed but that we got to know about it as some sort of validation for the appointment.
Yes mate, it was toe curlingly cringe inducing on so many levels.
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I don’t properly recall Danno. You might be right. Either way it was fucking embarrassing to not just know it existed but that we got to know about it as some sort of validation for the appointment.
Yes mate, it was toe curlingly cringe inducing on so many levels.
Jeeps up there with the great low points this century. Totally inexplicable on every level.
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Alex Ferguson royally fucked us with that letter the red faced turnip.
Alex Ferguson was just doing his job. Lerner fucked us. "I plan on competing with you. Can you give me some advice?"
For fuck's sake!
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If you get divorced because your wife spent all your money you will never move on if you think every other woman is going to do the same.
You have to judge Purslow on his own merits and so far so good.
This is a good point. Lots of men exhibit this characteristic too!
#NotAllWomen
#TooManyMen
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Have we not learnt anything over the last 10 years?
I’m not saying I don’t believe in the new regime, but after being burnt by Randy and the Dr I’m sitting on the fence for a bit before joining the hyperbole spouted by some on here at Twitter.
Fucking hell....lighten up mardy arse.
Haha. Being from Nottingham “mardy” gets used a lot, hopefully not always in my direction!
I’m just trying to learn lessons and manage expectations, seeing as we’re
on our third apparent billionaire owners in less than a decade.
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No signings today???
Is Purslow a born again christian who refuses to work on Sundays?
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No but his favourite music is by The Christians.
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I like him but he reminds me a lot of Alan Partridge
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Christian Purslow Q&A in Minnesota today (https://underagaslitlamp.com/2019/07/17/christian-purslow-there-are-two-or-three-more-to-add/)
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Exciting times
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Our annual walloping at Man City might have a sense of the Charge of the Light Brigade about it this time it seems.
Go out on your feet, never your arse.
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Six points from the games with Newton Heath will set my pulse racing :)
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MON was the right manager at the right time.
No no no no no no no no a million times no. He was never the right manager, the initial progress was relative to the shite that had gone before and a red herring. He fucked us up spending all Lerner's money on average, ageing players for 6th place. Never right in a million years.
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MON achieved exactly what O'Leary achieved three seasons previously, under HDE.
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MON was the right manager at the right time.
No no no no no no no no a million times no. He was never the right manager, the initial progress was relative to the shite that had gone before and a red herring. He fucked us up spending all Lerner's money on average, ageing players for 6th place. Never right in a million years.
Much as I didn't like him and wasn't entirely sure from the start that he was as Messiahnic as many seemed to think, there's no doubt that he was the right man at that time.
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I love this:
There was a shortlist of four or five candidates, and he got the call and was asked if he was interested, and he said “yeah, tonight”
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MON was the right manager at the right time.
No no no no no no no no a million times no. He was never the right manager, the initial progress was relative to the shite that had gone before and a red herring. He fucked us up spending all Lerner's money on average, ageing players for 6th place. Never right in a million years.
Much as I didn't like him and wasn't entirely sure from the start that he was as Messiahnic as many seemed to think, there's no doubt that he was the right man at that time.
He was the right man until we all realised about 2-3 seasons later he wasn’t. It’s fairly clear with huge dollops of hindsight he definitively wasn’t the right man.
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MON definitely was the right man at that time. True, he didn’t get a higher finish than O’Leary but he did manage to maintain the 6th place finish for 3 consecutive seasons, which I can’t recall us doing in my lifetime ( and I ain’t young).
If he’d left at the end of the 2009-10 season most of these occasional debates would not be appearing on here. The problem was that his style was never going to feature the players with stardust in their boots who win big games with the moments of brilliance to haul a team into the top 4.
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Enough MON circular arguments. Purslow still talking a good game. Scary to think how close we were to the edge this time last year. Bankruptcy would have meant...what? Villa Park sold off to pay creditors and the club starting in League Two (or lower) as 1874 Villa?
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MON definitely was the right man at that time. True, he didn’t get a higher finish than O’Leary but he did manage to maintain the 6th place finish for 3 consecutive seasons, which I can’t recall us doing in my lifetime ( and I ain’t young).
If he’d left at the end of the 2009-10 season most of these occasional debates would not be appearing on here. The problem was that his style was never going to feature the players with stardust in their boots who win big games with the moments of brilliance to haul a team into the top 4.
Absolutely the right man at the right time and his appointment was a massive boost at the time ranking alongside the appointments of SGT and BFR, who were also badly needed morale boosts at the time of their appointments. I enjoyed the MON years and think he qualifies as a success based on his league finishes and cup runs. I would like to think the timing of his exit was because the club called his bluff rather than premeditated sabotage but what was inexcusable was the tailspin the club went into in the following years under Lerner.
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MON definitely was the right man at that time. True, he didn’t get a higher finish than O’Leary but he did manage to maintain the 6th place finish for 3 consecutive seasons, which I can’t recall us doing in my lifetime ( and I ain’t young).
If he’d left at the end of the 2009-10 season most of these occasional debates would not be appearing on here. The problem was that his style was never going to feature the players with stardust in their boots who win big games with the moments of brilliance to haul a team into the top 4.
Absolutely the right man at the right time and his appointment was a massive boost at the time ranking alongside the appointments of SGT and BFR, who were also badly needed morale boosts at the time of their appointments. I enjoyed the MON years and think he qualifies as a success based on his league finishes and cup runs. I would like to think the timing of his exit was because the club called his bluff rather than premeditated sabotage but what was inexcusable was the tailspin the club went into in the following years under Lerner.
I endorse this message.
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Fine but stop quoting and talking about the cnut.
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Martin O'Neill was a failure at Villa, and history has shown him to be every bit as talented a con man as the worst of our managers over the past few years - I can't believe there are still Villa fans who would describe his tenure as a success. Baffling.
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Martin O'Neill was a failure at Villa, and history has shown him to be every bit as talented a con man as the worst of our managers over the past few years - I can't believe there are still Villa fans who would describe his tenure as a success. Baffling.
Agree.
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He was good enough for sixth - which was a fuck of a lot better than we were aiming for when he came in - but he was never a top level manager and despite having everything going for him, he couldn't make it to that level.
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He was good enough for sixth - which was a fuck of a lot better than we were aiming for when he came in - but he was never a top level manager and despite having everything going for him, he couldn't make it to that level.
Yep. He was the best we were going to get given the lack of imagination above him. Their biggest failure of imagination was the failure to imagine that he had the power to fuck us on a whim, and then to acquiesce to that possibility by not fucking well imagining it.
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He was good enough for sixth - which was a fuck of a lot better than we were aiming for when he came in - but he was never a top level manager and despite having everything going for him, he couldn't make it to that level.
Yep. He was the best we were going to get given the lack of imagination above him. Their biggest failure of imagination was the failure to imagine that he had the power to fuck us on a whim, and then to acquiesce to that possibility by not fucking well imagining it.
I think these hit the nail pretty much on the head.
If anyone's listened to the recent Villa View podcast with Petrov, he discussed behind-the-scenes of the MoN era, and it sounds like there was very little tactical preparation involved, but more a case of motivating decent players to play the same game consistently every week.
That style of football is woefully outdated and is why he's struggled since 2010. Just compare him to a coach like Smith.
It's the same reason why managers like Bruce and Pardew can't cut the mustard anymore.
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Football regularly evolves and the best managers are able to adapt and move with the times, Ferguson being the best example, but many don’t. I think if Lerner and MON had taken over a couple of years earlier then things might have been different but by the end of his time he struggled to adapt and his subsequent career shows that he is unsuited to the way the game currently is.
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MON definitely was the right man at that time. True, he didn’t get a higher finish than O’Leary but he did manage to maintain the 6th place finish for 3 consecutive seasons, which I can’t recall us doing in my lifetime ( and I ain’t young).
If he’d left at the end of the 2009-10 season most of these occasional debates would not be appearing on here. The problem was that his style was never going to feature the players with stardust in their boots who win big games with the moments of brilliance to haul a team into the top 4.
Absolutely the right man at the right time and his appointment was a massive boost at the time ranking alongside the appointments of SGT and BFR, who were also badly needed morale boosts at the time of their appointments. I enjoyed the MON years and think he qualifies as a success based on his league finishes and cup runs. I would like to think the timing of his exit was because the club called his bluff rather than premeditated sabotage but what was inexcusable was the tailspin the club went into in the following years under Lerner.
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Definitely the right man at the right time. When he first arrived he gave the club a huge boost. If he had left at the start of the 2010 close season then most people would have said " fair play, he'd taken us as far as he could" instead he trounced off a couple of days before the opening match and tarnished his time here forever.
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First couple of years were a success, he gave us our identity back, European football, we'd go to the top four teams and not fear them and get results, then after Moscow it turned sour, teams found us out and we became predictable. Took us years to recover and his career never did.
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Fantastic interview with Christian Purslow here:
https://underagaslitlamp.com/2019/07/17/christian-purslow-there-are-two-or-three-more-to-add/
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Football regularly evolves and the best managers are able to adapt and move with the times, Ferguson being the best example, but many don’t. I think if Lerner and MON had taken over a couple of years earlier then things might have been different but by the end of his time he struggled to adapt and his subsequent career shows that he is unsuited to the way the game currently is.
Ferguson not only constantly refreshed his playing squad but also his backroom team. Brian Kidd, Walter Smith, Rene Mulensteen (can't be bothered to check the spelling), Mike Phelan. MON, and his favoured coaches moved from club to club with him as so often happens with managers stuck in their ways. Same with Bruce.
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Fantastic interview with Christian Purslow here:
https://underagaslitlamp.com/2019/07/17/christian-purslow-there-are-two-or-three-more-to-add/
Two things stood out for me in the interview. A humorous dig at Small Heath that made me smile and a comparison to what happened to Rangers that sent a chill down my spine.
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Martin O'Neill was a failure at Villa, and history has shown him to be every bit as talented a con man as the worst of our managers over the past few years - I can't believe there are still Villa fans who would describe his tenure as a success. Baffling.
Agree.
His tenure firmly laid the foundations of the disastrous spiral that followed - mainly by wasting a large chunk of Lerner's fortune leading to Lerner backing way off. How that makes him right in any circumstances is beyond me.
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Fantastic interview with Christian Purslow here:
https://underagaslitlamp.com/2019/07/17/christian-purslow-there-are-two-or-three-more-to-add/
Two things stood out for me in the interview. A humorous dig at Small Heath that made me smile and a comparison to what happened to Rangers that sent a chill down my spine.
That final paragraph is fantastic!
'Be ready guys...'
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Err, ^^^^^^^^^ I posted that yesterday. :)
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MON definitely was the right man at that time. True, he didn’t get a higher finish than O’Leary but he did manage to maintain the 6th place finish for 3 consecutive seasons, which I can’t recall us doing in my lifetime ( and I ain’t young).
If he’d left at the end of the 2009-10 season most of these occasional debates would not be appearing on here. The problem was that his style was never going to feature the players with stardust in their boots who win big games with the moments of brilliance to haul a team into the top 4.
4th, 8th, 8th, 7th, 1st was a far better achievement considering where we came from and the redevelopment of the team. Three 6th place finishes considering the financial backing was below par. He couldn't push on. The anticipation of what he could offer when he was appointed was never delivered.
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Err, ^^^^^^^^^ I posted that yesterday. :)
Missed that with all the MON talk!
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One last MON point - I also think that Lerner's exposure to him was a big problem. Randy never worked out that charisma and Old Fashioned Football Values weren't actually a positive, and I'm sure that O'Neill was an important part of convincing him to stay behind the times.
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It’s like Lerner fell in love with old fashioned football romanticism just when the romance was about to die. I can just imagine him being regaled by stories of Brian Clough long into the night. Not a dry eye in the house.
In its place came the harsh realities and consequences of the business of football and he didn’t himself have the required acumen or surround himself with those who did to survive the change in environment. He walked out wearing a summer dress just as the storm clouds rolled in and didn’t get changed.
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Lerner was basically a clueless fool.
He threw loads of money at it without thinking it might make sense to spend some of it appointing people who knew how to run such a business. Man City's owners have an endless supply of money yet even they made a point of getting Barcelona's off-pitch management team in.
Randy got his dad's best mate and some 12 year old who ran a call centre for him.
All the failures, all the money wasted, the retreat, the years of decline, all of it is rooted in that witless, naive stupidity.
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He comes over really really well. I’m glad we have him.
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Lerner was basically a clueless fool.
He threw loads of money at it without thinking it might make sense to spend some of it appointing people who knew how to run such a business. Man City's owners have an endless supply of money yet even they made a point of getting Barcelona's off-pitch management team in.
Randy got his dad's best mate and some 12 year old who ran a call centre for him.
All the failures, all the money wasted, the retreat, the years of decline, all of it is rooted in that witless, naive stupidity.
Yup. As I recall, he started off on the right foot, and got some fairly high profile names in, like that Cain(?) bloke from Nike. Then I assume they weren't chronic yes men, so he called for Faulkner and Krulak instead.
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He comes over really really well. I’m glad we have him.
He does. He handled that interview brilliantly.
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Lerner was basically a clueless fool.
He threw loads of money at it without thinking it might make sense to spend some of it appointing people who knew how to run such a business. Man City's owners have an endless supply of money yet even they made a point of getting Barcelona's off-pitch management team in.
Randy got his dad's best mate and some 12 year old who ran a call centre for him.
All the failures, all the money wasted, the retreat, the years of decline, all of it is rooted in that witless, naive stupidity.
Yup. As I recall, he started off on the right foot, and got some fairly high profile names in, like that Cain(?) bloke from Nike. Then I assume they weren't chronic yes men, so he called for Faulkner and Krulak instead.
Cunah (?) And Fitzgerald. But mon could handle not directly reporting to Lerner and both were gone fairly quickly. The biggest tragedy was O'Neill convincing Lerner he was the only football man he needed to listen to
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Err, ^^^^^^^^^ I posted that yesterday. :)
Missed that with all the MON talk!
Exactly, can a mod move all this MON shit somewhere else, like 2010? The fecker is gone and we always say the same thing about him. Let him live out his days in Leicestershire watching True Crime and crying over Marlon Harewood and Cyrus Christie.
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Err, ^^^^^^^^^ I posted that yesterday. :)
Missed that with all the MON talk!
Exactly, can a mod move all this MON shit somewhere else, like 2010? The fecker is gone and we always say the same thing about him. Let him live out his days in Leicestershire watching True Crime and crying over Marlon Harewood and Cyrus Christie.
I think he is based in Buckinghamshire. ;)
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This is a great read.
And an eye opener on Jacks release clause.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/villa-were-bankrupt-now-weve-spent-131m-on-team-cdxz552m6
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What's the release clause? It's behind a pay wall.
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What's the release clause? It's behind a pay wall.
Full text on the NSWE Investment thread
£60m
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Maybe there would have been a bidding war?
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What's the release clause? It's behind a pay wall.
Article came up fine for me and I'm not a subscriber
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What's the release clause? It's behind a pay wall.
Article came up fine for me and I'm not a subscriber
Same here.
“Jack is the heart and soul and face of our club,” amen to that! So looking forward to seeing Jack back in the PL this season. I don't think fans of other clubs realise just how good he is and how he is our heartbeat.
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What's the release clause? It's behind a pay wall.
Full text on the NSWE Investment thread
£60m
It’s implied that’s if we didn’t get promoted. And protects the club.
Someone could invoke it now and I’ll doubt Jack would leave.
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I would imagine that the clause amount doubled when his wages did.
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Heaton joins a dressing room stocked with good characters like local boy Jack Grealish. “Jack is the heart and soul and face of our club,” Purslow adds. “He’s kind, generous and incredibly driven. He lit up the Championship. He was unplayable. If we hadn’t been promoted it would have been impossible to keep a player who’d performed at that level. He had a £60 million escape clause. Somebody would probably have invoked it. Jack can be Villa’s Steven Gerrard in terms of importance and impact to his club.”
That suggests to me that the clause was dependent on us not going up.
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This is a great read.
And an eye opener on Jacks release clause.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/villa-were-bankrupt-now-weve-spent-131m-on-team-cdxz552m6
The important word in that is “had”. So it wasn’t £35 or £45m as once suggested, so had we stayed down it could have been triggered. I imagine now there is no clause in place.
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When Christian Purslow strides to his chief executive’s office at Villa Park, he passes the famous statue of William McGregor, the founder of the Football League, one of the many magnificent reminders of the club’s great history.
“We should rejoice that one of our original directors founded professional football in this country but we shouldn’t be drowned by a retrospective look at our history,” Purslow says. “We need to look to the future. A year ago this club was facing extinction. It was bankrupt. It had a £4 million tax bill that it couldn’t pay. The club faced being wiped out.”
The story of Villa’s revival is as remarkable off the field as on. Not only are they newly promoted to the Premier League, but they are being re-galvanised with a transformed training set-up, a strengthened, professionalised women’s section and a new mood of optimism.
Now 55, Purslow worked at Liverpool in dark times, tackling the chaos of Tom Hicks and George Gillett’s tenure, helped revive Chelsea’s commercial operations, and admits that he’s like “Red Adair”, brought in to put out fires. Villa’s was blazing. He was appointed by the new owners, Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, on July 18, 2018, to solve the financial difficulties that forced Tony Xia, the Chinese businessman, to sell up.
“It is a fantastic institution,” Purslow continues. “Within seconds of arriving here, it consumed me. It’s an emotional reaction. The health of the football club is my life.”
He is sitting in the canteen at Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training ground, outlining the strong characters and values driving Villa. His head coach Dean Smith, and the club’s sporting director, Jesús García Pitarch (also known as Suso), join us briefly to chat about the season ahead. What is very clear is how the three operate as a team and, when required, through contact with Sawiris and Edens.
“They are about as perfect you could wish for as owners,” Purslow says. “Nassef and Wes rescued Villa by injecting a lot of money to clear all the club’s debts. They are knowledgeable about sport, experienced, patient, and above all else, realistic about what it takes to compete in the Premier League. We’ve just spent £131 million in one summer on completely rebuilding the football club [squad in the transfer window].”
The fans are loving it. “We have 7,000 on a wait-list [for season tickets] for the first time in the club’s history. Villa Park is 42,000 capacity and if Villa get properly established in the Premier League, we will have demand to require us to add capacity. There are plans where we can infill.” They would not consider knocking Villa Park down. “No chance! Villa Park is a cathedral to football.”
Bodymoor Heath is undergoing changes, particularly with HS2 due to run across some of the old pitches. “We bought a huge amount of wasteland to replace the blighted pitches from HS2, and have taken the opportunity with our new owners to build a state-of-the-art youth training set-up. I hope it will be the pre-eminent academy in English football.”
The new owners’ commitment to Villa was seen in a recent, unexpected outlay. When Randy Lerner sold Villa to Xia for £70 million in 2016, the American inserted a clause in the deal that Xia would pay him an additional £30 million should Villa regain their Premier League within three seasons. Should Xia not pay up, the club would be accountable. When Villa were promoted via the play-offs this summer, Xia failed to pay Lerner, so Sawiris and Edens stepped in to settle the monies due.
Villa seem in good hands now, and safe hands in goal with the recruitment of the 33-year-old Tom Heaton. “If you look at the 12 [other] players we bought, Tyrone [Mings] was the oldest at 26,” Purslow says. “Our strategy, quite deliberately, is buying young players on sensible wages who, if they prove themselves in the Premier League, will grow their value. Dean and Suso sat down, and said, ‘OK, we’ve achieved all of our outfield targets, it would be good to have an experienced, senior pro who had seen the Premier League.’ Tom was that target. Yes we were buying England’s No 2 but we were buying experience and additional leadership. Everybody we spoke to said, ‘Tom Heaton will be a really good senior pro for you.’ ”
Heaton’s professionalism was immediately seen when he excelled in his first appearance for Villa, in the friendly with RB Leipzig. “He’d got a phone call from his partner on the way to the game, saying she was at the vets. Completely out of the blue, their poor dog [had become ill] and the vet was recommending the dog be put down. Tom had to make that decision on the way to his debut. What a professional.”
Heaton joins a dressing room stocked with good characters like local boy Jack Grealish. “Jack is the heart and soul and face of our club,” Purslow adds. “He’s kind, generous and incredibly driven. He lit up the Championship. He was unplayable. If we hadn’t been promoted it would have been impossible to keep a player who’d performed at that level. He had a £60 million escape clause. Somebody would probably have invoked it. Jack can be Villa’s Steven Gerrard in terms of importance and impact to his club.”
Purslow enthuses about the “fantastic staff” at the club. “We have a really experienced leadership group. The most experienced chief executive in the Premier League in Sharon Barnhurst just completing her 30th year at Villa. I’ve been in football 12 years. Jesús had 20 years as a sporting director at Valencia and Atletico Madrid, 20 years as a professional footballer.
“Dean’s steeped in football. He’s seen everything in football. He’s played. He’s coached. He’s put the bibs and cones out. He’s painted the seats in Orient’s stadium. He has a huge amount of earned authority. He’s calm and constant.”
The value Purslow particularly admires is being “fearless”. “For players, being fearless in the way they play football,” he adds. “As a club, I want us to be fearless in a way we use football and Villa as a force for good. Bad behaviour that in the street has been illegal for many years is still seen in football stadiums. I promise you we will be fearless in calling out unacceptable behaviour in the stadium. You can hold me to that challenge. We will not tolerate anti-social behaviour.”
What about players and dissent? “Players know what these values are. Dean held a workshop with the players in America. It’s about integrity. Dean and John (Terry, his assistant) are hugely influential role models. When Dean and John walk into any public place, they’re swamped. People listen to them, respect them. Dean is worshipped in the Villa side of this city. John is one of the superstars of world football. You are role models, let’s use that positively.
“Having the founding father of the game standing outside our stadium when I walk into work shows Villa is a bit special. And it needs to live up to that by living up to some traditional values being lost in modern-day life. I want us to be a bit different as a football club. I want us to shine a light.” McGregor would approve.
105 Seasons that Aston Villa have spent playing in the top flight of English football, second only to Everton (116)
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I like this bit
As a club, I want us to be fearless in a way we use football and Villa as a force for good. Bad behaviour that in the street has been illegal for many years is still seen in football stadiums. I promise you we will be fearless in calling out unacceptable behaviour in the stadium. You can hold me to that challenge. We will not tolerate anti-social behaviour.”
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That’s a great read. And looking at a depth of values feels very good.
I still regret not calling out some horrible piece of work constantly spouting racist bile at Park the Man U player from the Holte; I’ve done it elsewhere but I was far away and didn’t, I’ve promised myself I won’t fail to again. That sport of message empowers me to speak out if I need to, don’t give a monkeys if I’m seen as PC etc.
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He's on Sky Sports News now.
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Little bit patronising at the end there Christian!
Like the comments about Xia, to paraphrase "he's had fuck all to do with anything since the new owners turned up, and thank fuck for that!"
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Little bit patronising at the end there Christian!
Like the comments about Xia, to paraphrase "he's had fuck all to do with anything since the new owners turned up, and thank fuck for that!"
😂
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Little bit patronising at the end there Christian!
Like the comments about Xia, to paraphrase "he's had fuck all to do with anything since the new owners turned up, and thank fuck for that!"
yes but it was a bloody stupid question in fairness.
I thought he came across pretty well
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Little bit patronising at the end there Christian!
Like the comments about Xia, to paraphrase "he's had fuck all to do with anything since the new owners turned up, and thank fuck for that!"
I didn't see the interview Risso - what did he say to be patronising? Cheers
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Little bit patronising at the end there Christian!
Like the comments about Xia, to paraphrase "he's had fuck all to do with anything since the new owners turned up, and thank fuck for that!"
I didn't see the interview Risso - what did he say to be patronising? Cheers
The presenter asked him if he was involved with McGinn's new contract, to which he replied "that's the first bad question you've asked me, why wouldn't a CEO be involved with a multi million pound contract?!" Daft question certainly, but not sure he'll be invited back on any time soon!
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Could anyone please post a link to the interview on here to save me trying to catch it every hour on SKY?
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Little bit patronising at the end there Christian!
Like the comments about Xia, to paraphrase "he's had fuck all to do with anything since the new owners turned up, and thank fuck for that!"
I didn't see the interview Risso - what did he say to be patronising? Cheers
The presenter asked him if he was involved with McGinn's new contract, to which he replied "that's the first bad question you've asked me, why wouldn't a CEO be involved with a multi million pound contract?!" Daft question certainly, but not sure he'll be invited back on any time soon!
See I'm quite pleased with that, the inane questions that get asked a lot of the time deserve contempt so seeing 'one of ours' call it out is great.
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Could anyone please post a link to the interview on here to save me trying to catch it every hour on SKY?
It's posted on the Facebook group Damo.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/668258313540985/
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How do you see content without joining that Facebook group...or how do you join the Facebook group?
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How do you see content without joining that Facebook group...or how do you join the Facebook group?
Same question - it wanted me to add people I know to the group but I barely know any Villa fans so I'm not keen to do so.
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Dunno. Do you not just log in and press "join"? I don't recall having to add anybody, is that not just an option?
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Dunno. Do you not just log in and press "join"? I don't recall having to add anybody, is that not just an option?
It asks you to answer two questions: what is the most famous area of Villa Park? And: will you agree to invite friends and family to join the group?
If I had friends or family I wouldn't be so keen to see the video!
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I don’t think this is the full interview but a good 4 minutes of it:
https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/11784053/purslow-defends-villas-summer-spending
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How do you see content without joining that Facebook group...or how do you join the Facebook group?
It may be somewhere else on the Internet, joining the group you answer 2 questions famous part of the ground, and relatives/supporters, approved after about 5 mins
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How do you see content without joining that Facebook group...or how do you join the Facebook group?
It may be somewhere else on the Internet, joining the group you answer 2 questions famous part of the ground, and relatives/supporters, approved after about 5 mins
I retract my moan. I didn't answer the friends question and was still added. Interesting interview.
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I don't do Facebook but my wife reckons it is something known as 'a closed group' and you have to be invited to join. The more difficult I find it to access the interview the more I want to read/hear it!
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I don't do Facebook but my wife reckons it is something known as 'a closed group' and you have to be invited to join. The more difficult I find it to access the interview the more I want to read/hear it!
It's interesting insofar as a SSN interview ever is. There isn't a single question asked that you wouldn't already know the answer to before he gives it (apart from the one about Liverpool at the end, for me anyway).
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Little bit patronising at the end there Christian!
Like the comments about Xia, to paraphrase "he's had fuck all to do with anything since the new owners turned up, and thank fuck for that!"
What were his exact words? Having seen a brief snippet of the Purslow interview and previous interviews with him I bet he is a f*cking difficult bloke to win an argument with. ;) He always comes across impressively for me.
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Little bit patronising at the end there Christian!
Like the comments about Xia, to paraphrase "he's had fuck all to do with anything since the new owners turned up, and thank fuck for that!"
What were his exact words? Having seen a brief snippet of the Purslow interview and previous interviews with him I bet he is a f*cking difficult bloke to win an argument with. ;) He always comes across impressively for me.
Basically said that he hasn’t spoken to Xia in over a year and that last week confirmed what Villa fans knew already ie that he had nothing to do with the running of the club once Nas and Wes turned up. The contempt in his voice was very clear.
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https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11677/11784060/aston-villas-summer-spending-not-a-trolley-dash-says-chief-executive-christian-purslow
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Had to laugh at the way he said 'Vicky', like the question pissed him off.
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Do many chief executives appear on sky sports news? Makes a change from Gerry Francis I suppose. Perhaps with all the doing a F doing the rounds it was time for a gentle rebuttal. I hope we follow it up with an almighty PS against Bournemouth on Saturday too.
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There was nothing patronising about Purslow’s replies.
It’s a credit to him he kept so cool in the face of some quite negative questions.
There was the ‘are you doing a Fulham’ question.
After a fantastic answer, the reply was ‘well, that all well and good on paper but.....’
There was a comparison between our business and why was is better than the Norwich approach.
Then there was a question about who at the club makes decisions about how the club will vote at premier league meetings.
Again, after a brilliant answer, she asked the very same question, almost like she hadn’t bothered to listen to his previous answer.
I did get the feeling that they were trying to get Purslow to justify what and how Villa had done our summer business, rather than a general chat about Villa and how the club is moving forward.
All in all though, he came across as completely credible, knowledgeable and focused.
The comment at the end about asking a stupid question about John McGinn’s contract was completely justified and a little poke in the eye for the interviewer.
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PR and media relations are a big part of the game these days and Purslow is, based on what we’ve seen so far, pretty good at it.
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Excellent in front of the camera when you look at similar people in his role you wonder how we managed to aquire such a polished individual
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To be fair I’m not sure the interviewer was asking her questions but the dumbed down thoughts of Sky generally.
Really good interview. Yes we’ve spent money but average £10m a player with the exception of Heaton and maybe Mings on a squad that they expect to appreciate in value.
His take on Liverpool was interesting; a little eye roll almost in the suggestion they couldn’t spend big but pointing out keeping your best players effectively costs you money.
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I really enjoyed the interview top man.
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Excellent in front of the camera when you look at similar people in his role you wonder how we managed to aquire such a polished individual
Because he got shares. He knows if he makes a go of it he'll make a bloody fortune.
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Is there a link to full 20 min interview anywhere please ?
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Purslow came across really well. Didn't really say anything we didn't already know & as previously mentioned the "Sky journalism" questions weren't the most inspiring to be fair.
The highlight for me was the way he used the phrase "our great club" on more than one occasion.
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Any links to the full interview? Can't find it anywhere on catch up or online
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Purslow came across really well. Didn't really say anything we didn't already know & as previously mentioned the "Sky journalism" questions weren't the most inspiring to be fair.
You can imagine what's coming through her ear piece "Fulham Comparison, hit him with the Fulham comparison"
The most stupid question, as he told her in a roundabout way was about McGinn's new contract.
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I don't really blame her for asking about the Fulham comparison. Seeing as everyone keeps banging on about it, it would have been amiss not to give him chance to rebuff the label.
Still mildly annoyed that they insist on showing us as the second highest spending club, for some reason counting gross rather than net spend.
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At least john e will have seen the Fulham comparison in action now, since he seems to have been walking round with his eyes shut for the rest of the summer! ;)
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It's on the facebook group linked earlier.
It's a brilliant interview. I can see why some people wouldn't like him (particularly other clubs fans) as he does come accross as a bit smarmy, but he is so purposeful and assured it is fantastic for us to have him. Enormously impressive..
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For years I've been frustrated at the way Villa have been run. Irritants included lack of discernable transfer strategy, lack of clear playing style and tactics, signing older journeyman players with no resale value on high wages and long contracts, signing late in the window so no settling in time, poor scouting network, dinosaur managers whose idea of tactics is to shuffle the pack or tell players to roll their sleeves up. We weren't the only ones, far from it, but I'd watch in frustration as clubs like Liverpool signed young talent early in the window and hired forward thinking managers and coaches, studiously avoiding the likes of O'Neill.
It's not rocket surgery but Purslow shows how we are now, finally, doing things in a sensible way. It boils down to common sense and business sense (players as assets rather than liabilities? who'd a thought it?) and it's great how quickly NSWE and Purslow have applied these simple concepts and turned things around. What is surprising is the degree to which previous regimes were unable to grasp, let alone apply, such simple concepts. Let's hope it works, because it deserves to.
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For years I've been frustrated at the way Villa have been run. Irritants included lack of discernable transfer strategy, lack of clear playing style and tactics, signing older journeyman players with no resale value on high wages and long contracts, signing late in the window so no settling in time, poor scouting network, dinosaur managers whose idea of tactics is to shuffle the pack or tell players to roll their sleeves up. We weren't the only ones, far from it, but I'd watch in frustration as clubs like Liverpool signed young talent early in the window and hired forward thinking managers and coaches, studiously avoiding the likes of O'Neill.
It's not rocket surgery but Purslow shows how we are now, finally, doing things in a sensible way. It boils down to common sense and business sense (players as assets rather than liabilities? who'd a thought it?) and it's great how quickly NSWE and Purslow have applied these simple concepts and turned things around. What is surprising is the degree to which previous regimes were unable to grasp, let alone apply, such simple concepts. Let's hope it works, because it deserves to.
I agree, but don't forget Liverpool did have Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish.
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It's on the facebook group linked earlier.
It's a brilliant interview. I can see why some people wouldn't like him (particularly other clubs fans) as he does come accross as a bit smarmy, but he is so purposeful and assured it is fantastic for us to have him. Enormously impressive..
I got a facebook message from my brother-in-law (Sunderland season ticket owner) just after the interview finished to say how impressed he was with him. Thought he was straight-talking, open and clearly knows what he's doing. He also said he didn't realise just how rich our owners were until he looked it up after seeing this. He now thinks we'll be challenging for the champions league in a few years time.
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Thanks for uploading this :-)
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Yes thanks for that - he came across very well. Certainly didn't let Sky get away with insinuating anything and it being left unsaid.
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For years I've been frustrated at the way Villa have been run. Irritants included lack of discernable transfer strategy, lack of clear playing style and tactics, signing older journeyman players with no resale value on high wages and long contracts, signing late in the window so no settling in time, poor scouting network, dinosaur managers whose idea of tactics is to shuffle the pack or tell players to roll their sleeves up. We weren't the only ones, far from it, but I'd watch in frustration as clubs like Liverpool signed young talent early in the window and hired forward thinking managers and coaches, studiously avoiding the likes of O'Neill.
It's not rocket surgery but Purslow shows how we are now, finally, doing things in a sensible way. It boils down to common sense and business sense (players as assets rather than liabilities? who'd a thought it?) and it's great how quickly NSWE and Purslow have applied these simple concepts and turned things around. What is surprising is the degree to which previous regimes were unable to grasp, let alone apply, such simple concepts. Let's hope it works, because it deserves to.
I agree, but don't forget Liverpool did have Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish.
True, but Hodgson, while he may seem past it now and was poor for England, was considered a decent coach a few years back. Anyway neither of them lasted long.
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For years I've been frustrated at the way Villa have been run. Irritants included lack of discernable transfer strategy, lack of clear playing style and tactics, signing older journeyman players with no resale value on high wages and long contracts, signing late in the window so no settling in time, poor scouting network, dinosaur managers whose idea of tactics is to shuffle the pack or tell players to roll their sleeves up. We weren't the only ones, far from it, but I'd watch in frustration as clubs like Liverpool signed young talent early in the window and hired forward thinking managers and coaches, studiously avoiding the likes of O'Neill.
It's not rocket surgery but Purslow shows how we are now, finally, doing things in a sensible way. It boils down to common sense and business sense (players as assets rather than liabilities? who'd a thought it?) and it's great how quickly NSWE and Purslow have applied these simple concepts and turned things around. What is surprising is the degree to which previous regimes were unable to grasp, let alone apply, such simple concepts. Let's hope it works, because it deserves to.
Well said kt. This is the first time it feels like this since Brian L was appointed. Let’s hope they can sustain it this time rather than Dougs approach of wallowing in the 96 League Cup win. We’re coming to the party it seems about 20 years late but if we can now start to sort off the pitch as well then maybe just maybe we’ve got a Champions League club on our hands.
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Just had a look to see how rich of the owners of every club is .
Hopefully we can break into this top 4 within 5 years .
I was suprised the combined wealth of the owners of Barnsley at over 9 billion .
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I was disappointed that 'Vicky' didn't bring up the Kappa debacle, the shocking half-time beer and pie service at Villa Park, and the clunky club website.
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Not to mention what the official capacity is and whether Villa will enter the Birmingham Senior Cup. A wasted opportunity I reckon.
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Need Dave Cooper back.
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He certainly did his best to market the club, I was impressed. He gives me the impression that he isn't a man that would easily be walked over.
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For years I've been frustrated at the way Villa have been run. Irritants included lack of discernable transfer strategy, lack of clear playing style and tactics, signing older journeyman players with no resale value on high wages and long contracts, signing late in the window so no settling in time, poor scouting network, dinosaur managers whose idea of tactics is to shuffle the pack or tell players to roll their sleeves up. We weren't the only ones, far from it, but I'd watch in frustration as clubs like Liverpool signed young talent early in the window and hired forward thinking managers and coaches, studiously avoiding the likes of O'Neill.
It's not rocket surgery but Purslow shows how we are now, finally, doing things in a sensible way. It boils down to common sense and business sense (players as assets rather than liabilities? who'd a thought it?) and it's great how quickly NSWE and Purslow have applied these simple concepts and turned things around. What is surprising is the degree to which previous regimes were unable to grasp, let alone apply, such simple concepts. Let's hope it works, because it deserves to.
Well said kt. This is the first time it feels like this since Brian L was appointed. Let’s hope they can sustain it this time rather than Dougs approach of wallowing in the 96 League Cup win. We’re coming to the party it seems about 20 years late but if we can now start to sort off the pitch as well then maybe just maybe we’ve got a Champions League club on our hands.
To be fair as much as we had a feelgood factor and some success on the pitch when SGT, BFR and Brian Little were appointed we also had a massive feel good factor when Lerner and MON arrived and we had some good seasons under them. Unfortunately MON couldn't take the final step of winning something whereas SGT won promotion and a highly creditable second place top flight finish and BFR and Brian Little won a trophy.
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True there was a massive feelgood factor in 2006 when Lerner bought us and O'Neill came in. But despite the 6th place finishes it was very soon clear that O'Neill was anything but a progressive coach who did things in a sensible way. And once he left it was crystal clear that Lerner didn't have a scooby. these guys are light years ahead.
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True there was a massive feelgood factor in 2006 when Lerner bought us and O'Neill came in. But despite the 6th place finishes it was very soon clear that O'Neill was anything but a progressive coach who did things in a sensible way. And once he left it was crystal clear that Lerner didn't have a scooby. these guys are light years ahead.
I think in 2006 we thought with the money and manager, the fans aspirations could be achieved. Within 3 seasons we could see the limitations of the manager, the club management and the money.
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Great interview. Regarding the question of our spending compared to that of Norwich he did a bit of a Harry Enfield "We are considerably richer than yow" but put it far more politely.
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I was disappointed that 'Vicky' didn't bring up the Kappa debacle, the shocking half-time beer and pie service at Villa Park, and the clunky club website.
To be fair, I went to a North London club on Saturday at a new billion pound stadium and the service at half time was piss poor, one beer pump working and the pies were tepid at best.
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Yep, the service at Tottenham was shit. I was led to believe that they could pour a million pints a nanosecond or something, but that must be somewhere else.
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Yes, probably in the home section. Away fans are forever second class citizens regardless of how swanky the environs are.
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Maybe they just had a bunch of kids learning as they go and it will get better when they have been at the stadium for a few matches.
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Rather than starting a new thread I'm bumping this because Smith is taking a lot of flak and where does Purslow and lots of his pre seasons spiel come in all this ? The marketing man selling a good story and wooing the fans.
Talks up Smith so he better bloody back him and not desert him now..
The whole we'll be competitive and surprise a few clubs this season was mentioned
He has to have some account rather than everyone banging on hammer Smith out.
I hope he provides Smith and stays true by backing in the window.
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As soon as you called Purslow a marketing man confirmed everything you wrote as nonsense.
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With good reason I call him a marketing man :
"fearless in the way we play football and fearless in the way we use football and Villa as a force for good.”
The nonsense sprouted to get onside !
Villa have been fearful not fearless especially away from home.
Only glimpses of fearless
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Huge test for him this.
He has clearly been good for our football club up till this point - brought stability, partnered with the owners, makes all the right noises about the future.
But this is where a CEO earns his crust - making the tough decisions and getting them right. In the next 5 weeks he has two MASSIVE decisions to make - stick with DS or be aggressive and hire a new man, and what money to spend to try rescue this season.
I can’t think of bigger decisions right now - could move us forward or set us back another decade (as relegation surely would).
I don’t envy him - but he’s paid to do the job so time to judge him will be very soon
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Except it wont be entirely his decision. This big a decision is a collective and that means the 2 owners with Edens being the most critical.
They will have to consider the Budget implications and the CEO will be expected to make recommendations to the owners.
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Actually I think Sawiris would be as critical if not more regarding football.
Edens critical in progress side of things.
Purslow gives the low down and will be looking at the moves in and out for transfers clearly Sawiris even came in with a suggestion and said let's get Trezeguet in.
So he as co owner is the more vocal on football and influence
And being most powerful and wealthy has every influence when he wants. Edens as co owner is in with experience of owning sports franchises.
Personally I think next level appointments come when Villa go next level and that currently they would all day stick with the local guy done good Smith due to his excellent work getting promotion.
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Actually I think Sawiris would be as critical if not more regarding football.
Edens critical in progress side of things.
Purslow gives the low down and will be looking at the moves in and out for transfers clearly Sawiris even came in with a suggestion and said let's get Trezeguet in.
So he as co owner is the more vocal on football and influence
And being most powerful and wealthy has every influence when he wants. Edens as co owner is in with experience of owning sports franchises.
Personally I think next level appointments come when Villa go next level and that currently they would all day stick with the local guy done good Smith due to his excellent work getting promotion.
Gobbledygook
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Isn't it just. Fuck me. Isn't it time for another sabbatical? What on earth are you thinking each time you post?
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Isn't it just. Fuck me. Isn't it time for another sabbatical? What on earth are you thinking each time you post?
I try and ignore him, his stats are sometimes worthwhile.
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People are obviously pissed off because Villa are absolutely terrible at the moment. You’re probably copping a bit of grief because it’s very difficult to understand the points which you are trying to make, a lot of the time.
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Yes someone like me should take a break when we ll continue to allow posters who want Smith Out without logical reason on replacing, make claims Benetke is coming back , defend Wesley , suggest Conor Hourihane should play up front.
Yes no one but me writes non sensical yet those who write the above have their view and are fine if they want it because I don't mind even if I don't agree
But of course I come up with new and fresh ideas and original thought which people have yet to consider or not aware and it becomes terriyifing for some who try and lash out .
People who want to surpress others no need.
Just because don't like or understand it
Just allow man .
Allow
I'm not terrified, I'm simply fed up of you. You should most certainly take a break, but anyway, I'll do my best to accept your views and ways of posting. It is Christmas time after all, and you're providing fresh ideas and original thought.
But in all seriousness, apologies, Footy. I'm a miserable twat, and in a foul mood. You're an easy target, and I'm in the wrong.
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Yes someone like me should take a break when we ll continue to allow posters who want Smith Out without logical reason on replacing, make claims Benetke is coming back , defend Wesley , suggest Conor Hourihane should play up front.
Yes no one but me writes non sensical yet those who write the above have their view and are fine if they want it because I don't mind even if I don't agree
But of course I come up with new and fresh ideas and original thought which people have yet to consider or not aware and it becomes terriyifing for some who try and lash out .
People who want to surpress others no need.
Just because don't like or understand it
Just allow man .
Allow
It's terrible that people are allowed opinions. I just find yours a bit unpalatable. Even a little patronising.
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Yes someone like me should take a break when we ll continue to allow posters who want Smith Out without logical reason on replacing, make claims Benetke is coming back , defend Wesley , suggest Conor Hourihane should play up front.
Yes no one but me writes non sensical yet those who write the above have their view and are fine if they want it because I don't mind even if I don't agree
But of course I come up with new and fresh ideas and original thought which people have yet to consider or not aware and it becomes terriyifing for some who try and lash out .
People who want to surpress others no need.
Just because don't like or understand it
Just allow man .
Allow
It's terrible that people are allowed opinions. I just find yours a bit unpalatable. Even a little patronising.
That sounds patronising
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Just let him post in peace. His thoughts are sometimes very left field but this should be a place for all Villans to vent. God knows we've needed it the majority of this last decade. I don't think there's need for personal comments towards anyone for expressing opinions on here, I've made them myself due to frustration.
For some people this may be the only place to talk Villa. Whether it's Hourihane up front or Altidore, if we don't like, just ignore and move on. I feel uncomfortable seeing people passing comment on particular posters views in a more personal manner.
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I'll do a deal I'll take a break till the first striker signing in winter window .
And I'll endeavour next year 2020 to be more co- hereran in my writings. It makes sense in my head.
That's why I like stats because I'm relaying info which is solid and data helps me to make the point.
Ok I will break because I for greater good.
However when we sign a new striker I'm coming back to the fan fare.
Thank you and happy new year. I hope you feel better soon.
Up the villa
Happy New Year mate, see you in January 2020
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When is this Christian gonna give us a group of lions we can have some pride in? Hopefully he and Jesus are working on resurrecting our faith by Easter ;)
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When is this Christian gonna give us a group of lions we can have some pride in? Hopefully he and Jesus are working on resurrecting our faith by Easter ;)
Was you not proud of the twam that got us up? I certianly was.
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We can have pride in them now, surely? It's not like nobody is trying.
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Fuck me guys, lighten up :)
It was just a poor attempt at humour, obviously wasted on you ;)
Mind you Purslow has been relatively quiet for a while .......those work permits must a bureaucratic nightmare
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Purslow interview on (the absolutely pointless) VillaTV:
https://video.avfc.co.uk/video/dm9kJTdDMF83bndkN2Z1eSU3QyUyRnNlY3Rpb24lM0ZzbHVnJTNEaG9tZSU3Q2hvbWUlMkZoZXJvX2Nhcm91c2Vs?lang=en
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Purslow interview on (the absolutely pointless) VillaTV:
No cast option. Very poor show.
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Hmmm. Spot the difference from his interview in the summer when he wanted the team to make a splash in the Premier League and not struggle at the wrong end of the table. Now he's "very pleased with how things are going."
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Many people got carried away in the euphoria of the play off win. In same interview DS said we'd attack every team home and away. Easy to say then but much harder to put into practice. Money was put on top 4 finishes etc....
All these last six months have shown is it's a long road to get the club back to being a competitive top 8 team in the top division.
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Who on earth put money on a top four finish?
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Who on earth put money on a top four finish?
I backed us to win it. I was giddy.
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Who on earth put money on a top four finish?
If somebody can introduce me to these people, I have a landmark bridge for sale in which they may be interested.
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Luddite alert...I don't have an AVTV account. Can anyone post it up here?
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It's not an extra account you need. Go to avfc.co.uk and log in as you usually would, then click VillaTV on the top claret banner.
Just imagine how easy the Club could make watching Aston Villa content - if only there was a globally used video watching platform used by billions of people they could lean on?
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Just imagine how easy the Club could make watching Aston Villa content
Or make the on-pitch stuff less ghastly viewing.
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Just imagine how easy the Club could make watching Aston Villa content - if only there was a globally used video watching platform used by billions of people they could lean on?
Jack gets me excited but I wouldn't go as far as putting our games on PornHub.
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It's not an extra account you need. Go to avfc.co.uk and log in as you usually would, then click VillaTV on the top claret banner.
Just imagine how easy the Club could make watching Aston Villa content - if only there was a globally used video watching platform used by billions of people they could lean on?
I think they wanted to stop uploading everything to Youtube so that they could redirect more traffic to our in-house service.
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Why? To what end? I only use it on mobile, and it's a mess. It's just a huge unstructured pile of videos that are a pain to scroll through. It's shit.
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Why? To what end? I only use it on mobile, and it's a mess. It's just a huge unstructured pile of videos that are a pain to scroll through. It's shit.
It really is a useless heap of shit. A bit like our bench.
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Get the team on the pitch right first, everything else comes second. I want him to show me, don't tell me. That said, at least he's not claiming world domination in five years.
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Why? To what end? I only use it on mobile, and it's a mess. It's just a huge unstructured pile of videos that are a pain to scroll through. It's shit.
And you can stream you tube through a lot of TVs. Bet you can't with avtv
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Why? To what end? I only use it on mobile, and it's a mess. It's just a huge unstructured pile of videos that are a pain to scroll through. It's shit.
To get everyone using it , then to make it a subscription model?
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Purslow Suso and Smith have fucked up. This is where the. BLame game starts.
A few points,
1.people saying the ambition was 17th, it wasn’t , they were expecting much better than that.
2: they left a big hole in the central midfield position, attempt to close it with Drinky?
3. Going with an unproven and not very good Centre forward and playing him out of form until he got injured.
The strategy recruitment and team management has been wrong.
Let’s see who is left when the owners get their heads around this.
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This Purslow bit of a hoodwinker.
Loves to talk longer term and strategy goals but he's full of it with misrepresentation being honoured to be at Villa.
He was a Liverpool season ticket holder and isn't interested in raising Villa to great football heights.
He's just text book business and marketing speil. Only interested in raising commercial aspects
Club owners and directors put very high value on managers who are able to achieve sustained success with very modest spending.
For me a lot of time with Purslow it's all a load of let them hear what they want to hear.
Fox and Wyness had the initial love too.
But now Purslow is running show very badly Gary Neville summed him up by once calling him a clueless fool.
I think I agree with you, he's full of his own self-importance, but has put together a Director of Football and Head Coach structure that has failed miserably. A poor set of players, that are badly coached and organised. I hope that Purslow is first out of the door come relegation day, closely followed by Pitarch and Smith. Failures one and all.
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Risso, do you think there are any circumstances under which Smith can be absolved of blame?
That is where some fans are, that he did not get the right backing, hands were tied, not the right tools to do the job.
Maybe DW will get the gig to do the book, Dean Smith -Where it all went wrong.
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If we get relegated I would be delighted to get £180m for those 3. The real concern is we get less than half that.
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That is where some fans are, that he did not get the right backing, hands were tied, not the right tools to do the job.
Is there any proof of that? I'm not having a pop, I genuinely don't know. I haven't read any.
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If we get relegated I would be delighted to get £180m for those 3. The real concern is we get less than half that.
I will take the bet we get more than 90 for those 3
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Risso, do you think there are any circumstances under which Smith can be absolved of blame?
That is where some fans are, that he did not get the right backing, hands were tied, not the right tools to do the job.
Maybe DW will get the gig to do the book, Dean Smith -Where it all went wrong.
I think there could be some shifting of blame away from Dean Smith if he was given no input at all in the general transfer approach and the players that have been bought. It has been a squad that has been assembled with massive holes in it to the extent where you cannot put together a starting XI without there being some glaring problems in one area or another.
Where Dean can't escape any blame though is the lack of tactical flexibility, the failure to make substitutions that impact on the game and issues like conceding at set pieces. He and his coaching staff are firmly on the hook for those faults,
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Risso, do you think there are any circumstances under which Smith can be absolved of blame?
That is where some fans are, that he did not get the right backing, hands were tied, not the right tools to do the job.
Maybe DW will get the gig to do the book, Dean Smith -Where it all went wrong.
I suppose he could and maybe will argue that he didn't get to choose most of the player purchases, and that he's done the best he can with them. But for me the almost complete lack of any sort of organisation or learning from mistakes makes him just as culpable as Pitarch.
edit: or what Tom said!
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That is where some fans are, that he did not get the right backing, hands were tied, not the right tools to do the job.
Is there any proof of that? I'm not having a pop, I genuinely don't know. I haven't read any.
There have been comments on here and elsewhere. Even Percy article suggests that Suso is under pressure
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If we get relegated I would be delighted to get £180m for those 3. The real concern is we get less than half that.
I will take the bet we get more than 90 for those 3
If those 3 were to leave we would be looking at £120m minimum
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If we get relegated I would be delighted to get £180m for those 3. The real concern is we get less than half that.
I will take the bet we get more than 90 for those 3
What bet ?
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There have been comments on here and elsewhere. Even Percy article suggests that Suso is under pressure
Ta. There seems to be a bit of blame avoidance going on at the club when the reality is that they are all to blame for where we are.
ETA. It was only a few days ago that he was defending the recruitment, saying it wasn't a risk, they had no other options and "there was no other way to do it."
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If we get relegated I would be delighted to get £180m for those 3. The real concern is we get less than half that.
I will take the bet we get more than 90 for those 3
What bet ?
Let’s say £100 that if we sell Mings Grealish and McGinn this summer we get more than £120 million. Happy to up it if you like.
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If we get relegated I would be delighted to get £180m for those 3. The real concern is we get less than half that.
I will take the bet we get more than 90 for those 3
What bet ?
Let’s say £100 that if we sell Mings Grealish and McGinn this summer we get more than £120 million. Happy to up it if you like.
So you are taking a bet I hadn’t made, and now taking your own bet?
Anyway, asking a slightly different question what % reduction in transfer fees would relegation cost us?
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If we get relegated I would be delighted to get £180m for those 3. The real concern is we get less than half that.
I will take the bet we get more than 90 for those 3
What bet ?
Let’s say £100 that if we sell Mings Grealish and McGinn this summer we get more than £120 million. Happy to up it if you like.
Can I get a piece of this action? It's free money.
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If we get relegated I would be delighted to get £180m for those 3. The real concern is we get less than half that.
I will take the bet we get more than 90 for those 3
What bet ?
Let’s say £100 that if we sell Mings Grealish and McGinn this summer we get more than £120 million. Happy to up it if you like.
So you are taking a bet I hadn’t made, and now taking your own bet?
Anyway, asking a slightly different question what % reduction in transfer fees would relegation cost us?
Very little, the thing that will determine price is the number of potential buyers, player preference and perceived market value. The fact the market knows we have to sell will have an influence because it shortens the time line but the critical element is demand.
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I think sadly player preference and pressure in the modern game (especially for a relegated side) is huge.
Of course this hopefully won’t be happening.
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If we get relegated I would be delighted to get £180m for those 3. The real concern is we get less than half that.
I will take the bet we get more than 90 for those 3
What bet ?
Let’s say £100 that if we sell Mings Grealish and McGinn this summer we get more than £120 million. Happy to up it if you like.
So you are taking a bet I hadn’t made, and now taking your own bet?
Anyway, asking a slightly different question what % reduction in transfer fees would relegation cost us?
You should take that bet - it won't be possible to accurately prove the transfer fees involved. They'll all be undisclosed.
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This Purslow bit of a hoodwinker.
....
But now Purslow is running show very badly Gary Neville summed him up by once calling him a clueless fool.
He came he with a very respectable reputation, and I wouldn't believe everything that Gary Neville says.
That said, when the post-mortem of this season is conducted all three of the key decision-makers will have to bear the responsibility for what happened. My thoughts are:
- I suspect one excuse from Purslow will be that the club was walking a very thin tightrope between investing in the squad (which was seriously depleted after last season) and not falling into FFP traps.
- Smith was a big risk: unproven at this level, with an inexperienced squad and a rooky coach. Hindsight says that this was an unecessarily risky combination.
- I'd never heard of Pitarch before he was appointed.; perhaps, because I do not follow European football particularly. We appear to have recruited someone with little 'feel' for the Premier League and a perhaps-cavalier approach to balancing potential with the need for performance.
I don't particularly like looking for people to blame. My sense is that we brought in too much risk (i.e. inexperience) without also bringing in some assured performers. For that, Purslow certainly is responsible.
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we seem to have the uncanny knack of employing more cnuts than Red Tube.
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Red Tube? What's that then? *whistles*
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Its the Central Line isn't it?
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There have been comments on here and elsewhere. Even Percy article suggests that Suso is under pressure
Ta. There seems to be a bit of blame avoidance going on at the club when the reality is that they are all to blame for where we are.
ETA. It was only a few days ago that he was defending the recruitment, saying it wasn't a risk, they had no other options and "there was no other way to do it."
Out of interest, what strategy would you have employed given that, upon promotion, we had about ten senior players under contract, the majority of who were clearly not going to be of a standard to play consistent as a starter at this level?
The recruitment obviously shouldn’t be without criticism at all, but it was a really tough situation we were in.
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Out of interest, what strategy would you have employed given that, upon promotion, we had about ten senior players under contract, the majority of who were clearly not going to be of a standard to play consistent as a starter at this level?
The recruitment obviously shouldn’t be without criticism at all, but it was a really tough situation we were in.
Isn't it obvious? I would have signed a mix of young players and wiser, older heads. There is absolutely no reason why we should have signed so many untested players. It was never going to work. And I wouldn't have gone into the season with three attacking options: a Brazilian kid, a has been whose injury ruined him, and a perma-crocked kid who doesn't score.
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There have been comments on here and elsewhere. Even Percy article suggests that Suso is under pressure
Ta. There seems to be a bit of blame avoidance going on at the club when the reality is that they are all to blame for where we are.
ETA. It was only a few days ago that he was defending the recruitment, saying it wasn't a risk, they had no other options and "there was no other way to do it."
Out of interest, what strategy would you have employed given that, upon promotion, we had about ten senior players under contract, the majority of who were clearly not going to be of a standard to play consistent as a starter at this level?
The recruitment obviously shouldn’t be without criticism at all, but it was a really tough situation we were in.
I’ve seen some right rubbish written by so called villa fans on Twitter since the weekend. One rant suggested we should have stuck with Jedinak, Hutton and the like. Yep, that would have made a real difference.
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Out of interest, what strategy would you have employed given that, upon promotion, we had about ten senior players under contract, the majority of who were clearly not going to be of a standard to play consistent as a starter at this level?
The recruitment obviously shouldn’t be without criticism at all, but it was a really tough situation we were in.
Isn't it obvious? I would have signed a mix of young players and wiser, older heads. There is absolutely no reason why we should have signed so many untested players. It was never going to work. And I wouldn't have gone into the season with three attacking options: a Brazilian kid, a has been whose injury ruined him, and a perma-crocked kid who doesn't score.
exactly, with a smattering of sensible loans as needed.
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Out of interest, what strategy would you have employed given that, upon promotion, we had about ten senior players under contract, the majority of who were clearly not going to be of a standard to play consistent as a starter at this level?
The recruitment obviously shouldn’t be without criticism at all, but it was a really tough situation we were in.
Isn't it obvious? I would have signed a mix of young players and wiser, older heads. There is absolutely no reason why we should have signed so many untested players. It was never going to work. And I wouldn't have gone into the season with three attacking options: a Brazilian kid, a has been whose injury ruined him, and a perma-crocked kid who doesn't score.
Which is all lovely in theory but the reality is that those experienced players and Premier League standard striker would have all cost significantly more than the signings that we made in transfer fee and wages. Given than we had to sign two thirds of a new squad, it just wasn’t really practical.
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Which is all lovely in theory but the reality is that those experienced players and Premier League standard striker would have all cost significantly more than the signings that we made in transfer fee and wages.
Says who? That's pure speculation.
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I think we've just missed a little bit of top flight class.
Signing Cahill instead of Engels. Kalvin Phillips instead of Nakamba and Danny Ings instead of Wesley would have made such a difference.
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Which is all lovely in theory but the reality is that those experienced players and Premier League standard striker would have all cost significantly more than the signings that we made in transfer fee and wages.
Says who? That's pure speculation.
I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say players with experience of playing in this league for a couple of season generally cost more money.
And that’s without getting into availability and the players willingness to come to the club.
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I think we've just missed a little bit of top flight class.
Signing Cahill instead of Engels. Kalvin Phillips instead of Nakamba and Danny Ings instead of Wesley would have made such a difference.
Maybe Cahill is settled in London. Philips didn't seem in any great rush to leave. Ings would have got injured three seconds into his Villa debut.
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I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say players with experience of playing in this league for a couple of season generally cost more money.
And that’s without getting into availability and the players willingness to come to the club.
Sorry, I just don't believe that our hands were utterly tied and the players we ended up with were the best we could get. Not a chance. Neither do I believe we were totally unable to bring in any experienced players. That's ridiculous.
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I think we've just missed a little bit of top flight class.
Signing Cahill instead of Engels. Kalvin Phillips instead of Nakamba and Danny Ings instead of Wesley would have made such a difference.
Maybe Cahill is settled in London. Philips didn't seem in any great rush to leave. Ings would have got injured three seconds into his Villa debut.
Quite. Transfers are so complicated and have so many different variables/factors that can change very quickly. It’s a bit simple to say we should have just signed this player because he is better. There would be very few bad signings if this was the case.
Also, you have to factor in that we must be very close to the line with FFP regarding wages and I reckon the Ings and Cahill are on significantly more than Engles and Wesley so they are not necessarily a like for like comparison in a financial sense either.
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Out of interest, what strategy would you have employed given that, upon promotion, we had about ten senior players under contract, the majority of who were clearly not going to be of a standard to play consistent as a starter at this level?
The recruitment obviously shouldn’t be without criticism at all, but it was a really tough situation we were in.
Isn't it obvious? I would have signed a mix of young players and wiser, older heads. There is absolutely no reason why we should have signed so many untested players. It was never going to work. And I wouldn't have gone into the season with three attacking options: a Brazilian kid, a has been whose injury ruined him, and a perma-crocked kid who doesn't score.
exactly, with a smattering of sensible loans as needed.
Suso was the one pushing for Luiz and Wesley.
And I don't just say that myself but so did John Percy. And many seem to hang by his everyword.
Those 2 signings needed to be surrounded and supplement by others as they have potential but hopes resting on these 2 were foolish.
Then in winter window the move to experienced players of Reina and Drinkwater !
I actually could make a case for Hutton and Whelan staying on for a year. In and around the squad.
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I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say players with experience of playing in this league for a couple of season generally cost more money.
And that’s without getting into availability and the players willingness to come to the club.
Sorry, I just don't believe that our hands were utterly tied and the players we ended up with were the best we could get. Not a chance. Neither do I believe we were totally unable to bring in any experienced players. That's ridiculous.
Again I agree.
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There have been comments on here and elsewhere. Even Percy article suggests that Suso is under pressure
Ta. There seems to be a bit of blame avoidance going on at the club when the reality is that they are all to blame for where we are.
ETA. It was only a few days ago that he was defending the recruitment, saying it wasn't a risk, they had no other options and "there was no other way to do it."
Out of interest, what strategy would you have employed given that, upon promotion, we had about ten senior players under contract, the majority of who were clearly not going to be of a standard to play consistent as a starter at this level?
The recruitment obviously shouldn’t be without criticism at all, but it was a really tough situation we were in.
I’ve seen some right rubbish written by so called villa fans on Twitter since the weekend. One rant suggested we should have stuck with Jedinak, Hutton and the like. Yep, that would have made a real difference.
Have a look at some of the subs Smith has made from winning positions,then ask your self who would you want coming off the bench Jota Kodija or a Jedi or Whelan.
I think we might have a few more points with a little bit more nous.
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the latter two were breathing out of their arses after 60 minutes from the moment they signed. Jota was basically a ruse to get rid of Gardner and Kodjia was one of the reasons I bought a season ticket again after years of not doing so. That first season he was great to watch and not his fault that his career was ruined by ankle injuries.
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the latter two were breathing out of their arses after 60 minutes from the moment they signed. Jota was basically a ruse to get rid of Gardner and Kodjia was one of the reasons I bought a season ticket again after years of not doing so. That first season he was great to watch and not his fault that his career was ruined by ankle injuries.
I would not start any of them but either of the latter would be more effective if you are trying to close a game out for 15 minutes.
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I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say players with experience of playing in this league for a couple of season generally cost more money.
And that’s without getting into availability and the players willingness to come to the club.
Sorry, I just don't believe that our hands were utterly tied and the players we ended up with were the best we could get. Not a chance. Neither do I believe we were totally unable to bring in any experienced players. That's ridiculous.
Obviously, especially with the benefit of hindsight, we could in theory have signed better players. That is sort of based on the theory that you’re comparing transfers like for like which they just simply aren’t. And i imagine it’s pretty much true to at least a small degree for every team in every transfer window.
The original point was about the transfer strategy - namely young players with the potential to improve. Our hands were clearly tied by the fact that we came up with a squad of about ten players, a lot of which were clearly unsuitable to play anything more than a supporting role at this level, and also that we were obviously restricted in our budget for transfers and wages by FFP. Proven quality and premier league experience costs money - if we would have signed more players that fit that profile we would have had to sacrifice elsewhere.
Yes, they could have perhaps done a slightly better job but I don’t think it was a bad effort and an understandable strategy given the difficult circumstances.
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I actually thought he was rude and should have given the reporters the time of day. We need answers!
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I think a junior sub at the Guardian might have blown David Conn's source with the choice of photo for this piece!
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/mar/13/english-football-shutdown-until-april-means-season-may-never-be-completed?CMP=share_btn_tw
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I think a junior sub at the Guardian might have blown David Conn's source with the choice of photo for this piece!
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/mar/13/english-football-shutdown-until-april-means-season-may-never-be-completed?CMP=share_btn_tw
I think a junior sub at the Guardian might have blown David Conn's source with the choice of photo for this piece!
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/mar/13/english-football-shutdown-until-april-means-season-may-never-be-completed?CMP=share_btn_tw
They've been using various photos of a locked Villa Park as headers for their general coronavirus football updates.
Typical Mancs, trying to subliminally pin it on us Brummies.
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Best estimates are that we are 12 weeks away from something like normality and There are 10 weeks of matches which could be squeezed into 8 so you are looking at 20 weeks for this season to be over if they try and complete the PL season and that takes you to August and ignores any cup or European games.
I just don’t see how that is possible.
Even if they cobbled a committee together to vote for relegation they would be bogged down in law suits which would stop that happening.
The FootballLeague would have to agree amongst its members to put forward teams for promotion and again any looked over Club would have justification to take the EFL to court.
All they need to award 'The Mighty Reds YNWA' the title is Citeh agreement and they would obviously acquiesce.
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Best estimates are that we are 12 weeks away from something like normality and There are 10 weeks of matches which could be squeezed into 8 so you are looking at 20 weeks for this season to be over if they try and complete the PL season and that takes you to August and ignores any cup or European games.
I just don’t see how that is possible...
Yes.
With the complication of contracts expiring, loaned players, transfer windows to open and players to have some recovery period, it is difficult to see beyond a null-and-void strategy.
The clubs are unlikely to vote for complexity and will want to see something close to a normal season start again, for the sake of the TV companies' money.
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Best estimates are that we are 12 weeks away from something like normality and There are 10 weeks of matches which could be squeezed into 8 so you are looking at 20 weeks for this season to be over if they try and complete the PL season and that takes you to August and ignores any cup or European games.
I just don’t see how that is possible.
Even if they cobbled a committee together to vote for relegation they would be bogged down in law suits which would stop that happening.
The FootballLeague would have to agree amongst its members to put forward teams for promotion and again any looked over Club would have justification to take the EFL to court.
All they need to award 'The Mighty Reds YNWA' the title is Citeh agreement and they would obviously acquiesce.
To award Liverpool the title, they’d need to propose it and 14 of the 20 clubs to agree. I’m sure this will be passed.
The EFL can moves clubs around their own organisation as much as they want provided they have majority votes but they cannot move clubs into the Premier League.
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Best estimates are that we are 12 weeks away from something like normality and There are 10 weeks of matches which could be squeezed into 8 so you are looking at 20 weeks for this season to be over if they try and complete the PL season and that takes you to August and ignores any cup or European games.
I just don’t see how that is possible.
Even if they cobbled a committee together to vote for relegation they would be bogged down in law suits which would stop that happening.
The FootballLeague would have to agree amongst its members to put forward teams for promotion and again any looked over Club would have justification to take the EFL to court.
All they need to award 'The Mighty Reds YNWA' the title is Citeh agreement and they would obviously acquiesce.
To award Liverpool the title, they’d need to propose it and 14 of the 20 clubs to agree. I’m sure this will be passed.
The EFL can moves clubs around their own organisation as much as they want provided they have majority votes but they cannot move clubs into the Premier League.
Yes I said put forward as they have no power to force the PL to accept them.
Can you see any alternatives to Null and Void.
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Best estimates are that we are 12 weeks away from something like normality and There are 10 weeks of matches which could be squeezed into 8 so you are looking at 20 weeks for this season to be over if they try and complete the PL season and that takes you to August and ignores any cup or European games.
I just don’t see how that is possible.
Even if they cobbled a committee together to vote for relegation they would be bogged down in law suits which would stop that happening.
The FootballLeague would have to agree amongst its members to put forward teams for promotion and again any looked over Club would have justification to take the EFL to court.
All they need to award 'The Mighty Reds YNWA' the title is Citeh agreement and they would obviously acquiesce.
To award Liverpool the title, they’d need to propose it and 14 of the 20 clubs to agree. I’m sure this will be passed.
The EFL can moves clubs around their own organisation as much as they want provided they have majority votes but they cannot move clubs into the Premier League.
Yes I said put forward as they have no power to force the PL to accept them.
Can you see any alternatives to Null and Void.
I really can’t. I can’t see anything but null and void but declare Liverpool champions. Surely very little valid argument for anything else.
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Something else to consider is that you can't go 12 weeks and then just expect footballers to pick up where they left. Their fitness levels won't be to where they would need to be and that would risk injury, even if they were still training and playing low key games behind close doors. They will need a full pre-season. Then with the Euro's at the end of next season (realistically), they'll need a proper break - which they couldn't get now even if the season finished now, due to there being so much uncertainty.
They're going to have to write the season off, which is just a damn shame isn't it :).
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Not just physical but as I said there mental head space.
Footballer have a lot of time on hands as it is
Those who battle with off field issues and trying to keep focused as well as all the chaos it brings.
How many have the self discipline ?
How many have the anxiety about how wages may be . More so lower league . But players with big expenses and sponsorships.
This is unprecedented and these off field issues will be affecting people
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I'm sorry in 10-12 weeks at covid 19 peak it will be far from normal.
We are looking at several months from peak if not longer . And maybe a year or so to achieve a normal scheme of things that's how I fully see it.
And there isn't anyone who can convince players to squeeze that amount of games in literally after a serious pandemic.
Most players won't be prepared to do that.
Unless 'experts' advise otherwise. And I don't see this happening because this could be a recovery of years
And this is going to all get so upsetting a whole lot more for people than Liverpool fans losing out on title .
I like to hear a Liverpool fan be gracious and admit and understand that maybe a season can't be completed and that's because life and death is bigger than football
Whilst I respect the fact that this is a fans' forum where opinions are freely given and challenged, there is also a responsibility on all of us not to overstate things; and we are not well enough informed yet to make these kinds of judgements.
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So, you'll rein in your comments and post stuff from a newspaper instead? Way to go.
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I'm actually trying to help !
If we are all prepared and realise it could a long haul it's better than not knowing.
But yes of course I'll rein comments in though and apologies
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I'm actually trying to help !
If we are all prepared and realise it could a long haul it's better than not knowing.
But yes of course I'll rein comments in though and apologies
Cheers Pee-wee.
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Not really sure what Vill I An is supposed to have done wrong here.
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Very simple really, the problem we have in the UK is that we are being dripped fed information, we are being given information on a need to know basis only, this virus will be a defining moment in this country, probably the most defining moment in a 100 years, the concern I have is that we are acting contrary to what the WHO have said we should do, and to what everybody else is doing, bottom line is the government have been found out, ten years of this lot has forged a massive underclass, we can't close schools because there are a huge amount of kids that rely on the school meals to get fed each day, schools know this and are saying it, this Universal Credit stuff simply doesn't work, we have a massive amount of families living in B and B, homeless people, how on earth can we isolate the amount of people we need to do to make a shut down effective, we can't, government caught with its pants down, the next thing is, they will put the troops on the streets not just for organisational purposes but to counter civil disorder.
This virus will go on, until such time as we either build a sufficient immunity to it, which will cost many thousands of lives, or we get a vaccine. I would say a years is a pretty good guess, if not more.
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Very simple really, the problem we have in the UK is that we are being dripped fed information, we are being given information on a need to know basis only, this virus will be a defining moment in this country, probably the most defining moment in a 100 years, the concern I have is that we are acting contrary to what the WHO have said we should do, and to what everybody else is doing, bottom line is the government have been found out, ten years of this lot has forged a massive underclass, we can't close schools because there are a huge amount of kids that rely on the school meals to get fed each day, schools know this and are saying it, this Universal Credit stuff simply doesn't work, we have a massive amount of families living in B and B, homeless people, how on earth can we isolate the amount of people we need to do to make a shut down effective, we can't, government caught with its pants down, the next thing is, they will put the troops on the streets not just for organisational purposes but to counter civil disorder.
This virus will go on, until such time as we either build a sufficient immunity to it, which will cost many thousands of lives, or we get a vaccine. I would say a year is a pretty good guess, if not more.
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Very simple really, the problem we have in the UK is that we are being dripped fed information, we are being given information on a need to know basis only, this virus will be a defining moment in this country, probably the most defining moment in a 100 years, the concern I have is that we are acting contrary to what the WHO have said we should do, and to what everybody else is doing, bottom line is the government have been found out, ten years of this lot has forged a massive underclass, we can't close schools because there are a huge amount of kids that rely on the school meals to get fed each day, schools know this and are saying it, this Universal Credit stuff simply doesn't work, we have a massive amount of families living in B and B, homeless people, how on earth can we isolate the amount of people we need to do to make a shut down effective, we can't, government caught with its pants down, the next thing is, they will put the troops on the streets not just for organisational purposes but to counter civil disorder.
This virus will go on, until such time as we either build a sufficient immunity to it, which will cost many thousands of lives, or we get a vaccine. I would say a year is a pretty good guess, if not more.
Wow, fuck me , I didn’t realise Corona virus came with political colours ? I may be wrong but our country does seem quite measured in it’s response to it. There also appear to be many acts of kindness and compassion in the midst of all this too , but hey let’s not focus on anything positive eh ?
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Was watching Homeland for the first time in 5 years yesterday. Guy who was playing the Vice President looks just like him.
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Was watching Homeland for the first time in 5 years yesterday. Guy who was playing the Vice President looks just like him.
What the hell do you think you’re doing bringing this thread back to topic ? 😉
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Purslow is in a tricky spot here. Earlier in the season, he’s massively backed Deano with a four year deal (which I admit I welcomed at the time). That now looks like a huge error. So if Smith gets punted, it calls Purslow’s judgement into question and then if that happens, purslow’s position becomes untenable and he has to go also. There’d be a few Coronavirus prayer mats coming out in the VP boardroom, if it didn’t mean bigger losses through match day revenue etc, I reckon
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Isn’t this new contract a bit of a red herring though, it has been suggested that the new contract was due to Dean getting us promoted and it just took some time to sort out.
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BoVillan - get a fucking grip and please keep politics out of this. We are dealing with a global pandemic, not a Tory /'austerity' plot.
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BoVillan - get a fucking grip and please keep politics out of this. We are dealing with a global pandemic, not a Tory /'austerity' plot.
Fully agree
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Purslow is in a tricky spot here. Earlier in the season, he’s massively backed Deano with a four year deal (which I admit I welcomed at the time). That now looks like a huge error. So if Smith gets punted, it calls Purslow’s judgement into question and then if that happens, purslow’s position becomes untenable and he has to go also. There’d be a few Coronavirus prayer mats coming out in the VP boardroom, if it didn’t mean bigger losses through match day revenue etc, I reckon
Way this s*** is goinh the next time we actually play a game DS will have just six months left on his deal!
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Isn’t this new contract a bit of a red herring though, it has been suggested that the new contract was due to Dean getting us promoted and it just took some time to sort out.
It is a red herring, in that there will be a fixed compensation clause in the event that the parties part company.
More the point is: if Purslow does decide to pull the trigger on DS, when would be the optimal time to do it, given all the considerations?
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I watched an interview with him from a couple of weeks back on AVTV, and he reminds me of a generic Tory minister from back when they were plausible. Most CEOs probably come across that way, but I'm not mad keen.
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I watched an interview with him from a couple of weeks back on AVTV, and he reminds me of a generic Tory minister from back when they were plausible. Most CEOs probably come across that way, but I'm not mad keen.
He is more Smooth Marketing Director than your CEO type.
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I watched an interview with him from a couple of weeks back on AVTV, and he reminds me of a generic Tory minister from back when they were plausible. Most CEOs probably come across that way, but I'm not mad keen.
He is more Smooth Marketing Director than your CEO type.
Either way, I'm not sure I believe him.
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I watched an interview with him from a couple of weeks back on AVTV, and he reminds me of a generic Tory minister from back when they were plausible. Most CEOs probably come across that way, but I'm not mad keen.
He is more Smooth Marketing Director than your CEO type.
Either way, I'm not sure I believe him.
He has backed Smith and Suso which looks has failed, competant football CEOs are about as abundant as good Football managers.
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This is akin to me buying a lovely racehorse and someone entering it for the donkey derby. Surely the owners cannot be happy with what is going on?
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I watched an interview with him from a couple of weeks back on AVTV, and he reminds me of a generic Tory minister from back when they were plausible. Most CEOs probably come across that way, but I'm not mad keen.
He is more Smooth Marketing Director than your CEO type.
He's the Swiss Tony of football executives.
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More jizz than jazz
There is no one earning their money at that club right now
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More jizz than jazz
There is no one earning their money at that club right now
That’s not fair. That bloke who was deep cleaning the goal posts was doing a great job.
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I'm pretty sure that was in one of Woofles end of year lists.
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So, our CEO isn't up to it, our coaching team are shit, our owners clearly aren't good enough.
Is there anything good at all about our club?
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So, our CEO isn't up to it, our coaching team are shit, our owners clearly aren't good enough.
Is there anything good at all about our club?
I think we tend to rely on you to tell us that Drummond.
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what was that advert in the 80's. About an aspiring rock band. 'you sound terrible, you look awful, you'll go a long way.'
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Kit Kat
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yes that is it. We were the Kit Kat of football. Except the going a long way bit.
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Kit Kat
I can see this thread going off topic
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So, our CEO isn't up to it, our coaching team are shit, our owners clearly aren't good enough.
Is there anything good at all about our club?
I think we tend to rely on you to tell us that Drummond.
Ah, well that's a bit like being a Tory in Off Topic isn't it?
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So, our CEO isn't up to it, our coaching team are shit, our owners clearly aren't good enough.
Is there anything good at all about our club?
I think we tend to rely on you to tell us that Drummond.
Ah, well that's a bit like being a Tory in Off Topic isn't it?
Ha, that's true! A thankless task!
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Kit Kat
You must need another break
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This Purslow bit of a hoodwinker.
Loves to talk longer term and strategy goals but he's full of it with misrepresentation being honoured to be at Villa.
He was a Liverpool season ticket holder and isn't interested in raising Villa to great football heights.
He's just text book business and marketing speil. Only interested in raising commercial aspects
Club owners and directors put very high value on managers who are able to achieve sustained success with very modest spending.
For me a lot of time with Purslow it's all a load of let them hear what they want to hear.
Fox and Wyness had the initial love too.
But now Purslow is running show very badly Gary Neville summed him up by once calling him a clueless fool.
I still stand by this .
And I bet Purslow will be at the game Sunday.
And let me remind you as we all know who he will be supporting!
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I revised this.
If Villa get relegated Purslow has plenty of assets to be sold off. And can keep on a cheap head coach.
Mings £30mil
Grealish £80 mil
McGinn £40 mil
All sold on and owners will have no issue with Purslow and Smith who has an "excellent track record of developing players " because the money will be fine.
And we'll implement the coaching plan as Smith is dynamic coach who is proven to deals well on a budget
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You're starting to reply to, and quote, yourself now.
Lots of people have affiliations with other teams yet somehow manage to be professional when facing them. There's nothing to suggest he'd be anything else. In addition, I'm pretty sure that if it is all about the money (and he is a shareholder) then he'd much rather we were in the top division making the most money.
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This Purslow bit of a hoodwinker.
Loves to talk longer term and strategy goals but he's full of it with misrepresentation being honoured to be at Villa.
He was a Liverpool season ticket holder and isn't interested in raising Villa to great football heights.
He's just text book business and marketing speil. Only interested in raising commercial aspects
Club owners and directors put very high value on managers who are able to achieve sustained success with very modest spending.
For me a lot of time with Purslow it's all a load of let them hear what they want to hear.
Fox and Wyness had the initial love too.
But now Purslow is running show very badly Gary Neville summed him up by once calling him a clueless fool.
I still stand by this .
And I bet Purslow will be at the game Sunday.
And let me remind you as we all know who he will be supporting!
The problem with this largely nonsensical list of, at most, loosely connected accusations is that he is also a minority shareholder in the club, so he's got an even stronger motivating factor for us to do well than most.
Getting relegated - what he called a '£200m disaster' - is hardly going to grow his investment.
And, honestly, who gives a fuck where he has had a season ticket?
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I couldn't give a stuff who he supports. He looked as completely gutted as everybody else when Liverpool scored two late goals against us in the home game. What I do I care about is the performance in his job, and the structure he's put together for Villa, which to say the least, hasn't worked one bit this season.
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I couldn't give a stuff who he supports. He looked as completely gutted as everybody else when Liverpool scored two late goals against us in the home game. What I do I care about is the performance in his job, and the structure he's put together for Villa, which to say the least, hasn't worked one bit this season.
Quite, he maybe doing some good on the Business/commercial side but on the Football side it’s been downright dreadful and I’m sure it’ll be coming up in his end of season debrief to Sawiris and Edens. It’ll be interesting to see who carries the can for the failings if we do drop, Suso and Smith for their failures or the man that appointed them?
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If Suso and Smith have been failures then they have to go, regardless of what happens to Purslow.
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None of it has worked this season. The recruitment, the coaching, not improving as expected. All absolutely shit and Christian Purslow will be patently aware that this comes down to him. I expect him to completely rethink his strategy because this season has been a disaster so far. Other than the cup, where we were all surprised how much we competed, although, still lost!
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Quoting your own previous post is the equivalent of liking your own Facebook posts.
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The failures that are down to the CEO, was not making sure that the squad was strong enough to complete because of a lack of a capable centre forward and player experience, whilst individual recruitment is not down to him, recruitment policy and overall responsibility for success is.
Not addressing the managers failings, he has allowed the saga to continue when it became apparent that Smith was out of his depth and needed help or replacing.
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Agree with all of that. The way modern football is run offers too many hidey holes at clubs for those responsible for catastrophically stupid decisions to avoid the consequences of their incompetence. The not me Guv culture.
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You're starting to reply to, and quote, yourself now.
I can't help it.
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The thing is, sacking Purslow won't make Suso any better at judging a player's quality, and it won't make Dean a better manager or coach.
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Quoting your own previous post is the equivalent of liking your own Facebook posts.
Nor me.
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Purslow is a proper CEO type a bit slippery and can talk for an hour without really saying anything
but i don't mind him he seems professional and after that fat chap (forgot his name) who looked as dodgy as hell i think he represents us well enough
he like any other CEO will be judged on his appointment of managers
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Purslow is a proper CEO type a bit slippery and can talk for an hour without really saying anything
but i don't mind him he seems professional and after that fat chap (forgot his name) who looked as dodgy as hell i think he represents us well enough
he like any other CEO will be judged on his appointment of managers
No idea why people think a CEO has to be slippery, how many have you met?
I agree Purslow comes a across as a bit “corporate” but by no means typical.
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Agree with all of that. The way modern football is run offers too many hidey holes at clubs for those responsible for catastrophically stupid decisions to avoid the consequences of their incompetence. The not me Guv culture.
I’d have thought football management is the least likely place for stupid decisions to go unpunished, whether that’s the head coach or the CEO.
Perhaps you’d care to substantiate your argument?
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So Purslow, what's the plan? You told us it wouldn't be like this but it has been a big pile of shit from day one.
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I'm sick to the back teeth of Villa being shit. Since Ron Saunders left, I can honestly say that only Graham Taylor, Big Ron, Brian Little and MON have, for me, been favourable appointments, perhaps a little bit of John Gregory. The last 10 years, bar the 10 game streak and the play off final have been terrible. We have the owners, we seem to have the CEO, so for fuck sake, sort it out.
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This guy should be fired now ahead of other imminent changes.
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I think he’ll be lucky to hang onto his position after this shit show of a season but we just don’t know how he’s improved other aspects of the club apart from the Football side. Admittedly the football side will have been nothing less than a disaster if we go down and he may pay the price.
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I think he’ll be lucky to hang onto his position after this shit show of a season but we just don’t know how he’s improved other aspects of the club apart from the Football side. Admittedly the football side will have been nothing less than a disaster if we go down and he may pay the price.
Who out of the 3 will survive if any ?
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I think he’ll be lucky to hang onto his position after this shit show of a season but we just don’t know how he’s improved other aspects of the club apart from the Football side. Admittedly the football side will have been nothing less than a disaster if we go down and he may pay the price.
Who out of the 3 will survive if any ?
Purslow will stay. Smith may stay. Suso will be gone.
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I’ve changed my mind on Purslow, he needs to be gone. I get the distinct impression he thinks he knows a lot more about the football Side of things than he actually does, the new Tom Fox. Catastrophic decisions from the moment we were promoted has led to this point, possible relegation.
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Him, Pitarch and Smith have all got to go.
Relegation equals failure and they have all failed.
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I’ve changed my mind on Purslow, he needs to be gone. I get the distinct impression he thinks he knows a lot more about the football Side of things than he actually does, the new Tom Fox. Catastrophic decisions from the moment we were promoted has led to this point, possible relegation.
I remember the interview with him and DS after the play off final and he kept interrupting DS. Seemed v full of himself. The CEO should do his job not be the star of the show. I bet he isn’t so keen to be interviewed now
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I’ve changed my mind on Purslow, he needs to be gone. I get the distinct impression he thinks he knows a lot more about the football Side of things than he actually does, the new Tom Fox. Catastrophic decisions from the moment we were promoted has led to this point, possible relegation.
I remember the interview with him and DS after the play off final and he kept interrupting DS. Seemed v full of himself. The CEO should do his job not be the star of the show. I bet he isn’t so keen to be interviewed now
Doubt he’d take his mask off.....
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Purslow. The man who promised we’d sign players with the right character.
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He can go. The whole lot need to go. Shambles.
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I’ve changed my mind on Purslow, he needs to be gone. I get the distinct impression he thinks he knows a lot more about the football Side of things than he actually does, the new Tom Fox. Catastrophic decisions from the moment we were promoted has led to this point, possible relegation.
I remember the interview with him and DS after the play off final and he kept interrupting DS. Seemed v full of himself. The CEO should do his job not be the star of the show. I bet he isn’t so keen to be interviewed now
Doubt he’d take his mask off.....
Dick Turpin also wore a mask.
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This all comes back on Purslow. He was strutting around like a peacock last May, doing pressers to talk about this new coming of Aston Villa. Turns out he’s just as shit as most of the other clowns we’ve had running the club in recent years. A charlatan.
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He's absolutely fucking useless. A cringeworthy charlatan who loves the sound of his own voice but who has presided over an absolute shambles.
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He reminded me of a younger Ellis full of bollocks.
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Purslow is only here to build up his pension and he is succeeding at that. A total has been washed out couldn’t careless talk for England twat.
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Slimy, oleaginous toad. A disaster, this season couldn't have gone any worse.
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Anyone watched Sunderland Till I Die on Netflix? He reminds me of their former executive director Charlie Methven - A complete cnut of a chancer. Worryingly, I can see us going the same way if we're not careful.
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All CP needs now are a pair of bright red chinos and he’s won a full house in wanker bingo.
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All CP needs now are a pair of bright red chinos and he’s won a full house in wanker bingo.
Ha! Thanks Des - That brought a little smirk to my face ;)
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Let’s hope that the owners are planning for next season as I would not trust the triumvirate of incompetence to be left to their own devices again.
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Anyone watched Sunderland Till I Die on Netflix? He reminds me of their former executive director Charlie Methven - A complete cnut of a chancer. Worryingly, I can see us going the same way if we're not careful.
That’s the worry. We’ve got the losing mentality firmly back in the club now. We found out last time, it doesn’t just change into wins because we drop a division.
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Absolutely CT. When the trap door opens you can keep falling. We have done it before. We have form. It is not rocket science. SGT summed it up perfectly. If you want to forwards, first you have to stop going backwards.
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The £200 million abyss is staring us in the face - if we get relegated, the only people to suffer will be the staff at Villa Park, the players will all be off (the ones that we can sell) the rest will be staying and seeing out their contracts - as no one will want them!
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There is is a total over reaction here.
Since Eden’s Sawiris and Purslow arrived we have stopped going backwards.
Ok we might get relegated but we’re aren’t staring into an abyss. We go down with a much better squad than we’ve had for years with saleable assets and a core which could easily get us repromoted with a few judicious signings.
It’s not ideal model but look where the last yo-yo (Burnley) club is right now, who we could better than given our additional resources.
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I think the reaction of just about everybody on here has been justified. A weak team going through the motion and picking up their huge pay packets may seem small potatoes to those who watch Sky footy. For those of us who do the real pain of a lifetime of the travelling and the expense of being a Villa fan, we ha e every right to be bloody angry about games like that last night.
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There is is a total over reaction here.
Since Eden’s Sawiris and Purslow arrived we have stopped going backwards.
Ok we might get relegated but we’re aren’t starting into an abyss. We go down with a much better squad than we’ve had for years with scalable assets and a core which could easily get us repromoted with a few judicious signings.
It’s not ideal model but loom here the last yo-yo (Burnley) club is right now and We could better given our additional resources.
We are Financially better placed but that’s about it, the squad will lose its best players and be left with the rubbish. We have no idea if the owners will reinvest.
We had this same rubbish last time and it took 3 years to get out of.
We are just as likely to be the next Sunderland. Relegation provides no grounds for optimism. I thought we might have learnt that by now.
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I agree we are not staring into a financial abyss. As long as the owners remain committed we are ok.
I do not agree that we have a better squad.
Take out the Crown Jewels (when I say that I mean players who will attract decent money despite their recent performances) and we are left with a very mediocre bunch.
I watched Leeds tear Stoke apart yesterday, a championship team who a million miles away from how we play.
The club has to bold and brave and bring in a management team who are forward thinking, and have players who are able to play at a much higher pace for much longer.
We have to get away from bland, safe and nice.
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Where are the owners? Where is Purslow? Where’s the leadership at a time like this?
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There is is a total over reaction here.
Since Eden’s Sawiris and Purslow arrived we have stopped going backwards.
Ok we might get relegated but we’re aren’t starting into an abyss. We go down with a much better squad than we’ve had for years with scalable assets and a core which could easily get us repromoted with a few judicious signings.
It’s not ideal model but loom here the last yo-yo (Burnley) club is right now and We could better given our additional resources.
Perhaps I am old fashioned but Aston Villa being relegated from the top flight is an absolutely unacceptable catastrophe, whatever shape we go down in.
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Where are the owners? Where is Purslow? Where’s the leadership at a time like this?
I would imagine they are giving thanks to god that they don’t have to face a hostile Villa Park any time soon.
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Yes you’re probably right.
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There is is a total over reaction here.
Since Eden’s Sawiris and Purslow arrived we have stopped going backwards.
Ok we might get relegated but we’re aren’t starting into an abyss. We go down with a much better squad than we’ve had for years with scalable assets and a core which could easily get us repromoted with a few judicious signings.
It’s not ideal model but loom here the last yo-yo (Burnley) club is right now and We could better given our additional resources.
I'm just not sure I agree with this. Once you take out Jack, McGinn, Mings and probably Luiz, to me we have a paper thin squad full of very average players - certainly not better than squads we've had for the last few years. Essentially you're relying on the recruitment team (whoever that may be) to find all the creative, goal scoring and leadership players we need in one window at a reasonable price. Maybe they'll manage that but I won't be holding my breath.
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... I watched Leeds tear Stoke apart yesterday, a championship team who a million miles away from how we play...
Dirty Leeds have done what SHeffU did: stuck with a manager and his quirky ways; professional / nasty managers who have drilled their squads into almost-total destruction, to get fitness and discipline. They embraced the dogfight that the 2nd tier is.
Leeds have benefitted from the break; normally, their squad would fade away but they got the time-out and have regrouped.
They'll do well next season, assuming they bring in a few recruits.
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There is is a total over reaction here.
Since Eden’s Sawiris and Purslow arrived we have stopped going backwards.
Ok we might get relegated but we’re aren’t starting into an abyss. We go down with a much better squad than we’ve had for years with scalable assets and a core which could easily get us repromoted with a few judicious signings.
It’s not ideal model but loom here the last yo-yo (Burnley) club is right now and We could better given our additional resources.
I think team we had at the end of last season would demolish what we have now.
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Absolutely no doubt about that at all.
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The 'abyss' we are looking into is not the Championship or even the First Division. It is the acceptance by the fans and those that run the club that we are inferior. Anything other than ding dongs with Small Heath or Smethwick is the stuff of dreams. Defeatism hiding behind flags with lions on them.
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So other than,The reactions are pretty understandable, we are going backwards, we will go down with a worse squad than we came up with and have no idea what the financial backing will be.
It’s a pretty accurate analysis.
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The 'abyss' we are looking into is not the Championship or even the First Division. It is the acceptance by the fans and those that run the club that we are inferior. Anything other than ding dongs with Small Heath or Smethwick is the stuff of dreams. Defeatism hiding behind flags with lions on them.
You do write some bollocks Brian.
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The 'abyss' we are looking into is not the Championship or even the First Division. It is the acceptance by the fans and those that run the club that we are inferior. Anything other than ding dongs with Small Heath or Smethwick is the stuff of dreams. Defeatism hiding behind flags with lions on them.
You do write some bollocks Brian.
Really ? Have a good look around if you want to see some bollocks.
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The 'abyss' we are looking into is not the Championship or even the First Division. It is the acceptance by the fans and those that run the club that we are inferior. Anything other than ding dongs with Small Heath or Smethwick is the stuff of dreams. Defeatism hiding behind flags with lions on them.
You do write some bollocks Brian.
Really ? Have a good look around if you want to see some bollocks.
I can see how shit we are, but that is just meaningless hyperbolic nonsence. This isn't about defeatism of fans or the board, it's about having a squad that simply isn't good enough to compete in this league, whoeversw fault that may be.
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I don't think we are staring into any kind of abyss. It will be a massive disappointment if we go down but it won't be a disaster. Possibly losing the likes of Grealish and McGinn will be the main blow but if it comes to it, we'll be back. That's not defeatism, that's taking it on the chin that we've not been good enough.
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I wouldn't be getting rid of Purslow. His chicanery with the finances is partly why we're in the league.
He trusted a recruitment manager and that failed, which has impacted his manager who has been a success and now struggled as a consequence of that recruitment failure.
Should he have sacked him in December. There's arguments of course, but if we imagine he had, then anybody new would have had a similar problem to Smith; lack of quality. Of course they might have got something more out of it, they might not, we will never know.
I expect Suso will be gone, but that anything good of his network can be maintained. I expect if we're relegated Smith will go.
Purslow I would keep.
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The 'abyss' we are looking into is not the Championship or even the First Division. It is the acceptance by the fans and those that run the club that we are inferior. Anything other than ding dongs with Small Heath or Smethwick is the stuff of dreams. Defeatism hiding behind flags with lions on them.
You do write some bollocks Brian.
Really ? Have a good look around if you want to see some bollocks.
I can see how shit we are, but that is just meaningless hyperbolic nonsence. This isn't about defeatism of fans or the board, it's about having a squad that simply isn't good enough to compete in this league, whoeversw fault that may be.
There are other reasons why we have failed and I think that Brian is describing the mental state and lack of courage and leadership that had bought us to this perilous state, I can’t see why that is described as bollocks, in fact it’s quite refreshing to read some well penned narrative.
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The 'abyss' we are looking into is not the Championship or even the First Division. It is the acceptance by the fans and those that run the club that we are inferior. Anything other than ding dongs with Small Heath or Smethwick is the stuff of dreams. Defeatism hiding behind flags with lions on them.
You do write some bollocks Brian.
Really ? Have a good look around if you want to see some bollocks.
I can see how shit we are, but that is just meaningless hyperbolic nonsence. This isn't about defeatism of fans or the board, it's about having a squad that simply isn't good enough to compete in this league, whoeversw fault that may be.
In the 90s top half finishes were the minimum requirement pretty much. In the 00s we were disappointed, after four top six finishes, to not make the Champion's League. In the early 2010s premier league survival became the name of the game. Now we are looking at being a yo-yo club.
Brian green is correct in what he has posted.
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I don't think we are staring into any kind of abyss. It will be a massive disappointment if we go down but it won't be a total disaster. Possibly losing the likes of Grealish and McGinn will be the main blow but if it comes to it, we'll be back. That's not defeatism, that's taking it on the chin that we've not been good enough.
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The only clubs that are looking to become yo-yos are those down that want to come straight back up. Its self evidently not the aim of the club to actually desire to bob around.
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The only clubs that are looking to become yo-yos are those down that want to come straight back up. Its self evidently not the aim of the club.
It took us three years to get up last time. I am not one bit confident we will come straight back up. We saw last time what a tough and unforgiving league it is. You need over 20 wins jst to make the play-offs, 26/27 wins to have a shot at automatic.
One bad week and you could be 9 points off where you need to be.
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I don't think we are staring into any kind of abyss. It will be a massive disappointment if we go down but it won't be a total disaster. Possibly losing the likes of Grealish and McGinn will be the main blow but if it comes to it, we'll be back. That's not defeatism, that's taking it on the chin that we've not been good enough.
We were promoted inside 3 years with the biggest off field chaos and lunacy since the 1960s. If we go down, we have the benefit of Parachute payments, £80m from Grealish and other sales, the biggest draw in the league for players and potentially a relaxed FFP environment.
We will be the best equipped financially to come back up to spend and attract the best. Of course we can cock it up, but if you think that then you're accepting lions on flags and local derby's as the best you can do- apparently.
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Agree with Ads. We probably weren't ruthless enough to sack Dean and I can see why he survived through a fair amount of credit in the bank (promotion, competitive and scoring plenty of goals in the first half of the season, the run to Wembley this season). The Watford game away was woeful and the first real itchy trigger finger moment. But we followed it up with a fine win at Burnley. Purslow was on the pitch immediately after the game, delighted for Dean.
As SoccerHQ has said, the second chance was after the Leicester result and before the Lockdown. I guess everything was up in the air at that point and we didn't know when football would resume plus there were still 10 games to go and we had our future in our own hands.
Purslow has a stake in the club, he's vastly experienced in football so I don't get this "he's a slimy, useless cnut" talk. The Suso-Smith-Terry-O'Kelly axis has been found wanting a bit at this level and there have been too many underwhelming signings. I think its within those four positions that changes are required.
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The 'abyss' we are looking into is not the Championship or even the First Division. It is the acceptance by the fans and those that run the club that we are inferior. Anything other than ding dongs with Small Heath or Smethwick is the stuff of dreams. Defeatism hiding behind flags with lions on them.
You do write some bollocks Brian.
Really ? Have a good look around if you want to see some bollocks.
I can see how shit we are, but that is just meaningless hyperbolic nonsence. This isn't about defeatism of fans or the board, it's about having a squad that simply isn't good enough to compete in this league, whoeversw fault that may be.
In the 90s top half finishes were the minimum requirement pretty much. In the 00s we were disappointed, after four top six finishes, to not make the Champion's League. In the early 2010s premier league survival became the name of the game. Now we are looking at being a yo-yo club.
Brian green is correct in what he has posted.
It's not defeatism is't just not being good enough. The Board not sacking Smith isn't defeatism, it was a judgment call that he was best placed to get us out the mess given the alternatives available (and possibly the FFP tightrope we were walking). The fans weren't defeatest, the Holt end was roaring right up to lock down.
Why does just not being good enough have to be defeatism? Like I said, what Brian wrote was just meaningless hyperbolic nonsence.
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I have been down to Divizion 3 with them chrisw1. When you have done that you can say I post bollocks. Otherwise show a bit of respect. Not for me I have been called a ****** by better men than you. For the Forum.
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The worry is the future intent of the owners, they will be i a position to offset the investment with incoming transfer revenues.
So any talk of being well placed next season is meaningless until we know where the owners are at.
It’s Just like the talk of easier fixtures and winnable games.
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I have been down to Divizion 3 with them chrisw1. When you have done that you can say I post bollocks. Otherwise show a bit of respect. Not for me I have been called a c*** by better men than you. For the Forum.
I know you've been a fan for a long time Brian, but if you post on a forum them people react to the words you write not the years under your belt. You may be a better fan than me but I know nonsence when I see it.
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The worry is the future intent of the owners, they will be i a position to offset the investment with incoming transfer revenues.
So any talk of being well placed next season is meaningless until we know where the owners are at.
It’s Just like the talk of easier fixtures and winnable games.
They could well decide they've had enough. No indication of that though.
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The worry is the future intent of the owners, they will be i a position to offset the investment with incoming transfer revenues.
So any talk of being well placed next season is meaningless until we know where the owners are at.
It’s Just like the talk of easier fixtures and winnable games.
They could well decide they've had enough. No indication of that though.
No indication of anything.
I am just pointing out that the assumption that we are going to be in Div 2 wedged up is somewhat premature.
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I don't think we are staring into any kind of abyss. It will be a massive disappointment if we go down but it won't be a total disaster. Possibly losing the likes of Grealish and McGinn will be the main blow but if it comes to it, we'll be back. That's not defeatism, that's taking it on the chin that we've not been good enough.
There's an echo in here ... :-)
And, I agree with your comment!
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The worry is the future intent of the owners, they will be i a position to offset the investment with incoming transfer revenues.
So any talk of being well placed next season is meaningless until we know where the owners are at.
It’s Just like the talk of easier fixtures and winnable games.
They could well decide they've had enough. No indication of that though.
It is a slight worry though. Businesses all over the world are having to reassess their positions. As you say no indication so far but similarly no reason to assume that they are immune (no pun intended).
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I have a gut feeling, nothing more, that NSWE will be looking to sell a stake in in the club at some point. I can't see them looking to bail out in the short term as nothing in their track record as investors (as far as I can see) suggests Sawiris or Edens are the type to panic. As long as they stick to the overall plan of the rebuild, we can still come out of all of this a much stronger club in the medium to long term.
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The worry is the future intent of the owners, they will be i a position to offset the investment with incoming transfer revenues.
So any talk of being well placed next season is meaningless until we know where the owners are at.
It’s Just like the talk of easier fixtures and winnable games.
They could well decide they've had enough. No indication of that though.
It is a slight worry though. Businesses all over the world are having to reassess their positions. As you say no indication so far but similarly no reason to assume that they are immune (no pun intended).
Fair enough. Everything is temporary, so there is always a residual risk. Its not something high on my list of concerns though.
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I have zero worries about the owners pulling out/selling up/losing interest/going bust
they bought us when we were a Championship club they are not the cut and run types imo
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The worry is the future intent of the owners, they will be i a position to offset the investment with incoming transfer revenues.
So any talk of being well placed next season is meaningless until we know where the owners are at.
It’s Just like the talk of easier fixtures and winnable games.
Indeed.
When they took over, they spoke about wanting the club to be self sustaining. Rather than shoot for the moon/ do what it takes to get back to European football.
Which was welcome, to an extent. After the lunatic before.
But if it's starting to look like a financial black hole they might reassess. Events on and off the pitch this year won't have helped that.
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Talks a good game , and behind the scenes things might be improving in terms of youth development etc but what happens on the pitch dictates the direction of the club and on the pitch we have failed so far.
The concerning thing based on his comments in summer is he was totally wrong about how well we would do , and bigged up the purchasing.He then sat and gave Smith more time when it wasn't working.Liverpool fans dislike him ( some of it based purely on him being responsible for Rafa leaving ) but I really do have my doubts on him.
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The worry is the future intent of the owners, they will be i a position to offset the investment with incoming transfer revenues.
So any talk of being well placed next season is meaningless until we know where the owners are at.
It’s Just like the talk of easier fixtures and winnable games.
Indeed.
When they took over, they spoke about wanting the club to be self sustaining. Rather than shoot for the moon/ do what it takes to get back to European football.
Which was welcome, to an extent. After the lunatic before.
But if it's starting to look like a financial black hole they might reassess. Events on and off the pitch this year won't have helped that.
There arre very few people who are not considering their investment strategy, football may look even higher risk since the Pandemic. There is this perception that life is somehow going to return to normal. Its not.
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I'm struggling to think of a CEO in any industry that has got so much wrong and survived. I very much doubt Purslow will be the first.
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I'm struggling to think of a CEO in any industry that has got so much wrong and survived. I very much doubt Purslow will be the first.
Surely, there has to be a plan in place. The silence is deafening at the moment.
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I'm struggling to think of a CEO in any industry that has got so much wrong and survived. I very much doubt Purslow will be the first.
Eden’s is very much an American business man, that means Fail, and someone pays.
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I'm struggling to think of a CEO in any industry that has got so much wrong and survived. I very much doubt Purslow will be the first.
Eden’s is very much an American business man, that means Fail, and someone pays.
https://eu.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2018/01/22/report-bucks-fire-jason-kidd-coach/1055454001/
"At the end, this is a performance-based thing," Horst said. "We believe in this team, we believe in our players and in the talents that they have. We're looking forward at making playoff appearances in consecutive years for the first time in over a decade and hopefully winning a first-round series for the first time in over a decade."
Edens added: "We like our team a lot and sometimes you have to change if you’re going to give yourself the best chance. Unfortunately change really can only happen at the top if it’s going to be meaningful.
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There is is a total over reaction here.
Since Eden’s Sawiris and Purslow arrived we have stopped going backwards.
Ok we might get relegated but we’re aren’t starting into an abyss. We go down with a much better squad than we’ve had for years with scalable assets and a core which could easily get us repromoted with a few judicious signings.
It’s not ideal model but loom here the last yo-yo (Burnley) club is right now and We could better given our additional resources.
I think team we had at the end of last season would demolish what we have now.
Why?
There’s only Tammy from last year who we’d want now.
The likes of Whelan, Jedinak, Chester and Adomah, as much as they We’re likeable players, would not be fit for purpose now.
The defence and midfield are much better now if all fit.
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I don’t think there is a winning mentality, either from the players or coaching staff. Other than for 10 games at the end of last season, which increasingly looks like a wild anomaly, at no point over the last two seasons have we been able to grind out results. I don’t think it’s a formality that we will hit the ground running in the Championship, and put the division to the sword. I think we’ll have a lot of players who think they should be somewhere else, and I don’t see a steely desire to win from anyone frankly.
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I'm struggling to think of a CEO in any industry that has got so much wrong and survived. I very much doubt Purslow will be the first.
Eden’s is very much an American business man, that means Fail, and someone pays.
https://eu.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2018/01/22/report-bucks-fire-jason-kidd-coach/1055454001/
"At the end, this is a performance-based thing," Horst said. "We believe in this team, we believe in our players and in the talents that they have. We're looking forward at making playoff appearances in consecutive years for the first time in over a decade and hopefully winning a first-round series for the first time in over a decade."
Edens added: "We like our team a lot and sometimes you have to change if you’re going to give yourself the best chance. Unfortunately change really can only happen at the top if it’s going to be meaningful.
Thanks - exactly.
The question is, who gets the bullet Purslow May get away with it by throwing Smith under the bus, but they both won’t survive.
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I don’t think there is a winning mentality, either from the players or coaching staff. Other than for 10 games at the end of last season, which increasingly looks like a wild anomaly, at no point over the last two seasons have we been able to grind out results. I don’t think it’s a formality that we will hit the ground running in the Championship, and put the division to the sword. I think we’ll have a lot of players who think they should be somewhere else, and I don’t see a steely desire to win from anyone frankly.
Great post. I think we’ve got a lot of players who will be shocked at the lack of interest from other clubs, Mings and McGinn included
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There is is a total over reaction here.
Since Eden’s Sawiris and Purslow arrived we have stopped going backwards.
Ok we might get relegated but we’re aren’t starting into an abyss. We go down with a much better squad than we’ve had for years with scalable assets and a core which could easily get us repromoted with a few judicious signings.
It’s not ideal model but loom here the last yo-yo (Burnley) club is right now and We could better given our additional resources.
I think team we had at the end of last season would demolish what we have now.
Why?
There’s only Tammy from last year who we’d want now.
The likes of Whelan, Jedinak, Chester and Adomah, as much as they We’re likeable players, would not be fit for purpose now.
The defence and midfield are much better now if all fit.
Tammy.... AND Axel. Personally, I think he's been a big miss - Mings is half the player without him by his side. More balanced too - A left footer on the left of defence, right footer on the right.
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I wanted Axel back as well but he does seem to pick up his fair share of injuries which is a shame.
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Thinking this morning that he's been a bit on the quiet side since survival, he was somewhat verbose after the play-off final. Thoughts anyone?
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We've been quite busy behind the scenes with the backroom I suppose.
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Thinking this morning that he's been a bit on the quiet side since survival, he was somewhat verbose after the play-off final. Thoughts anyone?
He has had his wings clipped
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Concentrating on the four or five players we need to get in.
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On holiday in Gibraltar, hanging out with the monkeys.
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Purslow has just been on sky news talking very sensibly about how to get fans back into stadiums and it should not be put on hold. The plans to test supporters etc seems very logical. Reckons the 20 PL clubs are losing £20m combined per month. Far worse in the EFL.
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The clubs have always cared about the fans, not so sure the Premier League have given many fucks about the match going fan over recent years
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I volunteer to be a guinea pig.
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Purslow has just been on sky news talking very sensibly about how to get fans back into stadiums and it should not be put on hold. The plans to test supporters etc seems very logical. Reckons the 20 PL clubs are losing £20m combined per month. Far worse in the EFL.
It was an interesting interview in terms of what the testing plans were. It was £100 mil combined per month that was stated by the way, not that it really matters. What sort of figures does a month at villa park bring in on average?
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Even the EPL can't take another half or full season behind closed doors. in truth, nobody could have foreseen the impact that this pandemic has had but unless we find a way of accommodating it very quickly most clubs will simply go to the wall, just like businesses in other entertainment sectors. Of course, there are much wider cultural and social implications for living in a world without spectator sport and if only some sanity had prevailed in the immediate past on player salaries and agent fees some of the pain would undoubtedly have been avoided. but it is what it is, and unless crowds are allowed back into stadiums safely with in the next month or so, it's game over.
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I volunteer to be a guinea pig.
Yep, me too.
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Purslow has just been on sky news talking very sensibly about how to get fans back into stadiums and it should not be put on hold. The plans to test supporters etc seems very logical. Reckons the 20 PL clubs are losing £20m combined per month. Far worse in the EFL.
It was an interesting interview in terms of what the testing plans were. It was £100 mil combined per month that was stated by the way, not that it really matters. What sort of figures does a month at villa park bring in on average?
Sorry yes I was confusing it with the 20 clubs. Yes £100m.
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I recently watched the The 30 Year Wait - Liverpool BBC documentary. I thought it was going to focus more on this last season than it did but it was a pretty long drawn out affair about their history with Purslow popping up in the acrimonious FSG court/take over from Hicks and Gillet. I didn't realise he was so involved with them at that turbulent period (they owed the bank I think it was something like £200 million) pretty full on stuff by all accounts. I'm not sure if that makes me more suspicious of him or actually gives me more confidence in him?
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From memory didn’t he manage the exit of Gillette and Hicks but got a guilt by association status. Though he did hire Hodgson that obviously went down well with the fans.
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From memory didn’t he manage the exit of Gillette and Hicks but got a guilt by association status. Though he did hire Hodgson that obviously went down well with the fans.
Just having a quick look to get some more background of that time and came across this extremely critical/concerning article in the Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/aston-villa-vs-liverpool-why-christian-purslow-paul-tyrrell-villains-anfield-a9180396.html
Not wanting to cause alarm and apologies if this has already been raised/covered in this thread but I'd say it's probably worth a read and something to bear in mind.
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Well...we all , er, make mistakes...I'm sure he's learnt from them...
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Re his beeline for star players. He seems to have a semi every time he sees Tyrone. There was a weird moment at the Play off Final presentation when he almost fell over the presentation area beckoning Tyrone to come over for a hug.
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Who was it that gave Kalinic a 5 year contract?
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Re his beeline for star players. He seems to have a semi every time he sees Tyrone. There was a weird moment at the Play off Final presentation when he almost fell over the presentation area beckoning Tyrone to come over for a hug.
well we have all felt that :)
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(https://media1.tenor.com/images/126714d164747fb9b0b8cfb852864267/tenor.gif?itemid=3824119)
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From memory didn’t he manage the exit of Gillette and Hicks but got a guilt by association status. Though he did hire Hodgson that obviously went down well with the fans.
Just having a quick look to get some more background of that time and came across this extremely critical/concerning article in the Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/aston-villa-vs-liverpool-why-christian-purslow-paul-tyrrell-villains-anfield-a9180396.html
Not wanting to cause alarm and apologies if this has already been raised/covered in this thread but I'd say it's probably worth a read and something to bear in mind.
I’ve read a couple of things suggesting he got a bad rap from the Liverpool fans over that business.
I guess they know a thing or two about bad raps at Anfield.
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Well...we all , er, make mistakes...I'm sure he's learnt from them...
Purslow or Diablo?
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Alright Aldo
Sound as a pound
I'm cushty la but there's nothing down
The rest of the lads ain't got it sussed
We'll have to learn 'em to talk like us
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Who was it that gave Kalinic a 5 year contract?
Smith's first signing.
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Who was it that gave Kalinic a 5 year contract?
Smith's first signing.
I thought it was a Bruce agreed deal just before he got the bullet and we were comitted to take him
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Who was it that gave Kalinic a 5 year contract?
Smith's first signing.
I thought it was a Bruce agreed deal just before he got the bullet and we were comitted to take him
You mean agreed deal so it still went through?
Could have been.
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Kalinic was going to be signed by Remi Garde but we couldn't get a work permit sorted. Based on his performances for us you can see why.
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Who was it that gave Kalinic a 5 year contract?
Smith's first signing.
I thought it was a Bruce agreed deal just before he got the bullet and we were comitted to take him
You mean agreed deal so it still went through?
Could have been.
Point being, it was on Purslow's watch.
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We had signed Croatia's No 1 international keeper. It was just a signing that didn't come off, it happens.
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We had signed Croatia's No 1 international keeper. It was just a signing that didn't come off, it happens.
Yeah, to be fair I think for a player who we'd fancied for a while, Croatia's No 1, when we were playing in the Championship and probably expecting another season there ... I think it's just one that hasn't worked out either for us or him. He's not hit the ground running, and we've progressed faster than expected so it's a difficult time for him playing catchup.
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We had signed Croatia's No 1 international keeper. It was just a signing that didn't come off, it happens.
Yeah, to be fair I think for a player who we'd fancied for a while, Croatia's No 1, when we were playing in the Championship and probably expecting another season there ... I think it's just one that hasn't worked out either for us or him. He's not hit the ground running, and we've progressed faster than expected so it's a difficult time for him playing catchup.
He was shocking. I remember coming away from the game at Wigan thinking that was the worst debut I'd seen since Ugo's absolute very firstest debut game in the world ever.
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Was Ugo's worse than Woodgate's for Real Madrid?
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On Talksport soon after 12 noon news.
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So what did he have to say?
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The silence is deafening. Nature/Talksport abhors a vacuum/There's no air like dead air etc. We demand to be told !(unless it's Tom Fox and his fake news progenitor, the false narrative).
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All I've seen is that he confirmed we're losing about £1m for every home game without fans.
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So what did he have to say?
Running a football club Hookey, is very much like making love to a beautiful woman.
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Whilst I think he has been excellent since he has been here, when he was appointed there were a few Liverpool fans saying to be warned.
I hope this, from todays Popbitch, has nothing to do with him. There were rumours Southampton only wanted £15m for Ings.
With all the drama of transfer day, it can be hard to keep track of all the latest figures and deals flying around. One particular exec at a big club was clearly hoping to use this commotion to their advantage, but people have started to notice a curious eight-figure discrepancy bubbling up on the books.
At least three unlikely summer transfers are now under the microscope, including one in which the club ended up paying £20m more for a player than the selling club asked for – and it's not immediately clear where the remaining balance might have ended up.
As there doesn't seem to be a satisfactory answer forthcoming, we're told we can expect a big resignation (or "mutually agreed departure") to take place before too long.
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Sounds like absolute nonsense. As if it would be hard to trace a payment of that size.
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There is not one shred of evidence presented for that allegation
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I'm sure purslow has enough salary to not have to put his hand in the till
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Nonsense rumours with zero evidence
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I'm sure purslow has enough salary to not have to put his hand in the till
He also ha a percentage share in the ownership of the club.
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I wouldn't be so sure to dismiss this guys, it's in PopBitch after all...
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Whilst I think he has been excellent since he has been here, when he was appointed there were a few Liverpool fans saying to be warned.
I hope this, from todays Popbitch, has nothing to do with him. There were rumours Southampton only wanted £15m for Ings.
With all the drama of transfer day, it can be hard to keep track of all the latest figures and deals flying around. One particular exec at a big club was clearly hoping to use this commotion to their advantage, but people have started to notice a curious eight-figure discrepancy bubbling up on the books.
At least three unlikely summer transfers are now under the microscope, including one in which the club ended up paying £20m more for a player than the selling club asked for – and it's not immediately clear where the remaining balance might have ended up.
As there doesn't seem to be a satisfactory answer forthcoming, we're told we can expect a big resignation (or "mutually agreed departure") to take place before too long.
You need to be very, very careful posting hypotheses like that.
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Whilst I think he has been excellent since he has been here, when he was appointed there were a few Liverpool fans saying to be warned.
I hope this, from todays Popbitch, has nothing to do with him. There were rumours Southampton only wanted £15m for Ings.
With all the drama of transfer day, it can be hard to keep track of all the latest figures and deals flying around. One particular exec at a big club was clearly hoping to use this commotion to their advantage, but people have started to notice a curious eight-figure discrepancy bubbling up on the books.
At least three unlikely summer transfers are now under the microscope, including one in which the club ended up paying £20m more for a player than the selling club asked for – and it's not immediately clear where the remaining balance might have ended up.
As there doesn't seem to be a satisfactory answer forthcoming, we're told we can expect a big resignation (or "mutually agreed departure") to take place before too long.
I dont think this is likely full stop - certainly not with any properly ran business type club. If its been spotted in 2 days of the deadline - they have clearly done a really bad job of it.
These are businesses, and not saying this stuff doesnt happen, but most of the big clubs will have a set up that means this couldnt happen. There is normally a divide between owners / shareholders and the management.
I run a tiny business - and maybe some of the staff could nick the pens - but even we have things in place to prevent this
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Do you run a tiny bank?
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Do you run a tiny bank?
I wish!! One letter out
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I don’t believe it for a moment, he’s the best CEO we’ve had for years.
I hope we keep him for a long time.
Beard82...tank?
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I don’t believe it for a moment, he’s the best CEO we’ve had for years.
I hope we keep him for a long time.
Beard82...tank?
Wow - a tank would be even better than a bank, but again sadly not
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Do you run a tiny bank?
I wish!! One letter out
A tiny [taxi] rank?
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He has had a pretty easy ride of things. Even the Grealish episode he was given carte blanch to come out with some very orchestrated statement which washed with a lot of supporters. Clearly though a very polished professional in his field.
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He has had a pretty easy ride of things. Even the Grealish episode he was given carte blanch to come out with some very orchestrated statement which washed with a lot of supporters. Clearly though a very polished professional in his field.
Which bits didn’t you believe?
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First thing I thought about reading that was Arsenal signing Ben White for 50m.....
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He has had a pretty easy ride of things. Even the Grealish episode he was given carte blanch to come out with some very orchestrated statement which washed with a lot of supporters. Clearly though a very polished professional in his field.
What’s the issue with the Grealish thing? He explained a release was there and what we’d done to address his loss.
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He has had a pretty easy ride of things. Even the Grealish episode he was given carte blanch to come out with some very orchestrated statement which washed with a lot of supporters. Clearly though a very polished professional in his field.
What didn’t you like about the statement, I thought it was very clear and concise
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When all said and done with 4 defeats in a row and conceding 3+ goals 3 games in a row the fact remains that Grealish was pulled out from Deans system with out much clear planning
That has been an almighty blow
Yet Purslow spins the ambition line and a yarn. The buy out clauses never did Smith any favours and he's the one having to suffer
Purslow planning has to take some responsibility for this
Its not fair for Dean to solely be accountable. Yet he will the one ultimately suffer
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Purslow and Dean are not the 'closest' as was.
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He has had a pretty easy ride of things. Even the Grealish episode he was given carte blanch to come out with some very orchestrated statement which washed with a lot of supporters. Clearly though a very polished professional in his field.
What’s the issue with the Grealish thing? He explained a release was there and what we’d done to address his loss.
Yep and Dean Smith said we are stronger this season.
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Well that 'extremely precise’ summer plan for Aston Villa I think is a load of nonsense
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Time to release another update Mr Purslow. All gone very quiet lately
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Time to release another update Mr Purslow. All gone very quiet lately
I don't think our CEO needs to put out press releases every time we have a difficult spell. Even Daniel "It's All About Me" Levy doesn't do that!
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Time to release another update Mr Purslow. All gone very quiet lately
What on earth do you want him to say? Until they've made a decision on Smith there's nothing they can say really.
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When all said and done with 4 defeats in a row and conceding 3+ goals 3 games in a row the fact remains that Grealish was pulled out from Deans system with out much clear planning
That has been an almighty blow
Yet Purslow spins the ambition line and a yarn. The buy out clauses never did Smith any favours and he's the one having to suffer
Purslow planning has to take some responsibility for this
Its not fair for Dean to solely be accountable. Yet he will the one ultimately suffer
Purslow doesnt play ashley young in central midfield or 5 at the back continuously even though its been a epic failure.
So it does fall on smith
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Time to release another update Mr Purslow. All gone very quiet lately
What on earth do you want him to say? Until they've made a decision on Smith there's nothing they can say really.
He could just give us a general update. What's be been up to, is he going anywhere nice for his holidays, opinions on the recent insurgency in Sudan, that kind of thing.
Sick of him keeping us in the dark. It's a DISGRACE.
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There are 19 teams out of 20 that don’t have Grealish in them. We need to stop using it as an excuse. We’re currently 15th out of those 20 teams, have shipped 7 goals in 2 games and lost our last four.
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The excuses are silly. Gregory had to find a way without Yorke, MON had to find a way without Barry, all managers have to deal with injuries and players sales. I do feel Dean has been unlucky this year but I feel he has been lucky in the past- having Grealish in the first place, the timing of Covid, Watkins getting through last season with no injuries. It evens itself out and I just think there are big question marks right now.
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Rumours whirling around that we have approached other managers informally, this really is not good for Dean Smith and a team already low on confidence , either come out and back him or make the changes now!
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The excuses are silly. Gregory had to find a way without Yorke, MON had to find a way without Barry, all managers have to deal with injuries and players sales. I do feel Dean has been unlucky this year but I feel he has been lucky in the past- having Grealish in the first place, the timing of Covid, Watkins getting through last season with no injuries. It evens itself out and I just think there are big question marks right now.
Good points
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Rumours whirling around that we have approached other managers informally, this really is not good for Dean Smith and a team already low on confidence , either come out and back him or make the changes now!
So announce a new manager before we’ve approached a new manager? You’re upside down.
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Time to release another update Mr Purslow. All gone very quiet lately
What on earth do you want him to say? Until they've made a decision on Smith there's nothing they can say really.
Hi all
We're in the process of doing nothing regarding the managerial vacancy that doesn't exist at Aston Villa Football Club
King Regards
Mr C Purslow.
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Time to release another update Mr Purslow. All gone very quiet lately
What on earth do you want him to say? Until they've made a decision on Smith there's nothing they can say really.
Hi all
We're in the process of doing nothing regarding the managerial vacancy that doesn't exist at Aston Villa Football Club
King Regards
Mr C Purslow.
Another one 'stealing a living' ..
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Time to release another update Mr Purslow. All gone very quiet lately
What on earth do you want him to say? Until they've made a decision on Smith there's nothing they can say really.
Hi all
We're in the process of doing nothing regarding the managerial vacancy that doesn't exist at Aston Villa Football Club
King Regards
Mr C Purslow.
Another one 'stealing a living' ..
Dear Supporters,
We knew replacing Dean would be impossible, so we have decided to replace him with 3 managers ....
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Time to release another update Mr Purslow. All gone very quiet lately
What on earth do you want him to say? Until they've made a decision on Smith there's nothing they can say really.
Hi all
We're in the process of doing nothing regarding the managerial vacancy that doesn't exist at Aston Villa Football Club
King Regards
Mr C Purslow.
Well that has cleared that up then, good to hear!
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Dear Supporters,
We knew replacing Dean would be impossible, so we have decided to replace him with 3 managers ....
Lamphard, Terry and Gerrard? Are those the three replacements managers?
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The names some put forward demonstrate such a meek acceptance of lower midtable that you wonder why they would want Smith out at all.
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The names some put forward demonstrate such a meek acceptance of lower midtable that you wonder why they would want Smith out at all.
there's not a great deal of proven quality available
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They’ll need to get someone who isn’t technically “available” then.
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agreed - the lack of good managers being available may be helping Smith keep his job.
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Rumours whirling around that we have approached other managers informally, this really is not good for Dean Smith and a team already low on confidence , either come out and back him or make the changes now!
Might come across as "doing the dirty" on Smith if they are looking at other managers while he's still in situ, but its how football works - it gave up its morals along time ago.
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Good managers by their very virtue aren’t normally available. It’s about going and getting them anyway. Ok,
Pep Guardiola ain’t gonna come but there will be others that will with the right persuasion and backing. Whenever Smith goes the next appointment will tells us an awful lot more about our owners and their ambition.
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Rumours whirling around that we have approached other managers informally, this really is not good for Dean Smith and a team already low on confidence , either come out and back him or make the changes now!
Might come across as "doing the dirty" on Smith if they are looking at other managers while he's still in situ, but its how football works - it gave up its morals along time ago.
Doing his job and protecting the football club. Sounds perfectly legit to me.
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I remember years and years ago if another manager had been approached behind the current managers back it was massive news and looked at as really bad form and there was a big fallout
Now it just seems good business to look ahead and have Some sort of a plan
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I remember years and years ago if another manager had been approached behind the current managers back it was massive news and looked at as really bad form and there was a big fallout
Now it just seems good business to look ahead and have Some sort of a plan
It's not just football. There's no shame in life anymore.
Years ago, if politicians got caught shagging around behind their wife's back it was a resignable/sackable offence. When Hancock got caught in the summer, the only bit anyone cared about what that he broke his own social distancing rules!!!
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More silver tongued words from this guy to-day, trouble is I’m beginning to believe him less and less. He oversaw a sh-tfest of a summer and part of where we are now is down to him and Lange (not only Smith). Still Purslow has a chance now to show that Aston Villa mean business and it better not be with gerrard, Terry or Lampard.
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More silver tongued words from this guy to-day, trouble is I’m beginning to believe him less and less. He oversaw a sh-tfest of a summer and part of where we are now is down to him and Lange (not only Smith). Still Purslow has a chance now to show that Aston Villa mean business and it better not be with gerrard, Terry or Lampard.
He’s got a big task here - him and Langes reputation has taken a hit - and they have just sacked our most successful and popular manager in a generation - he has overseen 300m spend and if he’s not careful he’s job will be the job under the spot light
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Big test for him, if he conjures up a manager with next to no top flight/football experience then it's pretty clear to me we'll not amount to anything for a long while yet.
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I remember years and years ago if another manager had been approached behind the current managers back it was massive news and looked at as really bad form and there was a big fallout
Now it just seems good business to look ahead and have Some sort of a plan
Directors have a legal duty to look after the best interests of their company. It's perhaps nice to think that they'd now only start considering replacements, but the real and world and football doesn't work like that.
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He was interviewed on radio 4 this morning, being asked about the proposed independent regulator for English football. Based on nothing other than interviews with him that I’ve heard, there’s something about him that I don’t like. Anyone who starts their reply to a question with “look…”
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He was interviewed on radio 4 this morning, being asked about the proposed independent regulator for English football. Based on nothing other than interviews with him that I’ve heard, there’s something about him that I don’t like. Anyone who starts their reply to a question with “look…”
If he wasn't our CEO he'd be a Tory cabinet minister.
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Struck me that he is against “over regulating” the Premie League, that it will “kill the golden goose”. Which sounds to me like he doesn’t want regulators sniffing around in case they actually find anything. Which sounds a bit, you know, dodgy to me.
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He was interviewed on radio 4 this morning, being asked about the proposed independent regulator for English football. Based on nothing other than interviews with him that I’ve heard, there’s something about him that I don’t like. Anyone who starts their reply to a question with “look…”
yep. same here. To me he's in the Woodward/Kenyon mould. Probably ace at marketing and growing brands, but you get the feeling the footballing side isn't their main priority.
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I remember years and years ago if another manager had been approached behind the current managers back it was massive news and looked at as really bad form and there was a big fallout
Now it just seems good business to look ahead and have Some sort of a plan
It's not just football. There's no shame in life anymore.
Years ago, if politicians got caught shagging around behind their wife's back it was a resignable/sackable offence. When Hancock got caught in the summer, the only bit anyone cared about what that he broke his own social distancing rules!!!
Dunno about that. Plenty of shaming to be had. Cancel culture is tipped to be on-trend until 2029.
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Purslow on Talksport at some point before 1pm today.
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He was interviewed on radio 4 this morning, being asked about the proposed independent regulator for English football. Based on nothing other than interviews with him that I’ve heard, there’s something about him that I don’t like. Anyone who starts their reply to a question with “look…”
Look, it looks to me like you are looking for things that look dodgy.
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He's slick, there's no doubt. But it's clear to me he knows his stuff. And I've no doubt that NSWE wouldn't have him on board unless he did.
It's his job to know the rules and to know how things should work for the benefit of the Villa.
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He's on talksport very soon
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It is no more than a linguistic tic that has taken root in those having a microphone put in front of them. If you watch the horse racing on television just about every jockey when asked about his or her ride begins the reply with "look" or "listen". Often several times in one sentence.
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Aussie cricketers started the trend, I think.
Although it was also the stuff Purslow said after “look” that made me suspicious
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He was interviewed on radio 4 this morning, being asked about the proposed independent regulator for English football. Based on nothing other than interviews with him that I’ve heard, there’s something about him that I don’t like. Anyone who starts their reply to a question with “look…”
If he wasn't our CEO he'd be a Tory cabinet minister.
The only trouble with this analogy is that he’d probably be vaguely competent at the role compared to the cavalcade of clowns currently occupying positions of power.
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This isn't a great look for us, even if he is saying it the way it is. As reported in the Grauniad (https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/25/government-fan-led-review-football-reaction-aston-villa).
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I can't say I agree with him but I don't see much difference in what he's saying to the justification used to give CEOs huge wages or to let bankers have annual bonuses that vastly exceed the lifetime earnings of half the population. It's clearly wrong but it's not a football problem, it's an economy one.
From that point why is football a special case? Should companies like capita and g4s have to pay an extra tax on the government contrcts they get to support smaller companies? Should mcdonalds and burger king give a share of their profits to people who run chip shops? There's plenty of examples of where the government doesn't give a fuck that big companies are driving small competitors out of business so why have they decided hat football is the place to draw the line? The simple fact is that they see it as an 'easy win' on regulation that shows the public that they're doing something.
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The additional 10% that would be added on to transfer fees would be a massive cost to clubs
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The additional 10% that would be added on to transfer fees would be a massive cost to clubs
And when Premier League clubs buy from the Championship they'll reduce fees accordingly.
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They've no issues with handing that over to 'intermediaries' as it stands, have they?
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Have no fear, I have every trust in our Secretary of State for Cultural affairs to intervene by telling a football that the Government will pull backing in future.
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Like it or not, football is a special case. For a start, it's not a business in the conventional sense, there's a direct link between the biggest and the smallest clubs via the pyramid and without roots the healthiest plant will die. Purslow isn't looking good on this at all.
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Have no fear, I have every trust in our Secretary of State for Cultural affairs to intervene by telling a football that the Government will pull backing in future.
As long as the football doesn't appear on ch4, I don't want tax payers paying for it.
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Like it or not, football is a special case. For a start, it's not a business in the conventional sense, there's a direct link between the biggest and the smallest clubs via the pyramid and without roots the healthiest plant will die. Purslow isn't looking good on this at all.
Exactly Dave. Ordinary businesses do not generally require around 20 other almost identical businesses to exist to have a product to sell.
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Tricky one. Should badly run lower league clubs get cash grants just because they’ve overspent? A club like Norwich never seems to overstretch itself, whereas clubs like Derby have, massively. I’d have no problem with money from the Premier League going to grass roots infrastructure, but not if it was just say, player salaries at a League 1 club.
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And haven’t we helped out smethwick and blues enough over the years?!
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Speaks so well. Obviously very global. We are lucky to have him.
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A lot of what he is saying here smacks me of being all too reminiscent of the justifications of the Scum 6 for wanting a Super League - the big clubs generate the revenue, so why should we share it? He might be a clever man, but saying things like this won't exactly do anything for our arguments the next time Liverpool, Man Utd etc. want a bigger slice of the pie.
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Every team is only one poor season away from the EFL, everyone thought our trip their would be only for a year, it wasn't.
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At the very least there needs to be a more well thought out safety net than parachute payments to offset the current imbalance between the top division and the Championship.
Getting relegated means you've had a shit season (or a couple, in our case).
It shouldn't mean the very existence of the club is under threat. Realistically, outside of the top 6/7, the other clubs (including ourselves) face a very real threat of the drop. That's 13 other clubs who could potentially be looking at a Derby scenario.
In the case of Derby - and a few other clubs who've over extended themselves in the hunt for promotion - I don't recall many of them playing Fantasy Football and spending ridiculous money to sign top players. Rooney as player (then manager) maybe, but 32 Red were supposedly financing that. And he's not on the sort of wages he was on at Yanited or in MLS.
I can understand if it's a Leeds scenario, where the whole thing is built on sand with high interest loans. But if the owners have the capital, the clubs - and the fans - shouldn't be punished with Financial Unfair Play or any similar variation of.
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Financial governance needs to be transparent and regulated.
If resources is going to be pooled in some way.
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He’s not the sort of person I naturally warm too and I haven’t, But that’s just a personal thing
Not that he will lose any sleep over that
He seems very professional in his spangly suit and glass smile
And I thought his statement after Grealish left was superb and just what was needed
I’d rather him than that all bald headed clown we had before
But for me the pyramid system in football is its greatest asset and needs to be protected
I’m not sure he sees it the same way
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At the very least there needs to be a more well thought out safety net than parachute payments to offset the current imbalance between the top division and the Championship.
Getting relegated means you've had a shit season (or a couple, in our case).
It shouldn't mean the very existence of the club is under threat. Realistically, outside of the top 6/7, the other clubs (including ourselves) face a very real threat of the drop. That's 13 other clubs who could potentially be looking at a Derby scenario.
In the case of Derby - and a few other clubs who've over extended themselves in the hunt for promotion - I don't recall many of them playing Fantasy Football and spending ridiculous money to sign top players. Rooney as player (then manager) maybe, but 32 Red were supposedly financing that. And he's not on the sort of wages he was on at Yanited or in MLS.
I can understand if it's a Leeds scenario, where the whole thing is built on sand with high interest loans. But if the owners have the capital, the clubs - and the fans - shouldn't be punished with Financial Unfair Play or any similar variation of.
32 Red weren't financing the Rooney deal at all. And Derby owe the tax man £30m, so it suggests very strongly they've been living wildly beyond their means.
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At the very least there needs to be a more well thought out safety net than parachute payments to offset the current imbalance between the top division and the Championship.
Getting relegated means you've had a shit season (or a couple, in our case).
It shouldn't mean the very existence of the club is under threat. Realistically, outside of the top 6/7, the other clubs (including ourselves) face a very real threat of the drop. That's 13 other clubs who could potentially be looking at a Derby scenario.
In the case of Derby - and a few other clubs who've over extended themselves in the hunt for promotion - I don't recall many of them playing Fantasy Football and spending ridiculous money to sign top players. Rooney as player (then manager) maybe, but 32 Red were supposedly financing that. And he's not on the sort of wages he was on at Yanited or in MLS.
I can understand if it's a Leeds scenario, where the whole thing is built on sand with high interest loans. But if the owners have the capital, the clubs - and the fans - shouldn't be punished with Financial Unfair Play or any similar variation of.
32 Red weren't financing the Rooney deal at all. And Derby owe the tax man £30m, so it suggests very strongly they've been living wildly beyond their means.
We were the same though weren’t we after the playoff final
Only difference being we were saved by a couple of billionaires
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At the very least there needs to be a more well thought out safety net than parachute payments to offset the current imbalance between the top division and the Championship.
Getting relegated means you've had a shit season (or a couple, in our case).
It shouldn't mean the very existence of the club is under threat. Realistically, outside of the top 6/7, the other clubs (including ourselves) face a very real threat of the drop. That's 13 other clubs who could potentially be looking at a Derby scenario.
In the case of Derby - and a few other clubs who've over extended themselves in the hunt for promotion - I don't recall many of them playing Fantasy Football and spending ridiculous money to sign top players. Rooney as player (then manager) maybe, but 32 Red were supposedly financing that. And he's not on the sort of wages he was on at Yanited or in MLS.
I can understand if it's a Leeds scenario, where the whole thing is built on sand with high interest loans. But if the owners have the capital, the clubs - and the fans - shouldn't be punished with Financial Unfair Play or any similar variation of.
32 Red weren't financing the Rooney deal at all. And Derby owe the tax man £30m, so it suggests very strongly they've been living wildly beyond their means.
Clubs like Derby are allowed to bet the farm on promotion by extending the credit on transfers and not paying HMRC.
The EFL are pretty useless at understanding Finance.
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I think we owed a good bit less than that. Not that it matters if you can't afford to pay it though. But anyway, if NSWE hadn't ridden to our rescue, should we have expected the rest of the Premier League to bail us out?
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There needs to be an independent regulator in football for all clubs. Right now, you’ve got the Premier League and EFL regulating themselves and agreeing deals between each other with one of them holding all the power. The EFL do not have the resources to manager the number of clubs they are required to. This is where you get situations that have been allowed to develop at clubs like Oldham, Derby, Bury, etc. Intervention comes too late. The EFL obviously gives itself a clean bill of health when self-reviewing.
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Like it or not, football is a special case. For a start, it's not a business in the conventional sense, there's a direct link between the biggest and the smallest clubs via the pyramid and without roots the healthiest plant will die. Purslow isn't looking good on this at all.
100%. You don't have to look too deep - Neil Baldwin of Stoke City (which the BBC's film "Marvellous" was about) or Woody (Ollie Watkins' mate) at Brentford to see that there's a bit more to it than "just another business".
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I'd like the game to be entirely rigged in our favour, at every possible level. As do you.
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I'd like Purslow and co to look at the ticket buying arrangements we have in place.
Just chatting to my brother about getting to a match. I've had a season ticket most of the last 20 years but not this year. Thought I'd go on and see if i can get a couple of tickets for the Man City match. I can only buy one, despite there being several hundred unsold.
I assume my brother would have to get a membership himself to buy one or for me to buy him one, but really, is this more complicated than it needs to be?
I've no idea why I have put this in the Purslow thread. I guess he's ultimately in charge of this shit.
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Same at other clubs really.
More surprised Burnley a week before xmas is being priced at generally 29 quid in most areas of the ground, would've thought that would be a Villa value game if they still do those.
If we get over 40k for that probably shows it's time to extend the ground (transport infrastructure pending of course).
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The additional 10% that would be added on to transfer fees would be a massive cost to clubs
And when Premier League clubs buy from the Championship they'll reduce fees accordingly.
Yes, looks much like stamp duty in a housing market with major supply constraints. Seller ends up paying the tax effectively (even though buyer pays it nominally) since buyers have a fixed amount of money to invest in the scarce housing.
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Meanwhile, extra funding for lower league (or non-league) teams would likely be spent on higher players' wages in the absence of salary caps.
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Not sure where to post this but heard on the radio last night that the idea for a 25 minute half time break has been turned down by FIFA
You may have got a drink at half time, but on a freezing night in January it would not have been much fun standing around for 25 minutes waiting for the teams to re-appear!
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I suggested many years ago that our game is slowly following the American sports model
Analysis by pundits in studio and during game
Video refs
Constant talk of removing relegation
Super Sunday games
Monday night football
Half of the prem owned / co owned by American interests
Now looking at half time entertainment - all very NFL
Gabby on Talk Shite said it was a terrible idea as players don't like the 15 mins they have now as they can start to sieze / stiffen up (hence the little routines on remerging after HT)
I thought during the pandemic shit down that when they introduced drink breaks that was a move towards implementing quarters into the game
The more downtime the more advertising revenue they could generate
All very USA >:(
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Yeah, what happens when you sell your culture to people who don't understand your culture. When the ESL was launched there was a massive divide between the fans of the clubs involved. Their "new fans" round the world were all for it and didn't see anything wrong, while their "legacy" (spit) fans were violent opposed to it for the most part. It's not surprising that someone from an American culture thinks ownership means they can do what they like with the idea of Association Football. You see it when they buy the rights to films/books/music - they've paid for it, they can alter it anyway they see fit as far as they're concerned.
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Films/Books/Music is not just an American thing, it's universal.
And once you buy those rights you can do what you want with them, that's the whole idea. Most novelists etc. understand this.
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Films/Books/Music is not just an American thing, it's universal.
And once you buy those rights you can do what you want with them, that's the whole idea. Most novelists etc. understand this.
Not if its cultural. No-one "owns" the idea of Association football even if they think they do.
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I have noticed a lot of old villa content removed from youtube this past year or so. It just occurred to me that there is meant to be a BT sport documentary on villa coming out next year so that may be the reason. Then again, the club probably would prefer to have us use Villa TV so they may be behind it also? I think it's a real pity if I am honest as youtube is available to everybody.
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I suggested many years ago that our game is slowly following the American sports model
Analysis by pundits in studio and during game
Video refs
Constant talk of removing relegation
Super Sunday games
Monday night football
Half of the prem owned / co owned by American interests
Now looking at half time entertainment - all very NFL
Gabby on Talk Shite said it was a terrible idea as players don't like the 15 mins they have now as they can start to sieze / stiffen up (hence the little routines on remerging after HT)
I thought during the pandemic shit down that when they introduced drink breaks that was a move towards implementing quarters into the game
The more downtime the more advertising revenue they could generate
All very USA >:(
NFL half-times are 12 minutes.
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I used to teacher around this topic. US sport is all about commercialization. Yes, the NFL have 12min HT, but they also have breaks between quarters, possession change, injuries etc.
Two other examples are T20 cricket and the remodeling of Rugby League.
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Aye. T20 cricket. Horrendous shit. Why I don't do cricket anymore.
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Purslow will be in the majority of PL reactions like it or lump it
More from Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish on the fan-led review by Tracey Crouch MP: "We are the envy of the world, make no mistake. We emerged from the Covid crisis, the English game, as the most healthy game in the world, without a doubt. Everybody looks on us and at this report, across Europe particularly, somewhat comedically, thinking we are about to create a huge act of self harm. Everybody in Europe moves to copy our and what makes us successful.
"The Championship is far and away the richest second league in world football. The concept of the lower leagues being starved of finances is not true. Could we look at distribution? Could we look at parachute payments? Are there elements of this report that have got some merit? Absolutely.
"But an Owners and Directors Test which looks at business acquittances and friends and sees if they've got integrity, I think would be very difficult to enforce. Tracey knows only full well that the Newcastle takeover, which has been highlighted for the Owners and Directors Test, would have gone through under any regulatory regime that would have been imposed.
"I fear for the government somewhat. All football fans tend to want different things. The fact of the matter was the Newcastle takeover was unstoppable; in any court, we'd have lost that action to try and stop it. I don't think it should have been stopped, (Saudi Arabia) is a country we do business with in a very open way, if they want to buy to buy a business asset in the UK they would be allowed to and I don't see how a football club is particularly different. The fans of that club welcome it because they get the investment. There are a lot of sledgehammers to crack nuts in this report."
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It’s ironic some of these senior PL football execs refer to the Newcastle example. Where were they with this take with Bury, Bolton or a myriad of other clubs cast to the winds by shysters taking the piss. There is a need for regulation, I’d concur it shouldn’t be sledgehammer and nut, but those less able to protect themselves from charlatans need a safety net, and largely relying on PL largesse isn’t adequate or is in fact no protection at all.
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Up date;
https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/november/27/christian-purslow-interview/
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New name, travel, transfers etc.
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Couldn't concentrate on what he was saying due to that vase in the background
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He is one slick communicator.
Very articulate and thought out briefings. Glad we have him
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All positive news, planning permission going in around a months time for expanding the stadium and also expanding commercial and hospitality areas of the club.
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Spends 10 mins talking without really saying anything we either didn't already know or isn't obvious.
He's got a career in politics if he wants a pay cut!
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I think it is reassuring that he is aware of the transport issues and is trying to do something about it.
The club is owned and being run by professionals.
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Spends 10 mins talking without really saying anything we either didn't already know or isn't obvious.
He's got a career in politics if he wants a pay cut!
I dont agree with that. I mean when did we know about what this new company was setup was going to be for?
When did we know the details about expansion of the stadium?
Also where was it mentioned that purslow is talking to the local authorities about improving about transport links to villa park?
I personally am delighted about the last point. The public service transport to villa park is a absolute shambles.
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I presume the company has changed names so we can get around FFP if Steven Gerrard wants a couple of world beaters in the squad?
All good news from CP to be fair. I look forward to seeing the plans.
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I'm excited to see their plans for the ground. New North Stand please.
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Spends 10 mins talking without really saying anything we either didn't already know or isn't obvious.
He's got a career in politics if he wants a pay cut!
I dont agree with that. I mean when did we know about what this new company was setup was going to be for?
When did we know the details about expansion of the stadium?
Also where was it mentioned that purslow is talking to the local authorities about improving about transport links to villa park?
I personally am delighted about the last point. The public service transport to villa park is a absolute shambles.
yep good update
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I presume the company has changed names so we can get around FFP if Steven Gerrard wants a couple of world beaters in the squad?
All good news from CP to be fair. I look forward to seeing the plans.
How does changing the name get around FFP?
Jesus
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Spends 10 mins talking without really saying anything we either didn't already know or isn't obvious.
He's got a career in politics if he wants a pay cut!
I dont agree with that. I mean when did we know about what this new company was setup was going to be for?
When did we know the details about expansion of the stadium?
Also where was it mentioned that purslow is talking to the local authorities about improving about transport links to villa park?
I personally am delighted about the last point. The public service transport to villa park is a absolute shambles.
So what's the company name change for? Specifically?
And you're surprised that they're making plans to expand the ground? Even Purslow said this was in line with previous comments.
Likewise, when fans spent hours trying to get away from Villa Park at the last game and they're planning to expand the ground it's common sense that the club would speak to the council about improving public transport in light of their plans.
I'm not having a go - we've seen on here that fans moan if he doesn't do statements - but it's not exactly groundbreaking stuff is it.
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I presume the company has changed names so we can get around FFP if Steven Gerrard wants a couple of world beaters in the squad?
All good news from CP to be fair. I look forward to seeing the plans.
How does changing the name get around FFP?
Jesus
It's a question, see the question mark at the end of the sentence. Not all of us understand the FFP rules.
Jesus too.
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Obviously the holding company is going to become more active, it’s quite usual to just use something bland when the purpose is to create a vehicle for a transaction.
Now the purpose of that vehicle /entity is evolving they are changing the name.
We didn’t know that planning submission is imminent.
Don’t see the problem with the statement.
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He mentioned there had been a recapitalisation. Which along with the company name will allow them to get around things. Maybe Martin can explain?
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He mentioned there had been a recapitalisation. Which along with the company name will allow them to get around things. Maybe Martin can explain?
And recapatiisation has nothing to do with FFP, the measurement is based on cumulative profit and loss.
I don’t need Martin to explain thanks.
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I presume the company has changed names so we can get around FFP if Steven Gerrard wants a couple of world beaters in the squad?
All good news from CP to be fair. I look forward to seeing the plans.
How does changing the name get around FFP?
Jesus
It's a question, see the question mark at the end of the sentence. Not all of us understand the FFP rules.
Jesus too.
FFP rules determine the amount of losses a club can accumulate over a 3 year period.
Profit or loss is the result of Sales (total revenue) less cost of sales less expenses.
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He mentioned there had been a recapitalisation. Which along with the company name will allow them to get around things. Maybe Martin can explain?
And recapatiisation has nothing to do with FFP, the measurement is based on cumulative profit and loss.
I don’t need Martin to explain thanks.
Ooh get her. I wasn’t responding to you specifically but okay.
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He mentioned there had been a recapitalisation. Which along with the company name will allow them to get around things. Maybe Martin can explain?
And recapatiisation has nothing to do with FFP, the measurement is based on cumulative profit and loss.
I don’t need Martin to explain thanks.
Ooh get her. I wasn’t responding to you specifically but okay.
👀. is this like an accountancy spat ?
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I don’t know I’m not an Accountant which is kind of why I was asking.
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I don’t know I’m not an Accountant which is kind of why I was asking.
Nor me, thankfully.
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I don’t know I’m not an Accountant which is kind of why I was asking.
Nor me, thankfully.
That's quite obvious.
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I'm not having a go - we've seen on here that fans moan if he doesn't do statements - but it's not exactly groundbreaking stuff is it.
Surely the stadium expansion will involve some ground breaking.
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I don’t know I’m not an Accountant which is kind of why I was asking.
Nor me, thankfully.
That's quite obvious.
Thank fuck for that.
What do accountants use for contraceptives.
Their personality.
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What do accountants use for contraceptives.
Their personality.
It's clearly not working in Risso's case. Maybe us CAs just have a bit more charisma.
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I presume the company has changed names so we can get around FFP if Steven Gerrard wants a couple of world beaters in the squad?
All good news from CP to be fair. I look forward to seeing the plans.
How does changing the name get around FFP?
Jesus
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I think it is reassuring that he is aware of the transport issues and is trying to do something about it.
The club is owned and being run by professionals.
Good luck with that. West Midlands Rail are every bit as useless as London Midland were at putting on a service
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I think it is reassuring that he is aware of the transport issues and is trying to do something about it.
The club is owned and being run by professionals.
Good luck with that. West Midlands Rail are every bit as useless as London Midland were at putting on a service
There's enough services to get everyone out no problem. It's the four bloody jobsworths at the top and bottom of Aston station stairs that need sorting.
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I think it is reassuring that he is aware of the transport issues and is trying to do something about it.
The club is owned and being run by professionals.
Good luck with that. West Midlands Rail are every bit as useless as London Midland were at putting on a service
There's enough services to get everyone out no problem. It's the four bloody jobsworths at the top and bottom of Aston station stairs that need sorting.
The ones stopping the platform getting so overcrowded someone ends up under a train?
Ridiculously, given where they are, Aston and Witton stations are not designed to cope with thousands of people leaving the football at the same time.
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I think it is reassuring that he is aware of the transport issues and is trying to do something about it.
The club is owned and being run by professionals.
Good luck with that. West Midlands Rail are every bit as useless as London Midland were at putting on a service
There's enough services to get everyone out no problem. It's the four bloody jobsworths at the top and bottom of Aston station stairs that need sorting.
The ones stopping the platform getting so overcrowded someone ends up under a train?
Ridiculously, given where they are, Aston and Witton stations are not designed to cope with thousands of people leaving the football at the same time.
By their own admission, it's nothing to do with overcrowding – they've been told to let no more than around 200 people up because of Covid protocols.
So the platforms are barely a quarter full, just like the trains that then leave.
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No issue with COVID protocol at Witton. They fill the platform after each train has left. Then let more on as people get on the train.
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Whatever they do it’s not working
the carriage I got on after Brighton there was a dozen people on at most, 2 thirds of the seats were empty and it wasn’t even one of the end carriages
All this while one of the biggest Queues were standing waiting down below (Aston)
That’s nothing to do with Covid protocols that’s just rubbish Organisation
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And that wasn’t the first time
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No issue with COVID protocol at Witton. They fill the platform after each train has left. Then let more on as people get on the train.
The basic problem is the platforms are too small (both too narrow and too short) at both Witton and Aston - when they were originally built in the 19th century they were able to cope with day trippers to the Aston lower grounds which didn't have 40,000+ trying to leave all at once.
A sensible council would look at the plans for expanding Villa Park and say - you can have what you want in terms of a bigger ground but you must contribute to improving the railway stations and find some extra space for car parking.
It would also be much safer if the entrance to Witton station was not by the road bridge - there is room on the ground side (to Walsall) for an entrance and extended platform to be built at the end of the road that goes from Witton Lane down the side of the away fans coach park.
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At least Mr Purslow is aware and has spoken about this issue. now let's get some action from West Midlands Rail,National Express and Andy Street
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Emailed Andy Street,8 days ago still waiting for reply
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Emailed Andy Street,8 days ago still waiting for reply
I think a lot of fans will have contacted him, let's hope we hear back soon as this really does need addressing . Interesting how worried Purslow seemed about it
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No issue with COVID protocol at Witton. They fill the platform after each train has left. Then let more on as people get on the train.
The basic problem is the platforms are too small (both too narrow and too short) at both Witton and Aston - when they were originally built in the 19th century they were able to cope with day trippers to the Aston lower grounds which didn't have 40,000+ trying to leave all at once.
A sensible council would look at the plans for expanding Villa Park and say - you can have what you want in terms of a bigger ground but you must contribute to improving the railway stations and find some extra space for car parking.
It would also be much safer if the entrance to Witton station was not by the road bridge - there is room on the ground side (to Walsall) for an entrance and extended platform to be built at the end of the road that goes from Witton Lane down the side of the away fans coach park.
When Walsall built Bescot Stadium they had to improve Bescot Station. I'm amazed the same didn't happen when we redeveloped Trinity.
Except that the capacity was 42000 before the Holte was done so that probably has something to do with it.
There need to be 8 coaches on the football special that does two circuits after the game. That would have an impact. Still be slow though.
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Don't think 8 carriages would fit on the platforms.
Problem really is cutting it down to 4 trains an hour going Lichfield-Bromsgrove/Redditch compared to 6 per hour pre covid.
So you get 20 minute gaps for those wanting to go north of Gravelly Hill so bottlenecks spring up. Simply have to go back to 6 an hour if 50k is actually going to happen in near future.
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Just seen a video of him debating Simon Jordan (also somebody who drips Tory) and it's like watching a boss who you hated in a HR meeting.
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Just seen a video of him debating Simon Jordan (also somebody who drips Tory) and it's like watching a boss who you hated in a HR meeting.
The one you knew would fucking win because he was a slick, clever bastard. I'm glad he's ours.
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If there are upcoming consultations the pathetic behaviour of villa's social media in recent days, and the invite to Grealish for the West Ham game, need to be raised. Some wonderful, loyal servants of our club have not had this treatment why has a disloyal ex player who tried three times to leave us had this treatment? If anybody should be invited to Villa gams it is a real legend like Paul McGrath.
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Pretty sure the club have given Macca paid work as and when over the years since he retired. God still loves us.
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If there are upcoming consultations the pathetic behaviour of villa's social media in recent days, and the invite to Grealish for the West Ham game, need to be raised. Some wonderful, loyal servants of our club have not had this treatment why has a disloyal ex player who tried three times to leave us had this treatment? If anybody should be invited to Villa gams it is a real legend like Paul McGrath.
Also, inviting that free-loader Prince.
Actually - I have no issue with him - he seems to genuiely love the club.
But Purslow loves a celeb. It might be a bit tin-foil hat, but I wouldnt be surprised if there is an informal plan to bring Joe back in the future thinking it is good PR for both parties
Undoubtably thats why they are still courting him, because they know on Social Media Joe drives more clicks then aything else villa does.
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Who was it that wondered if part of the reason for appointing Steven Gerrard was to replace Ratboy as our galactico? Purslow certainly does seem to love a celeb.
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If there are upcoming consultations the pathetic behaviour of villa's social media in recent days, and the invite to Grealish for the West Ham game, need to be raised. Some wonderful, loyal servants of our club have not had this treatment why has a disloyal ex player who tried three times to leave us had this treatment? If anybody should be invited to Villa gams it is a real legend like Paul McGrath.
Also, inviting that free-loader Prince.
Actually - I have no issue with him - he seems to genuiely love the club.
But Purslow loves a celeb. It might be a bit tin-foil hat, but I wouldnt be surprised if there is an informal plan to bring Joe back in the future thinking it is good PR for both parties
Undoubtably thats why they are still courting him, because they know on Social Media Joe drives more clicks then aything else villa does.
Prince William has been to matches for years, before the current owners and Purslow arrived.
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If there are upcoming consultations the pathetic behaviour of villa's social media in recent days, and the invite to Grealish for the West Ham game, need to be raised. Some wonderful, loyal servants of our club have not had this treatment why has a disloyal ex player who tried three times to leave us had this treatment? If anybody should be invited to Villa gams it is a real legend like Paul McGrath.
Also, inviting that free-loader Prince.
Actually - I have no issue with him - he seems to genuiely love the club.
But Purslow loves a celeb. It might be a bit tin-foil hat, but I wouldnt be surprised if there is an informal plan to bring Joe back in the future thinking it is good PR for both parties
Undoubtably thats why they are still courting him, because they know on Social Media Joe drives more clicks then aything else villa does.
Prince William has been to matches for years, before the current owners and Purslow arrived.
yeah - that was tongue in cheek - he clearly is smitten and has been since he got interested in football.
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Who was it that wondered if part of the reason for appointing Steven Gerrard was to replace Ratboy as our galactico? Purslow certainly does seem to love a celeb.
That may have been me - I did say things along that line a few times.
Still think its the case. Though, TBF, Im starting to wonder if he got this one right.
If so - I would say more by luck than judgement. But Im cynical and he reminds me too much of a "management consultant"
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Is Gerrard really that much of a "Galactico"? He was a great player but I wouldn't say he had the global attraction of the likes of Beckham or Henry etc. He's never advertised anything to my knowledge, and I don't really recall seeing much of him whan he was up in Scotland, other than the odd mention of results on TV. Most Liverpool fans I know want him to well at Villa, but that's about it.
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Who was it that wondered if part of the reason for appointing Steven Gerrard was to replace Ratboy as our galactico? Purslow certainly does seem to love a celeb.
That may have been me - I did say things along that line a few times.
Still think its the case. Though, TBF, Im starting to wonder if he got this one right.
If so - I would say more by luck than judgement. But Im cynical and he reminds me too much of a "management consultant"
I dont know if he is - I just think that Purslow thinks he is. From what I have read about CP's time at liverpool he seemed to be in love with him, and I dont think SG CV warrents this job (although, so far I am happy admit that I am starting to wonder if hit is right manager, right time). The PR it has created has meant the club has had more focus in the media.
I am happy to admit I am most likely putting 2 and 2 together and making 10, but what else am I going to do with my time? Spend it with my family!?
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Just seen a video of him debating Simon Jordan (also somebody who drips Tory) and it's like watching a boss who you hated in a HR meeting.
The one you knew would fucking win because he was a slick, clever bastard. I'm glad he's ours.
Can’t argue with that scenario
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He is one slick communicator.
Very articulate and thought out briefings. Glad we have him
He deserves a lot of credit for our upturn in fortunes. It's not all about having money to spend, although that helps. When I look at the shambles of the likes of Everton and Newcastle atm, I'm really glad we have this guy directing us the right way, compared to his predessors. I think he was key in investing in the youth, which seems to be starting to pay off.
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Is Gerrard really that much of a "Galactico"? He was a great player but I wouldn't say he had the global attraction of the likes of Beckham or Henry etc. He's never advertised anything to my knowledge, and I don't really recall seeing much of him whan he was up in Scotland, other than the odd mention of results on TV. Most Liverpool fans I know want him to well at Villa, but that's about it.
I guess that’s to do with their history of them getting in former players and associates (the inflated importance of knowing the club) to the club rather than the very best for the job. Dalgleish played and managed with success. Roy Evans bit part player and manager but only 1 league cup. Klop is there for as long as he’s happy. Unless we start winning the league they’ll be happy with who they’ve got.
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He deserves a lot of credit for our upturn in fortunes. It's not all about having money to spend, although that helps. When I look at the shambles of the likes of Everton and Newcastle atm, I'm really glad we have this guy directing us the right way, compared to his predessors. I think he was key in investing in the youth, which seems to be starting to pay off.
Something I've been wondering about for a while is that for owners new to football NSWE seem to have a fully rounded approach i.e. investing in youth, facilities as well simply spending to upgrade the first team. Is it all down to Purslow as it would seem a lot for one person or do they have others in the background advising on strategy and longer term matters?
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I think either owning or having a major hand in other sporting teams means they have a good depth of knowledge about how a club should be run. They give Purslow their ideals and he runs with it.
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Was reflecting last night that I don't think I have been this positive about the club, the way its run, the manager, the squad, ownership, our CEO, and our future for many years (probably most my adult life). There are always things to improve and frustrations, but one can't help feel we are absolutely headed back to the top echelons of the game.
Wes, Nassif, and Christian really do deserve our respect.
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Was reflecting last night that I don't think I have been this positive about the club, the way its run, the manager, the squad, ownership, our CEO, and our future for many years (probably most my adult life). There are always things to improve and frustrations, but one can't help feel we are absolutely headed back to the top echelons of the game.
Wes, Nassif, and Christian really do deserve our respect.
Aye, it's looking good. Last time there was so much optimism for when MON first took over and we signed Ashley Young and John Carew. I'd say this is more exciting as we've endured so much dross for what seems like an age.
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Do we know when the stadium refurb announcement is coming?
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Resurrecting this one to ask if Gerrard goes should our CEO who appointed him also leave?
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Resurrecting this one to ask if Gerrard goes should our CEO who appointed him also leave?
He also appointed Dean Smith.
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But without a prior connection.
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Yes Purslow should go if SG plan fails. As that would indicate complete failure. That's why would think SG gets time allowances as it's also on Purslow. And give Gerrard time he can get that improvement
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I’m not a fan of Purslow at all (not quite as anti as those Liverpool fans with the “that’s inflatable filth” style banner a few years ago), but while I’d be happy to see him go if things don’t improve sharpish, I genuinely don’t know who would be an improvement on him? Anyone have any idea re that?
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I think he’s very good at his job. I think he has got his fingers burnt by being too involved in the football
SG was a risk that just wasn’t needed and has cost us at least another two year of progress
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If he were to dilly dally on this and keep Steven around for a game longer than necessary then he needs to go as well. Time for him to show his ruthless objective approach and do what’s necessary.
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If he were to dilly dally on this and keep Steven around for a game longer than necessary then he needs to go as well. Time for him to show his ruthless objective approach and do what’s necessary.
For all the chat that this was Purslows man, his mate etc - that won’t stand for anything if things don’t pick up. CP is a shareholder of the club. He is ruthless and won’t hesitate to make tough calls.
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If he were to dilly dally on this and keep Steven around for a game longer than necessary then he needs to go as well. Time for him to show his ruthless objective approach and do what’s necessary.
For all the chat that this was Purslows man, his mate etc - that won’t stand for anything if things don’t pick up. CP is a shareholder of the club. He is ruthless and won’t hesitate to make tough calls.
That’s good to hear - mistakes are forgiveable, even I’ve made some, but if you don’t put them right that’s where the problems really start
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Probably not in purslow’s domain, but we always seem to have something askew just before the season starts.
Terry leaving
Richard O Kelly just 2 days before the season starts.
Neil Critchley not making it to Oz
The Mings losing captaincy saga (why couldn’t it have been announced in or before the Oz tour) — loss of momentum and focus ..
I know they’re only small Moments, but I’m genuinely interested who oversees these type of things.
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There's bugger all anybody could have done regarding Critchley's passport. They're taking weeks to renew, and he should really have done it himself ages ago.
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Agreed, Critchley's passport fuck up is not Purslow's fault in any way at all.
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I don’t think anybody is saying it is Purslow’s fault, are they?
But does it say something about Critchley himself?
Personally, I wouldn’t let my passport expire
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There's bugger all anybody could have done regarding Critchley's passport. They're taking weeks to renew, and he should really have done it himself ages ago.
Why, not like it was an issue when he thought he was going to be managing Blackpool. Or is the Anglo Italian cup back on?
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I don’t think anybody is saying it is Purslow’s fault, are they?
But does it say something about Critchley himself?
Personally, I wouldn’t let my passport expire
Well not really. If he isn’t fussed about foreign holidays then I doubt in his role as Blackpool manager he was expecting any foreign trips imminently. The Villa opportunity cropped up pretty much out of nowhere, so I can understand how it happened.
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There's bugger all anybody could have done regarding Critchley's passport. They're taking weeks to renew, and he should really have done it himself ages ago.
Why, not like it was an issue when he thought he was going to be managing Blackpool. Or is the Anglo Italian cup back on?
Does he not go on holiday? Or perhaps never think that the assistant manager of a top Premier League club might have to go abroad occasionally? It was a cock-up and while ultimately was down to him, it was a classic example of getting the little things right.
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There's bugger all anybody could have done regarding Critchley's passport. They're taking weeks to renew, and he should really have done it himself ages ago.
Why, not like it was an issue when he thought he was going to be managing Blackpool. Or is the Anglo Italian cup back on?
Does he not go on holiday? Or perhaps never think that the assistant manager of a top Premier League club might have to go abroad occasionally? It was a cock-up and while ultimately was down to him, it was a classic example of getting the little things right.
That might be the case had there been a long run up to that Assistant role being available. Didn’t it come pretty much out of the blue? I’m not sure this is one of those little things. Unless of course it would have been better not to appoint him because he hadn’t renewed his passport?
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Mediocrity
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There's bugger all anybody could have done regarding Critchley's passport. They're taking weeks to renew, and he should really have done it himself ages ago.
Why, not like it was an issue when he thought he was going to be managing Blackpool. Or is the Anglo Italian cup back on?
Does he not go on holiday? Or perhaps never think that the assistant manager of a top Premier League club might have to go abroad occasionally? It was a cock-up and while ultimately was down to him, it was a classic example of getting the little things right.
He was appointed in June. If his passport was out of date, even if he'd applied to renew it on the day he got the job offer, he might not have it now. I know, because we've been waiting for 9 weeks for two passports for our kids.
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But a forward thinking perfectionist would not let their passport expire. Professional sportspeople always bang on about small margins. It’s not the passport!! It’s what it signifies!
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But a forward thinking perfectionist would not let their passport expire. Professional sportspeople always bang on about small margins. It’s not the passport!! It’s what it signifies!
Well it absolutely wasn't a requirement of the job for managing Blackpool.
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I fear we might be reaching a bit.
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There's bugger all anybody could have done regarding Critchley's passport. They're taking weeks to renew, and he should really have done it himself ages ago.
Some people are a bit scatty. I booked my first family holiday for years in June, only to find out my youngest kids passport had expired. Had to cancel and re-book whilst I scrabbled around for an appointment for a new one. Ended up driving to Peterborough on a bank holiday monday to sort it out.
Had a similar issue myself once, had to rush to Durham passport office to renew else would have missed a holiday.
Not a fan of Purslow tbh, but not slagging him for this one.
Why, not like it was an issue when he thought he was going to be managing Blackpool. Or is the Anglo Italian cup back on?
Does he not go on holiday? Or perhaps never think that the assistant manager of a top Premier League club might have to go abroad occasionally? It was a cock-up and while ultimately was down to him, it was a classic example of getting the little things right.
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Having a go about someone because a passport he may not even have used for years,and maybe had no plans to any time soon, had expired is the reach of all reaches.
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This is Purslow biggest test. Do you back him, give him £100m to get the 3 players we need to improve things, or sack him and go for a manager with proven ability in the prem. I don't think he'll be sleeping too soundly atm over it.
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But a forward thinking perfectionist would not let their passport expire. Professional sportspeople always bang on about small margins. It’s not the passport!! It’s what it signifies!
Maybe it indicates that travel outside the UK wasn’t required for the job he was doing and coming off the back of a pandemic he had no intention of holidaying abroad.
Not great him not going to Oz, hardly a game changer though.
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Having a go about someone because a passport he may not even have used for years,and maybe had no plans to any time soon, had expired is the reach of all reaches.
No it's not. It's unprofessional.
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If he didn't need it in his previous job how is it unprofessional? It's a ridiculous reach.
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Lol... So the Blackpool manager who has no need for his passport doesn't renew it just in case the villa assistant goes to another job. Its a reach for sure.
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If he had a passport that expired during this season, and he didn't renew it, that would be unprofessional. Not having one as he didn't need it for either his job of the last 2 years or for personal reasons, really isn't by any definition unprofessional.
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Purslow hired Gerrard. Therefore he should be sacked.
Haha, no fucking chance. One frigging mistake ( maybe two ..Smith?), he's gone with what he thought would improve us. Fair play, he has fucked it. However, off the pitch it's a different kettle of fish. I'm glad we have him, and I think a lot of you agree.
He has his own cash invested. That's commitment.
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Off the pitch don’t look that great to me either.
Catering , transport, merchandise all shit. The website is haphazard.
I don’t see why his having invested in the club should make any difference to the way we judge his tenure.
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Off the pitch don’t look that great to me either.
Catering , transport, merchandise all shit. The website is haphazard
I don’t see why his having invested in the club should make any difference to the way we judge his tenure.
Well, when you put it like that ...
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Purslow hired Gerrard. Therefore he should be sacked.
Haha, no fucking chance. One frigging mistake ( maybe two ..Smith?), he's gone with what he thought would improve us. Fair play, he has fucked it. However, off the pitch it's a different kettle of fish. I'm glad we have him, and I think a lot of you agree.
He has his own cash invested. That's commitment.
How was Smith a mistake?
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I don’t think we can be too mad someone didn’t have a passport when he was apointed.
It’s unfortunate - but I would imagine the club were fully aware and decided despite that he was the right man.
We have more coaches than the national express surely one of them should have been there to run it
The fact he has only just started I think is another reason why Gerrard gets more time
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What has he done any good so far? Wear a suit, talk buzz words, generally not make an arse of himself, I get that. Where have the improvements come from apart from throwing huge amounts of money around, which I could do?
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What has he done any good so far? Wear a suit, talk buzz words, generally not make an arse of himself, I get that. Where have the improvements come from apart from throwing huge amounts of money around, which I could do?
So you're voting for Truss not Sunak? ;)
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What has he done any good so far? Wear a suit, talk buzz words, generally not make an arse of himself, I get that. Where have the improvements come from apart from throwing huge amounts of money around, which I could do?
So you're voting for Truss not Sunak? ;)
I'd rather vote for that bloke who wears the giant metal helmet.
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What has he done any good so far? Wear a suit, talk buzz words, generally not make an arse of himself, I get that. Where have the improvements come from apart from throwing huge amounts of money around, which I could do?
Plus points:
Well to be fair to him (and Smith) they got us up and kept us up
The youth development route appears to be very good
Plans for the new North Stand look decent
Minus points
The taking of the extra step seems to be a lot more difficult than he thought
Transfer strategy has had mixed results at best, the two directors of football haven't really turned up any gems
The catering at the club is an absolute shambles still
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What has he done any good so far? Wear a suit, talk buzz words, generally not make an arse of himself, I get that. Where have the improvements come from apart from throwing huge amounts of money around, which I could do?
Plus points:
Well to be fair to him (and Smith) they got us up and kept us up
The youth development route appears to be very good
Plans for the new North Stand look decent
Minus points
The taking of the extra step seems to be a lot more difficult than he thought
Transfer strategy has had mixed results at best, the two directors of football haven't really turned up any gems
The catering at the club is an absolute shambles still
Yes, youth development seems light years ahead of where we were 5 years ago. Good point. The North Stand is just going to be a white elephant though if were continually shit. It's just on paper, he hasn't done anything but asked someone to draw a picture. Grealish, Tammy and Mings got us up that season. Those 3 were on fire. Credit to Purslow for hiring Smith though as I though at the time he didn't have it in him, although I suppose having 3 England internationals in the Championship did help.
Financially, we've been terrible still. Is Lange good enough? The last few windows have been shit.
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Talks as though we're top 4 with fantastic facilities. Reality Absolutely NOTHING has changed on or off the pitch, we're still CRAP and paying more for it . There was the same cigarette butt wedged between a ceiling tile that was there on the final Home Game of last season?
The Holte Hotel hasn't been painted in years and looks like it's closed down. The catering is absolutely horrendous. The manager hasn't got a clue and the players aren't motivated .
What do the Maintenance Team (if we have one?) do in the closed season?
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Talks as though we're top 4 with fantastic facilities. Reality Absolutely NOTHING has changed on or off the pitch, we're still CRAP and paying more for it . There was the same cigarette butt wedged between a ceiling tile that was there on the final Home Game of last season?
The Holte Hotel hasn't been painted in years and looks like it's closer down. The catering is absolutely horrendous. The manager hasn't got a clue and the players aren't motivated .
What do the Maintenance Team (if we have one?) do in the closed season?
So you haven’t got the feel good factor?
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Talks as though we're top 4 with fantastic facilities. Reality Absolutely NOTHING has changed on or off the pitch, we're still CRAP and paying more for it . There was the same cigarette butt wedged between a ceiling tile that was there on the final Home Game of last season?
The Holte Hotel hasn't been painted in years and looks like it's closer down. The catering is absolutely horrendous. The manager hasn't got a clue and the players aren't motivated .
What do the Maintenance Team (if we have one?) do in the closed season?
Couldn't you sit on your mates shoulders and pull it out? The cigarette butt that is.
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What has he done any good so far? Wear a suit, talk buzz words, generally not make an arse of himself, I get that. Where have the improvements come from apart from throwing huge amounts of money around, which I could do?
Plus points:
Well to be fair to him (and Smith) they got us up and kept us up
The youth development route appears to be very good
Plans for the new North Stand look decent
Minus points
The taking of the extra step seems to be a lot more difficult than he thought
Transfer strategy has had mixed results at best, the two directors of football haven't really turned up any gems
The catering at the club is an absolute shambles still
I think this is a fair summary. I think a lot of the minus fit in with SG - as SG wants finished quality, rather than gems, and hasnt delivered (yet) on the field
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I'm still in the 'talks a good fight' camp. For all we say we're making progress there isn't much tangible proof. The Matchday Experience™ is mixed at best, the team could go either way and there seems to be a disdain for supporters that I've not noticed since the glory days of Doug.
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At least he's not Tom Fox.
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I was once at a meeting where the company was announcing redundancies. The meeting began, not by making that announcement, but with a presentation about how great things were going to be in the business once certain 'changes' had been made. He reminds me of the bloke who made that presentation.
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I dont warm to him, but I think he is comptent, and given the last 20 years, thats a massive improvement.
Lots of work still to be done in all parts of the club - but the main hold up is on the pitch.
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I dont warm to him, but I think he is competent, and given the last 20 years, thats a massive improvement.
Same here. See no point getting someone new in, especially with the planned North Stand redevelopment.
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I know the catering experience is utterly crap, but to be fair, recruitment in that industry is horrendous right now, so getting competent people is really difficult. They should double the wage rate and even adding a small increase to prices would keep their margins and ensure they sold loads more stuff.
Gut feeling is that he backed the wrong horse with Gerrard (though maybe he'll come good), but other than that, I'm not sure he's doing a lot wrong.
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I know the catering experience is utterly crap, but to be fair, recruitment in that industry is horrendous right now, so getting competent people is really difficult. They should double the wage rate and even adding a small increase to prices would keep their margins and ensure they sold loads more stuff.
Gut feeling is that he backed the wrong horse with Gerrard (though maybe he'll come good), but other than that, I'm not sure he's doing a lot wrong.
Yes recruitment for catering is tough, but at Villa Park it's added to piss poor organisation that's been discussed in detail on the catering thread. As I mentioned in the other games thread, I was at Elland Road yesterday and getting served at half time was a breeze.
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As has been mentioned in the Article put out we need to make things more simple . Bottle Bars , fast easy items of food and create more space. Tap card and walk away with product from a fridge.
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I'm still in the 'talks a good fight' camp. For all we say we're making progress there isn't much tangible proof. The Matchday Experience™ is mixed at best, the team could go either way and there seems to be a disdain for supporters that I've not noticed since the glory days of Doug.
Agreed, certainly I feel I’ve paid more than the value of what I’ve received whenever buying anything Villa related
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Perhaps the job is too big for Lange though because he has little experience negotiating with Premier League and other elite league players.
He came from Denmark, where he was looking for players who would develop. It appears that his main strength here is that and opportunistic moves, which part smell of Purslow getting involved, but can Lange work harder to get any more established or quality this summer? The failing of Sarr may be the beginning of the end as sporting director here.
Purslow will take credit or give SG but any failing Lange be the fall guy
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I was once at a meeting where the company was announcing redundancies. The meeting began, not by making that announcement, but with a presentation about how great things were going to be in the business once certain 'changes' had been made. He reminds me of the bloke who made that presentation.
Sounds like the BBC. Was it followed a few months later by an excitable announcement of a multi-million pound "investment" to put things back to how they were?
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I was once at a meeting where the company was announcing redundancies. The meeting began, not by making that announcement, but with a presentation about how great things were going to be in the business once certain 'changes' had been made. He reminds me of the bloke who made that presentation.
Sounds like the BBC. Was it followed a few months later by an excitable announcement of a multi-million pound "investment" to put things back to how they were?
I don't know. I bit their hands off for voluntary redundancy.
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I dont warm to him, but I think he is competent, and given the last 20 years, thats a massive improvement.
Same here. See no point getting someone new in, especially with the planned North Stand redevelopment.
I don't see how the Building a new stand should be a determining factor. A competent CEO will deal with this or hire someone to Project Manage.
My take is that we have exceptional owners and between them and what is happening to the First Team is Purslow and his appointees.
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If he didn't need it in his previous job how is it unprofessional? It's a ridiculous reach.
He joined us on 2 June. It was known late May that we will tour Australia preseason. Tour started on 17 July. He was appointed our Assistant Manager. From 2 June to mid July he had ample time to sort out his travel documents. Yes some applications take a little while but 90% are being turned around in about 3 to 4 weeks. You can also fast track by paying double fee. For a person in his position not being able to join the team due to lack of documentation is unprofessional, incompetent and bearing on neglect of duty.
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Reaching so far you have Mr Tickle length arms.
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If feels like we have the strategic/big picture stuff sorted (new inner city academy, plans for the new North Stand, more commercial partnerships) but the day to day operations on and off the pitch seem to be chaotic.
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Purslow did well to get Grealish to sign a new contract with the £100m clause. Not many would have expected him to fetch that fee.
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Because Lange and Gerrard are operating way beyond their experience and pay scale.
Lange has scouted for Mickey Mouse football and Gerrard has managed in Minnie mouse football. The pair of them are shit. And they can take McGinn with them when they fuck off, because he's utter pants.
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Who are all these terrible players we’ve signed since Lange came in?
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Reaching so far you have Mr Tickle length arms.
8) :)
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Purslow did well to get Grealish to sign a new contract with the £100m clause. Not many would have expected him to fetch that fee.
Purslow sold Grealish whereas Levy did not sell Kane. Money is soon wasted talent is greatness.
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Who are all these terrible players we’ve signed since Lange came in?
Traore, Ings, Bailey, Digne, Sanson, Barkley.
Buendia and Watkins have shown promise.
Cash and Martinez have proven good value.
Anyone else hasn't been here long enough or didn't cost enough to be of any concern. It's not a good hit rate to be honest is it?
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None of those players are terrible. Barkley was a loan as well which was absolutely the right deal to make.
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We paid a reported £11m fee to Chelsea for one season of Barkley and the bloke effectively downed tools when he began to be regularly substituted.
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Digne has apparently become terrible in the space of three matches this season. Remarkable.
What nonsense.
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Digne has apparently become terrible in the space of three matches this season. Remarkable.
What nonsense.
He's hardly been a roaring success though has he?
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He can attack but can he defend?
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Digne has apparently become terrible in the space of three matches this season. Remarkable.
What nonsense.
Indeed, absolute bollocks.
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He can attack but can he defend?
Yes he can - the failures of the season to date have made it absolutely impossible for the full backs.
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Digne has apparently become terrible in the space of three matches this season. Remarkable.
What nonsense.
He's hardly been a roaring success though has he?
It still doesnt make him a terrible player
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He's terrible value for money. There's nearly £200m on 8 players there. £200m. Who else spends that kind of money and look as disjointed as we do?
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We've lost 32 of our last 65 league games. That's utter shit. The money is being wasted by having below par managers in charge. Gambles and sentimentality.
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Sorry your just conflating different think. Digne being terrible value for money is utter nonsense. He’s a proven good player, a French international, and c.£25m is probably below the going rate for that calibre of player.
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Does he look any good? Are we losing games? Are we conceding lots of goals? Do we look solid defensively? He's shit, he can't defend. He looks like a converted winger, someone who was converted because he can't cross a ball. If you think that lot is worth £200m then you're Peter Risdale.
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Does he look any good? Are we losing games? Are we conceding lots of goals? Do we look solid defensively? He's shit, he can't defend. He looks like a converted winger, someone who was converted because he can't cross a ball. If you think that lot is worth £200m then you're Peter Risdale.
Blimey, calm down. You'll make yourself ill.
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Is he playing well at the moment? No. Does that mean he’s a hopeless player? No. You’re conflating poor form and a player’s overall ability.
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Does he look any good? Are we losing games? Are we conceding lots of goals? Do we look solid defensively? He's shit, he can't defend. He looks like a converted winger, someone who was converted because he can't cross a ball. If you think that lot is worth £200m then you're Peter Risdale.
If your hobby upsets you so much, and you've been stomping around the site like a surly teenager in a rage today, then bad mood or not, why bother? If you're this upset, what's the point?
I dont know what else you do for kicks and thrills, but if they made you this unhappy, you'd knock it on the head.
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What are vaccine rules to enter Australia (weren’t there a few Palace players kept at home)? I’d have thought that’s what stopped him going, and the passport was used as an excuse so he doesn’t look a dick. Even the Blackpool manager must be expected to scout players abroad every now and then and therefore need a passport?
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Does he look any good? Are we losing games? Are we conceding lots of goals? Do we look solid defensively? He's shit, he can't defend. He looks like a converted winger, someone who was converted because he can't cross a ball. If you think that lot is worth £200m then you're Peter Risdale.
Is the issue Digne or the system that asks him to play two positions - wing defender and a straight up wing. Because the actual "wings" get pinched in quite a bit, Digne is asked to cover an entire sideline which is impossible. If his responsibilities were to defend and to pitch in offensively at times on an overlap or something, we might see better defensive performances out of him. It is just a mess all around.
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In all honesty I’ve been less than impressed with Digne and I’m not convinced he’s an upgrade on Matt Targett.
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What are vaccine rules to enter Australia (weren’t there a few Palace players kept at home)? I’d have thought that’s what stopped him going, and the passport was used as an excuse so he doesn’t look a dick. Even the Blackpool manager must be expected to scout players abroad every now and then and therefore need a passport?
I find it strange that someone in a well-paying career hasn't felt the need to leave the country for the past nine years.
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In all honesty I’ve been less than impressed with Digne and I’m not convinced he’s an upgrade on Matt Targett.
He absolutely is.
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In all honesty I’ve been less than impressed with Digne and I’m not convinced he’s an upgrade on Matt Targett.
He absolutely is.
Well I’m yet to see it.
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Everton
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There was the same cigarette butt wedged between a ceiling tile that was there on the final Home Game of last season?
I’m sorry, but are you saying that you don’t have confidence in Purslow because he hasn’t done anything about this cigarette butt?
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There was the same cigarette butt wedged between a ceiling tile that was there on the final Home Game of last season?
I’m sorry, but are you saying that you don’t have confidence in Purslow because he hasn’t done anything about this cigarette butt?
Channeling Robert De Niro in Casino being angry about the blueberries in muffins.
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There was the same cigarette butt wedged between a ceiling tile that was there on the final Home Game of last season?
I’m sorry, but are you saying that you don’t have confidence in Purslow because he hasn’t done anything about this cigarette butt?
Channeling Robert De Niro in Casino being angry about the blueberries in muffins.
I could understand him being angry about Robert De Niro stealing his missus, Sharon 5tone from him.
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There was the same cigarette butt wedged between a ceiling tile that was there on the final Home Game of last season?
I’m sorry, but are you saying that you don’t have confidence in Purslow because he hasn’t done anything about this cigarette butt?
Channeling Robert De Niro in Casino being angry about the blueberries in muffins.
It's because he thinks we're (working in a coal mine) going down down down.
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There was the same cigarette butt wedged between a ceiling tile that was there on the final Home Game of last season?
I’m sorry, but are you saying that you don’t have confidence in Purslow because he hasn’t done anything about this cigarette butt?
Channeling Robert De Niro in Casino being angry about the blueberries in muffins.
NOTHING gets past Wilma. He's on everything. Absolutely everything.
He'd have been great on Watchdog.
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There was the same cigarette butt wedged between a ceiling tile that was there on the final Home Game of last season?
I’m sorry, but are you saying that you don’t have confidence in Purslow because he hasn’t done anything about this cigarette butt?
Channeling Robert De Niro in Casino being angry about the blueberries in muffins.
I could understand him being angry about Robert De Niro stealing his missus, Sharon 5tone from him.
Haha very good.
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“When you love someone, you’ve gotta trust them. There’s no other way. You’ve got to give them the key to everything. Otherwise, what's the point?”
- From Casino.
Could definitely apply here.
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“When you love someone, you’ve gotta trust them. There’s no other way. You’ve got to give them the key to everything. Otherwise, what's the point?”
- From Casino.
Could definitely apply here.
Are you threatening to put a car bomb in Gerrard's car?
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“When you love someone, you’ve gotta trust them. There’s no other way. You’ve got to give them the key to everything. Otherwise, what's the point?”
- From Casino.
Could definitely apply here.
Are you threatening to put a car bomb in Gerrard's car?
No, but Purslow may want to check his car if Gerrard feels he hasn’t been given all the players he wants.
I certainly wouldn’t mind having Nicky Santoro in midfield at the minute, especially with the changes in EPL rules on physical contact being more lax.
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“When you love someone, you’ve gotta trust them. There’s no other way. You’ve got to give them the key to everything. Otherwise, what's the point?”
- From Casino.
Could definitely apply here.
Are you threatening to put a car bomb in Gerrard's car?
No, but Purslow may want to check his car if Gerrard feels he hasn’t been given all the players he wants.
I certainly wouldn’t mind having Nicky Santoro in midfield at the minute, especially with the changes in EPL rules on physical contact being more lax.
Haha, carrying a pen, no doubt.
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“When you love someone, you’ve gotta trust them. There’s no other way. You’ve got to give them the key to everything. Otherwise, what's the point?”
- From Casino.
Could definitely apply here.
Are you threatening to put a car bomb in Gerrard's car?
No, but Purslow may want to check his car if Gerrard feels he hasn’t been given all the players he wants.
I certainly wouldn’t mind having Nicky Santoro in midfield at the minute, especially with the changes in EPL rules on physical contact being more lax.
Haha, carrying a pen, no doubt.
Martin Q. Blank is my favorite pen-wielder.
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“When you love someone, you’ve gotta trust them. There’s no other way. You’ve got to give them the key to everything. Otherwise, what's the point?”
- From Casino.
Could definitely apply here.
Are you threatening to put a car bomb in Gerrard's car?
No, but Purslow may want to check his car if Gerrard feels he hasn’t been given all the players he wants.
I certainly wouldn’t mind having Nicky Santoro in midfield at the minute, especially with the changes in EPL rules on physical contact being more lax.
Haha, carrying a pen, no doubt.
Martin Q. Blank is my favorite pen-wielder.
Yeah, that's a good call. Maybe Santoro could carry a telephone, a dustbin, or a vice.
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“When you love someone, you’ve gotta trust them. There’s no other way. You’ve got to give them the key to everything. Otherwise, what's the point?”
- From Casino.
Could definitely apply here.
Are you threatening to put a car bomb in Gerrard's car?
No, but Purslow may want to check his car if Gerrard feels he hasn’t been given all the players he wants.
I certainly wouldn’t mind having Nicky Santoro in midfield at the minute, especially with the changes in EPL rules on physical contact being more lax.
Haha, carrying a pen, no doubt.
The bloke you actually want is Tony Spilotro. Well, if he wasn’t dead.
Lefty Rosenthal (Ace Rothstein in the film) really did complain about the muffins too.
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None of those players are terrible. Barkley was a loan as well which was absolutely the right deal to make.
One of the worst deals the club ever did. That utter charlatan, somehow we luckily avoided making that deal a permanent one when he scored a few goals early on. Very much a Deano/Purslow deal there, with that clown Grealish no doubt pushing for it. Same for Drinky, I highly doubt Lange or Suso had anything to do with either of those disastrous loan deals.
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“When you love someone, you’ve gotta trust them. There’s no other way. You’ve got to give them the key to everything. Otherwise, what's the point?”
- From Casino.
Could definitely apply here.
Are you threatening to put a car bomb in Gerrard's car?
No, but Purslow may want to check his car if Gerrard feels he hasn’t been given all the players he wants.
I certainly wouldn’t mind having Nicky Santoro in midfield at the minute, especially with the changes in EPL rules on physical contact being more lax.
Haha, carrying a pen, no doubt.
The bloke you actually want is Tony Spilotro. Well, if he wasn’t dead.
Lefty Rosenthal (Ace Rothstein in the film) really did complain about the muffins too.
Oh I'm talking purely about the characters in the film, Percy. I read the book but about 15 years ago, so have very little recollection of it. Please don't call me a cvnt again 😉
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“When you love someone, you’ve gotta trust them. There’s no other way. You’ve got to give them the key to everything. Otherwise, what's the point?”
- From Casino.
Could definitely apply here.
Are you threatening to put a car bomb in Gerrard's car?
No, but Purslow may want to check his car if Gerrard feels he hasn’t been given all the players he wants.
I certainly wouldn’t mind having Nicky Santoro in midfield at the minute, especially with the changes in EPL rules on physical contact being more lax.
Haha, carrying a pen, no doubt.
The bloke you actually want is Tony Spilotro. Well, if he wasn’t dead.
Lefty Rosenthal (Ace Rothstein in the film) really did complain about the muffins too.
Oh I'm talking purely about the characters in the film, Percy. I read the book but about 15 years ago, so have very little recollection of it. Please don't call me a cvnt again 😉
Ok I’ll let you off.
Nicky Sentoro is indeed a fictional name for Tony Spilotro. Not to be confused with Nicky Sentora, a real life made man in the Bonnano crime family, one of the five families of New York. He extorted money from the makers of Donnie Brasco, a very authentic film. After they had paid him and made the film, they put a little surprise for him in the script, by referring to him by name as an informant. I heard he nearly choked on his popcorn in the cinema when he heard it.
-
“When you love someone, you’ve gotta trust them. There’s no other way. You’ve got to give them the key to everything. Otherwise, what's the point?”
- From Casino.
Could definitely apply here.
Are you threatening to put a car bomb in Gerrard's car?
No, but Purslow may want to check his car if Gerrard feels he hasn’t been given all the players he wants.
I certainly wouldn’t mind having Nicky Santoro in midfield at the minute, especially with the changes in EPL rules on physical contact being more lax.
Haha, carrying a pen, no doubt.
The bloke you actually want is Tony Spilotro. Well, if he wasn’t dead.
Lefty Rosenthal (Ace Rothstein in the film) really did complain about the muffins too.
Oh I'm talking purely about the characters in the film, Percy. I read the book but about 15 years ago, so have very little recollection of it. Please don't call me a cvnt again 😉
Ok I’ll let you off.
Phew, thanks 😁
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In all honesty I’ve been less than impressed with Digne and I’m not convinced he’s an upgrade on Matt Targett.
He absolutely is.
Well I’m yet to see it.
Yeah, me either.
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I think the biggest misjudgment he has made is not knowing SG would want to be a chequebook manager, wanting the finished article and having no interest/ability to develop players. The rest of the club is being set-up to support that model (Academy, Lange's recruitment) and SG has no interest in it a first team level. Purslow made a fan-boy appointment as he wanted a "name" and if he leaves it too long he'll have to fall on his sword too. Accept his mistake and deal with it quickly and he gets one more go for me.
Anyone even suggesting Dean Smith was a mistake needs to give their head a wobble. He was exactly the right man to move us from where we were to where we are now, but that was his ceiling. Some of the football we played in the early part of the 7-2 season was the best I've seen us play since Big Ron's time.
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In all honesty I’ve been less than impressed with Digne and I’m not convinced he’s an upgrade on Matt Targett.
He absolutely is.
Well I’m yet to see it.
Yeah, me either.
I’m Still looking
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Good point that and one that may lead me toward the Gerrard out camp in time, if he can’t make what he’s got better, we need to strengthen the coaching team or make a managerial change.
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I think the biggest misjudgment he has made is not knowing SG would want to be a chequebook manager, wanting the finished article and having no interest/ability to develop players. The rest of the club is being set-up to support that model (Academy, Lange's recruitment) and SG has no interest in it a first team level. Purslow made a fan-boy appointment as he wanted a "name" and if he leaves it too long he'll have to fall on his sword too. Accept his mistake and deal with it quickly and he gets one more go for me.
Anyone even suggesting Dean Smith was a mistake needs to give their head a wobble. He was exactly the right man to move us from where we were to where we are now, but that was his ceiling. Some of the football we played in the early part of the 7-2 season was the best I've seen us play since Big Ron's time.
Agree with all of this.
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Duncan's point is interesting where you have him saying Gerrard is a cheque book manager and some fans moaning that we haven't spent enough.
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Duncan's point is interesting where you have him saying Gerrard is a cheque book manager and some fans moaning that we haven't spent enough.
Is that not because of the category of players we're bringing in? 29/30 year olds with no re-sell value but are ready to go now.
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Duncan's point is interesting where you have him saying Gerrard is a cheque book manager and some fans moaning that we haven't spent enough.
Is that not because of the category of players we're bringing in? 29/30 year olds with no re-sell value but are ready to go now.
True, but some fans have been asking for 'hit the ground running' players. Fair point though. To be honest, I haven't really got an issue with any of the players he's brought in so far.
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The net spend under Gerrard so far is about £30m.
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Duncan's point is interesting where you have him saying Gerrard is a cheque book manager and some fans moaning that we haven't spent enough.
Is that not because of the category of players we're bringing in? 29/30 year olds with no re-sell value but are ready to go now.
True, but some fans have been asking for 'hit the ground running' players. Fair point though. To be honest, I haven't really got an issue with any of the players he's brought in so far.
Me neither. I think if the club continue just bringing in 29/30 year olds we're going to have a problem further down the line. I think alot of agree that more experience was needed to what was a young squad he inherited. I'd like to see more work and development of the younger players we have rather than just looking to the transfer market to solve things. I think a lot of problems wouldn't necessarily just be fixed by buying more players. Dealing with set pieces, being susceptible to just a long ball over the top, creating chances, etc. Better coaching and organisation should be applied.
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I think we have enough in that bracket now. We could do with a couple of genuine leaders now though, ideally mid 20s. Carlos looks like he should be one in time, which could actually help Mings longer term, but in midfield and going forward a couple of players that can lead on the pitch. Mcginn just isn't a captain.
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I think we have enough in that bracket now. We could do with a couple of genuine leaders now though, ideally mid 20s. Carlos looks like he should be one in time, which could actually help Mings longer term, but in midfield and going forward a couple of players that can lead on the pitch. Mcginn just isn't a captain.
Yes, someone to play alongside/in front of Kamara. Others have pointed this out (and I agree) that the best set up for what we've got is 4-2-3-1.
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He's not going to take McGinn out (who I like) so I'm wondering if away from home at least, Luiz might be a better shout than Ramsey. Just to tighten it up at bit. Just a thought.
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He's not going to take McGinn out (who I like) so I'm wondering if away from home at least, Luiz might be a better shout than Ramsey. Just to tighten it up at bit. Just a thought.
I had also wondered about trying that. As long as Luiz isn’t the deepest midfielder.
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Jacob wasn't in any kind of form in the summer but has been an automatic pick. Whereas you could say the opposite about Sanson and to a lesser degree, Luiz.
When Gerrard came there were soundbites about how he liked to play possession based football and we would retain the ball a lot better. I'm still waiting. There's been glimpses of it but by and large our midfield has been invisible, failing to protect a defensive unit that just doesn't look organised or like it knows what to do against direct, physical tactics.
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Jacob wasn't in any kind of form in the summer but has been an automatic pick. Whereas you could say the opposite about Sanson and to a lesser degree, Luiz.
When Gerrard came there were soundbites about how he liked to play possession based football and we would retain the ball a lot better. I'm still waiting. There's been glimpses of it but by and large our midfield has been invisible, failing to protect a defensive unit that just doesn't look organised or like it knows what to do against direct, physical tactics.
His big mistake is making McGinn captain. He is to possession based football what I am to home improvements.
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Jacob wasn't in any kind of form in the summer but has been an automatic pick. Whereas you could say the opposite about Sanson and to a lesser degree, Luiz.
When Gerrard came there were soundbites about how he liked to play possession based football and we would retain the ball a lot better. I'm still waiting. There's been glimpses of it but by and large our midfield has been invisible, failing to protect a defensive unit that just doesn't look organised or like it knows what to do against direct, physical tactics.
The possession we've had in games this season (and the back end of last season) has been when the opposition have been quite happy for us to have it.
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I agree. I would have looked to have sold him for whatever obscene figure I could get for him rather than make him captain.
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Jacob wasn't in any kind of form in the summer but has been an automatic pick. Whereas you could say the opposite about Sanson and to a lesser degree, Luiz.
When Gerrard came there were soundbites about how he liked to play possession based football and we would retain the ball a lot better. I'm still waiting. There's been glimpses of it but by and large our midfield has been invisible, failing to protect a defensive unit that just doesn't look organised or like it knows what to do against direct, physical tactics.
His big mistake is making McGinn captain. He is to possession based football what I am to home improvements.
Absolutely, and to be honest, the McGinn thing is the thing about Gerrard that worries me most.
Week in, week out, despite poor form, making him captain - a serious misjudgement.
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Jacob wasn't in any kind of form in the summer but has been an automatic pick. Whereas you could say the opposite about Sanson and to a lesser degree, Luiz.
When Gerrard came there were soundbites about how he liked to play possession based football and we would retain the ball a lot better. I'm still waiting. There's been glimpses of it but by and large our midfield has been invisible, failing to protect a defensive unit that just doesn't look organised or like it knows what to do against direct, physical tactics.
His big mistake is making McGinn captain. He is to possession based football what I am to home improvements.
Absolutely, and to be honest, the McGinn thing is the thing about Gerrard that worries me most.
Week in, week out, despite poor form, making him captain - a serious misjudgement.
It seems odd in the face of how Mings has been treated. We all know that Mings has a clanger in him but for the back end of last season he was a consistent performer. I'd like to be generous and say that Gerrard is managing different people differently, but I don't think it's that unfortunately because I don't think Gerrard has the patience for it.
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Even as a minority investor at Villa Purslow has a strong hand.
An issue with Liverpool supporters was in sacking Benitez then hiring Hodgson. He's done the same with Smith out to Gerrard in.
He may have some great commercial and business acumen but there's a tendency to be bit too involved on footballing matters.
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The Gerrard appointment is shaping up to be the first major mistake. How they deal with it will be important
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If the club wants to calm the waters then they should get rid now, it will take a minor miracle for us to take points out of the next two games. At least supporters will be happy that management is being pro-active.
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Surely he has to go. He has thrown his hat into the ring and lost it. First of all the Jack Grealish contract and the get out clause, followed by Bshit over replacement players, then throwing Dean Smith under a bus as a result of his own failure and latterly appointment someone supposedly close to him as Head Coach, which has ultimately failed.
At least do the Boris thing and offer your resignation. It will be accepted.
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The Gerrard appointment is shaping up to be the first major mistake. How they deal with it will be important
Correct, and mistakes are ok as long as they recognise it and act. They have earnt enough good faith from their tenure so far for me to trust them to do it. The next appointment is huge and I’ve got a theory on it:
Purslow will be well aware that he is now getting flack for SG. Purslow has an ego. How can he blur the situation and come out smelling likes roses to save his own image!?
Club will appoint a manager that 95% of the fan base would see as a coup. Wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t try for Poch - getting him in would be a PR dream for him.
Outside of Poch I think it’s Potter (another media darling right now) or probably the least (desirable on paper Rodger’s.
For me (being realistic) I’d love Rodger’s. I live East Midlands way and he’s prob very gettable now for first time ever during our NSWE era.
5th, 5th, 8th, FA Cup, 3 years of Europe in his last 3 at Leicester, it’s just runs it’s course their organically for him now due to the ownership troubles
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Out of the 3 you mention he would be my 3rd choice.I have never really taken to Rodgers.
Why are the Leicester fans so against him?
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Out of the 3 you mention he would be my 3rd choice.I have never really taken to Rodgers.
Why are the Leicester fans so against him?
Because they're deluded...
The greatest betting fix in history about six years ago, and suddenly they're Real Madrid.
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Out of the 3 you mention he would be my 3rd choice.I have never really taken to Rodgers.
Why are the Leicester fans so against him?
Not too sure. One of my Leicester mates thinks they are massively fickle and will rue the day he goes, others can’t wait till he does. My take is Leicester fans have developed a massive massive delusion of grandeur, they honestly believe they now should be champions league challenging etc - think this doesn’t help BR
I’d be a mix of delighted/happy for any of those 3. Poch is the one though. Genuinely believe he’s obtainable
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Out of the 3 you mention he would be my 3rd choice.I have never really taken to Rodgers.
Why are the Leicester fans so against him?
Not too sure. One of my Leicester mates thinks they are massively fickle and will rue the day he goes, others can’t wait till he does. My take is Leicester fans have developed a massive massive delusion of grandeur, they honestly believe they now should be champions league challenging etc - think this doesn’t help BR
I’d be a mix of delighted/happy for any of those 3. Poch is the one though. Genuinely believe he’s obtainable
Maybe with the same Financial commitment that Spurs gave Conte, or else what would be the point?
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Pochitino is dream manager territory, rodgers is much more likely.
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Surely he has to go. He has thrown his hat into the ring and lost it. First of all the Jack Grealish contract and the get out clause, followed by Bshit over replacement players, then throwing Dean Smith under a bus as a result of his own failure and latterly appointment someone supposedly close to him as Head Coach, which has ultimately failed.
At least do the Boris thing and offer your resignation. It will be accepted.
I dont think we can beat him up on the Grealish thing.
At the end of the day we have mugged city off, eased our FFP concerns, and let’s not forget, Grealish had been trying to leave for 3 years.
The only thing Purslow has fecked up on is having a vanity project and gambling that he would be deemed a genius for unearthing and new managerial superstar.
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His future ultimately depends on whether the owners feel he is delivering. After the Suso debacle, Lange reports directly to NSWE, so it’ll be interesting to see how Lange sees this and whether this reflects well on Purslow. Lange of course being equally culpable in my view for the Gerrard appointment. I still think Naseef and Wes are too reliant on Purslow and if they dig deeper wouldn’t be happy with how he’s doing things. Something doesn’t feel quite right.
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His future ultimately depends on whether the owners feel he is delivering. After the Suso debacle, Lange reports directly to NSWE, so it’ll be interesting to see how Lange sees this and whether this reflects well on Purslow. Lange of course being equally culpable in my view for the Gerrard appointment. I still think Naseef and Wes are too reliant on Purslow and if they dig deeper wouldn’t be happy with how he’s doing things. Something doesn’t feel quite right.
I don’t see how anyone but Purslow is responsible for Gerard's appointment.
The owners would have more of a say than Lange.
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His future ultimately depends on whether the owners feel he is delivering. After the Suso debacle, Lange reports directly to NSWE, so it’ll be interesting to see how Lange sees this and whether this reflects well on Purslow. Lange of course being equally culpable in my view for the Gerrard appointment. I still think Naseef and Wes are too reliant on Purslow and if they dig deeper wouldn’t be happy with how he’s doing things. Something doesn’t feel quite right.
I don’t see how anyone but Purslow is responsible for Gerard's appointment.
The owners would have more of a say than Lange.
I can’t believe that as the Director of Football he isn’t intimately involved in all discussions with the owners on matters of management and coaching as well as the more obvious player recruitment stuff. I agree with you that he’s just one voice and ultimately the owners and Purslow have more say, I think Langes input could be crucial here in whether a change is being contemplated.
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Out of the 3 you mention he would be my 3rd choice.I have never really taken to Rodgers.
Why are the Leicester fans so against him?
Not too sure. One of my Leicester mates thinks they are massively fickle and will rue the day he goes, others can’t wait till he does. My take is Leicester fans have developed a massive massive delusion of grandeur, they honestly believe they now should be champions league challenging etc - think this doesn’t help BR
I’d be a mix of delighted/happy for any of those 3. Poch is the one though. Genuinely believe he’s obtainable
I once met a Leicester fan that told me that they would have won the league whether Ranieri was their manager or not and that they felt he got too much credit for it. As you say, massive, massive delusion of grandeur!
If Poch is in anyway obtainable, I would imagine we have put the feelers out already. It would be cirminal not to, and Purslow must know that he cannot make another mistake like last time. The next appointment will define his tenure - if he gets it wrong, he will have been a failure.
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Out of the 3 you mention he would be my 3rd choice.I have never really taken to Rodgers.
Why are the Leicester fans so against him?
Not too sure. One of my Leicester mates thinks they are massively fickle and will rue the day he goes, others can’t wait till he does. My take is Leicester fans have developed a massive massive delusion of grandeur, they honestly believe they now should be champions league challenging etc - think this doesn’t help BR
I’d be a mix of delighted/happy for any of those 3. Poch is the one though. Genuinely believe he’s obtainable
If Poch is in anyway obtainable, I would imagine we have put the feelers out already. It would be cirminal not to, and Purslow must know that he cannot make another mistake like last time. The next appointment will define his tenure - if he gets it wrong, he will have been a failure.
If he is available then Purslow is not doing his job if he isn’t seeing how available he really is.
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Leicester are failing miserably now and Rodgers seems to be one of those managers that can't address the slide.
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I can see the benefit in asking Poch if he's up for it, but I don't think he'd come. I suspect he might get some Champions league team request within a few months. Experience, coaching ability and silverware are the minimum requirements.
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I can see the benefit in asking Poch if he's up for it, but I don't think he'd come. I suspect he might get some Champions league team request within a few months. Experience, coaching ability and silverware are the minimum requirements.
We've got to turn a negative into a positive. Use the fact that our manage is terrible to our advantage - get rid of him while the other teams are giving their guy more time to turn into Arteta (rather than accepting that they're a Sherwood, Di Matteo, Bradley, Magath, Di Canio, de Boer, Kean, Garde, Wigley, Santini, Mel etc), and strike now. If we are to get someone of an elite level, timing will be everything. This could be our only chance, we have to stack the odds in our favour.
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Leicester are failing miserably now and Rodgers seems to be one of those managers that can't address the slide.
I would say the issue seems to be that Leicester are broke and having to sell their best players which must be demoralizing for Rodgers and the whole squad. I cant say I would give my best performance under similar circumstances if I worked for a company like that.
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For me, Purslow has some credit in the bank so I don’t see any need for him to leave on the back of appointing SG. His strengths are behind the scenes running the club as a business, and he always speaks well of and about the club…from what I can see, he’s done a lot more good than bad, so I don’t really have any complaints. Just keep him away from management appointments in the future!
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Out of the 3 you mention he would be my 3rd choice.I have never really taken to Rodgers.
Why are the Leicester fans so against him?
Not too sure. One of my Leicester mates thinks they are massively fickle and will rue the day he goes, others can’t wait till he does. My take is Leicester fans have developed a massive massive delusion of grandeur, they honestly believe they now should be champions league challenging etc - think this doesn’t help BR
I’d be a mix of delighted/happy for any of those 3. Poch is the one though. Genuinely believe he’s obtainable
I once met a Leicester fan that told me that they would have won the league whether Ranieri was their manager or not and that they felt he got too much credit for it. As you say, massive, massive delusion of grandeur!
If Poch is in anyway obtainable, I would imagine we have put the feelers out already. It would be cirminal not to, and Purslow must know that he cannot make another mistake like last time. The next appointment will define his tenure - if he gets it wrong, he will have been a failure.
I've told it before, but I met a Leicester fan at his workplace, in Leicester and after spending 20 minutes discussing the merits of our respective teams amicably in the canteen, I noticed a claret t shirt poking out the back of his work jacket. He was wearing the old Reebok/NTL Villa shirt, which apparently his nan had bought him years before.
Weird fuckers.
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Try living round here! A weird bunch indeed.
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I actually don't mind them, or the city, all that much. They just all seem a bit bongo, the one's I've met, like they got dropped on their heads as infants.
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That weird high pitched, slightly camp accent they have, though.
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That weird high pitched, slightly camp accent they have, though.
I find the Stoke one much, much more irritating for the same reasons. Maybe it's an A50 corridor thing, I've got nieces/nephews bought up in Swadlincote and they've got it too, the poor fuckers.
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Pochittino - really don't get the hype over him. He was as good as expected (bang average) at Southampton, Continued the Bridesmaid, never the bride role at Spurzzzz.
3rd the season they should of won the league and lost in Champs league final - the trend being almost but never enough
Won a single championship in France aided by the greatest player to have played the game, The most expensive footballer of all time, the highest paid footballer in the world and a CH that has won every major honour there is to win. To be fair they should dominate the French league like City does ours - but they do not. Not for me
Potter - lots of positives (Local, Fan, tries to play decent football) and would not be against him but my nagging doubt is that our current "poor" tactical Manager beat him both home and away last year!!
Rogers - never really liked him and using the same gauge as Poch he lost the league title from a winning position (with a certain Coutiniho and Gerrard in the team) and was out thought by Tactics Tim in the FA cup semi.
But due to Leicester league placings, FA cup win and his impressive record in Scotland i would have him as my choice out of these 3
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Pochittino - really don't get the hype...
...out of these 3
I'm pretty much with you on all three of those managers. They all have positives and risks. All I really want is someone who can get us winning the majority of games we should be winning with our squad. I'll take ups and downs, shock defeats, definitely a shock win, but I'd just like something that overall reflects our squad's potential. Other than that, I'd really like to see a manager and squad who seem to know what they're attempting and are enjoying their football. We had it for a while under Bruce and Smith, so it's not at all impossible.
At the minute we have a miseryarse manager, players who seem shells of their "best selves" and no-one really liking being Villa. Whether it's Gerrard or the next one, just give us and yourselves something to smile about FFS.
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There is something very wrong, it started with the Greasy saga and somehow we have not recovered.
This is despite substantial investment In the team and a change of manager.
This is an organisation that can not even get basic catering on match day right, has no plan to sort out access to and from the ground and has covered the stadium with bill boards and is squeezing the last penny out of its fan base through a shit ticketing system and ticket prices.
Why on earth should we expect them to get it right on the pitch, the first team reflects and represents the club and it is a shambles.
We need to start again and the most important decision is to get rid of the bloke who is sitting in the CEO office because this shit show is on him.
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Pochittino - really don't get the hype over him. He was as good as expected (bang average) at Southampton, Continued the Bridesmaid, never the bride role at Spurzzzz.
3rd the season they should of won the league and lost in Champs league final - the trend being almost but never enough
Won a single championship in France aided by the greatest player to have played the game, The most expensive footballer of all time, the highest paid footballer in the world and a CH that has won every major honour there is to win. To be fair they should dominate the French league like City does ours - but they do not. Not for me
Potter - lots of positives (Local, Fan, tries to play decent football) and would not be against him but my nagging doubt is that our current "poor" tactical Manager beat him both home and away last year!!
Rogers - never really liked him and using the same gauge as Poch he lost the league title from a winning position (with a certain Coutiniho and Gerrard in the team) and was out thought by Tactics Tim in the FA cup semi.
But due to Leicester league placings, FA cup win and his impressive record in Scotland i would have him as my choice out of these 3
Whether it is Pochettino or Rodgers I would love us to have that much failure in the next 5 years
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"There is something very wrong, it started with the Greasy saga and somehow we have not recovered.
This is despite substantial investment In the team and a change of manager.
This is an organisation that can not even get basic catering on match day right, has no plan to sort out access to and from the ground and has covered the stadium with bill boards and is squeezing the last penny out of its fan base through a shit ticketing system and ticket prices.
Why on earth should we expect them to get it right on the pitch, the first team reflects and represents the club and it is a shambles.
We need to start again and the most important decision is to get rid of the bloke who is sitting in the CEO office because this shit show is on him."
SPOT ON - LITTLE THINGS MATTER AND EVERYTHING IS SH*T OR 2ND RATE - GET SOMEONE IN NOW TO TOTALLY REBUILD THE BACK OFFICE (INC COACHING AND RECRUITMENT)
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Pochittino - really don't get the hype over him. He was as good as expected (bang average) at Southampton, Continued the Bridesmaid, never the bride role at Spurzzzz.
I'd rather be the bridesmaid than the bitter ex, sitting at home in an old t-shirt, watching Bridget Jones on repeat with mascara running down her tear-stained face.
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Gerrard was always going to be a gamble and what boils my piss is that it was one we simply didn't need to take. I won't forgive Purslow quickly for that.
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I could see the reasoning behind appointing Gerrard, and think it worked to some extent (e.g. bringing in Coutinho) but not anywhere near well enough to justify it.
As long as we at decisively to get rid of Gerrard, I don't see a need to sack Purslow too. Although the next appointment will be a big one for him. We need a Smith-type manager who can improve players & make the side note than the sum of it's parts, not a Gerrard who does the exact opposite.
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Seems good on the business side of running the club but need to stay out of football matters. Weren’t Drinkwater and Barkley his idea?
SG is his man without any doubt so let’s see how he reacts.
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Out
Anwar El Ghazi
Trezeguet
Traore
Targett
Hourihane
Keinan
In
Carlos (injured)
Kamara
Coutinho (was already here)
And two back ups including one GK
The outs could give something and have proven to do so , the club has been destroyed
As always we talk a good game but in reality we're CRAP
Let's get the basics right on and off the pitch before you start talking mega capacity stadiums and Europe
DISASTER
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It's a DISGRACE alright.
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He comes across as a right smarmy prick as well, which if results were better wouldn't be a problem but grates when things are so shite. The appointment of Gerrard and signing of Coutinho(I mean there's a reason he came to a club struggling to reach mid-table) are not looking to be the great coups he thought they were, and instead a poor attempt to imitate Liverpool 2015. And what they have done this transfer window is beyond me.
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Whoever the next manager is, we need them to bring back unity and purpose to the club.
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That's right lads, the club has been destroyed because we sold [checks notes] Trezeguet.
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Purslow got it wrong in the summer of 2021, when he said we brought 3 players in to replace one (a stupid statement).
He got it wrong last November when he appointed his inexperienced mate saying we needed to make continuous progress after getting shot of Smith. We were an established pl team into our 3rd season. We'd already done the inexperienced pl manager bit with Deano who deserved the chance after getting us promoted. We certainly didn't need to repeat it (and effectively return ourselves to the August of '19)
Of course all managerial appointments are gambles, but to give ourselves the best chance of making continued progress we needed an experienced top end manager back in November '21, as we do now (maybe even more so).
Purslow is culpable for where we find ourselves through bad decisions. He needs to stand up, take responsibility and correct his mistakes, otherwise he can go too.
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There is something very wrong, it started with the Greasy saga and somehow we have not recovered.
This is despite substantial investment In the team and a change of manager.
This is an organisation that can not even get basic catering on match day right, has no plan to sort out access to and from the ground and has covered the stadium with bill boards and is squeezing the last penny out of its fan base through a shit ticketing system and ticket prices.
Why on earth should we expect them to get it right on the pitch, the first team reflects and represents the club and it is a shambles.
We need to start again and the most important decision is to get rid of the bloke who is sitting in the CEO office because this shit show is on him.
You make a very good argument for getting rid of Purslow. Whether it should be done now or at a later time is moot.
We HAVE to get the on-pitch stuff sorted pretty quickly, which means getting in a manager who can turn things around, and the owners need to do some serious due diligence on Purslow and other potential CEOs.
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Pochittino - really don't get the hype over him. He was as good as expected (bang average) at Southampton, Continued the Bridesmaid, never the bride role at Spurzzzz.
3rd the season they should of won the league and lost in Champs league final - the trend being almost but never enough
Won a single championship in France aided by the greatest player to have played the game, The most expensive footballer of all time, the highest paid footballer in the world and a CH that has won every major honour there is to win. To be fair they should dominate the French league like City does ours - but they do not. Not for me
Potter - lots of positives (Local, Fan, tries to play decent football) and would not be against him but my nagging doubt is that our current "poor" tactical Manager beat him both home and away last year!!
Rogers - never really liked him and using the same gauge as Poch he lost the league title from a winning position (with a certain Coutiniho and Gerrard in the team) and was out thought by Tactics Tim in the FA cup semi.
But due to Leicester league placings, FA cup win and his impressive record in Scotland i would have him as my choice out of these 3
Poch 4 x top 4 finishes at Spurs while they were building their new stadium. Really improved a number of players too with coaching that we badly need.
Rodgers talks a lot of crap but a line should be drawn under his record in Scotland. The SPL was in a really bad state at the time.
Potter has done really well at Brighton but the other two have a lot more on their CV.
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Seems good on the business side of running the club.
What evidence do you have of this?
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Purslow’s 4th anniversary at Villa today. We’re second from bottom, likely to be looking for another manager and still unable to serve a pint to everyone who wants one at half time. We have some very ambitious looking drawings of Villa Park though, which I wonder if he will still be around to see completed.
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Things definitely look infinitely better than they did in 2018.
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What improvement have we seen in the last 12 months though? Isn’t it suppose to be continuous
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Nothing in the last 12 months, we've stagnated post Grealish.
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Be delighted to see him go as well at this point , SG is his ego trip as was signing the likes of Ings and Digne
We have regressed and been overtaken but other teams whilst spanking a crap load of money on fee's and wages up the wall.As it stands this is turning into another fight to stay up season ..continuous improvement was in ..
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Why is it an ego trip or a vanity project? I see it mentioned but I don't understand the core of the argument.
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Why is it an ego trip or a vanity project? I see it mentioned but I don't understand the core of the argument.
Nor me. I didn't agree with the appointment but only because I think these things don't tend to work out well for us, however I could see the logic in going for him. I don't think our owners are in the business of massaging a CEOs ego, nor that Purslow fancied taking a punt based on having something to brag about. They tried it, it has failed. Move on or make it work.
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What was the logic in going for a manager from non league football? If he had been called Graham Turner would we have chased him?
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What was the logic in going for a manager from non league football? If he had been called Graham Turner would we have chased him?
Big name, big character, driven, respected in the game, apprenticeship at a high pressure big club (albeit with only one rival but that is a pressure in itself). His next job after Rangers was always going to be lower half Prem and we were the ones to take the punt. When Gerrard was appointed, the slow tedium we've been served was only one of the possible outcomes.
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So just because of his name then. Well done Villa. Messi will be retiring soon he can be our next manager.
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If I was going to give Purslow the benefit of the doubt I'd say he thought he was getting a package deal of Gerrard + Beale for the foreseeable future. Possibly behind the scenes we'd been struggling to attract 'big name' signings and he saw Gerrard as the solution to that, and hoped that overall we'd be better off with better players and a top class tactically astute assistant even if SG was still learning. Then maybe by the time Beale did leave he'd be up to scratch on his own. Unfortunately Beale didn't even make it to pre-season and Gerrard has totally lost the plot both on and off the pitch.
For me the real test of Purslow is what he does right now, the longer it goes on like this the more it does in fact look like a vanity project.
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If Beale had aspirations of management, that's something that should have been flagged when Gerrard and his 15-man army of staff came on board.
I presume it was, as there a release clause that QPR had to pay us.
Flux is part of football though, there's only so much you can plan for which means you always need to have the fundamentals in place. If you have a manager who can't/doesn't coach, it's a risk-register flag as you're more highly dependent on how he delegates and to whom.
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If I was going to give Purslow the benefit of the doubt I'd say he thought he was getting a package deal of Gerrard + Beale for the foreseeable future. Possibly behind the scenes we'd been struggling to attract 'big name' signings and he saw Gerrard as the solution to that, and hoped that overall we'd be better off with better players and a top class tactically astute assistant even if SG was still learning. Then maybe by the time Beale did leave he'd be up to scratch on his own. Unfortunately Beale didn't even make it to pre-season and Gerrard has totally lost the plot both on and off the pitch.
For me the real test of Purslow is what he does right now, the longer it goes on like this the more it does in fact look like a vanity project.
That's fine but it doesn't explain the rancid collapse at the end of last season. What was it? Two wins in the last 12 both against relegated sides with the QPR manager still pulling the strings?
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So just because of his name then. Well done Villa. Messi will be retiring soon he can be our next manager.
No, as stated. Do you think they didn't interview him, ask for his views on all things Villa, find out about his coaching staff, look at what he'd done at Rangers and, more important, how he'd done it...?
I didn't think Smith should have been sacked, but I could see why it happened and have zero idea if it would have improved if he'd stayed. I didn't feel any great hope when Gerrard was appointed, but I could see reasons why they went for him and had no idea at the time how it would turn out. What I am certain about is Purslow and the owners didn't wake up one morning last November and decide they fancied spaffing millions away so they could rub shoulders with someone famous.
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If I was going to give Purslow the benefit of the doubt I'd say he thought he was getting a package deal of Gerrard + Beale for the foreseeable future. Possibly behind the scenes we'd been struggling to attract 'big name' signings and he saw Gerrard as the solution to that, and hoped that overall we'd be better off with better players and a top class tactically astute assistant even if SG was still learning. Then maybe by the time Beale did leave he'd be up to scratch on his own. Unfortunately Beale didn't even make it to pre-season and Gerrard has totally lost the plot both on and off the pitch.
For me the real test of Purslow is what he does right now, the longer it goes on like this the more it does in fact look like a vanity project.
That's fine but it doesn't explain the rancid collapse at the end of last season. What was it? Two wins in the last 12 both against relegated sides with the QPR manager still pulling the strings?
No doubt this is where the 'we need pre-season to fully embed our system' narrative comes in. We'll never know what would have happened, but personally I'm sceptical, I doubt we'd be much better off.
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So just because of his name then. Well done Villa. Messi will be retiring soon he can be our next manager.
No, as stated. Do you think they didn't interview him, ask for his views on all things Villa, find out about his coaching staff, look at what he'd done at Rangers and, more important, how he'd done it...?
I didn't think Smith should have been sacked, but I could see why it happened and have zero idea if it would have improved if he'd stayed. I didn't feel any great hope when Gerrard was appointed, but I could see reasons why they went for him and had no idea at the time how it would turn out. What I am certain about is Purslow and the owners didn't wake up one morning last November and decide they fancied spaffing millions away so they could rub shoulders with someone famous.
Purslow wouldn’t need to wake up one morning to feel he could rub shoulders with famous footballers, it’s well known he’s a bit of a star fucker and loved the famous by association vibes he gets from it. I don’t know this may all be conjecture bullshit and tomorrows lead article on Popbitch but he was called out on this when he was at Liverpool, has the leopard changed his spots?
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I couldn't care less what he did at Rangers. It's non league football where you have the ball 70% of the time playing against players on par with Salford City. He may have been a risk worth taking for a team that were looking for the potential next big thing but supposedly we have/had huge financial backing and were targeting Europe, so how would taking a risk on an unproven manager tally with that?
We were awed by his name. How amateurish. We won't be big time again until we start acting it, and appointing managers with no track record isn't acting big time.
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So just because of his name then. Well done Villa. Messi will be retiring soon he can be our next manager.
No, as stated. Do you think they didn't interview him, ask for his views on all things Villa, find out about his coaching staff, look at what he'd done at Rangers and, more important, how he'd done it...?
I didn't think Smith should have been sacked, but I could see why it happened and have zero idea if it would have improved if he'd stayed. I didn't feel any great hope when Gerrard was appointed, but I could see reasons why they went for him and had no idea at the time how it would turn out. What I am certain about is Purslow and the owners didn't wake up one morning last November and decide they fancied spaffing millions away so they could rub shoulders with someone famous.
I agree with that, apart from the Smith being sacked bit. I've said before that he was working to a similar structure at Rangers, so could see why they'd go for him. Also, a 'big name' is no guarantee of success, as Benitez at Newcastle, Ancelotti at Everton and Mourinho at Spurs have demonstrated.
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Dawson and Dedoncker are two very worrying players in our thoughts. These are the sort of players at this stage in their career usually signed by clubs in regression. Purslow needs to tell us something.
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I think that Purslow was so much in the Gerrard corner to acquire him, that if Gerrard does get sacked, then the owners should remove Purslow / lange also
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I think that Purslow was so much in the Gerrard corner to acquire him, that if Gerrard does get sacked, then the owners should remove Purslow / lange also
Why would you get rid if an established football executive and someone like Lange who clearly has contacts across Europe just because of one bad manager hire? You think all Purslow does it pick managers? Who would assume all of the other commercial duties he is involved in. Our owners don't live here.
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If I was going to give Purslow the benefit of the doubt I'd say he thought he was getting a package deal of Gerrard + Beale for the foreseeable future. Possibly behind the scenes we'd been struggling to attract 'big name' signings and he saw Gerrard as the solution to that, and hoped that overall we'd be better off with better players and a top class tactically astute assistant even if SG was still learning.
WE don't need big Name signings, just better than the ones we have got. Repeat.
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I think that Purslow was so much in the Gerrard corner to acquire him, that if Gerrard does get sacked, then the owners should remove Purslow / lange also
Why would you get rid if an established football executive and someone like Lange who clearly has contacts across Europe just because of one bad manager hire? You think all Purslow does it pick managers? Who would assume all of the other commercial duties he is involved in. Our owners don't live here.
One thing worth reiterating is that at the time Gerrard was appointed, Gregg Evans reported that Lange had to be 'convinced' about the appointment.
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I think that Purslow was so much in the Gerrard corner to acquire him, that if Gerrard does get sacked, then the owners should remove Purslow / lange also
Why would you get rid if an established football executive and someone like Lange who clearly has contacts across Europe just because of one bad manager hire? You think all Purslow does it pick managers? Who would assume all of the other commercial duties he is involved in. Our owners don't live here.
Yes, who would make sure the transport links are working and the catering maintains its usual high standard.
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We have completely 180'ed from where we were two years ago. Grealish set us back by about a year but our form has been shocking this last year. The hopes and the feel-good factor that came with the new owners has, in my mind, evaporated because of the bilge being served up on the pitch. And we're now going backwards. The owners can't be happy with this, Gerrard is completely out of his depth, and now doubts about Purslow are growing. All momentum has been lost.
There is a decent squad here. But it needs a decent manager. Quickly. And it's all on you Purslow.
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Amen.
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Cancelling the AGM and any questions seems a bit like playing Ollie the Ostrich.
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Someone has tweeted that the Villa Trust AGM planned for 8/9 has been cancelled by Purslow due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’ !
How can they be unforeseen, 7 days in advance ???
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Has the feel of a decision maker not wanting to be accountable for his decisions.
Hopefully it's that and not anything awful that's happened in someone's personal life.
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Someone has tweeted that the Villa Trust AGM planned for 8/9 has been cancelled by Purslow due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’ !
How can they be unforeseen, 7 days in advance ???
Has to re-write the script.
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Purslow is getting the sack
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Someone has tweeted that the Villa Trust AGM planned for 8/9 has been cancelled by Purslow due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’ !
How can they be unforeseen, 7 days in advance ???
The Trust haven't said anything.
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Trust members have received an email saying just that though.
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Trust members have received an email saying just that though.
I bloody well haven't had anything about an AGM at all. Maybe they're trying to tell me something.
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Trust members have received an email saying just that though.
I bloody well haven't had anything about an AGM at all. Maybe they're trying to tell me something.
Check your junk mail!
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I think only paid up members of the Conservative and Unionist Party are on the mailing list.
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Trust members have received an email saying just that though.
I bloody well haven't had anything about an AGM at all. Maybe they're trying to tell me something.
Check your junk mail!
Yep. It'll be amongst all those penis enlargement emails most likely.
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Trust members have received an email saying just that though.
I bloody well haven't had anything about an AGM at all. Maybe they're trying to tell me something.
Check your junk mail!
Yep. It'll be amongst all those penis enlargement emails most likely.
Isnt that the bookmarked folder?
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There are some posters on here who should remember that it wouldn't be hard to hack their bank details.
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Any poster on here is welcome to my crippling debt
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There are some posters on here who should remember that it wouldn't be hard to hack their bank details.
As long as you promise to put something into my account. Deal!!
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There are some posters on here who should remember that it wouldn't be hard to hack their bank details.
"They want our way of life.
Well they can take mine any time they like."
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I think only paid up members of the Conservative and Unionist Party are on the mailing list.
Bloody hell Brian I have had an email from the Trust so this is a terrible slur. In shame I am not going to leave home for 40 days.
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This is completely on this bloke now. Gerrard is a disaster that is miles out of his depth and needs to be put out of it. Purslow has already let this drag on for 2 months longer than it should have. Negligent.
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Our manager should be fired tonight.
He should have gone before the man city game.
Purslow needs to act.
The owners need to make sure he acts and if he chooses not to he should be fired also.
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For God's sake Christian, sack the man and put us out of our misery.
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Purslow should follow him out of the door. Every time I hear that syrupy voice it reminds me of Ellis and all the bollocks he spouted. Another micky taker.
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Negligent performance. A strong CEO doesn't watch what's gone on and not act. I don't care if another man is lined up - Critchley in charge could not be any worse than the damage that is clearly being down week in week out with Gerrard at the helm.
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He made one good hire in Dean Smith. He has one hire that has turned out terribly. I can see why he did it. It wasn't all a love in for Gerrard. There was some merit to it. But this maybe his biggest hire yet. Get this wrong and he might be done.
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If he doesn't fire Gerrard then you have to wonder why.
It's a worse 11 game start than we made last season and Smith was sacked for it.
32 points from the last 32 games.
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This bloke is a wet fucking soap bar. A slimy test of the highest order. We need him out of our club pdq.
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If he doesn't fire Gerrard then you have to wonder why.
I've got a theory based on nothing at all, that there's some sort of lower payment release clause if we drop in the relegation zone.
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If he doesn't fire Gerrard then you have to wonder why.
I've got a theory based on nothing at all, that there's some sort of lower payment release clause if we drop in the relegation zone.
Those sort of clauses are the new "He's not getting picked because we'd have to pay his old club more".
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Well he, or the owners, have potted him. Now the acid test is who we bring in.
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Lots of people have said it, but he’s got one appointment left. He has to bet the house on this appointment as far as his villa career goes.
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Do not trust Purslow. It’ll be Carragher and Roy Evans next.
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If he doesn't fire Gerrard then you have to wonder why.
I've got a theory based on nothing at all, that there's some sort of lower payment release clause if we drop in the relegation zone.
Those sort of clauses are the new "He's not getting picked because we'd have to pay his old club more".
Can't both be true?
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If he doesn't fire Gerrard then you have to wonder why.
I've got a theory based on nothing at all, that there's some sort of lower payment release clause if we drop in the relegation zone.
Those sort of clauses are the new "He's not getting picked because we'd have to pay his old club more".
Agreed, these clauses are only slightly less believable than Santa Clause.
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Not that I have much sympathy at that level of leadership but it had to have been massively humiliating for Purslow to have been told by Nas to fire Gerrard essentially once the game was over. Not to even allow him to travel back by all accounts. He must have been furious to have come that conclusion and the hastily written announcement revealed that. What a disaster of an appointment.
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Purslow out, star fucker marketing clichéd delusional character that has allowed all of the goodwill between the club and supporters to be pissed away with a series of poor decisions and a lack of leadership.
Be gone with your mate.
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Purslow should have no involvement in any technical football matters.
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If he doesn't fire Gerrard then you have to wonder why.
I've got a theory based on nothing at all, that there's some sort of lower payment release clause if we drop in the relegation zone.
Those sort of clauses are the new "He's not getting picked because we'd have to pay his old club more".
Agreed, these clauses are only slightly less believable than Santa Clause.
Yeah Ok
https://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-transfers/story/4763835/antoine-grizemann-joins-atletico-madrid-from-barcelona-on-permanent-deal
Griezmann, 31, joined Atletico on a two-year loan deal with an obligatory purchase option of €40m in the event he played over 45 minutes in 50% of the games for which he was available.
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But that is not remotely the same as a relegation-zone clause in a manager's contract. Can anyone provide a single example in football history where such a contract existed?
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But it is the same as "He's not getting picked because we'd have to pay his old club more"
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But it is the same as "He's not getting picked because we'd have to pay his old club more"
Got you now.
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For what its worth I don't think there has ever been the type of managerial relegation zone release clause I suggested, my mind was looking for any kind of tiny hope too end the relationship.
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It does seem crazy though that you can be as shite as possible as a football manager and get rewarded with a pay-off when sacked. And a few months later some other goons give you another job on a 3 year deal meaning you'll make more money over 4 years than you would have, had you stayed put at the first club you were shite at.
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This guy must be skating on thin ice. Next move after Mcphee and Danks getting sacked should be Lange. First Jesus-Pittarch and then Lange have both been pretty horrible appointments and neither seem to be fulfilling their objectives. Get them gone, let's get rid of this something for nothing culture. We've spoke about aiming for Europe and we are a million miles from that goal, clean the slate and start again. Lange has proven he's not up to the task and his player scouting has been thoroughly terrible.
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Agree. Recruitment (be that players or manager) hasn't been good enough.
Lampard was interviewed as well and I think he would have been a better appointment than Gerrard.
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It was meant to be Dyche before we gave it to Bruce. Second best won't cut the mustard here and nor will bloody Dyche. Purslow should hang his head in shame.
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Changes HAVE to be made at the top otherwise the same circus will continue, the whole setup has been a total failure!
We are totally directionless at the moment (except for meaningless words) and until that changes with positive action, nothing will change!
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What a DISASTER this has turned out to be and I predicted this a long time ago and was accused of Being a Blues supporter for voicing my concerns how the Football Club was being run.
Whoever comes in has a huge task to keep us in the league. we have a poor squad of players that are overhyped and overpaid . We let some excellent squad players leave for pittance who 100% would have given more than the absolute garbage that was on that pitch last night. was letting the likes of Traore,El ghazi,Trezeguet leave on loan or for pittance really a clever idea?. Targett sold to newcastle for next to nothing to be replaced by a worse player?.
The way the club has been managed is an absolute disgrace and big words and blatant lies are now showing. THe utter crap we were fed by Purslow when the Season Ticket prices went up, the mystery waiting list, the progression it's all showing now....
And a poor summer transfer window,we all knew we needed a striker, instead we abandoned our policy and bought in older players with ZERO sell on value? it's all a complete mess
4th from bottom
Hundreds of seats available for sunday (where are the 25,000?)
Transfer policy out the window?
Catering tragic
Poor decisions on coaching staff
it's been a very gloomy day in Birmingham and it's the right conditions to sum up this current stage of the clubs History.
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The weather hasn't been too good I must admit
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3 words I thought I would never read in the same sentence:
“Aston Villa - classless”
If the sacking of Gerrard in that manner was down to Purslow then he should go for that alone
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Three hundred tickets available for the match.
CRISIS CRISIS CRISIS
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We're in the process of drawing up a list of potential managers? What the fuck have we been doing for months?
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And who the hell is coaching the team on Sunday?
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And who the hell is coaching the team on Sunday?
Aaron Danks.
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Purslow caught out on the back foot, totally oblivious to the shit storm that's been brewing. This fucker needs his collar felt by the owners because part of his job, when the team are and ahve been playing losing football for the best part of 9 months is to be prepared for the worst case. Not try and kid everyone in to believing that were 2 results away from the good times.
Drawing up a long list of replacements.... what a fucking joke. Gerrard was sacked because the owners have finally watched us play and released were a laughing stock. This total muppet would have continued and continued sucking Gerrard's balls until we were staring down the barrel.
I've had enough of this smarmy fecker. He can go too now.
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Agree "drawing up a list of replacements", what a complete waste of space.
Clueless
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Not sure what's wrong with drawing up a list of replacements.
Unless you prefer Tom Fox's 'list of one'.
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Not sure what's wrong with drawing up a list of replacements.
Unless you prefer Tom Fox's 'list of one'.
Possibly something to do with being shit for most of his tenure, fans being restless since the start of the season and the whole vibe around us. Being the CEO you probably should already have a list drawn up. This is not a shock sacking, it's been coming for week upon week.
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I think that list should have, and probably did get drawn up weeks ago.
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If he is reading this then don’t go near Dyche.
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The players really aren't that bad at all, Digne is a world Cup winner so just calm down a little bit.
Purslow, however, is a little horrible weasel and has made bad decisions that mean he should lose his job imo.
Not selling out every single week during one of the most difficult financial periods in living memory is also probably ok like.
The weather is a DISGRACE. sad.
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Not sure what's wrong with drawing up a list of replacements.
Unless you prefer Tom Fox's 'list of one'.
i guess its supposed to give the impression that he has got this, everything under control. I do list every morning it must take me ooh, 30 seconds a minute. So I wonder what Christian did with the rest of his day other than send his idol some flowers.
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It's just words. When O'Neill left the board said they would be interviewing candidates and got pelters from people who said it wasn't a normal job and this wasn't how clubs appoint managers. It was, and it still is. Purslow et al would be daft not to have had a list of who they wanted to replace Gerrard from the day he got the job, and to have updated it regularly.
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If reports are correct and it took one of the owners to flip last night for Gerrard to go then surely Purslow's position is untenable anyway. Should never have appointed Gerrard but after the Palace game it was clear something was very wrong.
He has to go, sure the club ripped up it's structure to accommodate Gerrard and it's going to take a while to recover.
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If reports are correct and it took one of the owners to flip last night for Gerrard to go then surely Purslow's position is untenable anyway. Should never have appointed Gerrard but after the Palace game it was clear something was very wrong.
He has to go, sure the club ripped up it's structure to accommodate Gerrard and it's going to take a while to recover.
It won't take a while to recover. You're making it sound like were dead and buried. It's not exactly Graham Taylor 'This club is a shambles' territory.
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Digne is a world Cup winner so just calm down a little bit.
He won the U20 World Cup in 2013, not the big lads one that France won in 2018.
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Purslow caught out on the back foot, totally oblivious to the shit storm that's been brewing. This fucker needs his collar felt by the owners because part of his job, when the team are and ahve been playing losing football for the best part of 9 months is to be prepared for the worst case. Not try and kid everyone in to believing that were 2 results away from the good times.
Drawing up a long list of replacements.... what a fucking joke. Gerrard was sacked because the owners have finally watched us play and released were a laughing stock. This total muppet would have continued and continued sucking Gerrard's balls until we were staring down the barrel.
I've had enough of this smarmy fecker. He can go too now.
I laughed a lot more than expected at this. Good work, AJ!
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I knew I'd blocked someone for a reason.
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I understand that Purslow has equity in the club so getting rid of him won’t necessarily be that straightforward. Doable no doubt but at a cost.
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I understand that Purslow has equity in the club so getting rid of him won’t necessarily be that straightforward. Doable no doubt but at a cost.
He's got a tiny percentage of shares, it won't make any difference at all.
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I guess he gets paid a small % if the owners sell the club.
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If reports are correct and it took one of the owners to flip last night for Gerrard to go then surely Purslow's position is untenable anyway. Should never have appointed Gerrard but after the Palace game it was clear something was very wrong.
He has to go, sure the club ripped up it's structure to accommodate Gerrard and it's going to take a while to recover.
It won't take a while to recover. You're making it sound like were dead and buried. It's not exactly Graham Taylor 'This club is a shambles' territory.
I hope not but it took awhile for us to understand the extent of the infighting when Garde turned up.Mcginns post match comments about culture were a bit odd.
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Every serious company should always have a succession plan. If we haven’t then we’re just as bad off the pitch as on it.
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Up to the Gerrard appointment he seems to have done everything asked of him, so he's still got credit in the bank with be. If he helps appoint Dyche or some other clogger then he can slime off somewhere else.
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He needs to read the room, Dyche isn't going to be popular.
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If reports are correct and it took one of the owners to flip last night for Gerrard to go then surely Purslow's position is untenable anyway. Should never have appointed Gerrard but after the Palace game it was clear something was very wrong.
He has to go, sure the club ripped up it's structure to accommodate Gerrard and it's going to take a while to recover.
It won't take a while to recover. You're making it sound like were dead and buried. It's not exactly Graham Taylor 'This club is a shambles' territory.
The bulk of the coaching staff is gone. Academy coaches like Mark Delaney were let go for more unknown reasons. The policy of buying u25s was ripped up for Gerrard. I think you are deluding yourself is putting all that back together into one coherent approach will be quick. I think we are in big trouble to be honest.
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If reports are correct and it took one of the owners to flip last night for Gerrard to go then surely Purslow's position is untenable anyway. Should never have appointed Gerrard but after the Palace game it was clear something was very wrong.
He has to go, sure the club ripped up it's structure to accommodate Gerrard and it's going to take a while to recover.
It won't take a while to recover. You're making it sound like were dead and buried. It's not exactly Graham Taylor 'This club is a shambles' territory.
The bulk of the coaching staff is gone. Academy coaches like Mark Delaney were let go for more unknown reasons. The policy of buying u25s was ripped up for Gerrard. I think you are deluding yourself is putting all that back together into one coherent approach will be quick. I think we are in big trouble to be honest.
Yes, but you thought we didn't play very well when we beat Liverpool 7-2.
I'm not suggesting everything is hunky dory but it's not as unrepairable as you are making out. We've strayed off the path a little, we just néed to get back on it and stay on it.
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Not sure what's wrong with drawing up a list of replacements.
Unless you prefer Tom Fox's 'list of one'.
It's odd because last time we sacked DS on the Sunday lunchtime and Gerrard had been installed by I think the Wednesday so it was obvious we'd put the feelers out to him in the weeks before. Or he was on Purslow's "list of one."
I do get the feeling the ownership genuinely thought Gerrard was going to turn this around up to the second half v Fulham so it's disappointing we haven't had a cast iron guarentee from someone they'll be coming in next week.
This time last year Spurs sacked Nuno only when they were certain Conte was going to come in so that's how you do it and they quickly flew up the league.
Hopefully this Danks guy can get one win before the break but can't say I'm confident. We're going to be firmly in bottom 3 in a months time.
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I'm firmly convinced that Gerrard was Purslow's choice long before Smith was sacked.
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If reports are correct and it took one of the owners to flip last night for Gerrard to go then surely Purslow's position is untenable anyway. Should never have appointed Gerrard but after the Palace game it was clear something was very wrong.
He has to go, sure the club ripped up it's structure to accommodate Gerrard and it's going to take a while to recover.
It won't take a while to recover. You're making it sound like were dead and buried. It's not exactly Graham Taylor 'This club is a shambles' territory.
It took almost 3 days. 3 fucking days, disgrace.
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I'm firmly convinced that Gerrard was Purslow's choice long before Smith was sacked.
It was probably some sort of master plan - which would go some way to explaining the changes in the coaching in the Grealish close-season, which didn't really help Smith at all.
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I'm firmly convinced that Gerrard was Purslow's choice long before Smith was sacked.
Yes I saw speculative articles linking Aston Villa to Gerrard a good 6 months prior to Smith leaving and Gerrard being hired.
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I'm firmly convinced that Gerrard was Purslow's choice long before Smith was sacked.
I also think that the owners were being held back by Purslow from making the change sooner. Sawiris' reaction on thursday would seem to indicate that.
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That's what you want from management, leadership and the balls to make decisions when required,I like the attitude from our owners, now and then I started to lose the love of football and Aston Villa, but with them they drag you back in from the darkness
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I don’t think the appointment of Gerrard was only him being attracted to his name. It’s not he was coaching a youth set up with no success. There was some legitimacy to the thought that given his success in Scotland he could continue a promising early career with us. And I also understand to a point the loyalty to him. But that’s where it ends. And whether he did it himself or was pushed to do it Gerrard had to go.
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Time for us to appoint a proper Director of Football to oversee the playing side of things from the Academy teams through to the first team, including player, coaching and managerial recruitment as well as football analytics and scouting.
Purslow is clearly a top executive, but he should be focussing on commercial and financial matters as well as overseeing the ground redevelopment and construction of the Witton Academy.
Both the DoF and Purslow should report in to Naseef and Wes who set the overall goals and budgets.
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I for one never, ever want to hear the phrase "did well in Scotland" again when we're looking for a new manager.
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I for one never, ever want to hear the phrase "did well in Scotland" again when we're looking for a new manager.
Quite.
McNeil, McLeish and Gerrard. Only O'Neil with access to an open cheque book bucks the trend.
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Deleted. Double post. Bloody train wifi
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I am starting to think he's toast.
He looked like he was shitting bricks at the press conference today, and Emery has talked multiple times about dealing with Sawiris, barely a mention of Purslow.
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It's not inconceivable that he's burnt through a lot of goodwill with the owners re. SG and wouldn't be surprised if he was the one that held them back from acting sooner. Poor managerial appointments were the main worry with him from previous jobs if I recall.
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Gerrard appointment was an experiment within the project.
Let's hope as much as it could be a risk it's a calculated move to have Emery in and that Purslow concerns himself more with other issues within development of Villa project.
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Both the DoF and Purslow should report in to Naseef and Wes who set the overall goals and budgets.
That is what happens.
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Both the DoF and Purslow should report in to Naseef and Wes who set the overall goals and budgets.
That is what happens.
Difficult to see who else they could report to.
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The previous guy reported to Purslow. The owners made a point (I think) that Lange was their responsibility.
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Back on Mexican time, eh Paddy?
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¡Tienes mucha razón, amigo mío!
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Tara-a-bit Christian!
Looked a shadow of his former self yesterday.
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think he's on the way out?
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think he's on the way out?
Interesting the initial appointment stuff was all about Naz.
My guess is he has had his wings clipped again and will be focused on more non playing matters, commercial deals, ground redevelopment doing funny voices.
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¡Tienes mucha razón, amigo mío!
I think you said to Rory "you have a superb arse mate"?
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Might be just me but he didn’t look comfortable at the Press Conference yesterday. Body language wasn’t right.
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Might be just me but he didn’t look comfortable at the Press Conference yesterday. Body language wasn’t right.
I think it was Tom Ross who asked him directly (paraphrasing - " are you under pressure to make the right decision ") ,which he didn't really answer. Quite a bold question from Mr Ross , as these press conferences , especially pre-match ones are so sanitised with safe questions they are generally a waste of time.
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Might be just me but he didn’t look comfortable at the Press Conference yesterday. Body language wasn’t right.
Said similar earlier on. He also fluffed his lines at one point. Looked like he was sporting a slightly forced smile.
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Might be just me but he didn’t look comfortable at the Press Conference yesterday. Body language wasn’t right.
Said similar earlier on. He also fluffed his lines at one point. Looked like he was sporting a slightly forced smile.
The forced smile stuff is exactly what i thought. It seems he’s banked his rep on Gerrard and its now be taken out of his hands. I think he had very little to do with this appointment. It will be interesting how the dynamics work as presumably Emery will have to report to Purslow and Lange but he clearly has the support of Sawiris so kind of undermines them a bit. Hopefully they just leave him to get on with it and support him in the transfer market.
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Did someone say on here that they had heard, or read somewhere, that Purslow had to work hard to convince Sawiris that Gerrard was the right appointment in the first place?
Or did I just imagine that.
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Actually, it might have been John Percy who wrote it. Which means, basically, it is true.
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Smith would of fairly obviously been a Purslow appointment and that generally worked out ok for stage one of the owners plan, so i suppose Purslow had credit in the bank with that. But as has been said on here several times, Gerrard was with hindsight a terrible appointment and a wasted year. The owners or Sawiris specifically has seemingly decide to usurp Purslow and press the fast forward button on his ambitions for the club. Interesting times.
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Did someone say on here that they had heard, or read somewhere, that Purslow had to work hard to convince Sawiris that Gerrard was the right appointment in the first place?
Or did I just imagine that.
So the cost of Purslow's folly was about £100M.
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Both the DoF and Purslow should report in to Naseef and Wes who set the overall goals and budgets.
That is what happens.
Is Lange an actual DoF? I know hit title is Sporting Director but it feels like he's mostly recruitment. I have not seen a grand footballing strategy from him.
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Might be just me but he didn’t look comfortable at the Press Conference yesterday. Body language wasn’t right.
Said similar earlier on. He also fluffed his lines at one point. Looked like he was sporting a slightly forced smile.
The forced smile stuff is exactly what i thought. It seems he’s banked his rep on Gerrard and its now be taken out of his hands. I think he had very little to do with this appointment. It will be interesting how the dynamics work as presumably Emery will have to report to Purslow and Lange but he clearly has the support of Sawiris so kind of undermines them a bit. Hopefully they just leave him to get on with it and support him in the transfer market.
He didn't look happy or comfortable throughout the presentation.
Having a seat that looked as if it had been deliberately lowered added to the impression that he has fallen down in the hierarchy/pecking order.
The dynamics have clearly changed.
Reckon he's been sidelined in terms of football related decision making and we'll see him restricted to stadium development and commercial activities.
He's a very experienced football executive (wasn't he involved in setting up the original FFP rules?) and he knows the movers and shakers - we just need to use him where he can add value to what we want to achieve as a club - which definitely isn't the playing side.
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He does seem to be a good negotiator for transfer deals, so as long as the actual targets are someone else's responsibility i think it makes sense for him to be involved on that side.
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Did someone say on here that they had heard, or read somewhere, that Purslow had to work hard to convince Sawiris that Gerrard was the right appointment in the first place?
Or did I just imagine that.
So the cost of Purslow's folly was about £100M.
How do make that out?
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Did someone say on here that they had heard, or read somewhere, that Purslow had to work hard to convince Sawiris that Gerrard was the right appointment in the first place?
Or did I just imagine that.
So the cost of Purslow's folly was about £100M.
How do make that out?
He’s likely including transfers. Truth is every club, and especially at PL level make hiring mistakes. I can understand why Gerrard was appointed even if at the time most questioned it and many disagreed. It could have worked out. He had a good track record as manager in Scotland. But it didn’t just like a host of managerial appointments we have made pre Purslow. He got it wrong and now the club have clearly stated they won’t take a punt on an up and coming manager again.
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Did someone say on here that they had heard, or read somewhere, that Purslow had to work hard to convince Sawiris that Gerrard was the right appointment in the first place?
Or did I just imagine that.
So the cost of Purslow's folly was about £100M.
How do make that out?
Compensation to Rangers £5M. 3 year contract for Steven £24M. 3 year contracts for all his staff £30M. Compensation for Villareal £10M. Additional cost of hiring top european coaching staff at a higher rate £20M over 3 years. Various agent fees £10M.
Hopefully it's not as much at that but it won't be far short.
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The staff won't have their contracts paid in full and you can't include two management teams.
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Emery's compensation was half that, as well.
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Might be just me but he didn’t look comfortable at the Press Conference yesterday. Body language wasn’t right.
Said similar earlier on. He also fluffed his lines at one point. Looked like he was sporting a slightly forced smile.
"Wed Esens"
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His staff wont have been on £10m a year... and Gerrard wont have been on £8m+ a year. You've just made up some numbers.
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SG was reportedly on £5 million a year.
Still ludicrous, but at the lower end of ludicrous in the wacky world of football manager salaries. In that scenario, the most he will have got is an additional £10 million on top of the £5 million already paid out for the first year.
It might be even less than that if there were break clauses based on league position etc.
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£5 was too much for Gerrard.
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His staff wont have been on £10m a year... and Gerrard wont have been on £8m+ a year. You've just made up some numbers.
Yes I have but I think the total costs of employing Gerrard and upheaval will be north of 50 and towards 100. These things are not cheap.
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His staff wont have been on £10m a year... and Gerrard wont have been on £8m+ a year. You've just made up some numbers.
Yes I have but I think the total costs of employing Gerrard and upheaval will be north of 50 and towards 100. These things are not cheap.
Relegation would have been more costly
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His staff wont have been on £10m a year... and Gerrard wont have been on £8m+ a year. You've just made up some numbers.
Yes I have but I think the total costs of employing Gerrard and upheaval will be north of 50 and towards 100. These things are not cheap.
It will be nowhere near that.
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His staff wont have been on £10m a year... and Gerrard wont have been on £8m+ a year. You've just made up some numbers.
Yes I have but I think the total costs of employing Gerrard and upheaval will be north of 50 and towards 100. These things are not cheap.
It will be nowhere near that.
Absolutely nowhere near. 2½ years left on his contract, so say £13m. The coaches would have been mostly normal PAYE employees not a fixed term contract, so very little to pay there, and even if there is, £20m tops would be the absolute most. We'll see in the accounts next year anyway.
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Have to acknowledge Purslow on this recruitment.
He has pulled a masterstroke after the failed experiment with Gerrard.
Feel the project is back on track and as much he has been unwise with his last selection bringing in Emery makes things far sweeter all round.
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Did someone say on here that they had heard, or read somewhere, that Purslow had to work hard to convince Sawiris that Gerrard was the right appointment in the first place?
Or did I just imagine that.
So the cost of Purslow's folly was about £100M.
How do make that out?
Compensation to Rangers £5M. 3 year contract for Steven £24M. 3 year contracts for all his staff £30M. Compensation for Villareal £10M. Additional cost of hiring top european coaching staff at a higher rate £20M over 3 years. Various agent fees £10M.
Hopefully it's not as much at that but it won't be far short.
If the cost to recruit Emery falls on Gerrardthen why doesn't the Gerrard cost fall on Smith?
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Have to acknowledge Purslow on this recruitment.
He has pulled a masterstroke after the failed experiment with Gerrard.
Feel the project is back on track and as much he has been unwise with his last selection bringing in Emery makes things far sweeter all round.
I don't have any issue with Purslow but it's been fairly widely reported that the decision on when to sack SG came from Sawiris and he then led the search for his replacement so I don't think Purslow has anything like as much credit as you're suggesting.
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He did that thing in the press conference of turning round and looking at his colleagues for support when he was talking. A sure sign of somebody who is probably in the last chance saloon and looking for all the help he can get.
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He did that thing in the press conference of turning round and looking at his colleagues for support when he was talking. A sure sign of somebody who is probably in the last chance saloon and looking for all the help he can get.
I don't think he's that far gone but I suspect he has been told that the failure of the last year is on him and had some of his responsibilities either taken on by the owners or given to Lange.
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He did that thing in the press conference of turning round and looking at his colleagues for support when he was talking. A sure sign of somebody who is probably in the last chance saloon and looking for all the help he can get.
I don't think he's that far gone but I suspect he has been told that the failure of the last year is on him and had some of his responsibilities either taken on by the owners or given to Lange.
Yes I think he's probably been told to concentrate on the business side of things.
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He did that thing in the press conference of turning round and looking at his colleagues for support when he was talking. A sure sign of somebody who is probably in the last chance saloon and looking for all the help he can get.
I did wonder about that, he looked anxious. I thought he was being respectful to Unai, by enunciating his English towards him but I think your reading is probably more accurate.
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BT Sport Interview:
Are you pleased with the start Unai Emery has made?
"Yes, we're absolutely delighted. He came in at a difficult time for the club. His track record and quality is obvious, it speaks for itself. Although you never know for sure, it's wonderful that he's made such an immediate impact and results improved very quickly."
Has he just confirmed what you already knew, that he was the right man for the job?
"It was a very simple decision when a manager of his quality became available. Our owners did not hesitate to act. He's been a top manager for nearly 20 years, he's managed some of the biggest clubs in Europe and we were absolutely thrilled to be able to get him to come to our great club."
Already looking ahead to the summer?
"We're always looking ahead. We like to be strategic about the way we build our squad. Unai obviously is taking his time in assessing the players he's inherited, and he has a very clear vision for what he wants to do going forward. I expect it to be an extremely busy summer."
How does Aston Villa break into the top six sustainably?
"That's the key word: sustainable. We're trying to do things the right way, that's the tradition of this great club. That means patiently, consistently seeking to improve, but doing so within the financial rules.
Those rules are very topical today. That is why clubs like Fulham and Brentford are able to be successful. But I think it's quite likely we'll see, in the coming months and years, further reform of those crucial financial regulations.
When properly applied, they ensure that the wealth of ownership is a secondary factor, not the primary fact. I think that's the way most football fans think football should be."
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'I expect it to be a very busy summer'. Talking about player recruitment and, letting a few go. I really hope so.
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Thanks for posting that, Footy.
"But I think it's quite likely we'll see, in the coming months and years, further reform of those crucial financial regulations. When properly applied, they ensure that the wealth of ownership is a secondary factor, not the primary fact."
I think it's absolutely certain that we'll see nothing of the sort.
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"Extremely busy". "Backing the manager". Etc, etc, yada, yada...
Lots of talk so far.
Show us in the summer or stop shouting about our ambition...
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We might do once Man Utd have spent £1b and locked themselves back in the top 4.
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"Extremely busy". "Backing the manager". Etc, etc, yada, yada...
Lots of talk so far.
Show us in the summer or stop shouting about our ambition...
You'd probably moan if he hadn't said anything.
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"Extremely busy". "Backing the manager". Etc, etc, yada, yada...
Lots of talk so far.
Show us in the summer or stop shouting about our ambition...
You'd probably moan if he hadn't said anything.
What would I moan about?
It would be nice to know what I think, considering you assume you know me...
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It's difficult to reconcile an absence of ambition with our owners.
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It's difficult to reconcile an absence of ambition with our owners.
It would suggest the senior executives appointed by the owners aren’t capable.
That Purslow quote from the week about progressing in a sustainable manner in my view isn’t going to cut it. It may get us competitive next season with the likes of Fulham, Brentford and Brighton but it’s not going to get us up with the top 6 or 7.
I’m always reminded of your post from the recent past Ads where you talked about us not existing in a vacuum and everyone else in the Premier League is ambitious so progress from this point forwards will not be easy and that means cold hard cash and lots of it. They’ve got a very good Manager that now needs to be backed hugely in the transfer market. I’m not in the negative nellies camp, though completely understand the utter frustration that some display in here about where we’re headed, but Emery will only succeed from this point if that squad has at least 4 top 6 level starting Players added to it this summer.
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Exactly right. 'Sustainable' is of course a completely reasonable objective, but his comments above are really just parroting what Doug Ellis and Mark Ansell used to say about waiting for the bubble to burst. It hasn't, and shows no sign in doing so. If we're going to ever get close to the European places, and then do well in Europe itself, we need to spend some big money.
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Exactly right. 'Sustainable' is of course a completely reasonable objective, but his comments above are really just parroting what Doug Ellis and Mark Ansell used to say about waiting for the bubble to burst. It hasn't, and shows no sign in doing so. If we're going to ever get close to the European places, and then do well in Europe itself, we need to spend some big money.
Sustainable for me is clubs like Fulham, Brentford and Brighton, they’re never going to have the financial clout we possess as they just don’t have the stadiums or fan base. If we’re going to go past them it’s now about the money. It raises the spectre of FFP but the low net spend of the last 2 years would suggest we’ve got a heap of room in that regard but yet again we’re being held back by our improving but glacially slow commercial performance.
In my view I’d completely sideline Purslow from all operational football matters give him a CEO role at V Sports level and appoint an MD for Villa for all off field stuff and a Sporting Director who is solely focused on the football stuff. Incidentally doesn’t Emery want a Sporting Director to sit above Lange?
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Does sustainable mean putting in £30 mil bids for Ward Prouse?
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Does sustainable mean putting in £30 mil bids for Ward Prouse?
Snigger.
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I've never been that sold on JWP really. He's not a bad player and can take a decent free kick but it's interesting that he's not been bought by anyone else.
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I've never been that sold on JWP really. He's not a bad player and can take a decent free kick but it's interesting that he's not been bought by anyone else.
Lower to mid table PL player.
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Sustainable means the club "wipes its face" financially. We have seen the initial elements of this already, price increases, focus on premium admission, foreign tours, massive gigs, more non-football events, interesting sponsors... If we are going to compete the club has to generate more revenue.
We are going to see massive commercial changes off the pitch in the next few years - it's going to piss a lot of people off no doubt, but the club will be run less like a corner-shop and more like a global sports brand.
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I was thinking of getting opinions on JWP, I really don't see too much of him unless it's a free kick around the box. What position does he fill?. I would love to get the West Ham captain, though i expect him to go to a Manchester club.
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I've never been that sold on JWP really. He's not a bad player and can take a decent free kick but it's interesting that he's not been bought by anyone else.
Lower to mid table PL player.
Ward Prowse is currently yes, but he's going to take the free kick goal scoring record of most goals scored directly in the Premier League and take excellent pens and set pieces. A good pro comes from good stock. would be an asset to any team.
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Sustainable means the club "wipes its face" financially. We have seen the initial elements of this already, price increases, focus on premium admission, foreign tours, massive gigs, more non-football events, interesting sponsors... If we are going to compete the club has to generate more revenue.
We are going to see massive commercial changes off the pitch in the next few years - it's going to piss a lot of people off no doubt, but the club will be run less like a corner-shop and more like a global sports brand.
This is it. We're not competing on revenue with clubs in the Champions League or with bigger grounds (unless we start charging obscene prices) but have to make it up somewhere.
We're increasing capacity and investing £100m in stadium facilities. That means more people spending more money.
We've hired a manager who has proven success over a good period of time.
We're buying young talent to develop for the future, Kamara, Duran, and numerous youth players have arrived.
They've spent an awful lot of money since they arrived, to sort out what was a shambles of a squad, but if you look, it's incremental increases rather than massive splurges. They have done it properly, rather than the Man City way, which looks even more dodgy.
I know which way I'd rather have gone.
The new manager is in place, and every player is getting a chance, with him already shifting some of the players he didn't want. There will be more leaving but lots coming in too. Given Emery had only been around for a few weeks (including the World Cup) prior to the last window opening, it was hardly enough time to really get to know the limitations of all the players.
Summer will be the measure of the squad development I think, deals will already being worked on and it wouldn't surprise me at all if we acted quickly and had a couple lined up for very early in the window.
Purslow has done most things right so far, barring that most stupid decision to appoint Carpethead; that set us back probably 18 months.
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The most Villaesque thing to happen will be when one summer window closes and we have finally spent £300m net. Only to be docked points due to the change in FFP rules meaning that any team that has an A at the start of their name and an A at the end cannot overspend in any one transfer window.
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It's difficult to reconcile an absence of ambition with our owners.
I am not saying that the owners don't have ambition.
But for the past few transfer windows we have had a very low net spend, all the while, the powers that be keep talking about "backing the manager", "funds available", etc.
My point is simply stop talking about it & show us.
And the summer has to be, simply 'must' be, where we take what we have saved & suffered for in recent transfer windows & show us that ambition that is so often spoken about.
Stop talking & show us...
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I was thinking of getting opinions on JWP, I really don't see too much of him unless it's a free kick around the box. What position does he fill?. I would love to get the West Ham captain, though i expect him to go to a Manchester club.
He is a decent enough player, but stands out in a poor Southampton side. He can pass & strike the ball, but he is small & lacks mobility. If he didn't take free kicks well, nobody would care who he is.
Having said all that, one thing that is often spoken about by Southampton fans is that he does all his work as a deep lying playmaker, where they think he should be moved further forward to a more creative role. Im not sure whether this is bluster in the same manner that fans often say that the younger brother out of two is often the better out of the two, more often from a position of hope rather than expectation. Its a way of keeping hope alive when reality is taking it away.
But, Im not sure whether they are right or wrong.
Whether I would want him at Villa is another matter. Not really. We are already slow & small in a lot of areas across the pitch. And without fantastic technical ability to make up for the lack of size & speed, adding another would not help the balance of the squad.
And lets face it, he had his chance to join us & turned us down. So let him sleep in the bed he made. Whichever division that may be...
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If you close your eyes that would be Doug Ellis speaking without the words 'Preeeemier League' being said.
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Not sure whether he did turn us down. I'm not sure how far we went with it. If we had bought him though, our net spend wouldn't have been as meagre as you say in your previous post.
On our spending, I'm not sure how much the owners believed in the managers. We spent the Grealish money (which had an impact on the net spend). Last summer, we didn't really back Gerrard that much and it makes me wonder whether they already had their doubts about him. He kept wanting players in their 30's which is a contradiction of the owner's philosophy. And Gerrard was never popular with the fans.
This summer will be interesting. They've got a high profile manager who's their man. If the talk of us being prepared to pay £45m for wide players had they been available in January, the signs are there that things will be different this summer.
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I've never been that sold on JWP really. He's not a bad player and can take a decent free kick but it's interesting that he's not been bought by anyone else.
Lower to mid table PL player.
A Rory Delap variant.
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https://twitter.com/bethrigby/status/1651479075129634818?s=46&t=fPyiXcae7CCzHj_x8UdphA
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Does sustainable mean putting in £30 mil bids for Ward Prouse?
I've never been that sold on JWP really. He's not a bad player and can take a decent free kick but it's interesting that he's not been bought by anyone else.
Lower to mid table PL player.
A Rory Delap variant.
All fair opinions biut I think the joke was that £30m was never going to get Ward Prowse off them in a million years.
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I will also add that whilst I now would be looking elsewhere, he's a better player than he's being given credit for and is a victim of his own success in that regard as people dismiss him as free kick merchant.
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Beth Rigby interview (https://news.sky.com/video/beth-rigby-talks-to-aston-villa-ceo-christian-purslow-12867435).
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Good interview but CP is wrong - the PL cannot stop itself falling beholden to the next big thing, just like it itself did to the old Division 1.
In a decade, the European Super League will be a reality - am sure it will be an incredibly bumpy and difficult journey full of legal hurdles and battles. But money will win - it always does. Look State side for what the future looks like - in 40 years since we won the EC the game has completely transformed itself - in 40 years time, the game will be unrecognisable from today.
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Good interview but CP is wrong - the PL cannot stop itself falling beholden to the next big thing, just like it itself did to the old Division 1.
In a decade, the European Super League will be a reality - am sure it will be an incredibly bumpy and difficult journey full of legal hurdles and battles. But money will win - it always does. Look State side for what the future looks like - in 40 years since we won the EC the game has completely transformed itself - in 40 years time, the game will be unrecognisable from today.
I be hobbling down the Villa on my Zimmer frame to see the European champions then , still having my season ticket which cost me £500000
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Good interview but CP is wrong - the PL cannot stop itself falling beholden to the next big thing, just like it itself did to the old Division 1.
In a decade, the European Super League will be a reality - am sure it will be an incredibly bumpy and difficult journey full of legal hurdles and battles. But money will win - it always does. Look State side for what the future looks like - in 40 years since we won the EC the game has completely transformed itself - in 40 years time, the game will be unrecognisable from today.
I be hobbling down the Villa on my Zimmer frame to see the European champions then , still having my season ticket which cost me £500000
You will still be waiting half an hour for a pie and pint so not all bad
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Good interview but CP is wrong - the PL cannot stop itself falling beholden to the next big thing, just like it itself did to the old Division 1.
In a decade, the European Super League will be a reality - am sure it will be an incredibly bumpy and difficult journey full of legal hurdles and battles. But money will win - it always does. Look State side for what the future looks like - in 40 years since we won the EC the game has completely transformed itself - in 40 years time, the game will be unrecognisable from today.
I be hobbling down the Villa on my Zimmer frame to see the European champions then , still having my season ticket which cost me £500000
You will still be waiting half an hour for a pie and pint so not all bad
They will have these robots trained to stair gormlessly, struggle to take the top off a bottle, wander off for no apparent reason and huddle together every now and then achieving absolutely fuck all.
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I be hobbling down the Villa on my Zimmer frame to see the European champions then , still having my season ticket which cost me £500000
You will still be waiting half an hour for a pie and pint so not all bad
They will have these robots trained to stair gormlessly, struggle to take the top off a bottle, wander off for no apparent reason and huddle together every now and then achieving absolutely fuck all.
That's a long way off, let's just take it one step at a time.
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Good interview but CP is wrong - the PL cannot stop itself falling beholden to the next big thing, just like it itself did to the old Division 1.
In a decade, the European Super League will be a reality - am sure it will be an incredibly bumpy and difficult journey full of legal hurdles and battles. But money will win - it always does. Look State side for what the future looks like - in 40 years since we won the EC the game has completely transformed itself - in 40 years time, the game will be unrecognisable from today.
I be hobbling down the Villa on my Zimmer frame to see the European champions then , still having my season ticket which cost me £500000
You will still be waiting half an hour for a pie and pint so not all bad
They will have these robots trained to stair gormlessly, struggle to take the top off a bottle, wander off for no apparent reason and huddle together every now and then achieving absolutely fuck all.
That's what they have now
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Good interview but CP is wrong - the PL cannot stop itself falling beholden to the next big thing, just like it itself did to the old Division 1.
In a decade, the European Super League will be a reality - am sure it will be an incredibly bumpy and difficult journey full of legal hurdles and battles. But money will win - it always does. Look State side for what the future looks like - in 40 years since we won the EC the game has completely transformed itself - in 40 years time, the game will be unrecognisable from today.
I be hobbling down the Villa on my Zimmer frame to see the European champions then , still having my season ticket which cost me £500000
You will still be waiting half an hour for a pie and pint so not all bad
They will have these robots trained to stair gormlessly, struggle to take the top off a bottle, wander off for no apparent reason and huddle together every now and then achieving absolutely fuck all.
That's what they have now
nostalgic
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(https://i.ibb.co/NsJDk8z/marvin.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
"There's no pies left mate"
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(https://i.ibb.co/NsJDk8z/marvin.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
"There's no pies left mate"
"But I'm Hank, Marvin!".
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I don't know Beth Rigby, but I've seen her around. She's tiny. He looks like he's no taller than her. Should've been a jockey.
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They will have these robots trained to stair gormlessly, struggle to take the top off a bottle, wander off for no apparent reason and huddle together every now and then achieving absolutely fuck all.
[/quote]
It looks as if, like me, you look at things with lean eyes and despair. I’ve stopped going to get refreshments. The last time I had to tell someone not to stand watching someone make my coffee and serve someone in another queue.
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She's ace, gets stuck in, takes no shit from agenda-nursing slimy propaganda bullshitters.
Good with politicians too.
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He's such a smarmy, cheesy individual, almost everything he says is "Accidental Partridge." Pretending that the Gerrard sacking was a "board decision" and not a Sawiris rage potting.
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He's such a smarmy, cheesy individual, almost everything he says is "Accidental Partridge." Pretending that the Gerrard sacking was a "board decision" and not a Sawiris rage potting.
Yeah, he comes across as being as slippery as an eel. And the Board must have met very quickly after our humping at Fulham, given how soon after the final whistle he was sacked.
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Never mind Accidental Partridge, he's been Accidental Doug given we've hardly heard a word off him since his mate got kicked off the bus at Fulham and now we're flying he's everywhere like shit in a field
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There was some comments on twitter the night of Gerrard's demise, from someone (journo I think) who was in sight of the bigwigs section at Fulham and said that Sawiris was visibly absolutely fuming and stormed out very early with the look of a man seeking blood.
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Good interview.
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He must have some redeemable characteristics, our Christian. He seems to be pretty well-respected amongst his peers. Slick and slippery or not, we need someone as a figurehead that is seen as being capable of exerting power at PL level.
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There was some comments on twitter the night of Gerrard's demise, from someone (journo I think) who was in sight of the bigwigs section at Fulham and said that Sawiris was visibly absolutely fuming and stormed out very early with the look of a man seeking blood.
Yep he bailed out when the third went in apparently and Purslow disappeared about 5 minutes later. Decision was made before the final whistle imv.
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He must have some redeemable characteristics, our Christian. He seems to be pretty well-respected amongst his peers. Slick and slippery or not, we need someone as a figurehead that is seen as being capable of exerting power at PL level.
I agree. He's pretty slick, and says nothing to piss anyone off. He's a good link to the Premier League and is respected in the game.
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his po
He must have some redeemable characteristics, our Christian. He seems to be pretty well-respected amongst his peers. Slick and slippery or not, we need someone as a figurehead that is seen as being capable of exerting power at PL level.
I agree. He's pretty slick, and says nothing to piss anyone off. He's a good link to the Premier League and is respected in the game.
He is pissing off quite a lot of supporters, his respect comes from his position in Aston Villa Football Club which is backed by some of the best and wealthiest owners in the PL.
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The buck stops with him with ST prices, catering, Holte End terrace view club bollocks.
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his poHe must have some redeemable characteristics, our Christian. He seems to be pretty well-respected amongst his peers. Slick and slippery or not, we need someone as a figurehead that is seen as being capable of exerting power at PL level.
I agree. He's pretty slick, and says nothing to piss anyone off. He's a good link to the Premier League and is respected in the game.
He is pissing off quite a lot of supporters, his respect comes from his position in Aston Villa Football Club which is backed by some of the best and wealthiest owners in the PL.
His respect comes from before, when he was at Liverpool and doing stuff with the Premier League. He's continuing it with the Villa.
He can't win; do nothing and he'll be accused of keeping us in the dark ages, do something like he is and he's accused of being out of touch.
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his poHe must have some redeemable characteristics, our Christian. He seems to be pretty well-respected amongst his peers. Slick and slippery or not, we need someone as a figurehead that is seen as being capable of exerting power at PL level.
I agree. He's pretty slick, and says nothing to piss anyone off. He's a good link to the Premier League and is respected in the game.
He is pissing off quite a lot of supporters, his respect comes from his position in Aston Villa Football Club which is backed by some of the best and wealthiest owners in the PL.
His respect comes from before, when he was at Liverpool and doing stuff with the Premier League. He's continuing it with the Villa.
He can't win; do nothing and he'll be accused of keeping us in the dark ages, do something like he is and he's accused of being out of touch.
I think he can win by just getting the basics right on the catering side , rather than sectioning off 1000 people off in the Holte who can afford some semi corporate experience.. Saying that I think we are generally in good hands
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I agree on the Terrace View, I don't like it either, but there's so much to get on with. The North Stand development and transport link plans are impressive, as is the new academy plan.
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I agree on the Terrace View, I don't like it either, but there's so much to get on with. The North Stand development and transport link plans are impressive, as is the new academy plan.
I totally agree.
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his poHe must have some redeemable characteristics, our Christian. He seems to be pretty well-respected amongst his peers. Slick and slippery or not, we need someone as a figurehead that is seen as being capable of exerting power at PL level.
I agree. He's pretty slick, and says nothing to piss anyone off. He's a good link to the Premier League and is respected in the game.
He is pissing off quite a lot of supporters, his respect comes from his position in Aston Villa Football Club which is backed by some of the best and wealthiest owners in the PL.
His respect comes from before, when he was at Liverpool and doing stuff with the Premier League. He's continuing it with the Villa.
He can't win; do nothing and he'll be accused of keeping us in the dark ages, do something like he is and he's accused of being out of touch.
his poHe must have some redeemable characteristics, our Christian. He seems to be pretty well-respected amongst his peers. Slick and slippery or not, we need someone as a figurehead that is seen as being capable of exerting power at PL level.
I agree. He's pretty slick, and says nothing to piss anyone off. He's a good link to the Premier League and is respected in the game.
He is pissing off quite a lot of supporters, his respect comes from his position in Aston Villa Football Club which is backed by some of the best and wealthiest owners in the PL.
His respect comes from before, when he was at Liverpool and doing stuff with the Premier League. He's continuing it with the Villa.
He can't win; do nothing and he'll be accused of keeping us in the dark ages, do something like he is and he's accused of being out of touch.
Google 'Purslow Liverpool' and see how much respect they have for him.
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Oh, don't get me wrong, there are lots of issues from fans, there always will be with the money men. I meant the business and commercial side.
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his poHe must have some redeemable characteristics, our Christian. He seems to be pretty well-respected amongst his peers. Slick and slippery or not, we need someone as a figurehead that is seen as being capable of exerting power at PL level.
I agree. He's pretty slick, and says nothing to piss anyone off. He's a good link to the Premier League and is respected in the game.
He is pissing off quite a lot of supporters, his respect comes from his position in Aston Villa Football Club which is backed by some of the best and wealthiest owners in the PL.
His respect comes from before, when he was at Liverpool and doing stuff with the Premier League. He's continuing it with the Villa.
He can't win; do nothing and he'll be accused of keeping us in the dark ages, do something like he is and he's accused of being out of touch.
I'm not sure our friends up in Tyneside will be too happy with him after his interview with Beth Rigby!
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Good! Fuck 'em.
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In business, especially where huge amounts of money are there to be gained or wasted it is better to have someone in the tent pissing out than one outside pissing in.
He is a shrewd player in a world of sharks and charlatans and he knows how the politics move inside the FA and the financial governance required. It is my understanding that he keeps well away from the footballing side of things and lets them get on with things.
He also knows that UE is clearly NS's man so there will be no power broking back stabbing going on
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Sustainable means the club "wipes its face" financially. We have seen the initial elements of this already, price increases, focus on premium admission, foreign tours, massive gigs, more non-football events, interesting sponsors... If we are going to compete the club has to generate more revenue.
We are going to see massive commercial changes off the pitch in the next few years - it's going to piss a lot of people off no doubt, but the club will be run less like a corner-shop and more like a global sports brand.
I think you’re right. I don’t like the current season ticket hikes and the plans for the Holte End but unfortunately this is football now. Maybe I’ll go along with it and maybe next season if there’s another double percentage increase I’ll decide not to but there’s nothing anyone can do about it. The horse has bolted, football is on another level financially than it ever has been. No more will a millionaire owner do, it’s only a billionaires game now. I’m all for a well run club that grows its commercial income and I’m prepared to put up with sensible rises in season ticket costs. What I’m not a fan of is the support base being priced out of the game.
Regarding our owners, I still maintain they are decent and have a plan. Can’t knock them for what they’ve done so far regarding investment into all aspects of the club. This summer is pivotal for us. Invest in quality and we could well find ourselves on a level we’ve not been for years.
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With price increases, supporters will not sit back and have a little moan in the future, but the attitude maybe you increased tickets so I want a better service now
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With price increases, supporters will not sit back and have a little moan in the future, but the attitude maybe you increased tickets so I want a better service now
Or I want a winning football team now.
Which, in fairness, is being delivered.
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his poHe must have some redeemable characteristics, our Christian. He seems to be pretty well-respected amongst his peers. Slick and slippery or not, we need someone as a figurehead that is seen as being capable of exerting power at PL level.
I agree. He's pretty slick, and says nothing to piss anyone off. He's a good link to the Premier League and is respected in the game.
He is pissing off quite a lot of supporters, his respect comes from his position in Aston Villa Football Club which is backed by some of the best and wealthiest owners in the PL.
His respect comes from before, when he was at Liverpool and doing stuff with the Premier League. He's continuing it with the Villa.
He can't win; do nothing and he'll be accused of keeping us in the dark ages, do something like he is and he's accused of being out of touch.
his poHe must have some redeemable characteristics, our Christian. He seems to be pretty well-respected amongst his peers. Slick and slippery or not, we need someone as a figurehead that is seen as being capable of exerting power at PL level.
I agree. He's pretty slick, and says nothing to piss anyone off. He's a good link to the Premier League and is respected in the game.
He is pissing off quite a lot of supporters, his respect comes from his position in Aston Villa Football Club which is backed by some of the best and wealthiest owners in the PL.
His respect comes from before, when he was at Liverpool and doing stuff with the Premier League. He's continuing it with the Villa.
He can't win; do nothing and he'll be accused of keeping us in the dark ages, do something like he is and he's accused of being out of touch.
Google 'Purslow Liverpool' and see how much respect they have for him.
Exactly, his silver tongue marketing speak has obviously done what it is designed to do to some on here.
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He should never live down calling himself the 'Fernando Torres of finance'. Some people just can't feel cringe, like it's surgically removed at birth. Not that he gives a shit, mind.
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He should never live down calling himself the 'Fernando Torres of finance'. Some people just can't feel cringe, like it's surgically removed at birth. Not that he gives a shit, mind.
Did he say that ? wow that is very Brent
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He should never live down calling himself the 'Fernando Torres of finance'. Some people just can't feel cringe, like it's surgically removed at birth. Not that he gives a shit, mind.
Did he say that ? wow that is very Brent
Self proclaimed apparently, there are multiple references to it but no direct source. It rings true, anyway, like people have said he does have a Brent/Partridgeness about him.
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His failings are there for all to see, he is not a very good CEO and the club will be better off when he is gone.
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https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/aston-villa-vs-liverpool-why-christian-purslow-paul-tyrrell-villains-anfield-a9180396.html
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Its not toxic here though and we have a different sense of ourselves than Kopites.
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https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/aston-villa-vs-liverpool-why-christian-purslow-paul-tyrrell-villains-anfield-a9180396.html
Interesting. When was Tyrell at Villa? Don’t remember the name.
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https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/aston-villa-vs-liverpool-why-christian-purslow-paul-tyrrell-villains-anfield-a9180396.html
Interesting. When was Tyrell at Villa? Don’t remember the name.
He's still here. He's COO, or something. Purslow brought his own backroom team with him.
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So long as he keeps out of the football side - which I am not sure he has in the past - he is probably ok. Simply because I don’t think the owners would tolerate it if he wasn’t. Hiring and firing CEOs is their world.
I do get the general frustration - certainly I would spend more at VP if I could ever get a drink. I am assuming it is outsourced to someone and it might be that these things take time to change due to contracts etc. but I think by hook or by crook we’ll see a much slicker commercial operation in the future
We have to - today newcastle announced a short deal worth double ours - probably following the Man City model - so to compete at the top we really need every aspect of the club and the way it is ran to be as good as it can
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https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/aston-villa-vs-liverpool-why-christian-purslow-paul-tyrrell-villains-anfield-a9180396.html
Interesting. When was Tyrell at Villa? Don’t remember the name.
He's still here. He's COO, or something. Purslow brought his own backroom team with him.
Actually I do know who he is. He sits next to Purslow at all the home games. Looks a bit like him, but with glasses. I shouted at him after the West Ham home defeat. Didn’t know who he was but felt the need to vent and Purslow had left already.
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https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/aston-villa-vs-liverpool-why-christian-purslow-paul-tyrrell-villains-anfield-a9180396.html
Interesting. When was Tyrell at Villa? Don’t remember the name.
He's still here. He's COO, or something. Purslow brought his own backroom team with him.
Actually I do know who he is. He sits next to Purslow at all the home games. Looks a bit like him, but with glasses. I shouted at him after the West Ham home defeat. Didn’t know who he was but felt the need to vent and Purslow had left already.
“Christine - it’s getting serious I think we’ve lost Risso”
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So long as he keeps out of the football side - which I am not sure he has in the past - he is probably ok. Simply because I don’t think the owners would tolerate it if he wasn’t. Hiring and firing CEOs is their world.
Problem is, his finger tips are all over the Gerrard signing. The article only adds oxygen to that rumour.
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I think there's zero doubt Nas won't be letting Purslow run with any managerial appointments any time soon.
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I think there's zero doubt Nas won't be letting Purslow run with any managerial appointments any time soon.
Yep, think he's been given one chance - fucked it up massively - isn't likely to be given another.
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I'd limit his responsibilities to showing Prince William to his seat and guffawing at the appropriate time.
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I'd limit his responsibilities to showing Prince William to his seat and guffawing at the appropriate time.
Ha ha, excellent!
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I'd limit his responsibilities to showing Prince William to his seat and guffawing at the appropriate time.
Ha ha, excellent!
Made me loff!
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His failings are there for all to see, he is not a very good CEO and the club will be better off when he is gone.
What are those failings then? Just for those of us who aren't as observant.
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We are finally performing on the pitch, which means we can get better deals off it. Trying to get a deal done based on the last 10 years would be almost impossible.
The development of the North Stand, new Villa Live thingy, and the environs are all good. We seem to be building good relationships with the council etc.
Season tickets are getting more expensive, but they were always going to, because they do at every club and we need to maximise income. I don't like it but if we want to continue to compete at the top, it's inevitable. We aren't controlled by a state, so can't make companies sponsor us.
Football has changed folks.
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I wouldn't let Purslow have any input on fan issues either, he only knows one way, Make them pay! Seeing how he shoo's away the subordinate cleaning the seat in the Rigby sky video interview sums him up.
Never forget Purslow said "Aggressive ticket price hikes are not our policy" in a meeting with fans before the last summers stealth hikes. (zone deletions etc) and that was way before the cost of living crisis! Sky must be impressed with the way he talked, defending their investment against the 'grotesque' superleague. I'm sure they'll use that clip on loop for time to come.
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I think there's zero doubt Nas won't be letting Purslow run with any managerial appointments any time soon.
Yep, think he's been given one chance - fucked it up massively - isn't likely to be given another.
Didn’t he sway the owners away from Henry and to Deano?
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https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/aston-villa-vs-liverpool-why-christian-purslow-paul-tyrrell-villains-anfield-a9180396.html
It's interesting, and is of course written by the person who probably most despises him and who he dislikes/mistrusts the most (or his pal Tyrrel does).
As Ads says, I think there's a different sense of identity with our clubs, and frankly, that whole time at Liverpool, with the previous owners was a complete shambles. Nonetheless, it does seem that he didn't exactly help himself. I suspect he was being tarred with the same brush, guilty by association.
Having said all that, I'm not sure I'm that bothered about the whole thing, because in my view he's not done a lot wrong since he's been with us (barring appointing that knob Gerrard and the Terrace View).
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I think there's zero doubt Nas won't be letting Purslow run with any managerial appointments any time soon.
As he's 8 years older than the man who'll be our manager for the next 3 decades, I think you might be right.
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If you've got good owners, which we have, all you really need is for your CEO to have a good knowledge of football, and to be competent in doing commercial deals etc. And not to choose managers, obvs.
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So long as he keeps out of the football side - which I am not sure he has in the past - he is probably ok. Simply because I don’t think the owners would tolerate it if he wasn’t. Hiring and firing CEOs is their world.
I do get the general frustration - certainly I would spend more at VP if I could ever get a drink. I am assuming it is outsourced to someone and it might be that these things take time to change due to contracts etc. but I think by hook or by crook we’ll see a much slicker commercial operation in the future
We have to - today newcastle announced a short deal worth double ours - probably following the Man City model - so to compete at the top we really need every aspect of the club and the way it is ran to be as good as it can
I can not see a contract that does not have some basic performance criteria, SLA.
It’s not like he hasn’t had plenty of time to fix it, which mens he is useless or doesn’t give a fuck.
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https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/aston-villa-vs-liverpool-why-christian-purslow-paul-tyrrell-villains-anfield-a9180396.html
Sounds all rather bitter and twisted, with some comments very assumptive. All fans and journos are biased about clubs!
The photo of Klopp with UE is interesting: Bingo has his hand on the back of UE's neck (as has been observed in some photos of Trump, by the way) - it's definitely a power-pose and one that is threatening. Just an observation.
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https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/aston-villa-vs-liverpool-why-christian-purslow-paul-tyrrell-villains-anfield-a9180396.html
It's interesting, and is of course written by the person who probably most despises him and who he dislikes/mistrusts the most (or his pal Tyrrel does).
As Ads says, I think there's a different sense of identity with our clubs, and frankly, that whole time at Liverpool, with the previous owners was a complete shambles. Nonetheless, it does seem that he didn't exactly help himself. I suspect he was being tarred with the same brush, guilty by association.
Having said all that, I'm not sure I'm that bothered about the whole thing, because in my view he's not done a lot wrong since he's been with us (barring appointing that knob Gerrard and the Terrace View).
I think an almost 50% hike in season ticket prices, in two seasons is not necessary and on Purslow. The Gerard decision was also a disaster and could of led us back to relegation without the intervention of one of the owners. These are two pretty big markers against him and then the terrace bar is a third.
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Is the terrace bar really a problem? Nobody has to use it if they don't want to.
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Is the terrace bar really a problem? Nobody has to use it if they don't want to.
In which case they get worse facilities than we already have. Plus it's the thin end of the wedge - it shows that no part of the ground is sacrosanct.
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Is the terrace bar really a problem? Nobody has to use it if they don't want to.
If any one needed convincing of his attitude towards the fans purely as nothing more than walking ATMs.
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It's like some of you have woken up and not realised the game was bought and sold for Sky gold over 30 years ago. The only push back we've had is when away tickets were capped so we stopped having to pay £60 to go to places like Stamford Bridge.
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It's like some of you have woken up and not realised the game was bought and sold for Sky gold over 30 years ago. The only push back we've had is when away tickets were capped so we stopped having to pay £60 to go to places like Stamford Bridge.
Im sure we all realise the impact of sky and the premier league since the early 90s, I’m sure we realise we are consumers in their eyes rather than supporters. But a bit like people having an idea of whats wrong with society in general, but voting in general elections on whats happening locally to them, its when things start happening personally, they have more of an immediate impact. I can be pissed off and aggrieved with whats happened to the game in terms of the financial monopolies and all the rest, but when I’m faced with me and my kids season tickets going up 50% in two years and I’m faced with the reality of just about being able to afford to go for the first time in 40 years, when I’m having cup games taken away too for no real tangible reason, that’s when the reality of whats happening in the game hits home, and i think its reasonable to look at the CEO bringing that reality to my and many others doors.
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Purslow is a tool just like all senior managerial people. They are a particular type of tool and should only be used in a job for the appropriate purpose. Like tools you can’t change a hammer into chisel and if you do use hammer as a chisel you create a lot of mess. Sometimes both are needed to do one job. Purslow will not turn away from type. NSWE boys have got to decide if they have the right tool in place now.
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His failings are there for all to see, he is not a very good CEO and the club will be better off when he is gone.
What are those failings then? Just for those of us who aren't as observant.
Crikey.
For how long Are up going to keep this up for?
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His failings are there for all to see, he is not a very good CEO and the club will be better off when he is gone.
What are those failings then? Just for those of us who aren't as observant.
Crikey.
For how long Are up going to keep this up for?
It’s a fair question, isn’t it? He comes across as very smarmy to me but I’m on the fence whether he is good at his job or not.
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His failings are there for all to see, he is not a very good CEO and the club will be better off when he is gone.
What are those failings then? Just for those of us who aren't as observant.
Crikey.
For how long Are up going to keep this up for?
It's a genuine question. Because I just don't see it. There's a whole lot more going well and better with our club than before he arrived. There is no person anywhere that makes decisions that everyone will agree with.
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It's a genuine question. Because I just don't see it. There's a whole lot more going well and better with our club than before he arrived. There is no person anywhere that makes decisions that everyone will agree with.
I think you're right to be honest. Obviously the owners are very much not stupid, so they must think he's doing a good job overall. I'm sure he had his arse handed to him over the Gerrard decision but obviously now that Emery's doing so well, that's largely forgotten. On the business side of things I'm sure he's doing a perfectly decent job, such as the North Stand project and commercial deals etc.
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His failings are there for all to see, he is not a very good CEO and the club will be better off when he is gone.
What are those failings then? Just for those of us who aren't as observant.
Crikey.
For how long Are up going to keep this up for?
I thought it was a reasonable question really because you've made it sound like he's been a complete failure.
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Purslow's not going anywhere soon.
The owners will be happy, he talks the talk on TV, schmoozes the royals, he's got the fans in a headlock and they still sing his name.
Actually if I was a billionaire owner that would be the sacking offense. The fans singing about the ceo driving a lambo when it was me who done all the work to get the new gaffer? WTF! If I was Naz, Purslow would be cleaning the North stand urinals. Don't outshine the master, ego's are fragile at the top.
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I think there's zero doubt Nas won't be letting Purslow run with any managerial appointments any time soon.
Yep, think he's been given one chance - fucked it up massively - isn't likely to be given another.
Didn't he appoint Dean Smith?
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His failings are there for all to see, he is not a very good CEO and the club will be better off when he is gone.
What are those failings then? Just for those of us who aren't as observant.
Crikey.
For how long Are up going to keep this up for?
I thought it was a reasonable question really because you've made it sound like he's been a complete failure.
Bingo.
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His failings are there for all to see, he is not a very good CEO and the club will be better off when he is gone.
What are those failings then? Just for those of us who aren't as observant.
Crikey.
For how long Are up going to keep this up for?
I thought it was a reasonable question really because you've made it sound like he's been a complete failure.
Bingo.
No substance to your point then.
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I doubt Nas and Wes would keep him around unless he was doing a good job in their eyes.
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He's the Gustavo Bartelt of premium urinal experiences.
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His failings are there for all to see, he is not a very good CEO and the club will be better off when he is gone.
What are those failings then? Just for those of us who aren't as observant.
Crikey.
For how long Are up going to keep this up for?
I thought it was a reasonable question really because you've made it sound like he's been a complete failure.
Bingo.
No substance to your point then.
Absolutely right, no point in arguing with genius.
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He maybe a smarm fest but he was brought into
1) Recruit the right people in the right roles for the club. Most visible being first team coach/manager. So 2/3 is a decent hit rate. Compare to e.g. Gill at ManU with far greater advantages.
2) Help ensure we reestablished as top tier club.
3) Increase Match Day revenues. Like ot or not Villa are a business
4) Inceease commercial revenues.
5) Improve the ground
Oh and how was at the forefront on the backlash against ESL at Exec level.
So on the key things he has done a very good job. Gerrard being the obvious exception - starry eyed lost the plot on that one.
Compare him to Faulkner Fox and others I can't even recall and tell me we are worse off for his appointment
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Woodward not Gil
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I don't think there's much doubt that if we'd been invited into the ESL he would have been in favour, in the same way that he's in favour of banning gambling sponsorship while at the same time getting it while it's still allowed. My big gripe with him is that he's totally money-driven, while caring nothing for tradition. I suppose his vision and mine are at odds.
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I’ve always been a bit nonplussed by Purslow and people like him, they are a necessary evil. I guess that why I currently think badly of him is his gentrification of the Holte, if they do that they’ll do anything for money. Yes it’s been going on for years but this makes it so stark.
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His failings are there for all to see, he is not a very good CEO and the club will be better off when he is gone.
What are those failings then? Just for those of us who aren't as observant.
Crikey.
For how long Are up going to keep this up for?
I thought it was a reasonable question really because you've made it sound like he's been a complete failure.
Bingo.
No substance to your point then.
Absolutely right, no point in arguing with genius.
There's no argument, it's just that, as other people have said, I asked a reasonable question about all these 'failures' and you won't say what they are.
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I don't think there's much doubt that if we'd been invited into the ESL he would have been in favour,
Let's be honest, that's probably the case for every club, football is so hypocritical.
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I don't think there's much doubt that if we'd been invited into the ESL he would have been in favour,
Let's be honest, that's probably the case for every club, football is so hypocritical.
True. And as a fan base you can bet there would be plenty who'd have been chuffed and in favour too.
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He's out of touch with the majority of our fan base. The price increases when we're in a cost of living crisis on top of last year's shows how out of touch those at the top are.
His answer is that our billionaire owners have spent money.... There's absolute outrage from City supporters at a 5% increase. We're being taken for fools
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I don't think there's much doubt that if we'd been invited into the ESL he would have been in favour, in the same way that he's in favour of banning gambling sponsorship while at the same time getting it while it's still allowed. My big gripe with him is that he's totally money-driven, while caring nothing for tradition. I suppose his vision and mine are at odds.
The reality is his counterparts would probably all do the same
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Should have been bombed out when his mate's tenure failed - a thousand Christian Purslow's only one Aston Villa
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I don't think there's much doubt that if we'd been invited into the ESL he would have been in favour, in the same way that he's in favour of banning gambling sponsorship while at the same time getting it while it's still allowed. My big gripe with him is that he's totally money-driven, while caring nothing for tradition. I suppose his vision and mine are at odds.
The reality is his counterparts would probably all do the same
They probably would, but not out loud.
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He's out of touch with the majority of our fan base. The price increases when we're in a cost of living crisis on top of last year's shows how out of touch those at the top are.
His answer is that our billionaire owners have spent money.... There's absolute outrage from City supporters at a 5% increase. We're being taken for fools
You are boring
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He's out of touch with the majority of our fan base. The price increases when we're in a cost of living crisis on top of last year's shows how out of touch those at the top are.
His answer is that our billionaire owners have spent money.... There's absolute outrage from City supporters at a 5% increase. We're being taken for fools
Supply and demand. Aston Villa is a business.
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I was just about to quote from my A-Level Economics book.
Price Elasticity of Demand = [(Q1 – Q0) / (Q1 + Q0)] / [(P1 – P0)/(P1 + P0)]
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I suppose if you're from Maidstone you have no local connection and feeling for the traditions of our football club and the local working classes who are being driven out and replaced with wealthy families from out of town.
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He's out of touch with the majority of our fan base. The price increases when we're in a cost of living crisis on top of last year's shows how out of touch those at the top are.
His answer is that our billionaire owners have spent money.... There's absolute outrage from City supporters at a 5% increase. We're being taken for fools
You are boring
I am a realist who is never far from being wrong and will stand up for the local working class if you like it or not .
We are the majority
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I suppose if you're from Maidstone you have no local connection and feeling for the traditions of our football club and the local working classes who are being driven out and replaced with wealthy families from out of town.
That's bang out of order, you know nothing about him. Stop being a twat.
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Like sickbeggar without the sense of humour.
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Like sickbeggar without the sense of humour.
Or Sillhill Villa or Cooper's Leg or whatever he was called
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Cooper's Injury! Now there was a guy never difficult to distinguish from a ray of sunshine.
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Purslow is a tool just like all senior managerial people. They are a particular type of tool.
Jesus, what a sweeping statement ...
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He's out of touch with the majority of our fan base.
At least you and Purslow have something in common then.
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Gentrification on steroids
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His failings are there for all to see, he is not a very good CEO and the club will be better off when he is gone.
What are those failings then? Just for those of us who aren't as observant.
Crikey.
For how long Are up going to keep this up for?
I thought it was a reasonable question really because you've made it sound like he's been a complete failure.
Bingo.
No substance to your point then.
Absolutely right, no point in arguing with genius.
There's no argument, it's just that, as other people have said, I asked a reasonable question about all these 'failures' and you won't say what they are.
So, any chance you could help please? I'm genuinely interested.
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As long as he makes sure the toilets are kept clean I am happy
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Purslow is a tool just like all senior managerial people. They are a particular type of tool.
Jesus, what a sweeping statement ...
Unusual for Aftab to make such a comment and I must be honest, I am disappointed as I'm one of those tools.
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Purslow is a tool just like all senior managerial people. They are a particular type of tool.
Jesus, what a sweeping statement ...
Unusual for Aftab to make such a comment and I must be honest, I am disappointed as I'm one of those tools.
I read it more as him saying that ultimately the blame often lies above senior management.
That they are often convenient “shields” or “instruments” or “chess pieces”.
Not much better, but better than being called a “tool” !
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His failings are there for all to see, he is not a very good CEO and the club will be better off when he is gone.
What are those failings then? Just for those of us who aren't as observant.
Crikey.
For how long Are up going to keep this up for?
I thought it was a reasonable question really because you've made it sound like he's been a complete failure.
Bingo.
No substance to your point then.
Absolutely right, no point in arguing with genius.
Ah, so I presume you've no point to make?
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Will you two either come up with one pertinent pojnt, get a room or shut up?
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Sorry Dave
The greasy cash.
The Holte Terrace
The badge /crest debacle.
The pre match “experience “
Season Ticket prices.
The catering problems.
The Gerrard appointment.
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Sorry Dave
The greasy cash.
The Holte Terrace
The badge /crest debacle.
The pre match “experience “
Season Ticket prices.
The catering problems.
The Gerrard appointment.
Spot on, mate.
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If there's one phrase I hate, it's 'The Match Day Experience'.
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If there's one phrase I hate, it's 'The Match Day Experience'.
same here, but I don’t know what to call the assault to the eardrums in the build up to kick off and all the other bollocks that goes with it.
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If there's one phrase I hate, it's 'The Match Day Experience'.
same here, but I don’t know what to call the assault to the eardrums in the build up to kick off and all the other bollocks that goes with it.
The loud shity music that’s played up to a second before KO and then again a second after the final whistle is doing my head in
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The sound system at Villa Park is dreadful.
It's far too loud and goes right through you. I don't mind loud if on the right system and more upbeat music.
I quite like in Germany, Netherlands and so on they play energetic Dance Music
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Bit of a raver, are you, Flint?
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I quite like in Germany, Netherlands and so on they play energetic Dance Music
Something like this down VP? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M6mj66sf018&t=877s
Ravers of the Universe, you keep the spirit alive! C'mon, c'mon, Villa hardcore...
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Bit of a raver, are you, Flint?
He has been known to rave on occasion.
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The sound system at Villa Park is dreadful.
It's far too loud and goes right through you. I don't mind loud if on the right system and more upbeat music.
I quite like in Germany, Netherlands and so on they play energetic Dance Music
A bit of Amsterdam Happy Hard-core is what we're missing, I said that on the survey
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I quite like in Germany, Netherlands and so on they play energetic Dance Music
Something like this down VP? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M6mj66sf018&t=877s
Ravers of the Universe, you keep the spirit alive! C'mon, c'mon, Villa hardcore...
Reckon this is more Fred's style
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I quite like in Germany, Netherlands and so on they play energetic Dance Music
Something like this down VP? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M6mj66sf018&t=877s
Ravers of the Universe, you keep the spirit alive! C'mon, c'mon, Villa hardcore...
Reckon this is more Fred's style
Cro-Magnon did survive after all
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People go on about the wonderful down to earth, traditional aspect of Bundesliga games whilst ignoring the despicable goal music you hear in almost every ground.
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I'm surprised at the hostility towards Purslow on this thread.
I appreciate non of this would have happened without the owners, but he joined us just after we had narrowly avoided bankruptcy in the Championship.
We are now knocking on the door of top 6, have a 50k seater stadium in the pipeline, are part of the Euro 28 bid, are hosting major music events again. are likely to get a massively upgraded train station and have a respected voice in the premier league. We have been universally praised for the quiet and efficient way we conduct our transfer dealings. In short, we are once again being looked at as a very serious club - and it's been 15 years since you could say that.
When he joined the thought that we would be in this sort of position in just a few years was unthinkable. There's been many times he's been praised on here about the way he's dealt with certain issues and conducted himself in that time.
I don't like the price hikes, think the Holte view is a terrible idea and obviously the appointment of Gerrard was a disaster. But Villa are on a hugely upwards trajectory. It seems strange to me to be crucifying the CEO who has been at the helm during that period.
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Thank the Lord for the return of the major music events, one of the things the club has consistently failed us on.
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Thank the Lord for the return of the major music events, one of the things the club has consistently failed us on.
That's what you take from that post?
Given the hostility towards price hikes, I would have thought a significant source of income like this was pretty welcome.
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I agree with Chris. I don't like Purslow's slightly smarmy persona and his need to be front and centre for everything, but the owners clearly trust him and he's a massive upgrade on everybody we've had before. Of course he's going to focus on making money, as would anybody else we had in the job if it wasn't Purslow doing it. I don't agree with everything he does, but at the end of the day we've got the best manager we've had in over 20 years and are having a real stab at the top 6, after a horrendous start to the season.
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Thank the Lord for the return of the major music events, one of the things the club has consistently failed us on.
That's what you take from that post?
Given the hostility towards price hikes, I would have thought a significant source of income like this was pretty welcome.
No, I don't disagree with the rest, I just thought "yeah right" when i saw that!
In the larger picture, it's going to be a pretty insignificant chunk of income, mind.
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I agree with Chris. I don't like Purslow's slightly smarmy persona and his need to be front and centre for everything, but the owners clearly trust him and he's a massive upgrade on everybody we've had before. Of course he's going to focus on making money, as would anybody else we had in the job if it wasn't Purslow doing it. I don't agree with everything he does, but at the end of the day we've got the best manager we've had in over 20 years and are having a real stab at the top 6, after a horrendous start to the season.
(A horrendous start that seems disproportionately to have been his fault...!)
No but seriously I agree with this, compared to what we're used to from our executives Purslow is an unfathomable improvement. The Alemany approach is further proof of this.
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Sorry Dave
The greasy cash.
The Holte Terrace
The badge /crest debacle.
The pre match “experience “
Season Ticket prices.
The catering problems.
The Gerrard appointment.
Cheers, some good points there.
I agree the Greasy cash could have been better spent, though I'd argue we weren't in the place we are now to attract players.
The Terrace View is a bit shit, but I don't think it's a failure. Yet.
The badge/crest thing isn't a bad thing, it's a small matter of taste.
The music before games helps to build atmosphere, but I agree it goes on too long and stifles any natural fan build up, it's close to there being a fucking drum. (p.s. Anyone hear one at fucking Arsenal last night? Wankers).
I don't think the season ticket prices are something that makes him a failure. We're aiming for the big time, we're in a good run of form and that will hopefully continue. I think ticket prices are crap for football full stop.
Catering problems are shit.
Gerrard was a completely stupid fucking move, I agree. Some thought it would work, for some reason.
Some pros
Our reputation and standing with other clubs and the Premier League has risen.
The North Stand, Villa Live and environs development is ambitious and looks like we're a 21st Century club finally.
The Academy investment, in terms of player recruitment is brilliant.
The Academy building development looks good and is critical to improvement.
The staffing situation, DoF, Emery, Lange (soon to be replaced with Alemany), the Academy staffing, Harrison etc. All significant improvements. (and barring Gerrard his other appointments were timely too).
Promotion and staying in the Premier League and hitting FFP requirements.
Increased commercial revenue and partnerships (room to improve but that is surely coming on the back of the rest).
Season Ticket and match day ticket demand.
No behind the scenes shenanigans, we seem stable.
The demand from supporters seems to be increasing, despite the items on your list. (I know this could be argued back and forth about tradition v the modern game etc, but as a CEO he's performing).
The shirts. They never court much controversy any more.
Villa Park is on the host venue list for the Euros.
Fan engagement seems to be improving.
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I, along with many, didn't want gerrard, and with hindsight he was an appalling decision but from the perspective of Purslow it was someone he knew well who had met the challenges set for him up to that point well who many thought was a shoe-in to go to Liverpool in a few years time so I can understand the logic of thinking he was good enough to be worth a look and that his profile would help us in the transfer market (and the latter bit definitely happened). I don't think it's fair to suggest that decision was a sackable offence as some have suggested/implied.
The pre-match and badge things are just silly, plenty of people will think what we're doing now is great, both are subjective and don't really belong on a list of things to beat the CEO with.
The Grealish cash one is another where hindsight comes into play, that summer there were plenty on here thinking that adding Buendia, Bailey and Ings in his place made us a stronger squad and fixed our over-reliance on 1 player.
The rest is fair but not enough to consider him a failure, especially given all the positives that Drummond lists.
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I, along with many, didn't want gerrard, and with hindsight he was an appalling decision but from the perspective of Purslow it was someone he knew well who had met the challenges set for him up to that point well who many thought was a shoe-in to go to Liverpool in a few years time so I can understand the logic of thinking he was good enough to be worth a look and that his profile would help us in the transfer market (and the latter bit definitely happened). I don't think it's fair to suggest that decision was a sackable offence as some have suggested/implied.
The pre-match and badge things are just silly, plenty of people will think what we're doing now is great, both are subjective and don't really belong on a list of things to beat the CEO with.
The Grealish cash one is another where hindsight comes into play, that summer there were plenty on here thinking that adding Buendia, Bailey and Ings in his place made us a stronger squad and fixed our over-reliance on 1 player.
The rest is fair but not enough to consider him a failure, especially given all the positives that Drummond lists.
If nothing else, the Gerrard decision left us with Kamara, who I think will go on to become one of our best ever players in the coming years. If he's not always injured, obviously.
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I, along with many, didn't want gerrard, and with hindsight he was an appalling decision but from the perspective of Purslow it was someone he knew well who had met the challenges set for him up to that point well who many thought was a shoe-in to go to Liverpool in a few years time so I can understand the logic of thinking he was good enough to be worth a look and that his profile would help us in the transfer market (and the latter bit definitely happened). I don't think it's fair to suggest that decision was a sackable offence as some have suggested/implied.
The pre-match and badge things are just silly, plenty of people will think what we're doing now is great, both are subjective and don't really belong on a list of things to beat the CEO with.
The Grealish cash one is another where hindsight comes into play, that summer there were plenty on here thinking that adding Buendia, Bailey and Ings in his place made us a stronger squad and fixed our over-reliance on 1 player.
The rest is fair but not enough to consider him a failure, especially given all the positives that Drummond lists.
If nothing else, the Gerrard decision left us with Kamara, who I think will go on to become one of our best ever players in the coming years. If he's not always injured, obviously.
Also Emery wouldn't have been available then, and if Gerrard had been better he might not have been available to us when we finally potted Gerrard so despite being fucking shit he was the bridge that led us from a good guy who was just a bit out of his depth to a good guy who is genuinely an elite level manager.
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When you think about it we had some good luck at times when we all thought we were having bad luck, all the below changed our fortunes for the better at the time they all happened, sure there may be more incidents as well
Whelen missing the penalty
Losing to Fulham in play off final
Gerrard being rubbish
Some things went the other way as well, owner losing interest, manager walking out days before new season, those 2 alone took us more than a decade to recover from, recovery that is still ongoing
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When you think about it we had some good luck at times when we all thought we were having bad luck, all the below changed our fortunes for the better at the time they all happened, sure there may be more incidents as well
Whelen missing the penalty
Losing to Fulham in play off final
Gerrard being rubbish
Some things went the other way as well, owner losing interest, manager walking out days before new season, those 2 alone took us more than a decade to recover from, recovery that is still ongoing
I don’t want luck I want consistent improvement and professionalism across every aspect of the club.
Emery exemplifies this and I think the latest appointment also does.
Yet we are amateurish in so many off field aspects and these are down to Our CEO who I don’t think is up to it.
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It strikes me from these comments that some of the areas he is being criticised are outside his responsibility. Hopefully the new guy from Barca will take the front foot on all future managerial appointments and Lange should have dictated how the Joe money was spent.
That said, we appear to be missing an individual in charge of the supporters’ needs; so everything from creating new ones, community engagement and what happens on match days.
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It strikes me from these comments that some of the areas he is being criticised are outside his responsibility.
He is the CEO
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I'm more than happy to admit my dislike for him is immature and childish and should therefore hold no weight. I can't stand Alan Titchmarsh and that's literally because of his smile. The gurning prick :)
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I'm more than happy to admit my dislike for him is immature and childish and should therefore hold no weight. I can't stand Alan Titchmarsh and that's literally because of his smile. The gurning prick :)
I can't stand Miguel Amiron's face, looks like he's come straight from Soundgarden's 'Black Hole Sun' video.
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The hills have eyes.
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It strikes me from these comments that some of the areas he is being criticised are outside his responsibility. Hopefully the new guy from Barca will take the front foot on all future managerial appointments and Lange should have dictated how the Joe money was spent.
That said, we appear to be missing an individual in charge of the supporters’ needs; so everything from creating new ones, community engagement and what happens on match days.
This is the problem. Purslow is good at networking, he might be good at the commercial side in the long term but everything about him to date indicates that he sees supporters as a necessary evil to be taken for every possible penny.
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It strikes me from these comments that some of the areas he is being criticised are outside his responsibility. Hopefully the new guy from Barca will take the front foot on all future managerial appointments and Lange should have dictated how the Joe money was spent.
That said, we appear to be missing an individual in charge of the supporters’ needs; so everything from creating new ones, community engagement and what happens on match days.
This is the problem. Purslow is good at networking, he might be good at the commercial side in the long term but everything about him to date indicates that he sees supporters as a necessary evil to be taken for every possible penny.
Is there a Premier League chairman who that doesn't apply to, though? If we want Villa to be successful and compete for the top 6, then it's going to cost money, and the supporters are one source of cash.
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I'm surprised at the hostility towards Purslow on this thread.
I appreciate non of this would have happened without the owners, but he joined us just after we had narrowly avoided bankruptcy in the Championship.
We are now knocking on the door of top 6, have a 50k seater stadium in the pipeline, are part of the Euro 28 bid, are hosting major music events again. are likely to get a massively upgraded train station and have a respected voice in the premier league. We have been universally praised for the quiet and efficient way we conduct our transfer dealings. In short, we are once again being looked at as a very serious club - and it's been 15 years since you could say that.
When he joined the thought that we would be in this sort of position in just a few years was unthinkable. There's been many times he's been praised on here about the way he's dealt with certain issues and conducted himself in that time.
I don't like the price hikes, think the Holte view is a terrible idea and obviously the appointment of Gerrard was a disaster. But Villa are on a hugely upwards trajectory. It seems strange to me to be crucifying the CEO who has been at the helm during that period.
I don’t disagree with a lot of this, but ultimately with the current trend in price rises, if Im about a season away from not being able to go in the same way as i have done for forty years or more, then it starts to become a bit hollow to be honest, watching it on the tv just wont mean as much.
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It strikes me from these comments that some of the areas he is being criticised are outside his responsibility. Hopefully the new guy from Barca will take the front foot on all future managerial appointments and Lange should have dictated how the Joe money was spent.
That said, we appear to be missing an individual in charge of the supporters’ needs; so everything from creating new ones, community engagement and what happens on match days.
This is the problem. Purslow is good at networking, he might be good at the commercial side in the long term but everything about him to date indicates that he sees supporters as a necessary evil to be taken for every possible penny.
I think that's a bit of a negative spin. 'Necessary Evil'? I'd say that supporters are indeed a good source of commercial income, though the missing element seems to be providing a better offer off the pitch as well as on; having said that though, I'd rather the on pitch product is improved first!
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It strikes me from these comments that some of the areas he is being criticised are outside his responsibility. Hopefully the new guy from Barca will take the front foot on all future managerial appointments and Lange should have dictated how the Joe money was spent.
That said, we appear to be missing an individual in charge of the supporters’ needs; so everything from creating new ones, community engagement and what happens on match days.
This is the problem. Purslow is good at networking, he might be good at the commercial side in the long term but everything about him to date indicates that he sees supporters as a necessary evil to be taken for every possible penny.
I think that's a bit of a negative spin. 'Necessary Evil'? I'd say that supporters are indeed a good source of commercial income, though the missing element seems to be providing a better offer off the pitch as well as on; having said that though, I'd rather the on pitch product is improved first!
It's fairly obvious that we need both more supporters (in everysense - match day, overseas, corporate) and to get more money out of each of them individually. We've all known this for ages. There's been endless debates about the massive difference in Spurs and Chelsea 's revenue from a traditionally similar sized match day fan base.
The more supporters bit depends on success on the field, that comes from having more to invest from existing income given the supposed constraints of FFP.
When you think about it we should almost be glad the prices are going up :-)
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It strikes me from these comments that some of the areas he is being criticised are outside his responsibility. Hopefully the new guy from Barca will take the front foot on all future managerial appointments and Lange should have dictated how the Joe money was spent.
That said, we appear to be missing an individual in charge of the supporters’ needs; so everything from creating new ones, community engagement and what happens on match days.
This is the problem. Purslow is good at networking, he might be good at the commercial side in the long term but everything about him to date indicates that he sees supporters as a necessary evil to be taken for every possible penny.
Is there a Premier League chairman who that doesn't apply to, though? If we want Villa to be successful and compete for the top 6, then it's going to cost money, and the supporters are one source of cash.
It seems like he keeps coming back to the Well because he isn’t generating anything like he should be from other commercial activity.
Alienating the fan base in the process is a very slippery slope to go down.
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It seems like he keeps coming back to the Well because he isn’t generating anything like he should be from other commercial activity.
Alienating the fan base in the process is a very slippery slope to go down.
Alienating the fan base? There's a 30,000 waiting list and we sell out every game.
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And as difficult as it is to accept the % price rises, particularly for those in recategorised seats, the reality is our prices in general remain pretty average in PL terms. It's not like they're doing a Fulham (or Arsenal or Spurs) here and charging over £1k a ticket (yet). It's unfortunate, but Purslow is hardly ploughing a lone furrow here.
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And as difficult as it is to accept the % price rises, particularly for those in recategorised seats, the reality is our prices in general remain pretty average in PL terms. It's not like they're doing a Fulham (or Arsenal or Spurs) here and charging over £1k a ticket (yet). It's unfortunate, but Purslow is hardly ploughing a lone furrow here.
Fulham's prices are fucking nuts.
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If there's one phrase I hate, it's 'The Match Day Experience'.
same here, but I don’t know what to call the assault to the eardrums in the build up to kick off and all the other bollocks that goes with it.
The loud shity music that’s played up to a second before KO and then again a second after the final whistle is doing my head in
Same here, I like the people who sit around us, I like them and often enquire after their families, life away from the match etc. I've no idea what the fucking answers are as I cant hear a word above that god awful row they play.
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It strikes me from these comments that some of the areas he is being criticised are outside his responsibility. Hopefully the new guy from Barca will take the front foot on all future managerial appointments and Lange should have dictated how the Joe money was spent.
That said, we appear to be missing an individual in charge of the supporters’ needs; so everything from creating new ones, community engagement and what happens on match days.
This is the problem. Purslow is good at networking, he might be good at the commercial side in the long term but everything about him to date indicates that he sees supporters as a necessary evil to be taken for every possible penny.
Is there a Premier League chairman who that doesn't apply to, though? If we want Villa to be successful and compete for the top 6, then it's going to cost money, and the supporters are one source of cash.
We shouldn't be the main one, and it would be good if we were seen as more than just an income stream.
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And as difficult as it is to accept the % price rises, particularly for those in recategorised seats, the reality is our prices in general remain pretty average in PL terms. It's not like they're doing a Fulham (or Arsenal or Spurs) here and charging over £1k a ticket (yet). It's unfortunate, but Purslow is hardly ploughing a lone furrow here.
To put it into context - I'll be paying £69 to watch Spurs vs Palace at the weekend from high up in the single tier home stand, a view that's nowhere near as good as the upper Holte. I imagine these are not far off the cheapest tickets in the ground.
I'll end up having a couple of pints of Beavertown and an upmarket pie. That'll be the best part of £100 for experience.
Come on you Eagles! (or whatever they say)
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To put it into context - I'll be paying £69 to watch Spurs vs Palace at the weekend from high up in the single tier home stand
Why oh why?
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And as difficult as it is to accept the % price rises, particularly for those in recategorised seats, the reality is our prices in general remain pretty average in PL terms. It's not like they're doing a Fulham (or Arsenal or Spurs) here and charging over £1k a ticket (yet). It's unfortunate, but Purslow is hardly ploughing a lone furrow here.
To put it into context - I'll be paying £69 to watch Spurs vs Palace at the weekend from high up in the single tier home stand, a view that's nowhere near as good as the upper Holte. I imagine these are not far off the cheapest tickets in the ground.
I'll end up having a couple of pints of Beavertown and an upmarket pie. That'll be the best part of £100 for experience.
Come on you Eagles! (or whatever they say)
you never know you might get a refund if the Eagles stuff the Cockerel
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To put it into context - I'll be paying £69 to watch Spurs vs Palace at the weekend from high up in the single tier home stand
Why oh why?
Why not?
Watch Spurs, see the coronation - all the things us fickle supporters from the shires do according to our neighbours
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I quite like in Germany, Netherlands and so on they play energetic Dance Music
Something like this down VP? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M6mj66sf018&t=877s
Ravers of the Universe, you keep the spirit alive! C'mon, c'mon, Villa hardcore...
It's all about this as far as dance music at football matches goes...
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I'm more than happy to admit my dislike for him is immature and childish and should therefore hold no weight. I can't stand Alan Titchmarsh and that's literally because of his smile. The gurning prick :)
Similar here. He (Purslow, I harbour no ill will towards Titchmarsh) reminds me of an oleaginous mid-ranking Tory cabinet minister, which is just too much for me tolerate.
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It strikes me from these comments that some of the areas he is being criticised are outside his responsibility. Hopefully the new guy from Barca will take the front foot on all future managerial appointments and Lange should have dictated how the Joe money was spent.
That said, we appear to be missing an individual in charge of the supporters’ needs; so everything from creating new ones, community engagement and what happens on match days.
This is the problem. Purslow is good at networking, he might be good at the commercial side in the long term but everything about him to date indicates that he sees supporters customers as a necessary evil to be taken for every possible penny.
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He does look juuuust a bit too much like Gavin Williamson...
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It seems like he keeps coming back to the Well because he isn’t generating anything like he should be from other commercial activity.
Alienating the fan base in the process is a very slippery slope to go down.
Alienating the fan base? There's a 30,000 waiting list and we sell out every game.
They are not mutually exclusive and I think you know that.
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It seems like he keeps coming back to the Well because he isn’t generating anything like he should be from other commercial activity.
Alienating the fan base in the process is a very slippery slope to go down.
Alienating the fan base? There's a 30,000 waiting list and we sell out every game.
They are not mutually exclusive and I think you know that.
We're the most consistently we'll supported we've ever been. The fan base has never been more engaged.
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I'm more than happy to admit my dislike for him is immature and childish and should therefore hold no weight. I can't stand Alan Titchmarsh and that's literally because of his smile. The gurning prick :)
Similar here. He (Purslow, I harbour no ill will towards Titchmarsh) reminds me of an oleaginous mid-ranking Tory cabinet minister, which is just too much for me tolerate.
Yeah I agree, I definitely get those vibes. Also as Monty points out, he has a bit of the 'Gavin Williamson' about him which automatically puts you on the 'smarmy dickhead' footing.
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It seems like he keeps coming back to the Well because he isn’t generating anything like he should be from other commercial activity.
Alienating the fan base in the process is a very slippery slope to go down.
Alienating the fan base? There's a 30,000 waiting list and we sell out every game.
They are not mutually exclusive and I think you know that.
We're the most consistently we'll supported we've ever been. The fan base has never been more engaged.
To be fair to Chicago there are some in the fan base that are being alienated; Chicago and Flin5tone, for starters.
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It seems like he keeps coming back to the Well because he isn’t generating anything like he should be from other commercial activity.
Alienating the fan base in the process is a very slippery slope to go down.
Alienating the fan base? There's a 30,000 waiting list and we sell out every game.
They are not mutually exclusive and I think you know that.
We're the most consistently we'll supported we've ever been. The fan base has never been more engaged.
To be fair to Chicago there are some in the fan base that are being alienated; Chicago and Flin5tone, for starters.
It’s an outrage.
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I dont mind Purslow too much personally but I get why some fans are not keen. The season ticket hikes for a start were too much and also whilst I didn't hate the idea of that Terrace View, the charge to use it is outrageous. It also goes without saying the Joe money could have been better spent but getting £120m for him and Chucky was good business. At least we have a CEO who seems to know what he's doing I suppose. Who the last one, Steve Stride?
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I dont mind Purslow too much personally but I get why some fans are not keen. The season ticket hikes for a start were too much and also whilst I didn't hate the idea of that Terrace View, the charge to use it is outrageous. It also goes without saying the Joe money could have been better spent but getting £120m for him and Chucky was good business. At least we have a CEO who seems to know what he's doing I suppose. Who the last one, Steve Stride?
Yes, after years of players leaving for nothing at the end of their contracts, getting consequential money for some we actually we wanted rid of is a welcome development (Targett, Ings). It’s why I wouldn’t be surprised if a few leave this summer, even though I’d be slightly disappointed if our Cam is one of them.
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I dont mind Purslow too much personally but I get why some fans are not keen. The season ticket hikes for a start were too much and also whilst I didn't hate the idea of that Terrace View, the charge to use it is outrageous. It also goes without saying the Joe money could have been better spent but getting £120m for him and Chucky was good business. At least we have a CEO who seems to know what he's doing I suppose. Who the last one, Steve Stride?
Yes, after years of players leaving for nothing at the end of their contracts, getting consequential money for some we actually we wanted rid of is a welcome development (Targett, Ings). It’s why I wouldn’t be surprised if a few leave this summer, even though I’d be slightly disappointed if our Cam is one of them.
I'd be flabbergasted if Cam was one of them!
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To put it into context - I'll be paying £69 to watch Spurs vs Palace at the weekend from high up in the single tier home stand, a view that's nowhere near as good as the upper Holte. I imagine these are not far off the cheapest tickets in the ground.
I reckon you’ll be sitting amongst a totally different type of supporter than you would if you sat in the upper Holte. The gentrification of Spurs since they moved grounds is shocking. And if this season’s atmosphere at Chelsea is an example of what happens when fans have been priced out then I’m very worried about the future for Villa Park.
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I've renewed for next season but I know the clock is ticking. Once we lose the Holte, and Terrace View is the thin end of the wedge, then I can see me relinquishing my ST. I got fed up in the Witton Lane where any expression of passion, rage, vocal opinion or loud support was almost frowned upon. And this was 15 odd years ago.
I was relived to see that little had changed in the Holte when I returned last season but it won't be long until the level of support will in some way upset or offend those who have paid a small fortune to take their clients out for the day.
The game is moving on and will eventually leave me behind.
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I don’t think we have much to worry about with the tourist supporter
I honestly don’t, Birmingham isn’t London and we aren’t and probably never will be a globally supported club hopefully
I reckon 99% of our support on match day will be from a 50 mile radius of the ground or people who have once lived in the area and left
Probably very similar to Everton, Leeds, Newcastle, Sunderland, the Sheffield clubs, even Man City the reason they don’t get sell outs all the time is because they’re still basically supported by people from Manchester
They’ve been winning the league for a few seasons now and there’s still no new City fans around where I live (175M away) but still half the town is liv/mu
The London clubs will always be more open to travelling tourist and then you’ve always got the global franchises in the north west which will always be on a different scale
we are the biggest club in the Midlands and always have been in my lifetime
Hopefully that is where our Support and any new Support will come from
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I've renewed for next season but I know the clock is ticking. Once we lose the Holte, and Terrace View is the thin end of the wedge, then I can see me relinquishing my ST. I got fed up in the Witton Lane where any expression of passion, rage, vocal opinion or loud support was almost frowned upon. And this was 15 odd years ago.
I was relived to see that little had changed in the Holte when I returned last season but it won't be long until the level of support will in some way upset or offend those who have paid a small fortune to take their clients out for the day.
The game is moving on and will eventually leave me behind.
I don't think that's what they want for the Holte at all. The sort of people you're describing are exactly who they're targeting with the North stand and Trinity redevelopment.
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The last few pages are an interesting read which really got me thinking. A lot of us identify as working class because that is our background, certainly for me. I wonder how many of us are still working class in reality? Things change - social mobility innit. I wonder to what extent changes in the game reflect changes within society rather than reflecting a game trying to bypass its traditional bedrock.
Just a thought.
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I don't think that's what they want for the Holte at all. The sort of people you're describing are exactly who they're targeting with the North stand and Trinity redevelopment.
Exactly right Paul. That will expand the corporate offering massively and will more than cater for demand in the area. There'd be too much redevelopment required to do much more than the Holte terrace thing, and I don't think that would be high on their list of priorities at all. What they should look at is finding a parcel of land they can use for parking nearby, then make the Holte End Car park a fenced in 'fans village' with different food and drink vendors on match days. That would go a long way to solving problems of poor service by getting people out of the cramped concourses. If they were all private concessions they might actually employ some half decent staff as well.
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I don't think that's what they want for the Holte at all. The sort of people you're describing are exactly who they're targeting with the North stand and Trinity redevelopment.
Exactly right Paul. That will expand the corporate offering massively and will more than cater for demand in the area. There'd be too much redevelopment required to do much more than the Holte terrace thing, and I don't think that would be high on their list of priorities at all. What they should look at is finding a parcel of land they can use for parking nearby, then make the Holte End Car park a fenced in 'fans village' with different food and drink vendors on match days. That would go a long way to solving problems of poor service by getting people out of the cramped concourses. If they were all private concessions they might actually employ some half decent staff as well.
Same at the other end, although that will change. Done properly it could also help traffic issues with coming earlier or staying for a pint after the match.
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I stopped going regularly for a while in the mid-90s as I couldn't afford something that I felt had become too expensive. It's not a new thing.
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It seems like he keeps coming back to the Well because he isn’t generating anything like he should be from other commercial activity.
Alienating the fan base in the process is a very slippery slope to go down.
Alienating the fan base? There's a 30,000 waiting list and we sell out every game.
They are not mutually exclusive and I think you know that.
We're the most consistently we'll supported we've ever been. The fan base has never been more engaged.
To be fair to Chicago there are some in the fan base that are being alienated; Chicago and Flin5tone, for starters.
It’s an outrage.
;D
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I've renewed for next season but I know the clock is ticking. Once we lose the Holte, and Terrace View is the thin end of the wedge, then I can see me relinquishing my ST. I got fed up in the Witton Lane where any expression of passion, rage, vocal opinion or loud support was almost frowned upon. And this was 15 odd years ago.
I was relived to see that little had changed in the Holte when I returned last season but it won't be long until the level of support will in some way upset or offend those who have paid a small fortune to take their clients out for the day.
The game is moving on and will eventually leave me behind.
I don't think that's what they want for the Holte at all. The sort of people you're describing are exactly who they're targeting with the North stand and Trinity redevelopment.
They are charging almost £500 for a sit down and a decent pint in an area where your season ticket allowed you to go this season. I don't know anyone who could afford, or would be willing to pay that. If they can make the money, they will. Just look at the cost to attend the end of season awards.
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They are charging almost £500 for a sit down and a decent pint in an area where your season ticket allowed you to go this season. I don't know anyone who could afford, or would be willing to pay that. If they can make the money, they will. Just look at the cost to attend the end of season awards.
I reckon there will be loads of people who can and will pay it. I don't agree with it, but it works out at just over £25 extra a game. About the price of two packets of fags or 4 pints.
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They are charging almost £500 for a sit down and a decent pint in an area where your season ticket allowed you to go this season. I don't know anyone who could afford, or would be willing to pay that. If they can make the money, they will. Just look at the cost to attend the end of season awards.
I reckon there will be loads of people who can and will pay it. I don't agree with it, but it works out at just over £25 extra a game. About the price of two packets of fags or 4 pints.
Exactly; ludicrously expensive for what you're getting. Every dealing I've had with Purslow reinforces my opinion that he wants to squeeze every penny from supporters and his idea of engagement is asking whether we prefer to take it or leave it.
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I've renewed for next season but I know the clock is ticking. Once we lose the Holte, and Terrace View is the thin end of the wedge, then I can see me relinquishing my ST. I got fed up in the Witton Lane where any expression of passion, rage, vocal opinion or loud support was almost frowned upon. And this was 15 odd years ago.
I was relived to see that little had changed in the Holte when I returned last season but it won't be long until the level of support will in some way upset or offend those who have paid a small fortune to take their clients out for the day.
The game is moving on and will eventually leave me behind.
I don't think that's what they want for the Holte at all. The sort of people you're describing are exactly who they're targeting with the North stand and Trinity redevelopment.
They are charging almost £500 for a sit down and a decent pint in an area where your season ticket allowed you to go this season. I don't know anyone who could afford, or would be willing to pay that. If they can make the money, they will. Just look at the cost to attend the end of season awards.
Yes they are, but I don't see how that will lead to fans shushing you if you make a bit of noise and I don't think it will encourage corporate visitors into the Holte either. Add in the standing areas which will be coming before long and I just don't see the reason to worry.
The Holte Terrace isn't great but I can't see it as anything more than some survey or other coming up with a result that there would be a market for giving people the option to pay extra on their season ticket if it gave them a guaranteed access to the bar.
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Exactly; ludicrously expensive for what you're getting. Every dealing I've had with Purslow reinforces my opinion that he wants to squeeze every penny from supporters and his idea of engagement is asking whether we prefer to take it or leave it.
He is, but he works for billionaires who wouldn't be billionaires if they weren't adept at accumulating money. If it wasn't Purslow doing it for them, it would be somebody else. Like it or not, if we want to be a top 6 or 7 Premier League club, we're going to have to get used to being treated like the other clubs in that group.
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Exactly; ludicrously expensive for what you're getting. Every dealing I've had with Purslow reinforces my opinion that he wants to squeeze every penny from supporters and his idea of engagement is asking whether we prefer to take it or leave it.
He is, but he works for billionaires who wouldn't be billionaires if they weren't adept at accumulating money. If it wasn't Purslow doing it for them, it would be somebody else. Like it or not, if we want to be a top 6 or 7 Premier League club, we're going to have to get used to being treated like the other clubs in that group.
Let's get top six commercial income as well then. At the moment it seems that we're having to pay for shortcomings in other areas.
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Let's get top six commercial income as well then. At the moment it seems that we're having to pay for shortcomings in other areas.
That's not going to happen overnight though. We're up against the likes of Liverpool and Man U who have been huge global brands for decades, and London clubs like Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea who as you (I think?) have said in the past, can charge more for car parking than we can for match tickets. We've also had a decade of being utterly shit including three years in the second division. We're on the right path, but you're correct that the fans are a quick and easy cash cow. Unfortunately there's absolutely bugger all we can do about it, other than make an individual decision not to go any more.
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Which a lot of supporters are doing and which reinforces my suspicion that *WILMA ALERT* our traditional fanbase is being pushed out in favour of the well-heeled.
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I hate to say it but we were 21st on the deloitte list a few months back and there are a fair few clubs that we'll overtake shortly, without European football it will be tough to push into the top 10-12. That said the breakdown of where our money is coming from looks pretty consistent with other English clubs on the list so I'm not sure it's fair to suggest our fans are being fleeced to make up for poor commercial performance.
I don't like how expensive football is, I don't like the wages and fees that are being thrown around but singling us out as a problem when the entire league is the same, and then using that as a stick to beat Purslow with feels like it's more down to not liking him than him doing anything particularly wrong.
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I hate to say it but we were 21st on the deloitte list a few months back and there are a fair few clubs that we'll overtake shortly, without European football it will be tough to push into the top 10-12. That said the breakdown of where our money is coming from looks pretty consistent with other English clubs on the list so I'm not sure it's fair to suggest our fans are being fleeced to make up for poor commercial performance.
I don't like how expensive football is, I don't like the wages and fees that are being thrown around but singling us out as a problem when the entire league is the same, and then using that as a stick to beat Purslow with feels like it's more down to not liking him than him doing anything particularly wrong.
We could leave everything as it is, and not compete of course.
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Let's get top six commercial income as well then. At the moment it seems that we're having to pay for shortcomings in other areas.
That's not going to happen overnight though. We're up against the likes of Liverpool and Man U who have been huge global brands for decades, and London clubs like Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea who as you (I think?) have said in the past, can charge more for car parking than we can for match tickets. We've also had a decade of being utterly shit including three years in the second division. We're on the right path, but you're correct that the fans are a quick and easy cash cow. Unfortunately there's absolutely bugger all we can do about it, other than make an individual decision not to go any more.
Our commercial income line has been pretty flat throughout the period 1998-2021, peaking at £16.2m in 2015, and averaging £11.4m p.a. (in 2005 - when the commercial data were separated out in the accounts - the figure was £10.5m). I haven't benchmarked that against other clubs and I recognise that it includes some 2nd tier seasons, but overall I'm guessing it is poor compared to other similar-status EPL clubs.
I guess that this is why there is such a focus on Villa Live in the new-build plans for the North Stand and I wonder what other plans they have to build this revenue stream because it is surely holding the financial health of the club back. Sponsorship - another underperformer - will take time because it is directly linked to success, the global fanbase and media profile.
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The owners (and Purslow) have been in charge for a couple of months short of 5 years. The first year of that they obviously had to get us out of the Championship, then not along after we'd got up we had a two year pandemic where the country pretty much shut down
In that time though, we've gone from being nearly bankrupt in the Championship with Steve Bruce as manager and players like Jedinak, Kodjia and Neil Taylor, to Luiz, Kamara and Moreno, Emery as manager and battling it out for a European spot. On top of that we've got the plans for the new North Stand agreed, we sell out every game and have 30,000 people interested in taking up a season ticket.
I'm sure commercial income will start to rise on the back of the success we've had, but there are decent reasons for it not catching up as quickly as we'd like.
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The attendances and waiting list situation is absolutely nuts.
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I’m 61 now and I want to see us Win some more stuff with my family before I go
I’m all for the changes, upgrades, ambition, modernisation of the club and accept it will not suit everybody, also knowing that it is necessary for a big successful club, but it’s all mere Bagatelle compared to the real objective, which is to win some silver bits
So if you can just get on with it please, starting with one of those European trophies next year will be fine
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I hate to say it but we were 21st on the deloitte list a few months back and there are a fair few clubs that we'll overtake shortly, without European football it will be tough to push into the top 10-12. That said the breakdown of where our money is coming from looks pretty consistent with other English clubs on the list so I'm not sure it's fair to suggest our fans are being fleeced to make up for poor commercial performance.
I don't like how expensive football is, I don't like the wages and fees that are being thrown around but singling us out as a problem when the entire league is the same, and then using that as a stick to beat Purslow with feels like it's more down to not liking him than him doing anything particularly wrong.
We could leave everything as it is, and not compete of course.
I'm not sure adding prices to tickets is going to make us more competitive in the bigger picture. Might be wrong, but I would imagine that income from ticket sales is a small percentage of the income.
It just feels like a bit of a kick in the nether regions though when the fans who stayed with the club during the rotten years in the Premier League and the Championship are now being squeezed when some success finally seems on the horizon.
Every penny helps though I suppose.
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The attendances and waiting list situation is absolutely nuts.
Like something out of Bedrock.
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I hate to say it but we were 21st on the deloitte list a few months back and there are a fair few clubs that we'll overtake shortly, without European football it will be tough to push into the top 10-12. That said the breakdown of where our money is coming from looks pretty consistent with other English clubs on the list so I'm not sure it's fair to suggest our fans are being fleeced to make up for poor commercial performance.
I don't like how expensive football is, I don't like the wages and fees that are being thrown around but singling us out as a problem when the entire league is the same, and then using that as a stick to beat Purslow with feels like it's more down to not liking him than him doing anything particularly wrong.
We could leave everything as it is, and not compete of course.
I'm not sure adding prices to tickets is going to make us more competitive in the bigger picture. Might be wrong, but I would imagine that income from ticket sales is a small percentage of the income.
It just feels like a bit of a kick in the nether regions though when the fans who stayed with the club during the rotten years in the Premier League and the Championship are now being squeezed when some success finally seems on the horizon.
Every penny helps though I suppose.
I'm guessing that the season ticket increases will add about 2% to our annual turnover (though one of our numbers people will know better than I). That would be a significant increase for FFP purposes.
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I don’t like the 15% hike a season after a 10% one the season before. People have said it’s a football issue as a whole, which it is, but when does it stop. Is this the norm we can expect each season in order to catch other clubs prices up? Would anyone on here rule out another big increase next season?
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The attendances and waiting list situation is absolutely nuts.
The Tottenham and Brighton games will be the first games in years (aside from games at Wembley) that I’ve missed involuntarily due to demand, rather than by me not wanting to go.
Maybe it’s my own fault for being too stingy to pay £40 for a membership.
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That kind Mr Purslow sent me a drink voucher today. Which was nice.
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That kind Mr Purslow sent me a drink voucher today. Which was nice.
Hope Chicago got one. He'll learn to love Christian eventually.
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That kind Mr Purslow sent me a drink voucher today. Which was nice.
Is it for VP?
If so that will add 30 minutes to the waiting time.
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I don’t like the 15% hike a season after a 10% one the season before. People have said it’s a football issue as a whole, which it is, but when does it stop. Is this the norm we can expect each season in order to catch other clubs prices up? Would anyone on here rule out another big increase next season?
Now they’ve got the base price up even small percentage increases yield larger revenues 15% this year adds £100 to my ticket this year. 5% next year would add £80
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Accordingly to the Athletic we're looking at bringing former president of Philadelphia 76'ers in, Chris Heck. Some football experience with NY Red Bulls.
Aston Villa want to strengthen their senior management structure by hiring former Philadelphia 76ers president Chris Heck.
Owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens have targeted Heck as they drive forward with ambitious plans to grow the club.
Heck left his previous role in June 2022 after nine years with the NBA team and was praised by the co-managing partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer for “establishing the 76ers as a truly global brand”.
He helped the Sixers exceed franchise records in ticket and sponsorship sales while also making a positive impact in the Philadelphia community.
Edens, who co-owns the rival NBA team, Milwaukee Bucks, has pushed for this move and believes it will add another layer to the current structure.
Heck, who is recognised as an expert in the commercial department, has football experience from his time as the president of business operations at New York Red Bulls where he worked between 2011-2013.
It’s unclear at this stage whether his expected arrival will have an impact on others in senior positions at the club.
Christian Purslow has been the Villa CEO for almost five years and has played a significant role in transforming the club’s fortunes on the pitch.
Purslow has also worked tirelessly on plans to redevelop Villa Park with the introduction of a new North Stand as well as making improvements at the Bodymoor Heath training complex and creating a new inner-city academy.
As Villa continue to grow into an established Premier League team with aspirations of breaking into the top six, the owners see the importance of strengthening key departments to help the club flourish.
As reported last week, Barcelona’s director of football Mateu Alemany is set to join when he leaves the Spanish giants on July 1.
He will work closely with manager Unai Emery, who has three games remaining in the Premier League season and has already helped guarantee a first top-half finish for 12 years.
Villa take on Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday with the push for a top-seven finish still in sight.
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Makes a change from Big'Eck McLeish.
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That kind Mr Purslow sent me a drink voucher today. Which was nice.
Is it for VP?
If so that will add 30 minutes to the waiting time.
It’s OK they’ve started taking the tops off this afternoon in readiness.
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Couple of new directors in, be interesting to see what it means for Purslow and Lange.
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I can see Heck being in charge of the commercial side with Purslow remaining as chief networker and greeter of famous people.
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I can see Heck being in charge of the commercial side with Purslow remaining as chief networker and greeter of famous people.
Sounds about right Dave. Purslow will probably be in charge of the ground development as well.
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I can see Heck being in charge of the commercial side with Purslow remaining as chief networker and greeter of famous people.
Well, they sure as heck need someone to ignite the commercial affairs.
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yes, we are playing catch up in terms of commercial deals. man united are getting £10m a year for DHL to sponsor their training kit and £47m a year for their shirt sponsor. spurs are getting £5m a year for their training kit and £40m a year for the shirt.
purslow is patting himself on the back for getting porno burger king betting plastered everywhere for £12m a year.
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I get the feeling they think Purslow may have hit the ceiling where he can take us commercially, but want to keep him around for his links/knowledge/influence with the football governing bodies and probably to run the North stand development. Bringing someone in who can drive commercial side of things with total focus.
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Basically adding a Commercial Director to the management structure. Seems to have a really good track record too. We're made a lot of progress in the past 6 months.
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I can see Heck being in charge of the commercial side with Purslow remaining as chief networker and greeter of famous people.
Yep, that's what I'd assumed. Alemany handles the football side of things, Heck looks after the commercial aspects, Purslow is the 'political' part of that operation.
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I get the feeling they think Purslow may have hit the ceiling where he can take us commercially, but want to keep him around for his links/knowledge/influence with the football governing bodies and probably to run the North stand development. Bringing someone in who can drive commercial side of things with total focus.
Seems sensible to me.
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All of those job descriptions seem feasible but non fit the Title of CEO.
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Chris Heck
"The American was successful in his role, with the Sixers' selling out every game at Wells Fargo Centre over the five seasons. As a result, their sponsorship grew 30% from year to year.
He also improved the matchday experience for fans, and came up with the team's ceremonial bell ringing right before tip-off at home games. This has continued after his departure, along with the post-game victory song.
The Sixers saw an operating income of $87million in 2022 - representing a 29% annual increase. As a result, they are ranked tenth out of 30 franchises in the latest Forbes valuation of the league teams."
I'm guessing it's the bits in bold and not the ceremonial bell ringing and post game victory song that we're interested in.
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I'd be up for a Doom Bell, to be wrung after a loss, by a bloke wearing a dark hooded cape.
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Sounds like he'll head up international commercialisation and grow the brand overseas.
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If we don't get a ceremonial bell it'll be the final confirmation that the club is desperate to drive away the working class fan. Whilst not a working classer myself, I once knew a chap who was. He would regale me with tales of his abject, but happy childhood. The ceremonial bell was the heartbeat of every special occasion, a dog fight wasn't a dog fight unless the ceremonial bell was there to herald the arrival of blood.
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If we don't get a ceremonial bell it'll be the final confirmation that the club is desperate to drive away the working class fan. Whilst not a working classer myself, I once knew a chap who was. He would regale me with tales of his abject, but happy childhood. The ceremonial bell was the heartbeat of every special occasion, a dog fight wasn't a dog fight unless the ceremonial bell was there to herald the arrival of blood.
Well that was because of EU law, we're free now to end the bell end.
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I've always liked the idea of the players being led out by the ladies and gentlemen of the Shropshire Hunt as the ceremonial bell rings.
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I imagine that bell thing is a reference to the Liberty Bell, which is in Philadelphia and is the second most disappointing tourist attraction I've ever visited. It's literally a bell, with a crack in it.
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And the first, out of interest?
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I imagine that bell thing is a reference to the Liberty Bell, which is in Philadelphia and is the second most disappointing tourist attraction I've ever visited. It's literally a bell, with a crack in it.
What was the first most disappointing? It must have been bad to be more underwhelming than the Liberty Bell.
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And the first, out of interest?
The Hanging Gardens of Perry Barr.
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I imagine that bell thing is a reference to the Liberty Bell, which is in Philadelphia and is the second most disappointing tourist attraction I've ever visited. It's literally a bell, with a crack in it.
Oh, can we pinch (or create a new one) of that mechanical bull from the commonwealth games? That'd be ace
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I'm going to make a prediction here, this thread is going to go off topic.
Mine would be the Bridge on the River Kwai, it took half a day to get there and not only was it underwhelming, it was apparently about 3 miles away where the proper one once stood.
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I imagine that bell thing is a reference to the Liberty Bell, which is in Philadelphia and is the second most disappointing tourist attraction I've ever visited. It's literally a bell, with a crack in it.
Oh, can we pinch (or create a new one) of that mechanical bull from the commonwealth games? That'd be ace
Let's leave the bull to Blues.
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I imagine that bell thing is a reference to the Liberty Bell, which is in Philadelphia and is the second most disappointing tourist attraction I've ever visited. It's literally a bell, with a crack in it.
What was the first most disappointing? It must have been bad to be more underwhelming than the Liberty Bell.
The Mannequin Pis in Brussels.
I knew it was basically a statue of a boy having a slash, which in itself sets expectations low, but I didn't realise it was about a foot high at most.
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I'm going to make a prediction here, this thread is going to go off topic.
True, thought it might make a good subject for a Friday Forum.
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I imagine that bell thing is a reference to the Liberty Bell, which is in Philadelphia and is the second most disappointing tourist attraction I've ever visited. It's literally a bell, with a crack in it.
What was the first most disappointing? It must have been bad to be more underwhelming than the Liberty Bell.
The Mannequin Pis in Brussels.
I knew it was basically a statue of a boy having a slash, which in itself sets expectations low, but I didn't realise it was about a foot high at most.
Yeah, I think I'm with you on that. The other one which is at a similar level of "is that it?' was the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen.
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I imagine that bell thing is a reference to the Liberty Bell, which is in Philadelphia and is the second most disappointing tourist attraction I've ever visited. It's literally a bell, with a crack in it.
What was the first most disappointing? It must have been bad to be more underwhelming than the Liberty Bell.
The Mannequin Pis in Brussels.
I knew it was basically a statue of a boy having a slash, which in itself sets expectations low, but I didn't realise it was about a foot high at most.
Yeah, I think I'm with you on that. The other one which is at a similar level of "is that it?' was the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen.
I was thinking of that one, perhaps someone on here had said that before, although, the clues to its dimensions are there.
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I'm going to make a prediction here, this thread is going to go off topic.
True, thought it might make a good subject for a Friday Forum.
If I remember correctly there was a thread on this topic once.
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I'm going to make a prediction here, this thread is going to go off topic.
True, thought it might make a good subject for a Friday Forum.
If I remember correctly there was a thread on this topic once.
There was. I did contribute but can’t for the life of me remember the tourist attraction I thought was shite.
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Was it a thread on the topic or topic on a thread🤔
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Was it a thread on the topic or topic on a thread🤔
Now that’s a very deep question.
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I imagine that bell thing is a reference to the Liberty Bell, which is in Philadelphia and is the second most disappointing tourist attraction I've ever visited. It's literally a bell, with a crack in it.
What was the first most disappointing? It must have been bad to be more underwhelming than the Liberty Bell.
The Mannequin Pis in Brussels.
I knew it was basically a statue of a boy having a slash, which in itself sets expectations low, but I didn't realise it was about a foot high at most.
Yeah, I think I'm with you on that. The other one which is at a similar level of "is that it?' was the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen.
The little mermaid would definitely be very near the top for me. Plymouth rock was fucking shit as well.
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True, thought it might make a good subject for a Friday Forum.
If I remember correctly there was a thread on this topic once.
There was. I did contribute but can’t for the life of me remember the tourist attraction I thought was shite.
Fair enough, couldn't recall it being discussed.
Mine is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and place wise it would be Trinidad in Cuba which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Bay of Pigs was a little underwhelming too, after a long drive to get there.
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I imagine that bell thing is a reference to the Liberty Bell, which is in Philadelphia and is the second most disappointing tourist attraction I've ever visited. It's literally a bell, with a crack in it.
What was the first most disappointing? It must have been bad to be more underwhelming than the Liberty Bell.
The Mannequin Pis in Brussels.
I knew it was basically a statue of a boy having a slash, which in itself sets expectations low, but I didn't realise it was about a foot high at most.
Yeah, I think I'm with you on that. The other one which is at a similar level of "is that it?' was the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen.
The little mermaid would definitely be very near the top for me. Plymouth rock was fucking shit as well.
"We didn't land on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock landed on us" - great line, Malcolm X (and then Public Enemy).
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The living museum at Plymouth salvages Plymouth Rock for my money.
The Sphinx was another rubbish one.
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The Mona Lisa.
It's tiny, there's about 3,000 people between you and it when you enter the room, and it's basically a picture you've seen one million times elsewhere.
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The Mona Lisa.
It's tiny, there's about 3,000 people between you and it when you enter the room, and it's basically a picture you've seen one million times elsewhere.
100% this! The only time i have seen some many disappointed faces was on my wedding day
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The Mona Lisa.
It's tiny, there's about 3,000 people between you and it when you enter the room, and it's basically a picture you've seen one million times elsewhere.
100% this! The only time i have seen some many disappointed faces was on my wedding day
Bloody hell thats a wedding
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The Mona Lisa.
It's tiny, there's about 3,000 people between you and it when you enter the room, and it's basically a picture you've seen one million times elsewhere.
100% this! The only time i have seen some many disappointed faces was on my wedding day
Were there a lot of attractive female guests at the wedding?
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The Mona Lisa.
It's tiny, there's about 3,000 people between you and it when you enter the room, and it's basically a picture you've seen one million times elsewhere.
100% this! The only time i have seen some many disappointed faces was on my wedding day
Were there a lot of attractive female guests at the wedding?
No it was the bride's family
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I stopped going regularly for a while in the mid-90s as I couldn't afford something that I felt had become too expensive. It's not a new thing.
I did the same but because I as fickle back then.
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Lands End was shite, took ages to get there, extremely windy and nothing but a lighthouse and a shit gift shop.
Cornwall itself is overrated, fucking Whicker Man living museum.
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I'm going to make a prediction here, this thread is going to go off topic.
True, thought it might make a good subject for a Friday Forum.
If I remember correctly there was a thread on this topic once.
There was. I did contribute but can’t for the life of me remember the tourist attraction I thought was shite.
Same as you but I thought Sticky Vicky came close to it.
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Lands End was shite, took ages to get there, extremely windy and nothing but a lighthouse and a shit gift shop.
Cornwall itself is overrated, fucking Whicker Man living museum.
Cornwall is weird.
So many well to do, lovely coastal locations but go in-land and you're stumbling across some of the poorest, most depressing parts of Europe.
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Even worse, my mother in law lives there.
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Even worse, my mother in law lives there.
You'd prefer it if she lived closer?
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Lands End was shite, took ages to get there, extremely windy and nothing but a lighthouse and a shit gift shop.
Cornwall itself is overrated, fucking Whicker Man living museum.
And when you try and get a photo standing on the actual spot, the fuckers want to charge you for the privilige of just standing there.
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I imagine that bell thing is a reference to the Liberty Bell, which is in Philadelphia and is the second most disappointing tourist attraction I've ever visited. It's literally a bell, with a crack in it.
What was the first most disappointing? It must have been bad to be more underwhelming than the Liberty Bell.
The Mannequin Pis in Brussels.
I knew it was basically a statue of a boy having a slash, which in itself sets expectations low, but I didn't realise it was about a foot high at most.
Yeah, I think I'm with you on that. The other one which is at a similar level of "is that it?' was the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen.
The little mermaid would definitely be very near the top for me. Plymouth rock was fucking shit as well.
Little Mermaid. The clue's in the name.
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I imagine that bell thing is a reference to the Liberty Bell, which is in Philadelphia and is the second most disappointing tourist attraction I've ever visited. It's literally a bell, with a crack in it.
What was the first most disappointing? It must have been bad to be more underwhelming than the Liberty Bell.
The Mannequin Pis in Brussels.
I knew it was basically a statue of a boy having a slash, which in itself sets expectations low, but I didn't realise it was about a foot high at most.
Yeah, I think I'm with you on that. The other one which is at a similar level of "is that it?' was the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen.
The little mermaid would definitely be very near the top for me. Plymouth rock was fucking shit as well.
Little Mermaid. The clue's in the name.
Well yeah, still shit though.
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Circus Maximus in Rome. Redeemed only by the aura if history it gave off. It was full of litter and drug paraphernalia when we were there, I hope they've cleaned it up a bit since.
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The Mona Lisa.
It's tiny, there's about 3,000 people between you and it when you enter the room, and it's basically a picture you've seen one million times elsewhere.
100% this! The only time i have seen some many disappointed faces was on my wedding day
Were there a lot of attractive female guests at the wedding?
No it was the bride's family
Yeah - I never thought a whole family could say "underwhelmed" without actually saying anything
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Wigan Pier is shit and it’s in Wigan.
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I'm going to make a prediction here, this thread is going to go off topic.
True, thought it might make a good subject for a Friday Forum.
If I remember correctly there was a thread on this topic once.
There was. I did contribute but can’t for the life of me remember the tourist attraction I thought was shite.
The Millenium Dome?
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London Eye is a bit shit really, and costs a bomb
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Wigan Pier is shit and it’s in Wigan.
There used to be a pub there called The Orwell that I worked in, many, many years ago when I lived in Wigan. Used to get people coming in all the time asking where the pier was. We had to explain that Wigan, being nowhere near the sea didn't have an actual structure extending out into the sea like Blackpool, and that the pier was in fact a historic coal landing site on the Leeds to Liverpool canal. The museum there used to be quite good if you were interested in British industrial history and George Orwell etc.
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I agree with Risso. Wigan may not be top of many peoples tourist destinations, the Pier is quite interesting and worth a visit. Wigan flashes nature reserve is nice too.
Worst tourist attraction I have been to was probably the Native American museum in Washington DC, which had practically no exhibits.
In the UK Gretna Green takes some beating as a lacklustre place to visit.
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Chris Heck with WE before the game today.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FwAkC3iWYAEPTuW?format=jpg&name=large)
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Didn’t see this one coming!!!
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https://twitter.com/AVFCOfficial/status/1668167723195531264?t=Tc5-QRMqNdOywGS56Ftnsg&s=08
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Bye, bye Christian. Never recovered from the Steveeee debacle?
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Purslow gone. Dead man walking post the vanity project debacle but, by and large, he's done a good job
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London Eye is a bit shit really, and costs a bomb
The temporary winter big wheel in brum , wasn't even taller then the top deck of the Library so pretty much can get the same view for free from them.
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Thanks for merging…. Couldn’t find the correct thread but someone beat me to it.
Interesting development.
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So do we think Chris Heck will takeover this position ?
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Did a good job overall - thanks Christian.
Interesting to see who’s next.
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You did wonder on his future with the talk of Unai trying to get higher roles in from Spain. Then getting Europe from such a losing position and showing it wasn't the players but previous management pretty much changed the stock of one over the other.
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Wasn't expecting this. What happens to his shares, I assume he's allowed to keep them?
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I wonder what the thinking is, payday for shares or not wanting to play second fiddle to the likes of Heck? It reads like it's his decision, but I suppose that might be just face saving. I never warmed to him, but we're undeniably in a better place now than when they started (how much is down to him is difficult to quantify, mind).
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As per the title thread, are we sure he resigned or ‘leaves by mutual consent’?
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"Steps down" would suggest a resignation to me. Whether that resignation was forced or not is another matter.
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An interesting development!
I know there have been issues, and a lot of people blame him for Gerrard, but last season was the only one we took a backward step since he came in.
Always leave a place in a better state than you found it, that's what I always think in a job, and he's done that. All the best to him!
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As per the title thread, are we sure he resigned or ‘leaves by mutual consent’?
Resigned is the polite way of saying he got his arse kicked down the road. He was all in on the Gerrard appointment on the basis he knew him and respected him for the great footballer he was while at the same time basing his managerial credibility on what he did at Rangers. Very bad judgement and a costly time for the club. He was good at some aspects of his CEOship but not the very important bit.
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Honestly didn't see this coming, although I'd guess bringing in Heck + someone like Alemany would've made his position redundant.
He's left the club in a better state than he found it, and was seemingly quite influential / high profile within the Premier League as 'leader of the opposition' to the scab 6. Good luck to him, think he's done alright - Gerrard appointment aside - but perhaps a bit like Suso has just outlived his usefulness to the club,
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Think he was good from a football politics perspective and seems to be well respected as a voice of reason at the PL but in terms of being CEO of a Football club I’d say he was good at the relationship building stuff but lacked any real feel for the Football side of the club and maybe didn’t drive the Commercial stuff as well as he could have. If he was the driver for the Gerrard stuff I’d say he hasn’t recovered from that and with Heck being bought in over his head at V Sports level it was really only a matter of time. Overall he’s done a pretty good job, Gerrard aside.
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I think he has done a good job, in the time he has been at Villa the club has progressed on and off the pitch. He will be in demand from other clubs and may well have already accepted an offer elsewhere.
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Didn’t see this one coming!!!
I thought with his Gerrard fuck up and the recent senior appointments it was becoming inevitable, in fact I think I suggested it some time ago.
Looks like my opinion of him is shared by the owners.
I am pleased with this.
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That's got the week off to a good start.
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How long till he rocks up in the Saudi league on $5 trillion dollars a lap dance.
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That's got the week off to a good start.
Excellent :) :) :)
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Monchi coming in then or just time for Villa to move on...?
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Overall I think he's done a fantastic job.
The Gerrard appointment was his big mistake, but even so he's overseen an incredibly important period for the club, including getting the ground reved moving. I also felt he tended to speak with dignity and authority and was a respected voice in the PL. Obviously, a bit of an acquired taste and I'm angry about stuff like the Holte View etc, but do accept any club hoping to push top 6 will be driving revenue whoever is at the helm.
Cheers Christian, a job well done I think.
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According to the Athletic;
https://theathletic.com/4602564/2023/06/12/christian-purslow-aston-villa-leave/ (https://theathletic.com/4602564/2023/06/12/christian-purslow-aston-villa-leave/)
"Villa are moving in a new direction with head coach Unai Emery and his team of close assistants taking charge of football matters alongside the owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens (NSWE).
Chris Heck, the new president of business operations, will oversee all the important off-field matters including increasing revenue and globalising the Aston Villa brand, so Villa no longer need a CEO figure as the model has changed."
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How long till he rocks up in the Saudi league on $5 trillion dollars a lap dance.
Exactly this.
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and if he was doing a fantastic job as CEO, he would still be there.
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I wonder if the 49ers will look at bringing him in to do a similar job at Leeds now they are fully taking over?
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The writing was on the wall after the failure of his Gerard vanity project. The owners have waited until we were in a stable position and had a replacement in situ albeit after a restructure.
A good day for the Villa.
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Didn’t see this one coming!!!
I thought with his Gerrard fuck up and the recent senior appointments it was becoming inevitable, in fact I think I suggested it some time ago.
Looks like my opinion of him is shared by the owners.
I am pleased with this.
He decided to leave himself, though. The new appointments may have crowded him out a bit but he was respected by other clubs and the media. Gave crap answers at supporters meetings but he made the club feel important externally and I thank him for that.
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I wonder if the 49ers will look at bringing him in to do a similar job at Leeds now they are fully taking over?
As a life long niners fan i am gutted they have got them filthy bastards - have even contemplated changing my team but cannot do it.
2 things about Purslow
He certainly knew his onions when it came to FFP as he was part of the original team setting it up - so that worked in our favour.
Commercially we need to start operating on a global scale - shirt deals , sponsors etc - Heck seems to be a "premier" level and Puslow has hit his ceiling?
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I said a while ago that he was taking an unusually low profile of late.
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I wonder if the 49ers will look at bringing him in to do a similar job at Leeds now they are fully taking over?
I hope not.
I'm already fed up of our association with those dirty Leeds ******. Don't want Purslow as the rubbish cherry on top.
As Chicago says, if he was doing such a fantastic job, surely he'd still be here.
He hasn't done a fantastic job. Hence, he's out.
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I didn't mind him too much. The Gerrard appointment turned out to be a mistake but it's unfair to hold that against him.
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His reign can overall only be seen as a success. He's made some mistakes along the way but a CEO who doesn't make the odd mistake is as readily available as a unicorn.
He's been noticably quieter since the Gerrard departure as Sawires seemed to take charge of the football side and now a new structure is in place, the timing makes sense.
I can see why he'd not be everyone's cup of tea but I think he's been good for us
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Perhaps the 49ers want the dream team of Purslow and Gerrard? ;)
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I wonder if the 49ers will look at bringing him in to do a similar job at Leeds now they are fully taking over?
As a life long niners fan i am gutted they have got them filthy bastards - have even contemplated changing my team but cannot do it.
2 things about Purslow
He certainly knew his onions when it came to FFP as he was part of the original team setting it up - so that worked in our favour.
Commercially we need to start operating on a global scale - shirt deals , sponsors etc - Heck seems to be a "premier" level and Puslow has hit his ceiling?
Amen, Hookeysmith.
I hate our grand team having any connection with turds like Leeds. Can't we fucking liquidate the fuckers
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Didn’t see this one coming!!!
I thought with his Gerrard fuck up and the recent senior appointments it was becoming inevitable, in fact I think I suggested it some time ago.
Looks like my opinion of him is shared by the owners.
I am pleased with this.
He decided to leave himself, though. The new appointments may have crowded him out a bit but he was respected by other clubs and the media. Gave crap answers at supporters meetings but he made the club feel important externally and I thank him for that.
The "he decided to leave himself " bit is probably not accurate, I agree he had some uses and was part of our rebuilding but he became out of his depth and that is why he has gone.
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How long till he rocks up in the Saudi league on $5 trillion dollars a lap dance.
Are you picturing him, like Alan Partridge, in a leather posing pouch?
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How long till he rocks up in the Saudi league on $5 trillion dollars a lap dance.
Are you picturing him, like Alan Partridge, in a leather posing pouch?
I wasn't, but now I can just hear him... "You've got six points, I've got two..."
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Overall I think he's done a fantastic job.
The Gerrard appointment was his big mistake, but even so he's overseen an incredibly important period for the club, including getting the ground reved moving. I also felt he tended to speak with dignity and authority and was a respected voice in the PL. Obviously, a bit of an acquired taste and I'm angry about stuff like the Holte View etc, but do accept any club hoping to push top 6 will be driving revenue whoever is at the helm.
Cheers Christian, a job well done I think.
If he's been fantastic, where's the world-beating commercial deals? When have Villa, Emery apart, done anything that's made the rest of football think we mean business? Why do we still have regular problems with catering and transport? Why are we still waiting to see what next year's kit looks like? Why are we getting eye-watering price rises every year? Why is the Terrace View so expensive?
Purslow is like Doug Ellis - at first glance he seems to have done a good job but look a bit closer and he's not so impressive.
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Overall I think he's done a fantastic job.
The Gerrard appointment was his big mistake, but even so he's overseen an incredibly important period for the club, including getting the ground reved moving. I also felt he tended to speak with dignity and authority and was a respected voice in the PL. Obviously, a bit of an acquired taste and I'm angry about stuff like the Holte View etc, but do accept any club hoping to push top 6 will be driving revenue whoever is at the helm.
Cheers Christian, a job well done I think.
If he's been fantastic, where's the world-beating commercial deals? When have Villa, Emery apart, done anything that's made the rest of football think we mean business? Why do we still have regular problems with catering and transport? Why are we still waiting to see what next year's kit looks like? Why are we getting eye-watering price rises every year? Why is the Terrace View so expensive?
Purslow is like Doug Ellis - at first glance he seems to have done a good job but look a bit closer and he's not so impressive.
Spot on.
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I didn't mind him too much. The Gerrard appointment turned out to be a mistake but it's unfair to hold that against him.
No it's not, it was so nearly a complete fucking disaster. Gerrard was completely out of his depth and a stupid appointment.
Having said that, I didn't mind some of the other stuff Purslow was doing.
The owners have changed the plan, with Emery and Heck we're set up, next is the DoF role, which is suspect will be announced imminently.
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Think the writing was on the wall. When he didn't come out on the final day of the season for the lap, I thought he must be on his way.
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Mixed sentiments here re his departure. But without doubt (Gerrard aside) he's played a big role in the revival of Villa
More importantly we need yo consider how hecwill be replaced and by who.
It's vital that we get somebody who knows their way around the EPL - its rules and regulations, power structure and cliques, and can carry a big stick for Villa at meetings so that we don't get shafted by the Greedy6 as they wheel and deal for an ever larger slice of the pie at EPL and UEFA kegel
Whilst Heck has a lot to offer, I'm not sure he knows enough about the domestic side of the game.
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I guess also from his CV perspective, there was a 5 year plan to get the club in Europe, which was achieved, so I don't think hell have any problems getting another job
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From the Telegraph;
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/06/12/aston-villa-news-monchi-sporting-director-christian-purslow/ (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/06/12/aston-villa-news-monchi-sporting-director-christian-purslow/)
"The former Liverpool executive is understood to have been sidelined from football business since Emery’s arrival, with the head coach taking full control of operations."
"It is understood Purslow was offered the opportunity to take a different role but he has stepped down."
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It's so easy to chuck around phrases like 'out of his depth.'
Where exactly has he looked out of his depth whilst we've moved from Championship to top 7, grown to a 30k ST waiting list, designed and about to implement a stadium redevelopment, and persuaded the council to spend millions on transport links?
Is he out of his depth because he sounds smarmy and has put up prices above what most of us would like? I assume no other successful CEO has made a bad manager appointment?
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On the plus side he’s a very good spokesman both for the club and against state owned clubs. He’s seen us through FFP, especially when we came up and for the first few seasons afterwards.
The Gerrard appointment was a bad decision but that happens in football. Has he failed to grow us enough financially? From reading where we are with regards finances within the PL this could be his downfall if true. Have the owners seen the comments over the bar on the Holte End or has he resigned to take up another role somewhere else?
Whatever it is he hasn’t done the worst job in the world so good luck to him.
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Thank you and goodbye, time for the club to change up the gears again
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It's so easy to chuck around phrases like 'out of his depth.'
Where exactly has he looked out of his depth whilst we've moved from Championship to top 7, grown to a 30k ST waiting list, designed and about to implement a stadium redevelopment, and persuaded the council to spend millions on transport links?
Is he out of his depth because he sounds smarmy and has put up prices above what most of us would like? I assume no other successful CEO has made a bad manager appointment?
Spot on.
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I don't think he was out of his depth at all, he's very experienced and good at what he does.
I did find him a little hard to trust, though.
Anyway, here's the best tweet on it all:
will ross 💛
@TheWillRoss
·
32m
Replying to
@AVFCOfficial
Will we replace him with 3 CEOs that collectively have his key 3 strengths?
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It's so easy to chuck around phrases like 'out of his depth.'
Where exactly has he looked out of his depth whilst we've moved from Championship to top 7, grown to a 30k ST waiting list, designed and about to implement a stadium redevelopment, and persuaded the council to spend millions on transport links?
Is he out of his depth because he sounds smarmy and has put up prices above what most of us would like? I assume no other successful CEO has made a bad manager appointment?
Spot on.
Spot on. Another in a long line of terrible takes and short Villa memories.
In five years we have gone from mid-table in the second tier to top 7 in the top tier. We have gone from having the Upper Trinity closed to a season ticket waiting list of 20,000. We have been shrewd and savvy on and off the pitch and the best feel good factor I can remember.
I have never seen Villa run better than they have been these past five years. He got an appointment wrong- how many dud appointments did the Lerner regime make? How many dud appointments did Ellis make?
Lerner talked about a new North Stand, Ellis talked about a new North stand. Under both attendances were crap because we could see with our eyes it was all a crock of shit on the pitch.
Our club is transformed and CP has played his part in it.
Thank you Christian for all you did for our beloved club.
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It's so easy to chuck around phrases like 'out of his depth.'
Where exactly has he looked out of his depth whilst we've moved from Championship to top 7, grown to a 30k ST waiting list, designed and about to implement a stadium redevelopment, and persuaded the council to spend millions on transport links?
Is he out of his depth because he sounds smarmy and has put up prices above what most of us would like? I assume no other successful CEO has made a bad manager appointment?
Spot on.
Exactly. From when he was appointed, we've gone from a Championship club, to 7th in the Premier League and back in Europe, with a sold out ground, huge waiting list and building work about to start on a big groud expansion. There have been far more good decisions than bad, and while obviously not all the good stuff was down to him, it all happened on his watch. Even the Gerrard period left us with Boubacar Kamara, so I think he can leave with his head held high.
All businesses change and adapt, and I think we've just outgrown him a bit.
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It's so easy to chuck around phrases like 'out of his depth.'
Where exactly has he looked out of his depth whilst we've moved from Championship to top 7, grown to a 30k ST waiting list, designed and about to implement a stadium redevelopment, and persuaded the council to spend millions on transport links?
Is he out of his depth because he sounds smarmy and has put up prices above what most of us would like? I assume no other successful CEO has made a bad manager appointment?
Spot on.
Spot on. Another in a long line of terrible takes and short Villa memories.
In five years we have gone from mid-table in the second tier to top 7 in the top tier. We have gone from having the Upper Trinity closed to a season ticket waiting list of 20,000. We have been shrewd and savvy on and off the pitch and the best feel good factor I can remember.
I have never seen Villa run better than they have been these past five years. He got an appointment wrong- how many dud appointments did the Lerner regime make? How many dud appointments did Ellis make?
Lerner talked about a new North Stand, Ellis talked about a new North stand. Under both attendances were crap because we could see with our eyes it was all a crock of shit on the pitch.
Our club is transformed and CP has played his part in it.
Thank you Christian for all you did for our beloved club.
Seconded.
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It's so easy to chuck around phrases like 'out of his depth.'
Where exactly has he looked out of his depth whilst we've moved from Championship to top 7, grown to a 30k ST waiting list, designed and about to implement a stadium redevelopment, and persuaded the council to spend millions on transport links?
Is he out of his depth because he sounds smarmy and has put up prices above what most of us would like? I assume no other successful CEO has made a bad manager appointment?
Fantastically put. There will always be more that a CEO could have done but but the big things that needed to be done when he arrived have been delivered. I'd take that over having a slick catering operation, mainly because I don't use the kiosks anyway
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When we got back up he said it would be 3 years to be competitive, we’ve got there so seems a logical time to replace.
Does this mean we won’t sign any English players this summer?
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It's so easy to chuck around phrases like 'out of his depth.'
Where exactly has he looked out of his depth whilst we've moved from Championship to top 7, grown to a 30k ST waiting list, designed and about to implement a stadium redevelopment, and persuaded the council to spend millions on transport links?
Is he out of his depth because he sounds smarmy and has put up prices above what most of us would like? I assume no other successful CEO has made a bad manager appointment?
Spot on.
Exactly. From when he was appointed, we've gone from a Championship club, to 7th in the Premier League and back in Europe, with a sold out ground, huge waiting list and building work about to start on a big groud expansion. There have been far more good decisions than bad, and while obviously not all the good stuff was down to him, it all happened on his watch. Even the Gerrard period left us with Boubacar Kamara, so I think he can leave with his head held high.
All businesses change and adapt, and I think we've just outgrown him a bit.
Yup completely agree. Everyone, in any role, makes the odd bad call. But if you look at where we are now versus where we were it’s impossible to argue that he’s achieved plenty.
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Although I have praised him generally I do still wonder why we still get the catering so spectacularly wrong. I suspect it's not something he directly oversees and of course, there will be contracts in place but even so it annoys me.
As for world beating commercial deals, it must be difficult to secure those when you haven't finished in the top half of the PL for over 10 years and you don't have any owner funded businesses chucking in unrealistic deals to cheat FFP.
So yeah, I agree there's a few things I would have preferred him to do better. But it seems a bit churlish to focus just on these given the bigger picture.
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It's so easy to chuck around phrases like 'out of his depth.'
Where exactly has he looked out of his depth whilst we've moved from Championship to top 7, grown to a 30k ST waiting list, designed and about to implement a stadium redevelopment, and persuaded the council to spend millions on transport links?
Is he out of his depth because he sounds smarmy and has put up prices above what most of us would like? I assume no other successful CEO has made a bad manager appointment?
Spot on.
Exactly. From when he was appointed, we've gone from a Championship club, to 7th in the Premier League and back in Europe, with a sold out ground, huge waiting list and building work about to start on a big groud expansion. There have been far more good decisions than bad, and while obviously not all the good stuff was down to him, it all happened on his watch. Even the Gerrard period left us with Boubacar Kamara, so I think he can leave with his head held high.
All businesses change and adapt, and I think we've just outgrown him a bit.
Yup completely agree. Everyone, in any role, makes the odd bad call. But if you look at where we are now versus where we were it’s impossible to argue that he’s achieved plenty.
The Greasy handling and use of the money, the Gerard appointment, Not fixing the catering or the transport and in the absence of great commercial deals fleecing the season ticket holders at every opportunity is not the odd bad call.
Its a litany of fuck ups.
Thankfully we have owners that we have.
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I thinks he's been fantastic and achieved pretty much everything he set out to do - his lobbying skills and general "presence" will be very hard to replace. Let's get this next appointment right, Villa.
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That very harsh CL. Best CEO this club has had in the modern era by a mile.
Made some mistakes but made more very good, solid decisions too. I’m sorry he’s leaving tbh.
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When he came in 5 years ago, we'd have been more than happy to be in the position we are in now. Purslow has made a significant contribution to that change. For that I'm grateful.
He showed a level of professionalism & competence in running the club that we've not seen in a long time.
I hope that his replacement achieves the next step over the next 5 years.
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jun/12/aston-villa-target-monchi-sporting-director-christian-purslow-leaves?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
Looks like we've stepped up to the plate and are ready to pay Sevilla what they want to release Monchi.
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The Greasy handling and use of the money, the Gerard appointment, Not fixing the catering or the transport and in the absence of great commercial deals fleecing the season ticket holders at every opportunity is not the odd bad call.
Its a litany of fuck ups.
Thankfully we have owners that we have.
Your usual hyperbole.
The spending of the Grealish money will have been mostly down to Lange. Yeah he gave his silly speech, but people like you will have been calling for a statement from the board.
The Gerrard appointment - yes it was a shit decision. It's amazing how no other CEO in the PL has ever made a bad managerial appointment isn't it?
Transport - I agree it's poor. Do you think we should have spent 30 million improving the train station or do you think persuading the council to do exactly that would have been better?
And as for fleecing fans, I agree to a point. But our season tickets are still competitive in PL terms. Is it really that surprising that they're looking to bridge the revenue gap with the exact teams we are trying to chase down on the field?
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£100m was as much as we were ever gonna get for Grealish. When that transfer clause was put in, September 2000, there seemed little prospect in Grealish courting such bids but he went onto have an impressive 202/21. He also, would have been advised not to sign any new deal without such a clause in place (CV, weren't you doubting the existence of a release clause right up until the time we sold him?).
How we spent the money is another matter, the "three players to do one player's job" was silly and proper spin but in the end, we got some use out of Ings and at least 60% back on him while Buendia and Bailey have contributed enough for Emery to trust them as regular starters when fit (even if a lot of us doubt their consistency). Emery has shown us that good coaching can help make up for risky signings.
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If it hadn’t been for Emery’s announcement barely 6 months ago, we’d still be queuing up for beer at half time, moaning about season ticket hikes, terrace bar rip offs and the shit manager that Purslow imposed on us. I don’t give him any credit. Suppose we’ll need to hire someone to suck up to Prince William now though.
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jun/12/aston-villa-target-monchi-sporting-director-christian-purslow-leaves?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
Villa target Monchi as sporting director after Christian Purslow leaves
Monchi is at Sevilla, where he worked with Unai Emery
Release clause of about £1.7m in Monchi’s contract
Aston Villa have confirmed the departure of the chief executive Christian Purslow as they target Monchi from Sevilla as a key cog in their overhaul under Unai Emery. Purslow had been in charge of the day-to-day running of the club for almost five years but has left as part of a restructuring.
Villa are ramping up their attempts to appoint a sporting director to work closely with Emery. After Barcelona’s Mateu Alemany rejected a move to Villa Park, Emery is keen on reuniting with Monchi, with whom he worked at Sevilla. It is thought Monchi, the Sevilla sporting director, has a release clause of about £1.7m.
Emery has been given great freedom to reshape Villa after leading the club into Europe for the first time in 13 years despite succeeding Steven Gerrard last November amid relegation concerns.
A new sporting director would take care of the football business operations, in conjunction with Emery. Last month Villa announced the arrival of Chris Heck as president of business operations. Alberto Benito and Pablo Rodríguez have also recently been appointed to Villa’s recruitment staff. It is thought Purslow, who worked in executive positions at Chelsea and Liverpool, declined the chance to stay in a different role.
In a club statement Villa’s owners, Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, paid tribute to the 59-year-old for his role in overseeing “a transformation of the club both on and off the pitch”. Purslow said: “It has been a total privilege to lead Villa for the last five years. I am proud that I leave the club in a much better position on and off the pitch than when I arrived.”
Villa are determined to strengthen, with Emery keen to add a full-back, a winger and a striker. On Saturday Villa announced the signing of Youri Tielemans on a free after the Belgium midfielder exited Leicester City. Tielemans’s former Leicester teammate Harvey Barnes is also thought to be among those of interest to Villa, who are set to reward John McGinn and Ollie Watkins with new contracts.
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Every club makes a bad managerial call. Some do it several times a season.
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I don't think he was out of his depth at all, he's very experienced and good at what he does.
I did find him a little hard to trust, though.
Anyway, here's the best tweet on it all:
will ross 💛
@TheWillRoss
·
32m
Replying to
@AVFCOfficial
Will we replace him with 3 CEOs that collectively have his key 3 strengths?
I know this was written as a pisstake but I suspect that's exactly what's happening.
Heck will take over the commercial side of things.
Emery and Monchi (assuming he comes in) will handle the football side.
That just leaves the stuff about being in the premier league meetings, handling the stadium plans, etc which won't have been enough work for a CEO so those bits will either go to Sawaris or we'll see someone come in as more of a club secretary style role to handle those aspects.
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I don't think he was out of his depth at all, he's very experienced and good at what he does.
I did find him a little hard to trust, though.
Anyway, here's the best tweet on it all:
will ross 💛
@TheWillRoss
·
32m
Replying to
@AVFCOfficial
Will we replace him with 3 CEOs that collectively have his key 3 strengths?
I know this was written as a pisstake but I suspect that's exactly what's happening.
Heck will take over the commercial side of things.
Emery and Monchi (assuming he comes in) will handle the football side.
That just leaves the stuff about being in the premier league meetings, handling the stadium plans, etc which won't have been enough work for a CEO so those bits will either go to Sawaris or we'll see someone come in as more of a club secretary style role to handle those aspects.
What's Steve Stride up to nowadays?
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Oh, and if you think our success is just down to the owners money and nothing to do with how the club has been run, then take a look at how much Everton have spent in the last 5 years.
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I don't think he was out of his depth at all, he's very experienced and good at what he does.
I did find him a little hard to trust, though.
Anyway, here's the best tweet on it all:
will ross 💛
@TheWillRoss
·
32m
Replying to
@AVFCOfficial
Will we replace him with 3 CEOs that collectively have his key 3 strengths?
I know this was written as a pisstake but I suspect that's exactly what's happening.
Heck will take over the commercial side of things.
Emery and Monchi (assuming he comes in) will handle the football side.
That just leaves the stuff about being in the premier league meetings, handling the stadium plans, etc which won't have been enough work for a CEO so those bits will either go to Sawaris or we'll see someone come in as more of a club secretary style role to handle those aspects.
Exactly Paul. Although we still do have a Chief Operating Officer in Paul Tyrell. I wonder if he's staying (as I believe he's Purslow's mate), and if he is, he'll maybe deal with the stadium side of things. His background is communications, but his current Villa role also takes in stuff like health and safety, IT and general operations.
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Overall, I think Purslow has done ok. Let's be honest, as a football club, the size and shape of Aston Villa, we should be in the top 10 of the Premier Division. Check. That said, with these owners, with this Manager, OK isn't really good enough and it's time to kick on again. We are in a better position than we were, footballing wise, but I can't help feeling that he was a smarmy character who, left to his own devices, wouldn't have got us where we are, without a great deal of help from Emery and the owners. In other words, done ok, but his time had come and we need to move up a level. Exciting time to be a Villa fan but the kit, the transport links and the facilities, need sorting.
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I think done ok is about right. He's not been as bad as some are making out.
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I thought he has done well overall. The Gerrard appointment was the big flaw but the other 2 management appointments were spot on.
When he came we weren't filling the ground and we are now so some of the problems now exacerbated are due to the success in growth of the club.
He seemed to be at the forefront of checking the Big6 whenever they made johnnybignoises about breakways etc...
At the end of the day the club is in a much better state than when he took over. I don't even know who took over from Fox, prior to that it was Faulkner and prior to that the' General??'. Let's face it he was a billion times better than those amateurs.
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I think this is a sign that the owners are stepping on the gas now, and probably don't think Purslow can handle it.
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I think this is a sign that the owners are stepping on the gas now, and probably don't think Purslow can handle it.
Yes - 5 years for CEO is actually about right amount of time in top level football
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I think done ok is about right. He's not been as bad as some are making out.
I guess it all depends on what you think success looks like.
For some it's cheap tickets, cheap beer and pies, with somewhere to catch up with your mates. For others it's about the team and success on the pitch. For most it's a blend.
He's done fine, we're better off in every aspect than we were, though the fans are the ones paying the bill. Times are changing, we're on the up, the club is improved in virtually every metric going, except prices and service on matchday (which is a huge part of the fan experience).
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He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.
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They do really need to sort out the catering though. It's always been bad, but surely it's low hanging fruit as far as increasing revenue is concerned.
Not satisfied with pricing out the common man, we're also now determined to starve any that have the temerity to still attend!
I've no doubt if Emery was put in charge of pies, it'd be absolutely world-class within a season, but I can't see him doing a tactical analysis of serving methods and queueing routes.
I've only been to one baseball game in the US, but the service there put Villa Park to shame. So I imagine Chris Heck would be whatever the American equivalent of flabbergasted is were he to spend a game trying to get his mitts on one of the fourteen balti pies they seem to have decided to prepare (and dry out) per stand. But again, I can't see this being high on his bonus list.
So who now is actually going to feed us? Questions need to be asked!
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If the next CEO can provide a decent catering service he can have a statue next to the new north stand
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They do really need to sort out the catering though. It's always been bad, but surely it's low hanging fruit as far as increasing revenue is concerned.
Not satisfied with pricing out the common man, we're also now determined to starve any that have the temerity to still attend!
I've no doubt if Emery was put in charge of pies, it'd be absolutely world-class within a season, but I can't see him doing a tactical analysis of serving methods and queueing routes.
I've only been to one baseball game in the US, but the service there put Villa Park to shame. So I imagine Chris Heck would be whatever the American equivalent of flabbergasted is were he to spend a game trying to get his mitts on one of the fourteen balti pies they seem to have decided to prepare (and dry out) per stand. But again, I can't see this being high on his bonus list.
So who now is actually going to feed us? Questions need to be asked!
A lot of it comes down to space. We've got old, mostly badly designed, cramped concourses so trying to serve thousands of people at one time is always going to be a bit of an issue. Clubs where you can move people outside at half time in new pupose built facilities will always do better. That said, there's no excuse for how poor the actual service is.
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He's done okay. Some things are better, some haven't improved and some are nothing more than you'd expect. Again, like Ellis.
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He's been competent, which is more than some of the chancers we've had in charge.
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They do really need to sort out the catering though. It's always been bad, but surely it's low hanging fruit as far as increasing revenue is concerned.
Not satisfied with pricing out the common man, we're also now determined to starve any that have the temerity to still attend!
I've no doubt if Emery was put in charge of pies, it'd be absolutely world-class within a season, but I can't see him doing a tactical analysis of serving methods and queueing routes.
I've only been to one baseball game in the US, but the service there put Villa Park to shame. So I imagine Chris Heck would be whatever the American equivalent of flabbergasted is were he to spend a game trying to get his mitts on one of the fourteen balti pies they seem to have decided to prepare (and dry out) per stand. But again, I can't see this being high on his bonus list.
So who now is actually going to feed us? Questions need to be asked!
A lot of it comes down to space. We've got old, mostly badly designed, cramped concourses so trying to serve thousands of people at one time is always going to be a bit of an issue. Clubs where you can move people outside at half time in new pupose built facilities will always do better. That said, there's no excuse for how poor the actual service is.
I was just typing a post that's basically this. It'll be interesting to see how things change in the new north stand as that will give us the chance to add proper modern facilities. I guess, as much as it pisses people off, the new terrace view thing in the Holte will serve as a bit of a trial of how things can be improved, frustrating that fans are having to pay for the club to do that though.
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Wonder if they will be looking to appoint someone just to be in charge of the stadium overhaul? Obviously there is the new stand and Trinity renovation, but surely they will be looking to renovate the rest of the ground at some point and that will need a stadium design/management specialist.
I think with the way the club is being run that Purslow's role was just getting narrower and narrower. Football decisions are overseen by Emery (and soon to be Monchi), Heck seems to be in overall commercial charge, and presumably the stadium redevelopment will be overseen by a new person. We need to replace Purslow's expertise on the PL regulations and governance side of things, but presumably that is too narrow a role to justify what we would be paying him as CEO. Given that he may well have decided he wanted out anyway, as it seems like most of the interesting jobs have been taken away from him.
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He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.
That's exactly who he reminds me of. Says all the right things but acts differently. He did some good stuff although not enough of it.
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Don't know why people think that FFP involves some sort of incredible insight and intelligence, its an accounting process, not rocket science.
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He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.
Hahaha...more or less what I thought when I met him in a meeting organised by Supporters Trust. Good job there were still some covid protocols in place so I didn't have to shake his slime covered hand ;D
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He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.
Is all this Tory-stuff simply Red Scouse, chip-on-the-shoulder nonsense? I recently read Purslow's father's obituary and it seems Mr Purslow Sr was a devout Catholic and paid up member of the Labour Party. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean CP was the same, but still...
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Don't know why people think that FFP involves some sort of incredible insight and intelligence, its an accounting process, not rocket science.
I don't know why people think football involves any great commitment or skill, it's just kicking a ball, not rocket science.
Or to put it in a less piss-taking way, if you have to follow any sort of regulation then having someone who was involved in writing it working for you will always be beneficial, even if it's a reasonably simple accounting process.
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Batted for us above our average at the EPL.
Negotiated the FFP rules and progressed the club from mid table Div 2 to European football next season.
Several missteps along the way, but imo he's been a big positive for us.
Fans are always going to moan.
He can't on his own improve transport to VP - that's down to Network Rail, Andy Street and West Midlands Travel.
We sell less than 750k shirts so are going to be at the back of the queue at the manufaacturers (who have a finite capacity) when it comes to ordering - 3m Real/ManU shirts for Nike/Adidas is much more attractive the in terms of setting up production lines and profitability.
And don't compare facilities at Villa Park with Arse/Spuds and their Legobowls. Granted improvements could/should be made, but we've got a unique ground standing on a Victorian footprint with space limitations which is yhe major problem.
Income comes from 4 sources - sponsorship/commercial, TV/EPL, UEFA income and ticket sales. NSWE have put millions into the club and as we move up, then the other revenue sources should increase and that is why Heck has come in. Despite price increases our tickers are still reasonably priced compared to the competition. It seems to me that some of us expect to pay pop bottle prices for champagne football.
Gerrard will always be held against him, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and the subsequent and ingoing transformation will I am sure see the Gerrard era and how it resulted in change as a positive pivotal moment.
Purslow wasn't here to be liked, he did what he was brought in to do.
Let's thank him for what he did, recognise that there's more to be done and move forward.
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I think in terms of the price hikes etc, he's just doing the owners' bidding there, and anybody expecting it to be different under Heck or any other bloke in charge is going to be very disappointed.
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Didn't someone post on here a while ago that they had heard CP's chauffeur saying that the season just gone would be his last? Taxi for Purslow and early retirement in the Bahamas. Wonderful.
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Aston Villa are moving on without Christian Purslow – but he leaves a legacy
Gregg Evans - Jun 12, 2023
Christian Purslow has a saying.
“I’m a man in a hurry,” he would explain when discussing the growth of Aston Villa and his plans to help re-establish the club as one of the major powers in English football.
In his position as chief executive, Purslow was, as many in the industry testify, a “tenacious so-and-so” who fought hard for Villa in negotiations, spoke passionately in Premier League meetings and always encouraged those around him to think big.
Back in the summer of 2018, when he agreed to assist owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens in the day-to-day running of the club, it was under one condition: that he became a minority investor himself.
Sawiris had whisked Purslow off to a holiday home in Greece to discuss the grand plans for Villa and how, in five years, he hoped to have them back in Europe — a mission the team completed in the nick of time last month.
Yet the 2-1 season-finale win over Brighton & Hove Albion that secured a place in the Europa Conference League turned out to be Purslow’s final game at Villa.
There was no sign of the 59-year-old on the pitch during the post-match celebrations at Villa Park as first the players and then Sawiris, Edens, head coach Unai Emery and the latter’s personal assistant, Damia Vidagany, completed a lap of appreciation to a rousing ovation.
Purslow still interacted with supporters in and around the stadium as he remained proud of the collective achievement. For all his previous success in the business world, and stints with Liverpool and Chelsea, the rewarding feeling he has gained from his near five years in Birmingham trumps the lot.
Villa, however, are moving in a different direction now.
No longer is there a “triangle of power” where the coach and sporting director report to the CEO.
Instead, Emery and Vidagany will look after the “football” side of the club alongside new recruitment allies Alberto Benito and Pablo Rodriguez. The search for a new director of football continues following Mateu Alemany’s decision to stay at La Liga champions Barcelona. Sevilla’s Monchi is Villa’s first choice.
Johan Lange, Villa’s current sporting director, is expected to stay in a senior role within V Sports, the club’s holding company as Sawiris and Edens (NSWE) build up their multi-club portfolio. The club say the head of recruitment Rob Mackenzie will work alongside the Spanish arrivals, and Chris Heck, the new president of business operations will take charge of the efforts in globalising the Villa brand, increasing revenue and overseeing all important off-field matters as they try to close the gap to the best-performing clubs in the country.
Purslow, who has played his part in one of the most transformative periods in Villa’s history, has stepped aside. He was offered the chance to stay at the club and assist the way forward but was reluctant to take on a reduced role. His time in the spotlight at high-profile football clubs seems over.
Purslow worked at Chelsea between 2014 and 2017, but was never fully satisfied in his role there.
While he enjoyed his time as managing director at Stamford Bridge and brought in some huge commercial deals, he always wanted to be closer to the sexy side of football. There was an eagerness to be involved in the decision-making process around the areas that were most discussed: the hiring of managers, the signing of big-name players, and everything else that went around building a successful team.
When Sawiris got in touch through a mutual friend shortly after taking over from Tony Xia at Villa in July 2018, Purslow was out of work. He was considering a long holiday with his wife and they had discussed visiting some of their favourite places in the world. Trips to Paris and New York, among other destinations, were on the agenda. Moving to a then-Championship club was hardly at the top of his wish list. But Sawiris wanted an experienced operator, and the opportunity to invest in Villa while also having the power to make the decisions that matter appealed.
On his first day at the club, Villa signed Tammy Abraham on loan from Chelsea for the rest of the season and Purlsow was visibly delighted to be in charge when such a move was secured.
He said from the start that he would put his own twist on running the club and started building relationships with those he wanted to keep while also sourcing new additions.
Negotiations with Villa became tighter and more secretive. He would later go on to warn player representatives that deals would not go through if they were leaked into the public domain. Privacy almost became an obsession; the club would take great pride in announcing transfers that had not been reported previously in the media. For some, this felt draining.
But Purslow also helped Villa make big profits on the sales of academy graduates Jack Grealish, who joined Manchester City for £100million ($124.5m at current exchange rates) in 2021 and Carney Chukwuemeka, who moved to Chelsea last summer. He had inserted the £100m release clause into Grealish’s contract to ensure Villa received a record fee for a British player. And when it became clear that Chukwuemeka had no interest in staying at Villa, it was Purslow’s conversation with new Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly during a dinner party that helped secure a £20m fee for the then 18-year-old.
The video Purslow made to explain local lad and captain Grealish’s departure from his boyhood club to supporters was a surprise move. His public speeches and interviews were few and far between but, when he did talk, he was passionate in his message and keen to explain how his decisions were always what was in the best interests of the club.
When he addressed fans at consultation meetings, he always tried to explain why some key choices had been made. His enthusiasm to make Villa, champions of England in 1981 and European Cup winners a year later, great again was evident.
Before games he would often shout encouraging messages to the players, sometimes switching between languages to target some of Villa’s foreign recruits.
He was intent on making them become the “best of the rest” behind the Premier League’s so-called ‘Big Six’.
Playing a part in this season’s seventh-place finish — an achievement inspired by October appointment Emery’s elite coaching — suggests he achieved those aims.
Purslow’s first big decision — sacking manager Steve Bruce in October 2018, as Villa languished awkwardly in the middle of the Championship table — was made easy for him.
The atmosphere at Villa Park turned toxic following an infamous 3-3 draw with Preston North End in which the home side’s Glenn Whelan missed a stoppage-time penalty, but the headline-grabbing event of the evening came before the game had even started. When a supporter launched a cabbage at Bruce prior to kick-off, it was clear change was needed.
In came Dean Smith, another boyhood Villa fan, from Brentford as his replacement and an upward journey began.
Villa had spent big in the Championship and were expected to face troubles relating to financial fair play, but Purslow stayed cool, stressing in public that the club would adhere to all the rules and regulations. The plan, it soon emerged, was to sell Villa Park to a company controlled by the owners for £56.7million — a move that ensured Villa fell in line with profit and sustainability rules.
Upon promotion to the Premier League at the end of that season, Villa spent around £120million reshaping their playing staff, with Jesus Garcia Pitarch as the sporting director. There was a strategic plan to lower the average age of the squad while also signing players who could help the club gain traction in new markets.
Douglas Luiz became only the second Brazilian to join Villa and has gone on to become a steal as a £15million buy from Manchester City. The first — the forward, Wesley Moraes — had joined a few weeks earlier, but struggled to recover from a serious knee injury halfway through his debut season. He will go down as an expensive mistake.
The signings of Trezeguet, an Egypt international who had more social media followers on his own than the club at that time, and Zimbabwe’s Marvelous Nakamba helped open up Villa to new supporters and other parts of the world. Purslow enjoyed this building process and got heavily involved in negotiations.
Villa stayed up in their first season back in the Premier League, but there were changes ahead as Pitarch left and was swiftly replaced with Lange. Purslow had worked through a list of candidates for the role and was certain that Lange was the man to help take Villa forward when he presented his ideas for their future.
The pair quickly developed a close working relationship and would sit together at games — often welcoming Villa-supporting HRH Prince William. Purslow loved to host such royalty and enjoyed the ambience of the modernised director’s lounge.
Alongside NSWE’s continued support, Purslow and Lange have also helped modernise the infrastructure at the club.
Villa’s Bodymoor Heath headquarters is a state-of-the-art training venue now. There is an inner-city Birmingham academy on the way. A loans programme has been developed. The player-care department is strong and the squad has grown in value.
Look through the Villa team now and there are so many success stories around players signed over the past two to five years.
There has been John McGinn’s elevation, Jacob Ramsey’s development and Tyrone Mings and Ollie Watkins making their full England debuts. Ezri Konsa is closer than ever to international recognition, while Luiz’s form has stood out this season.
There were other hits and misses along the way, but the biggest mistake was choosing Steven Gerrard to replace Smith when NSWE wanted to push on towards the European positions in November 2021. Purslow liked and respected Gerrard from their time together at Liverpool, but insisted that the then-Rangers manager had to go through the same process as any other candidate to get the job.
Others were interviewed and one candidate, in particular, was surprisingly under-prepared. Gerrard, meanwhile, explained his plans with conviction and precision. He spent three hours detailing a playing style he thought would take Villa up the league. His record at Rangers, winning a Scottish title and doing well in Europe, also suggested he was worth a try.
Sadly, though, the former England captain could never fully get Villa going and the club’s progress duly stalled.
Significant funds were invested to hire and, a year later, fire Gerrard, as well as in trying to give him the players he wanted — under-performing former Liverpool team-mate Philippe Coutinho the most obvious.
There was never a fall-out between Purslow and the hierarchy, but a tweak had been implemented to the club’s management style which effectively reduced the CEO’s role. Sawiris became more hands-on and it was clear that, when Villa were chasing Emery as Gerrard’s replacement, Purslow was not in charge.
Sawiris did the hard negotiating after calling on the assistance of superagent Jorge Mendes to smooth things over. While convincing former Arsenal manager Emery to return to the Premier League from La Liga’s Villarreal required a hard sell, given Villa’s difficult start to the new campaign, it was clear to the 51-year-old that there was plenty of potential — not least the summer additions of Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos — for them to fly up the table.
Yet Emery joined only because he was given the keys to the castle.
He asked for assurances. He was accompanied by a large backroom team and was told he could add further recruitment personnel when the opportunity to do so cropped up. Benito and Rodriguez, both long-term Emery allies, have since joined and will form a new-look team alongside Mackenzie.
Since his arrival shortly before the World Cup break began in mid-November, Emery has been in charge of key football decisions, such as new contracts and transfer business. Purslow, therefore, was focusing more on other areas, like the stadium upgrade.
Villa signed Jhon Duran in January after extensive research through Lange, Mackenzie and the data team, but the same window’s move for Alex Moreno was pushed by Emery. That is how the club’s next round of arrivals will be sourced. Youri Tielemans, the first player through the door this summer, was identified by Emery.
Perhaps, one of the most important deals Purslow negotiated, just before Emery’s arrival, was extending Luiz’s contract. Several top clubs were asking the midfielder to consider joining them as a free agent this summer after his then-deal expired. Arsenal also lodged three bids to sign the now 25-year-old last August, but Villa stood firm, promised to reward him with improved terms, and then delivered.
Some of that good work behind the scenes provided Emery with the platform upon which to flourish. Yet whispers of change had been floating around for months.
The scene around the boardroom at the final game of the season was described by one source, granted anonymity so as to protect relationships, as “weird”. Heck, a newcomer chosen by Edens to take Villa on to a new level, was in attendance, alongside the owners. The former president of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers hasn’t revealed any of his plans yet but, as a commercial expert, Heck is expected to help Villa close the gap on some of the bigger clubs in the division through savvy off-field moves.
What Purslow will do next remains unclear.
He helped pull Villa out of a desperately low period and towards a brighter future. He reconnected the supporters with the team so he should be respected and thanked for the role he has played. Villa are now restored as a Premier League force to be feared with an impressive structure around the edges as a solid platform.
Yet the club’s future will now be shaped without him.
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They do really need to sort out the catering though. It's always been bad, but surely it's low hanging fruit as far as increasing revenue is concerned.
Not satisfied with pricing out the common man, we're also now determined to starve any that have the temerity to still attend!
I've no doubt if Emery was put in charge of pies, it'd be absolutely world-class within a season, but I can't see him doing a tactical analysis of serving methods and queueing routes.
I've only been to one baseball game in the US, but the service there put Villa Park to shame. So I imagine Chris Heck would be whatever the American equivalent of flabbergasted is were he to spend a game trying to get his mitts on one of the fourteen balti pies they seem to have decided to prepare (and dry out) per stand. But again, I can't see this being high on his bonus list.
So who now is actually going to feed us? Questions need to be asked!
A lot of it comes down to space. We've got old, mostly badly designed, cramped concourses so trying to serve thousands of people at one time is always going to be a bit of an issue. Clubs where you can move people outside at half time in new pupose built facilities will always do better. That said, there's no excuse for how poor the actual service is.
I was just typing a post that's basically this. It'll be interesting to see how things change in the new north stand as that will give us the chance to add proper modern facilities. I guess, as much as it pisses people off, the new terrace view thing in the Holte will serve as a bit of a trial of how things can be improved, frustrating that fans are having to pay for the club to do that though.
To be fair there's ample space in the Hote Upper (well there was until some prick decided to halve it anyway) and they still can't even get close to getting it right. I do agree that it's far harder in the Witton and North upper. But even then, why not try the beer on the back sellers like you see elsewhere? 10 -15 of them spread throughout the concourse would surely take some of the pressure off the tills.
With that said, with the lack of toilet facilities in the Witton it's probably for the best that they don't sell more beer.
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When he addressed fans at consultation meetings, he always tried to explain why some key choices had been made.
That's not right for a start.
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I said on the Chris Heck thread that I wondered where that left Purslow. Guess it was surplus to requirements which is what I thought could be the case.
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Batted for us above our average at the EPL.
Negotiated the FFP rules and progressed the club from mid table Div 2 to European football next season.
Several missteps along the way, but imo he's been a big positive for us.
Fans are always going to moan.
He can't on his own improve transport to VP - that's down to Network Rail, Andy Street and West Midlands Travel.
We sell less than 750k shirts so are going to be at the back of the queue at the manufaacturers (who have a finite capacity) when it comes to ordering - 3m Real/ManU shirts for Nike/Adidas is much more attractive the in terms of setting up production lines and profitability.
And don't compare facilities at Villa Park with Arse/Spuds and their Legobowls. Granted improvements could/should be made, but we've got a unique ground standing on a Victorian footprint with space limitations which is yhe major problem.
Income comes from 4 sources - sponsorship/commercial, TV/EPL, UEFA income and ticket sales. NSWE have put millions into the club and as we move up, then the other revenue sources should increase and that is why Heck has come in. Despite price increases our tickers are still reasonably priced compared to the competition. It seems to me that some of us expect to pay pop bottle prices for champagne football.
Gerrard will always be held against him, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and the subsequent and ingoing transformation will I am sure see the Gerrard era and how it resulted in change as a positive pivotal moment.
Purslow wasn't here to be liked, he did what he was brought in to do.
Let's thank him for what he did, recognise that there's more to be done and move forward.
Don’t you come here with your facts! :P
I think you are right.
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Batted for us above our average at the EPL.
Negotiated the FFP rules and progressed the club from mid table Div 2 to European football next season.
Several missteps along the way, but imo he's been a big positive for us.
Fans are always going to moan.
He can't on his own improve transport to VP - that's down to Network Rail, Andy Street and West Midlands Travel.
We sell less than 750k shirts so are going to be at the back of the queue at the manufaacturers (who have a finite capacity) when it comes to ordering - 3m Real/ManU shirts for Nike/Adidas is much more attractive the in terms of setting up production lines and profitability.
And don't compare facilities at Villa Park with Arse/Spuds and their Legobowls. Granted improvements could/should be made, but we've got a unique ground standing on a Victorian footprint with space limitations which is yhe major problem.
Income comes from 4 sources - sponsorship/commercial, TV/EPL, UEFA income and ticket sales. NSWE have put millions into the club and as we move up, then the other revenue sources should increase and that is why Heck has come in. Despite price increases our tickers are still reasonably priced compared to the competition. It seems to me that some of us expect to pay pop bottle prices for champagne football.
Gerrard will always be held against him, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and the subsequent and ingoing transformation will I am sure see the Gerrard era and how it resulted in change as a positive pivotal moment.
Purslow wasn't here to be liked, he did what he was brought in to do.
Let's thank him for what he did, recognise that there's more to be done and move forward.
Great post, as I see it.
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Purslow wasn’t the worst CEO a club have had or will have. He played his role in the reinvention of our club over the past 5 years. But he had a ceiling and you could see that from the shortcomings on the commercial side. Our revenues should be greater than they are yet clubs with a lesser scale, footprint and potential consistently outperformed us. For me, this just sounds like he got to the end of the road. The owners wanted more after 5 years and didn’t see us bridging the gap to the elite quickly enough as we entered a new and critical chapter. To play in the CL and consistently in Europe will take us much more investment and it all cannot come from NSWE. So this for me is evolution at board level. He’s played his role and we move on to new senior leadership.
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Yes good post Sadd
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7.5/10.
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The Greasy handling and use of the money, the Gerard appointment, Not fixing the catering or the transport and in the absence of great commercial deals fleecing the season ticket holders at every opportunity is not the odd bad call.
Its a litany of fuck ups.
Thankfully we have owners that we have.
Your usual hyperbole.
The spending of the Grealish money will have been mostly down to Lange. Yeah he gave his silly speech, but people like you will have been calling for a statement from the board.
The Gerrard appointment - yes it was a shit decision. It's amazing how no other CEO in the PL has ever made a bad managerial appointment isn't it?
Transport - I agree it's poor. Do you think we should have spent 30 million improving the train station or do you think persuading the council to do exactly that would have been better?
And as for fleecing fans, I agree to a point. But our season tickets are still competitive in PL terms. Is it really that surprising that they're looking to bridge the revenue gap with the exact teams we are trying to chase down on the field?
You say 'Usual hyperbole' from Chicago and then go on to agree with his points!
The spending of the Grealish cash may have been down to Lange, but it would of had to be agreed by Purslow, or are you saying that Purslow would not of got involved with the football side of things?
You agree also that his appointment of Gerrard was a shit decision and then go on to say ''and no other CEO in the premier league hasn't?. Well, not like the one he made appointing a manager whose credentials were based on his playing ability and a couple of years in a second rate league.
As for fleecing fans, again you agree to a point. However, I also don't remember hearing in great detail of his successes made from other revenue streams, only that of increasing prices directed totally towards the fan base.
For me, Purslow was an appointment that at the time made sense due to his previous stature at such places like Chelsea and Liverpool which was a good start to make when a team was looking once again to reach the high echelons of the premier league. However, I believe the owners knew that if the club was to progress further, we needed a structure that is proven above and beyond the levels we are operating at right now.
I wish him no ill and good luck in the future.
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We've had a much better 5 years than the 8 that proceeded it.
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Which managerial applicant was woefully underprepared I wonder... Lampard perhaps?
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He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.
Is all this Tory-stuff simply Red Scouse, chip-on-the-shoulder nonsense? I recently read Purslow's father's obituary and it seems Mr Purslow Sr was a devout Catholic and paid up member of the Labour Party. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean CP was the same, but still...
It seems any opportunity to mention the Tories is the obsession of some on here - quite pathetic really as there are enough political threads elsewhere.
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Overall he's been a success. We're almost unrecognisable from the club he arrived at. Back then we were hoping we'd get out of the second tier in the next couple of years, now we're talking about the potential for winning trophies and how close we are to the top 6 or even 4, preparing for a bigger capacity than we've had for nearly 50 years, a waiting list for tickets for the first time, and so on. His big fuck up was Gerrard, but then, without Gerrard being here we wouldn't now have Emery.
Some of the changes are good, some not so much, to me at least. But the club has been dragged into the present day and that means modern football and a lot of that is stuff I don't like. But if we want to be a successful football club it's where we need to be, and modern football isn't aimed at people like me. We're already a lot closer to acting like the clubs we despise than many of would care to admit, but if we don't, the odds of us achieving anything of note are slim.
I didn't like the way he seemed to think of us as walking wallets rather than people and I don't like the fucking lion facing the wrong way either, as a couple of examples, but if we are about to enter a period of success, then just like Smith and Grealish, he'll have helped lay a lot of the foundations that got us there.
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He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.
Is all this Tory-stuff simply Red Scouse, chip-on-the-shoulder nonsense? I recently read Purslow's father's obituary and it seems Mr Purslow Sr was a devout Catholic and paid up member of the Labour Party. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean CP was the same, but still...
I'm not a Scouser, nor a Liverpool fan, so no.
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Batted for us above our average at the EPL.
Negotiated the FFP rules and progressed the club from mid table Div 2 to European football next season.
Several missteps along the way, but imo he's been a big positive for us.
Fans are always going to moan.
He can't on his own improve transport to VP - that's down to Network Rail, Andy Street and West Midlands Travel.
We sell less than 750k shirts so are going to be at the back of the queue at the manufaacturers (who have a finite capacity) when it comes to ordering - 3m Real/ManU shirts for Nike/Adidas is much more attractive the in terms of setting up production lines and profitability.
And don't compare facilities at Villa Park with Arse/Spuds and their Legobowls. Granted improvements could/should be made, but we've got a unique ground standing on a Victorian footprint with space limitations which is yhe major problem.
Income comes from 4 sources - sponsorship/commercial, TV/EPL, UEFA income and ticket sales. NSWE have put millions into the club and as we move up, then the other revenue sources should increase and that is why Heck has come in. Despite price increases our tickers are still reasonably priced compared to the competition. It seems to me that some of us expect to pay pop bottle prices for champagne football.
Gerrard will always be held against him, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and the subsequent and ingoing transformation will I am sure see the Gerrard era and how it resulted in change as a positive pivotal moment.
Purslow wasn't here to be liked, he did what he was brought in to do.
Let's thank him for what he did, recognise that there's more to be done and move forward.
Great post, as I see it.
Very good summary
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He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.
Is all this Tory-stuff simply Red Scouse, chip-on-the-shoulder nonsense? I recently read Purslow's father's obituary and it seems Mr Purslow Sr was a devout Catholic and paid up member of the Labour Party. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean CP was the same, but still...
I'm not a Scouser, nor a Liverpool fan, so no.
Fair enough. I'd be surprised if he was running for the Tories any time soon, given his Labour family background, but you never know.
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And if he did, who cares? I come on here for Villa chat, i don't give a flying fig who he votes for or what he has for dinner.
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And if he did, who cares? I come on here for Villa chat, i don't give a flying fig who he votes for or what he has for dinner.
Absolutely
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And if he did, who cares? I come on here for Villa chat, i don't give a flying fig who he votes for or what he has for dinner.
I'm with you on that. My politics lean slightly to the left of Stalin but this isn't the place to discuss it. I'm interested in what he done for villa during his tenure. Overall I think he's been a solid 8 out of 10. I wish him well.
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And if he did, who cares? I come on here for Villa chat, i don't give a flying fig who he votes for or what he has for dinner.
I agree. Bottom line is his performance as CEO and I think, on the whole, he did a more than decent job. I wish him well and onwards and upwards for Villa.
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I've come on here to find out what he had for his last Villa dinner? Prawn sandwich maybe?
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I can't believe someone doesn't care if he has red sauce or brown.
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I'll say this, and this only. Red sauce has no place on any food, ever. Brown is the only sauce.
Now back to the Villa.
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Wouldn’t surprise me if he rocked up at the basket case that is Chelsea.
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I'll say this, and this only. Red sauce has no place on any food, ever. Brown is the only sauce.
Now back to the Villa.
Brown sauce on Fish Fingers? You're a wrong-un.
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It's so easy to chuck around phrases like 'out of his depth.'
Where exactly has he looked out of his depth whilst we've moved from Championship to top 7, grown to a 30k ST waiting list, designed and about to implement a stadium redevelopment, and persuaded the council to spend millions on transport links?
Is he out of his depth because he sounds smarmy and has put up prices above what most of us would like? I assume no other successful CEO has made a bad manager appointment?
Completely agree. If I bumped into him in a bar I'd let him buy me a pint and say good luck to him.
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Genuinely Christian a heart felt thanks for your contribution to our amazing club..I wish you well in your next endeavour! Thanks again.
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According to the Athletic;
https://theathletic.com/4602564/2023/06/12/christian-purslow-aston-villa-leave/ (https://theathletic.com/4602564/2023/06/12/christian-purslow-aston-villa-leave/)
"Villa are moving in a new direction with head coach Unai Emery and his team of close assistants taking charge of football matters alongside the owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens (NSWE).
Chris Heck, the new president of business operations, will oversee all the important off-field matters including increasing revenue and globalising the Aston Villa brand, so Villa no longer need a CEO figure as the model has changed."
... which still leaves the issue of dealing with the Premier League, overseeing stadium development and being the front man for the club. Maybe these things were not attractive to Purslow and can be done by more technical experts,, yet to be brought in.
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They do really need to sort out the catering though. It's always been bad, but surely it's low hanging fruit as far as increasing revenue is concerned.
Not satisfied with pricing out the common man, we're also now determined to starve any that have the temerity to still attend!
I've no doubt if Emery was put in charge of pies, it'd be absolutely world-class within a season, but I can't see him doing a tactical analysis of serving methods and queueing routes.
I've only been to one baseball game in the US, but the service there put Villa Park to shame. So I imagine Chris Heck would be whatever the American equivalent of flabbergasted is were he to spend a game trying to get his mitts on one of the fourteen balti pies they seem to have decided to prepare (and dry out) per stand. But again, I can't see this being high on his bonus list.
So who now is actually going to feed us? Questions need to be asked!
Lower Holte catering is pretty good now after the changes towards the end of the season. I've no complaints (price apart, but it's what you'd expect at any "event" and cheaper than many still.)
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Keown and Jordan weigh-in on it:
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He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.
Is all this Tory-stuff simply Red Scouse, chip-on-the-shoulder nonsense? I recently read Purslow's father's obituary and it seems Mr Purslow Sr was a devout Catholic and paid up member of the Labour Party. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean CP was the same, but still...
It seems any opportunity to mention the Tories is the obsession of some on here - quite pathetic really as there are enough political threads elsewhere.
Bores will be bores.
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Keown and Jordan weigh-in on it:
Keown really is dense.
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I'm not s sure. The way things have been over the last few months I think the owners would have backed Emery over Purslow if there had been a difference of views.
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He came over as a not very bright centrehalf, with strange theories.
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I think that video was just an Arsenal man giving pelters to someone who he deems failed his club and Simon Jordan actually making sense (shudders)
I think this has been in the offing for quite some time! Since around the same time slippy got the hook and it's the perfect time, Purslow comes out of it with a very solid reputation and job done and the owners get the right team in place for the new manager
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Keown and Jordan weigh-in on it:
Keown really is dense.
yes he sounds like he should be intelligent but he is very blinkered
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I'm not s sure. The way things have been over the last few months I think the owners would have backed Emery over Purslow if there had been a difference of views.
I don't disagree with that, it was his strange bitterness towards Emery taking down, what, pictures? Memorabilia? I don't know, maybe a picture of Keown was removed? Just came across odd. He's a terrible commentator as well.
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He obviously bears a grudge from Emery time at Arse. Jordan as usual comes across well.
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On the plus side, Purslow did our transfer business extremely well as many clubs were keen to point out. He generally represented the club through the media in a dignified manner. Villa Park expansion plans are hopefully another tick in the positive box.
On the negative side he'd still failed to get Villa Park catering to work, the new shirts out on time and revenue has hardly exploded. I'm expecting the new bar in the Holte to be scrapped some time next season and his management recruitment - well the less said the better.
Overall, I'll thank him and wish him well. He steadied the good ship.
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Henry Winter:
"Purslow will be missed by Villa in Premier League meetings. He stood up to the bullies in there, the Super Leaguers, those who had no respect for the pyramid or the national team. Purslow and Brighton’s Paul Barber have been two of the voices of reason and balance in the PL room."
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Henry Winter:
"Purslow will be missed by Villa in Premier League meetings. He stood up to the bullies in there, the Super Leaguers, those who had no respect for the pyramid or the national team. Purslow and Brighton’s Paul Barber have been two of the voices of reason and balance in the PL room."
He also made it clear that if we were one of the Six, he would change his mind.
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According to the Athletic;
https://theathletic.com/4602564/2023/06/12/christian-purslow-aston-villa-leave/ (https://theathletic.com/4602564/2023/06/12/christian-purslow-aston-villa-leave/)
"Villa are moving in a new direction with head coach Unai Emery and his team of close assistants taking charge of football matters alongside the owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens (NSWE).
Chris Heck, the new president of business operations, will oversee all the important off-field matters including increasing revenue and globalising the Aston Villa brand, so Villa no longer need a CEO figure as the model has changed."
... which still leaves the issue of dealing with the Premier League, overseeing stadium development and being the front man for the club. Maybe these things were not attractive to Purslow and can be done by more technical experts,, yet to be brought in.
I do hope the front man for the club isn't going to be this Chris Heck guy. Would love to see someone like Ian Taylor given a more senior role in the running of the club.
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He doesn't have expertise in running a club, though? I wouldn't want Melberg on reception just because he played for us.
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Ian Taylor? Eh?
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Tayls is great as an ambassador for the club, involved in the running of it, no thanks.
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Henry Winter:
"Purslow will be missed by Villa in Premier League meetings. He stood up to the bullies in there, the Super Leaguers, those who had no respect for the pyramid or the national team. Purslow and Brighton’s Paul Barber have been two of the voices of reason and balance in the PL room."
He also made it clear that if we were one of the Six, he would change his mind.
He did?
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In some ways he had an easy run coming to the Villa when you could say we were on the rise. Not always easy on the pitch. Scored a couple of own goals club wise with his comments re Grealish and of course bringing his mate in
His aloof manner and treating supporters like numbers is what I most disliked about him though. Suppose I am from another era.
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In some ways he had an easy run coming to the Villa when you could say we were on the rise. Not always easy on the pitch. Scored a couple of own goals club wise with his comments re Grealish and of course bringing his mate in
His aloof manner and treating supporters like numbers is what I most disliked about him though. Suppose I am from another era.
I'm not sure how you can say we were on the rise. We were still in the Championship when he was appointed.
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I do wonder what a CEO would have to have achieved over 5 years to get a positive obituary in a thread like this.
Clearly, £350 season tickets and plentiful cheap pies and buses are No 1 priority. But what else?
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I do wonder what a CEO would have to have achieved over 5 years to get a positive obituary in a thread like this.
Clearly, £350 season tickets and plentiful cheap pies and buses are No 1 priority. But what else?
More investment in the NHS, an end to voter supression and the introduction of proportional representation. That's all I want, and I don't think it's unreasonable.
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I do wonder what a CEO would have to have achieved over 5 years to get a positive obituary in a thread like this.
Clearly, £350 season tickets and plentiful cheap pies and buses are No 1 priority. But what else?
More investment in the NHS, an end to voter supression and the introduction of proportional representation. That's all I want, and I don't think it's unreasonable.
I think all of that must be a breeze compared to pulling enough pints on a Saturday afternoon.
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Keown and Jordan weigh-in on it:
Keown really is dense.
yes he sounds like he should be intelligent but he is very blinkered
Keown droning on about the dangers of Emery being given full control while at the same time saying how fantastic Wenger did when he had full control at Arsenal. He's a moron.
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I do wonder what a CEO would have to have achieved over 5 years to get a positive obituary in a thread like this.
Clearly, £350 season tickets and plentiful cheap pies and buses are No 1 priority. But what else?
How many times do you need the list repeating?
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I come from the view that all executives/wealth businessmen in football should be viewed with maximum distrust and any successes they have should only be acknowledged through gritted teeth.
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I do wonder what a CEO would have to have achieved over 5 years to get a positive obituary in a thread like this.
Clearly, £350 season tickets and plentiful cheap pies and buses are No 1 priority. But what else?
How many times do you need the list repeating?
I think I've covered most of your list CL. Plus a perfect managerial appointment record and World peace then?
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According to the Athletic;
https://theathletic.com/4602564/2023/06/12/christian-purslow-aston-villa-leave/ (https://theathletic.com/4602564/2023/06/12/christian-purslow-aston-villa-leave/)
"Villa are moving in a new direction with head coach Unai Emery and his team of close assistants taking charge of football matters alongside the owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens (NSWE).
Chris Heck, the new president of business operations, will oversee all the important off-field matters including increasing revenue and globalising the Aston Villa brand, so Villa no longer need a CEO figure as the model has changed."
... which still leaves the issue of dealing with the Premier League, overseeing stadium development and being the front man for the club. Maybe these things were not attractive to Purslow and can be done by more technical experts,, yet to be brought in.
I do hope the front man for the club isn't going to be this Chris Heck guy. Would love to see someone like Ian Taylor given a more senior role in the running of the club.
Why?
What credentials does Tayls have for having a senior role in running a top 7 premier league football club, other than being a legend on the pitch?
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I do wonder what a CEO would have to have achieved over 5 years to get a positive obituary in a thread like this.
Clearly, £350 season tickets and plentiful cheap pies and buses are No 1 priority. But what else?
As fans we are more concerned with what happens on the field. If we have a successful season in 2023-24 people will look back in the future and say "those were great days. SJM was a great captain". No one considers who the CEO is unless times are grim in which case they get the blame for everything and people accuse the club of being badly run from the top (CEO) downwards.. It is the same with most sports clubs at any level, professional or amateur.
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According to the Athletic;
https://theathletic.com/4602564/2023/06/12/christian-purslow-aston-villa-leave/ (https://theathletic.com/4602564/2023/06/12/christian-purslow-aston-villa-leave/)
"Villa are moving in a new direction with head coach Unai Emery and his team of close assistants taking charge of football matters alongside the owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens (NSWE).
Chris Heck, the new president of business operations, will oversee all the important off-field matters including increasing revenue and globalising the Aston Villa brand, so Villa no longer need a CEO figure as the model has changed."
... which still leaves the issue of dealing with the Premier League, overseeing stadium development and being the front man for the club. Maybe these things were not attractive to Purslow and can be done by more technical experts,, yet to be brought in.
I do hope the front man for the club isn't going to be this Chris Heck guy. Would love to see someone like Ian Taylor given a more senior role in the running of the club.
Why?
What credentials does Tayls have for having a senior role in running a top 7 premier league football club, other than being a legend on the pitch?
Perhaps we could employ Lescott as a car park attendant.
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I think it’s unfair to airbrush Purslow out of our journey over the last 5 years. He’s been part of the successes and the failures.
He was involved in the appointment of Smith who did a good job for us. He was most culpable for Gerrard who was a disaster.
What happens on the pitch can often cure most evils. In his role, I would suggest Purslow did not really succeed in developing the club enough to give us a bigger fighting chance on the pitch. Even accounting for 3 seasons in the championship.
For the money the owners have put in and the fact we made a 100% profit on the sale of Joe for FFP purposes, those most recent financials published made for alarming and depressing reading in terms of our ability to compete. I felt that Purslow took the easy option in raising season ticket prices rather than address the core problems of trying to grow the club. Although those problems have been long standing as we’re all aware. It was probably time to try a different approach to tackling them. In many ways, I think he became a victim of the continual improvement that he sought to drive progress. He reached his own ceiling and the owners acted.
On a personal note, I always thought he treated our supporters with an undercurrent of contempt and was a bit of a starf*cker. I also didn’t like his opposition to an independent football regulator.
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I think he has done a good job, in the time he has been at Villa the club has progressed on and off the pitch. He will be in demand from other clubs and may well have already accepted an offer elsewhere.
He should go to Small Heath and sort the shit out there. That will prove him as unassailable football club CEO.
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I come from the view that all executives/wealth businessmen in football should be viewed with maximum distrust and any successes they have should only be acknowledged through gritted teeth.
Bingo.
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I come from the view that all executives/wealth businessmen in football should be viewed with maximum distrust and any successes they have should only be acknowledged through gritted teeth.
Bingo.
Agreed. He came across as a smarmy git a lot of the time. The bullshit bingo 3 players to replace the different facets of Grealish was just ultimate spin….very brilliantly parodied by the Villa Podcast. Saying all that, being a smarmy spin driven twat doesn’t necessarily make him bad at his job. Smith had to be his appointment and at the time it was literally the only sensible managerial appointment we’d made in over a decade. Gerrard was also obviously his appointment and will always be a huge stain on his Villa legacy. Once Swaris stepped in to give Gerrard the heave ho and personally appoint Emery, the writing was always on the wall for Purslow.
He was around with some good decisions, one truly terrible one and lots of spin, in what will be looked back on as a really pivotal time in Villa’s history.
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At the very least, he gave us back some credibility in the echelons of football administration. There's no doubt he's respected in the business.
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He gets credit for the Smith appointment but given who he appointed next, I do wonder if Thierry Henry was his first choice.
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I think the biggest indicator of how good he is/was is where he turns up next.
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There was a brand new Rolls Royce silver shadow in the farmhouse pub car park on saturday reg V1lla. was that purslow?
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I wonder if he'll keep hold of his shares and his collection of tasteful claret and blue ties.
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Wasn't V1LLA Doug Ellis' registration number?
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Wasn't V1LLA Doug Ellis' registration number?
Didn't John Gregory buy a car reg which was something like that whilst he was manager?
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Just looked, JG sold it on eBay for £39000 in 2010
https://www.bossreg.com/news/64/ex-villa-boss-john-gregory-sells-v1-lla-on-ebay.html
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Wasn't V1LLA Doug Ellis' registration number?
AV1.
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He was better than Tom Fox.
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Monchi = Football side
Heck = Commercial side
Seems likes there’s a gap in the structure for:
1. an individual accountable for the fan experience/community/communications/customer service
2. Big vision/long term plans - who decides we need a new stand or a music venue in the car park or a second academy
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I thought Heck was providing access to US players also?
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At the very least, he gave us back some credibility in the echelons of football administration. There's no doubt he's respected in the business.
I’d concur with that. As I said earlier we had people in similar role for too long too remember being utterly out their depth to the job in hand.
He played a not insignificant part in making us relevant
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He was better than Tom Fox.
He was last seen playing bass in the Midwest (may have been Iowa) for skiffle-combo The False Narratives.
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With shirt sales the support group.
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With the whole super league thing, he was the guy on the news standing up for the other 14 with coherence and poise. He represented the club very well.
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He was better than Tom Fox.
High praise, indeed😂
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There was a brand new Rolls Royce silver shadow in the farmhouse pub car park on saturday reg V1lla. was that purslow?
People on salaries don’t drive cars like RR SS.
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Thanks DW.
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He was better than Tom Fox.
High praise, indeed😂
Yeah, that's a pretty low bar of achievement to set.
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I might be mis-remembering something, or just completely making it up, but wasn't there a rumour a little while ago that Purslow wanted to retire in the next 1 or 2 years? Could it be that, rather than being forced out or marginalised, this has been the plan all along? He came in and steadied a ship that was on the brink of sinking, but he was never going to be here for the long-term. The shares in the club were put there to be like a retirement gift.
FWIW, I think Purslow was a bit of a coup for a Championship club. From the absolute shambles that we had been for a long time, he bought us a lot of respect, pretty much overnight. If you were a prospective manager or signing, who would you be more impressed by - Purslow or Xia (or that big fella who ran us for a while - Keith someone?). Purslow carries a air of professionalism that we had lacked for an awfully long time.
However, I don't think he really understood the game of football or anything about football fans. It's difficult to know for sure what he was responsible for, but the Drinkwater-Barkley-Gerrard acquisitions all seemed to have his fingerprints on them, and they were all disasters to varying degrees. I think he had a very simplistic view of how the game works, and he seemed to be so keen on expanding our 'brand' that it took priority over everything else. It's the only reason that I can imagine he thought Gerrard was a good fit for us, and I think he genuinely thought that as fans we would be impressed that he managed to convince a 'Big Name' to join us.
So for all the good he did, and there was plenty, I never felt that he ever 'got' us. And maybe you don't need to in order to be a successful CEO, but I think that a lot of the mistakes that he made could have been avoiding if he understood the fanbase a bit more.
If he would have been as bad at his job as some of his predecessors, we could have been in an awful lot of trouble. But I don't think he was ever going to be the man to take us on the jump from being a 'sleeping giant' to a 'very much awake behemoth' - and that's what we need right now.
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Keith Wyness, boozey. An absolutely useless twat.
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Keith Wyness, boozey. An absolutely useless twat.
That Lewis Grabban/ Alexa thing, fuck me. Six months down the line didn't need Alexa to tell him Grabban was playing for someone else because we hadn't got a pot to piss in.
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Keith Wyness, boozey. An absolutely useless twat.
Yes! That's him - he was dreadful. And didn't he have a very public fallout with Xia when it all blew up? I mean, surely he had some idea of what he was getting involved with - or, at the very least, should have done some due diligence before taking the job. Another chancer.
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With the whole super league thing, he was the guy on the news standing up for the other 14 with coherence and poise. He represented the club very well.
Yes, he was very good in that, and i think had some respect in that company, which we will need to ensure we maintain.
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Keith Wyness, boozey. An absolutely useless twat.
He needs locking up with Shit Shoed Tony.
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‘Alexa, will Villa be able to pay their tax bill?’
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Who was that dodgy as fuck twat who was involved with them, Christopher someone? Had a background that included pretty much everything dodgy in English football.
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Who was that dodgy as fuck twat who was involved with them, Christopher someone? Had a background that included pretty much everything dodgy in English football.
Samuelson
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That's the c*nt
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His pitch was basically "Hi criminals, arms traders etc. Would you like me to clean your money for you via English football?"
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Keith Wyness, boozey. An absolutely useless twat.
and Sorn that Villa ENGINE
He needs locking up with Shit Shoed Tony.
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Who was that dodgy as fuck twat who was involved with them, Christopher someone? Had a background that included pretty much everything dodgy in English football.
If you haven't seen the documentary about him and the Xia deal on Al Jazeera, it's fairly jaw-dropping!
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Ah yes I had forgotten that documentary!
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The Villa Engine is right up there with embarrassing announcements and there have been a few in my time.
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The Villa Engine is right up there with embarrassing announcements and there have been a few in my time.
I did think at the time "at least they're trying". It did feel like an attempt to be modern rather than the slapdash approach we'd had before, the problem was that much like with the Austin Metro we chose an engine that was already about 30 years out of date.
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Of course WM revelled in it - I remember a jingle they had with a car starting up then backfiring all the time. Twonks.
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Tom Fox was a weird one, after having a board with Faulkner and Krulak, it finally felt like they were trying to appoint a bloke with proper football knowledge. He was an absolute unmitigated disaster though, the Robin Olsen of executives.
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Of course WM revelled in it - I remember a jingle they had with a car starting up then backfiring all the time. Twonks.
Did this predate the African Car Reverser?
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Tom Fox was a weird one, after having a board with Faulkner and Krulak, it finally felt like they were trying to appoint a bloke with proper football knowledge. He was an absolute unmitigated disaster though, the Robin Olsen of executives.
He always reminded me of the "Hi, I'm Ed Winchester" character off of the Fast Show.
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Who was that dodgy as fuck twat who was involved with them, Christopher someone? Had a background that included pretty much everything dodgy in English football.
Samuelson
I randomly was trying to remember that name the other day. Very shady.
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Who was that dodgy as fuck twat who was involved with them, Christopher someone? Had a background that included pretty much everything dodgy in English football.
If you haven't seen the documentary about him and the Xia deal on Al Jazeera, it's fairly jaw-dropping!
i've just read the article... wow
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Who was that dodgy as fuck twat who was involved with them, Christopher someone? Had a background that included pretty much everything dodgy in English football.
If you haven't seen the documentary about him and the Xia deal on Al Jazeera, it's fairly jaw-dropping!
i've just read the article... wow
Any link?
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If you manage to find it online, it will be a fucking huge reminder of how lucky we've been these last five years, to look at the state we were in and the vultures we had circling.
Anyway, big up all the others who along with me spotted 'Dr' Tony was dodgy as fuck from the off.
Congratulations on your foresight, as a noted poster of this parish would put it.
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Who was that dodgy as fuck twat who was involved with them, Christopher someone? Had a background that included pretty much everything dodgy in English football.
If you haven't seen the documentary about him and the Xia deal on Al Jazeera, it's fairly jaw-dropping!
i've just read the article... wow
Any link?
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https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/8/10/how-convicted-criminal-can-buy-famous-english-football-club-launder-money
Edit:Just seen RCF has done it.
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Who was that dodgy as fuck twat who was involved with them, Christopher someone? Had a background that included pretty much everything dodgy in English football.
If you haven't seen the documentary about him and the Xia deal on Al Jazeera, it's fairly jaw-dropping!
i've just read the article... wow
I felt physically sick reading that these obnoxious criminals were deciding the future of the club I love.
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I'd be interested to hear Wyness's version. I've heard he knew Xia was a wrong un and tried to do what he could for the club, hence his sacking.
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I'd be interested to hear Wyness's version. I've heard he knew Xia was a wrong un and tried to do what he could for the club, hence his sacking.
Yes, I remember hearing that too.
He also said he had a fiduciary duty as a director of the company to do what he did re administration. Which I can believe.
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He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.
Is all this Tory-stuff simply Red Scouse, chip-on-the-shoulder nonsense? I recently read Purslow's father's obituary and it seems Mr Purslow Sr was a devout Catholic and paid up member of the Labour Party. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean CP was the same, but still...
It seems any opportunity to mention the Tories is the obsession of some on here - quite pathetic really as there are enough political threads elsewhere.
Yes, I think you have got a point there.
However, I feel duty bound to point out that the tories are proper kernts.
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I'd be interested to hear Wyness's version. I've heard he knew Xia was a wrong un and tried to do what he could for the club, hence his sacking.
Including conversations with Insolvency Practitioners.
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As much as I think Wyness was your bog standard executive in a suit with about as much drive as a 1 litre Skoda, I got the impression he played it by the book when it came to protecting the club as much as possible when Shit Shoes Tony fucked it up. The fact that he’d got into bed with ****** like Samuelson etc in the first place obviously means his judgement was suspect but I suppose we all make mistakes.
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Wyness had been a part of Samuelson's operations for years, at previous clubs. When it became clear that everything was going majorly tits up, he and Samuelson fell out, and Wyness started to take steps to protect his own position. There's no proof that he knew what Samuelson had been up to, but it would be be strange if he didn't...
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He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.
Is all this Tory-stuff simply Red Scouse, chip-on-the-shoulder nonsense? I recently read Purslow's father's obituary and it seems Mr Purslow Sr was a devout Catholic and paid up member of the Labour Party. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean CP was the same, but still...
It seems any opportunity to mention the Tories is the obsession of some on here - quite pathetic really as there are enough political threads elsewhere.
Yes, I think you have got a point there.
However, I feel duty bound to point out that the tories are proper kernts.
Purslow donated £50k to the Tory party in 2019.
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I've often wondered if Wyness knew where Xia's money really came from
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Wyness had been a part of Samuelson's operations for years, at previous clubs. When it became clear that everything was going majorly tits up, he and Samuelson fell out, and Wyness started to take steps to protect his own position. There's no proof that he knew what Samuelson had been up to, but it would be be strange if he didn't...
Didn’t know that Risso so thanks for the clarification.
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Out of interest, who is going to do the stuff that sits between commercial and sporting, representing us at PL meetings etc?
Can’t see that being Monchi or Heck. Doesn’t seem a natural fit for either.
Maybe that’s the role they offered Purslow and which he rejected.
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Out of interest, who is going to do the stuff that sits between commercial and sporting, representing us at PL meetings etc?
Can’t see that being Monchi or Heck. Doesn’t seem a natural fit for either.
Maybe that’s the role they offered Purslow and which he rejected.
I mentioned this the other day, it's pretty much a club secretary role that's left.
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Out of interest, who is going to do the stuff that sits between commercial and sporting, representing us at PL meetings etc?
Can’t see that being Monchi or Heck. Doesn’t seem a natural fit for either.
Maybe that’s the role they offered Purslow and which he rejected.
It's closer to Heck's remit though, I'd say.
Wonder if it'll be Nas himself?
If theres any area we'll miss Purslow it'll be this one.
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He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.
Is all this Tory-stuff simply Red Scouse, chip-on-the-shoulder nonsense? I recently read Purslow's father's obituary and it seems Mr Purslow Sr was a devout Catholic and paid up member of the Labour Party. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean CP was the same, but still...
It seems any opportunity to mention the Tories is the obsession of some on here - quite pathetic really as there are enough political threads elsewhere.
Yes, I think you have got a point there.
However, I feel duty bound to point out that the tories are proper kernts.
Purslow donated £50k to the Tory party in 2019.
Quelle surprise!
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He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.
Is all this Tory-stuff simply Red Scouse, chip-on-the-shoulder nonsense? I recently read Purslow's father's obituary and it seems Mr Purslow Sr was a devout Catholic and paid up member of the Labour Party. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean CP was the same, but still...
It seems any opportunity to mention the Tories is the obsession of some on here - quite pathetic really as there are enough political threads elsewhere.
Yes, I think you have got a point there.
However, I feel duty bound to point out that the tories are proper kernts.
Purslow donated £50k to the Tory party in 2019.
Quelle surprise!
Good riddance then.
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Yawn.
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Out of interest, who is going to do the stuff that sits between commercial and sporting, representing us at PL meetings etc?
Can’t see that being Monchi or Heck. Doesn’t seem a natural fit for either.
Maybe that’s the role they offered Purslow and which he rejected.
I mentioned this the other day, it's pretty much a club secretary role that's left.
Most of that is under Paul Tyrell's (as COO) remit already I think, as I mentioned at the time. Haven't see any announcement that he's left.
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He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.
Is all this Tory-stuff simply Red Scouse, chip-on-the-shoulder nonsense? I recently read Purslow's father's obituary and it seems Mr Purslow Sr was a devout Catholic and paid up member of the Labour Party. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean CP was the same, but still...
It seems any opportunity to mention the Tories is the obsession of some on here - quite pathetic really as there are enough political threads elsewhere.
Yes, I think you have got a point there.
However, I feel duty bound to point out that the tories are proper kernts.
Purslow donated £50k to the Tory party in 2019.
Quelle surprise!
Good riddance then.
Would it be awkward if I pointed out that so has one of Nas's companies?
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Steve Stride would be good on the board :)
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I don't think anyone would be surprised to find out a couple of multibillionaires aren't regular readers of The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropist!
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Would it be awkward if I pointed out that so has one of Nas's companies?
No, as businesses tend to seek favours with current government without committing to any political allegiance.
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He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.
Is all this Tory-stuff simply Red Scouse, chip-on-the-shoulder nonsense? I recently read Purslow's father's obituary and it seems Mr Purslow Sr was a devout Catholic and paid up member of the Labour Party. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean CP was the same, but still...
It seems any opportunity to mention the Tories is the obsession of some on here - quite pathetic really as there are enough political threads elsewhere.
Yes, I think you have got a point there.
However, I feel duty bound to point out that the tories are proper kernts.
Purslow donated £50k to the Tory party in 2019.
Quelle surprise!
Good riddance then.
Would it be awkward if I pointed out that so has one of Nas's companies?
Not a problem until he does us wrong. Like Dean Smith. When he's our manager he's a good, solid Villa man.
When he's managing Leicester, he's a Tory prick.
Always find the good and bad where you need to.
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Rock solid football logic
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Steve Stride would be good on the board :)
Are you sure. Didn't he play snooker at Great Barr Conservative Club?
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Does Deano definitely vote Conservative?
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Why would it be anyone's business who he votes for? This is distasteful.
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Steve Stride would be good on the board :)
Are you sure. Didn't he play snooker at Great Barr Conservative Club?
Liked nothing more than potting a few reds, I heard.
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He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.
Is all this Tory-stuff simply Red Scouse, chip-on-the-shoulder nonsense? I recently read Purslow's father's obituary and it seems Mr Purslow Sr was a devout Catholic and paid up member of the Labour Party. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean CP was the same, but still...
It seems any opportunity to mention the Tories is the obsession of some on here - quite pathetic really as there are enough political threads elsewhere.
Yes, I think you have got a point there.
However, I feel duty bound to point out that the tories are proper kernts.
Purslow donated £50k to the Tory party in 2019.
Quelle surprise!
Good riddance then.
Agreed.
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Why would it be anyone's business who he votes for?
How else are supposed to find out if he’s a ****** or not?
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Steve Stride would be good on the board :)
Are you sure. Didn't he play snooker at Great Barr Conservative Club?
And he drives a blue car.
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Playing snooker at a conservative club doesn’t really make you a Tory.
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Playing snooker at a conservative club doesn’t really make you a Tory.
Especially as snooker halls are hard to find these days. They are probably one of the few places that still have decent tables.
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Why would it be anyone's business who he votes for?
How else are supposed to find out if he’s a ****** or not?
Maybe it's just me but Dean Smith could never, ever be whatever you wrote because he's a villa fan that ended up managing villa and got us promoted, gave us some incredible times, all while being a very decent person. It never occurred to me to shit on him or anyone because of how they might vote.
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It was just a joke! FFS why do you snowflakes take everything so seriously?
God forbid if anyone made a joke about the Highway Code, they'd be thrown in a pit and shat on by Paul Dacre. Honestly, this country.
When my grandfather was your age he was fighting* for the Republic in the Spanish Civil War for the right of our generation to call Tories ******. I know he lost and everything, but the point stands.
*To my knowledge, my grandfather, like all the Ealing males, hid with great alacrity from all violence in all circumstances.
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We must never joke about the highway code.
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For those of us who are politically minded, coming across those that are ambivalent can be hugely frustrating and I would wager that there are plenty of people that use Con clubs or Labour Social Clubs that don't give a hoot about politics, or have a passing interest at best.
I shall attending a party at my local Con Club next month, the bloke who's throwing it is about as Conservative as me but it's a well run and popular venue so no-one gives a fuck. I shall make a fuss mind, for the craic if nothing else and I will be the subject of ridicule from plenty for just setting foot in the place.
Me and a gang of mates were thrown out of Wednesbury Con Club a few years back for swearing and I wear that as a badge of honour.
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Wear a red shirt Nev just for fun.
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I went in a Con club a couple of years back and it had pictures of all ex-conservative prime ministers on the wall. The beer was shit as well.
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Fucking hell, take it elsewhere, eh?
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I remember bumping into Villa-supporting, Tory peer, Lord Taylor of Warwick at Old Trafford many moons ago. Seemed friendly enough but that was before he was sent down for fiddling his expenses. Is this the right thread?
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Why anyone would be in the least bit surprised that Christian is a Tory. But I reiterate he was better than Tom ‘top of the league on shirt sales’ Fox.
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I went in a Con club a couple of years back and it had pictures of all ex-conservative prime ministers on the wall. The beer was shit as well.
A long time ago (late 90s) my mate's Dad who was union man at Rover etc.. started going to local one near(ish) Erdington. I said why? Well the beers cheap and it's quiet'
Apparently there was a separate room for men or women could only go in accompanied by a man.
It sounded crap then and I am probably the same age as him now and still sounds fucking crap.
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I went in the Windle Labour club. We were on our way elsewhere and popped in. It was totally empty, I guess the antisemites mostly come out at night. Mostly. The beer was student union cheap, there was aircon, a dart board, a snooker table (snooker is hard) and Leicester were getting heavily twatted on the TV. Was a good way to spend a few hours before the next pub. Purslow wasn't in there.
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I remember when the go-to away pub near The Valley was the Charlton Liberal Club. Friendly bunch in there. Long before the coalition though.
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It was totally empty, I guess the antisemites mostly come out at night.
Edgy.
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Fucking hell, take it elsewhere, eh?
The British Legion?
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Fucking hell, take it elsewhere, eh?
The British Legion?
Nah, The French Foreign Legion with BE.
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If you haven't seen the documentary about him and the Xia deal on Al Jazeera, it's fairly jaw-dropping!
i've just read the article... wow
[/quote]
Any link?
[/quote]
[/quote]
Bit about us isn't as detailed as I'd have liked, even those crooks didn't know who was behind Xia. Its from 37mins in.
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No wonder he's fucking gone with the clusterfuck of shit kit, dodgy sponsor and new/not new crest/badge.
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Do recent events change anyone's opinion of him?
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Do recent events change anyone's opinion of him?
No confirms it.
Some have stopped drinking the Kool-aid
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Personally no, not really.
Shirt - Not to everyone's taste but nothing ever will be. Some of the reactions (worst shirt we've ever had style comments) are clearly bullshit.
Sponsor - Worth significantly more than the last one in an environment where increasing our income was vital to our future plans. Ethical concerns are important though and he failed on that front, as has the entire sport for a very long time.
Badge - No, I thought it was a mistake all along, but not a big enough to get worked up over.
Far more importantly He joined us as a midtable championship club and left with us qualifying for Europe, that's the only legacy that really matters for me.
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Do recent events change anyone's opinion of him?
In a way, a bit more concerned by his departure now and keeping a wary eye on Heck's marketing initiatives.
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Personally no, not really.
Shirt - Not to everyone's taste but nothing ever will be. Some of the reactions (worst shirt we've ever had style comments) are clearly bullshit.
Sponsor - Worth significantly more than the last one in an environment where increasing our income was vital to our future plans. Ethical concerns are important though and he failed on that front, as has the entire sport for a very long time.
Badge - No, I thought it was a mistake all along, but not a big enough to get worked up over.
Far more importantly He joined us as a midtable championship club and left with us qualifying for Europe, that's the only legacy that really matters for me.
That's a fair summary, although I really like the new badge.
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Do recent events change anyone's opinion of him?
No , always had him down as nothing more than a smarmy PR guru .
It wouldn't surprise me if it was Purslow behind Jack's 'my club-my city' nonsense . Was never taken in by that either.
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Do recent events change anyone's opinion of him?
No , always had him down as nothing more than a smarmy PR guru .
It wouldn't surprise me if it was Purslow behind Jack's 'my club-my city' nonsense . Was never taken in by that either.
Yup.
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Personally no, not really.
Shirt - Not to everyone's taste but nothing ever will be. Some of the reactions (worst shirt we've ever had style comments) are clearly bullshit.
Sponsor - Worth significantly more than the last one in an environment where increasing our income was vital to our future plans. Ethical concerns are important though and he failed on that front, as has the entire sport for a very long time.
Badge - No, I thought it was a mistake all along, but not a big enough to get worked up over.
Far more importantly He joined us as a midtable championship club and left with us qualifying for Europe, that's the only legacy that really matters for me.
That's a fair summary, although I really like the new badge.
I didn't mind the badge/crest Purslow went with, I just think it looks a bit cluttered if you make it small to put on a favicon/keyring/etc. A broader brand identity with options that incorporate key parts of the crest as standalone elements just works better as modern branding.
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Personally no, not really.
Shirt - Not to everyone's taste but nothing ever will be. Some of the reactions (worst shirt we've ever had style comments) are clearly bullshit.
Sponsor - Worth significantly more than the last one in an environment where increasing our income was vital to our future plans. Ethical concerns are important though and he failed on that front, as has the entire sport for a very long time.
Badge - No, I thought it was a mistake all along, but not a big enough to get worked up over.
Far more importantly He joined us as a midtable championship club and left with us qualifying for Europe, that's the only legacy that really matters for me.
yep. His time will always split opinion. At a high level he left behind better than he found us. Even if you disagree with the specific details.
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Apologies if this is being discussed elsewhere, but apparently we're appointing Ben Hatton as our new CEO. Don't know much about him other than he was at Blackpool for a bit.
Great that we're getting someone in because it's all felt a bit rudderless recently - no idea if this is the man for the job.
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Chief Operations Officer not CEO. Any relation to Bob Hatton ex-Nose who also played for Blackpool?
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Chief Operations Officer not CEO. Any relation to Bob Hatton ex-Nose who also played for Blackpool?
Yes, my mistake. Not really sure how the board is structured at this point, or who reports to who. Most importantly, I don't know who's in charge of sorting out the catering/toilets etc in the Upper Holte!
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Can you get a place on the board by buying a Terrace View season ticket?
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Chief Operations Officer not CEO. Any relation to Bob Hatton ex-Nose who also played for Blackpool?
Yes, my mistake. Not really sure how the board is structured at this point, or who reports to who. Most importantly, I don't know who's in charge of sorting out the catering/toilets etc in the Upper Holte!
That all comes under Operations, so Hatton it is then.
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Chief Operations Officer not CEO. Any relation to Bob Hatton ex-Nose who also played for Blackpool?
So, COO not CEO! Hope he does well for us.
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They're making announcements for COOs now?! They might as well publish the coffee rota and do press conferences when there's a birthday card going around the office to be signed.
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Does this mean we will be signing the donkeys off Blackpool beach?? What the Heck….
Need that role filling so good luck to him
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Does this mean we will be signing the donkeys off Blackpool beach?? What the Heck….
If that's the case, you can leave your Hatton...
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Did the previous COO ( can't remember his name) leave at the same time as Purslow?
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Did the previous COO ( can't remember his name) leave at the same time as Purslow?
Paul Tyrell and it seems so.
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You do get the feeling that things have been done by the club since Purslow's departure with a couldn't give a damn attitude and it has rankled enormously with many people. Lets hope Hatton gets some oversight on the issues as they currently stand. I think many people understand the need for change i.e increased commercial performance etc etc but the seeming "unfeeling" and at times "take it or leave it" attitude is alienating the very people who provide some of that commercial support and its really taking some of the shine off the enormous progress we're making on the pitch.
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Did the previous COO ( can't remember his name) leave at the same time as Purslow?
Paul Tyrell and it seems so.
I don't think he did, he was at the Everton game in his Villa blazer as usual. He might have left since then, or been shunted elsewhere I suppose.
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Did the previous COO ( can't remember his name) leave at the same time as Purslow?
Paul Tyrell and it seems so.
I don't think he did, he was at the Everton game in his Villa blazer as usual. He might have left since then, or been shunted elsewhere I suppose.
Maybe he was the equivalent of the assistant taking over when the manager gets sacked, until a new one is appointed and he goes off to re-join his old boss.
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Did the previous COO ( can't remember his name) leave at the same time as Purslow?
Paul Tyrell and it seems so.
I don't think he did, he was at the Everton game in his Villa blazer as usual. He might have left since then, or been shunted elsewhere I suppose.
One for the F1 kids there.
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I think Tyrell will appear somewhere on the circuit sooner or later.
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Did the previous COO ( can't remember his name) leave at the same time as Purslow?
Paul Tyrell and it seems so.
I don't think he did, he was at the Everton game in his Villa blazer as usual. He might have left since then, or been shunted elsewhere I suppose.
Maybe he was the equivalent of the assistant taking over when the manager gets sacked, until a new one is appointed and he goes off to re-join his old boss.
Yep quite possible.
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This Hatton bloke appears to have played the role of Steve Hollis at Blackpool. Hope he doesn’t sell us to a gluco tycoon.
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Who is our Head of Finance ?
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Ian Hopson is Finance Director.
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Who's our biological entity efficiency interface executive and, more important, how many Change Managers do we have? Is it enough for where we want to be?
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Who's our biological entity efficiency interface executive and, more important, how many Change Managers do we have? Is it enough for where we want to be?
The BEEIE’s job description was absorbed by the COO role. Synergies, innit.
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Ian Hopson is Finance Director.
Is he any good with Excel macros?
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Did the previous COO ( can't remember his name) leave at the same time as Purslow?
Paul Tyrell and it seems so.
I don't think he did, he was at the Everton game in his Villa blazer as usual. He might have left since then, or been shunted elsewhere I suppose.
He was at the Hibs game also
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Purslow in the away end giving it loads. Fair play to him
https://x.com/avfcthereligion/status/1705973932770066692?s=46
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How did he get a ticket?
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How did he get a ticket?
He's in the Terrace View I think.
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Maybe he’s got the Villa bug now, and cant stay away.
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Gone up in my estimation
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Yep. Fair fucks to him
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How did he get a ticket?
Probably snuck in in someones pocket. Fair play to him.
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Well that's great because with his contacts he could have easily been in the Chelsea directors hospitality room. I assume he's retired now and wants to live life his way.
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Brilliant
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https://x.com/wrighti1/status/1705943729830318399?s=46&t=MO9Hr66rdA1GUp0mSdtQrA
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That's not weird at all.
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Definition of surreal
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I saw this thread had been bumped and wondered what someone was moaning about. Then that. Bizarre!
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How did he get a ticket?
Probably snuck in in someones pocket. Fair play to him.
😂
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I reckon he was there to have a dig at Chelsea’s plight, knowing his grinning face will be all over twitter. And I’m guessing it was probably a home game for him anyway
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I don't want to be uncharitable, but he looks like he's trying just a little bit too hard.
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I don't want to be uncharitable, but he looks like he's trying just a little bit too hard.
He looks as cool as Michael Gove in a nightclub.
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He's celebrating pulling off the Terrace View without getting the blame for it.
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I don't want to be uncharitable, but he looks like he's trying just a little bit too hard.
I do want to be uncharitable. He looks like someone's dad, who's accompanied his daughter on a night out when she takes her first E. He's cool with it, but he wants to be there. FUCK OFF, DAD!
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I reckon he was there to have a dig at Chelsea’s plight, knowing his grinning face will be all over twitter. And I’m guessing it was probably a home game for him anyway
Tough crowd....would you not have given him a hug if you'd bumped into him?
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Despite a few obvious mistakes, I'm still massively grateful for what Purslow achieved at the club during a vital period in our history. He gave us credibility in the press and at PL meetings and I believe led the charge against the Super nonsense.
I don't care if he looks our of place in the stands, I'd be happy to buy him a pint any time and he'd be welcomed by me at any game, away history or not.
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Yeh they can keep Tom Brady buying them drinks. We’ve got Christian bouncing around like he’s in a mosh pit.
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I can't believe the fans treating this guy like a hero.
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I can't believe the fans treating this guy like a hero.
Do you not think we improved under him? Yes he hired Gerrard (and paid the price) and was probably behind the Terrace View and initial ST price increases, but don't you think he led us through a difficult period and left us in a better place?
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I'd suspect he's had a few but otherwise just looks like a normal fan. I also reckon he's proud of where the club and team are and the part he's played in it, and is now emotionally invested in it. Not to say he'll be a fan for life but fair play he's obviously into it at the moment. Apart from the Gerrard fuck up he did pretty well really.
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I'm not sure why there are negative connotations around this.
I'm sure he didn't HAVE to be there. He chose to be.
Fair play to him.
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I bet he woke up this morning with that classic head in hands moment and is uttering the words 'wt was I thinking?'
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Wonder if Keith Wyness will be there on Wednesday?
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He clearly left the club on good terms and is happy to mix with the fans. No harm in that.
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Its a bit sad that a bloke cant go and enjoy himself at a game without some idiot filming him and posting it on social media.
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Don’t really see the problem. Seems like he and everyone else had a nice afternoon.
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Its a bit sad that a bloke cant go and enjoy himself at a game without some idiot filming him and posting it on social media.
purslow seemed more than happy to be filmed and photographed. Almost as if he knew it would happen and planned for it…..
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Wonder if Keith Wyness will be there on Wednesday?
I'd pity the fans having to sit by him, having him wobbling all over half of their seats as well as his own.
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Plus in fairness to him, he was also at chelsea before in capacity so fair f**ks him supporting us yesterday
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Plus in fairness to him, he was also at chelsea before in capacity so fair f**ks him supporting us yesterday
Yeah, when I saw a comment that he was at the game I expected as a guest in the director's lounge given he'd worked at both clubs, didn't expect him to be in the away end. Guess he still has his share in the club as well, whatever you think of him personally the club is in an remarkably better position that it was when he came, he was pretty much the public face of us no longer being an absolute joke and he did a good job of it, carpethead aside.
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No-one sees him as a hero but he's no dastardly villain either. I never like owners and directors sitting with the fans, it makes me sceptical that they're trying to buy goodwill for when it inevitably goes belly up. See Heath. S.
As he is no longer employed by the club it didn't bother me really. He can still stick Terrace View up his arse though.
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As I always thought Purslow was big and bald I would never of recognised him.
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As I always thought Purslow was big and bald I would never of recognised him.
That was the Alexa chap, no?
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As I always thought Purslow was big and bald I would never of recognised him.
That was the Alexa chap, no?
"Alexa, where can I get an all day breakfast at 11pm?"
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I'm not sure why there are negative connotations around this.
I'm sure he didn't HAVE to be there. He chose to be.
Fair play to him.
I'd imagine it was his kids that wanted to go. If it was just him he'd be in the Director's seats or there abouts. My guess is his kids are Villa fans, have watched from the Trinity seats, seem how much fun the Villa fans were having and wanted to join them. Fair play.
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As I always thought Purslow was big and bald I would never of recognised him.
That was the Alexa chap, no?
For some reason I thought he was Peter Kenyon.
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He’s the last person I would have expected to see
I had him nailed on for a money grabbing job in Saudi not belting out everywhere we follow from the shed end
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was great to see , even if he looked a bit out of place .
Be great to see Wills in the away end soon.
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I'm not sure why there are negative connotations around this.
I'm sure he didn't HAVE to be there. He chose to be.
Fair play to him.
I'd imagine it was his kids that wanted to go. If it was just him he'd be in the Director's seats or there abouts. My guess is his kids are Villa fans, have watched from the Trinity seats, seem how much fun the Villa fans were having and wanted to join them. Fair play.
He's nearly 60, I doubt any offspring he has are little kids any more.
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I'm not sure why there are negative connotations around this.
I'm sure he didn't HAVE to be there. He chose to be.
Fair play to him.
I'd imagine it was his kids that wanted to go. If it was just him he'd be in the Director's seats or there abouts. My guess is his kids are Villa fans, have watched from the Trinity seats, seem how much fun the Villa fans were having and wanted to join them. Fair play.
He's nearly 60, I doubt any offspring he has are little kids any more.
Hello.
And if I had money…
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Fair shout - not as cringeworthy as you expect.
Maybe he did really care about the villa.
Obviously not as much as about himself but you know
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He’s the last person I would have expected to see
I had him nailed on for a money grabbing job in Saudi not belting out everywhere we follow from the shed end
I know. Beautiful innit?
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was great to see , even if he looked a bit out of place .
Be great to see Wills in the away end soon.
Ha could you imagine the security 😳
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was great to see , even if he looked a bit out of place .
Be great to see Wills in the away end soon.
Years ago remember seeing Brian Lara in the away end at Spurs with 3 bodyguards.
Ha could you imagine the security 😳
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https://tonyevans92a.substack.com/p/forrest-gump-the-khmer-rouge-and?
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https://tonyevans92a.substack.com/p/forrest-gump-the-khmer-rouge-and?
Thanks for that. Who knew?!
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Knew what?
If you’re being facetious I still don’t follow???
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Knew what?
If you’re being facetious I still don’t follow???
That he's a twat.
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Go 'ead, Sexual la!
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did superfan attend the everton game? good chance to bump up his cup history
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did superfan attend the everton game? good chance to bump up his cup history
No, he stayed away as a protest against the increased prices.
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You just wonder if he had stayed on, would all the current negative vibes around the club be an issue?
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You just wonder if he had stayed on, would all the current negative vibes around the club be an issue?
He caused most of them, but he had a nice smile and said the right things.
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Interesting artice, although
one of the most egregious assaults on fan culture the game has seen
.. touch of self importance from the author there.
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Yes that twat twisted a fan survey into a 'destroy the stand that is the soul of the club and charge £1500 for the privilege'.