No signings so concerning

[pauliewalnuts]

As for some people now moaning at the club, I must confess I see very little of that.  What i do see is questions and some doubts, which is understandable when a manager they rated walked out, but the 'pervailing opinion seems to be wait and see who the new manager is'.  And anyway, I don't deny anyone their right to moan, but I do feel that what I see unfair criticism of ANY manager should be countered.  If I saw someone having a pop at Randy ("he hasn't invested enough and is at asset stripper", etc.) I'd equally be arguing the toss with them.

Your definition of unfair criticism and what others define unfair criticism aren't necessarily the same thing.

Getting back to the original point, it does make me chuckle that some people see things so black and white. Everything's either great, or it's all shit. I can't believe anyone really thinks life is like that.

There are some people on here who, until two weeks ago, fervently backed every little thing the club did and said against all criticism (and even suggested that not doing so was in some way "not getting behind the club"), yet now seem to be thoroughly miserable about pretty much everything - questioning the owner, questioning our ambition, and - to bring us back to the original point - drawing attention to the fact we've done nothing in the transfer market as a sign of impending doom whereas for the last four years, they'd have been telling us all not to panic etc etc.

Like I said. It's either all great or it's all shit for them. That's their perfect entitlement to be like that, I just find it amusing when they flip from one extreme to the other.

They're also the same people, incidentally, who have been criticising Gregnash for being thoroughly doomish for years now, yet are now making him look like the happiest of happy clappers.

[Concrete John]

As for some people now moaning at the club, I must confess I see very little of that.  What i do see is questions and some doubts, which is understandable when a manager they rated walked out, but the 'pervailing opinion seems to be wait and see who the new manager is'.  And anyway, I don't deny anyone their right to moan, but I do feel that what I see unfair criticism of ANY manager should be countered.  If I saw someone having a pop at Randy ("he hasn't invested enough and is at asset stripper", etc.) I'd equally be arguing the toss with them.

Your definition of unfair criticism and what others define unfair criticism aren't necessarily the same thing.

Getting back to the original point, it does make me chuckle that some people see things so black and white. Everything's either great, or it's all shit. I can't believe anyone really thinks life is like that.

There are some people on here who, until two weeks ago, fervently backed every little thing the club did and said against all criticism (and even suggested that not doing so was in some way "not getting behind the club"), yet now seem to be thoroughly miserable about pretty much everything - questioning the owner, questioning our ambition, and - to bring us back to the original point - drawing attention to the fact we've done nothing in the transfer market as a sign of impending doom whereas for the last four years, they'd have been telling us all not to panic etc etc.

Like I said. It's either all great or it's all shit for them. That's their perfect entitlement to be like that, I just find it amusing when they flip from one extreme to the other.

They're also the same people, incidentally, who have been criticising Gregnash for being thoroughly doomish for years now, yet are now making him look like the happiest of happy clappers.

With the bit in bold I think there's a difference, which is that we've previously had a manager who liked to work late in the window, so there's a justifiable 'relax - it'll happen' argument.  Now it's a case of we'd usually have had a couple in by now and another couple lined up, but without a manager that isn't the case and time is running out.

As to the general point, it's pretty much a matter of how you see things.  I could argue that some of the anri-MON brigade take great pleasure in trying to ridicule his supporters with the usual 'is diddums missing his Messiah' crap as opposed to discussing the issues effecting our club, which is the purpose of this messageboard.  In each case, is either side of the argument posting a view that supports their past stance on MON, or are they speaking from the heart?  Make your own mind up, but everything you could accuse one side of the other is also guilty of.  For instance, why are those who up until two and a half weeks ago pounding MON for not having signed any players now quite content?

[Ads]

It breaks ya heart doh it Tom.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I see two possibilities here:-
1.  Randy invested to get us where he wanted, but we haven't got there.  Both in terms of CL qualification and increased revenue to support further spending.  So his original goal of the club fudning itself and getting a return on his investment is still there, but if that's as a 6th-8th side and no more then fair enough, because he no longer thinks further investment will get us any higher.
2.  He's happy to keep investing, mixed with a bit of restraint.  So he wants the wagebill reduced, which he feels can be achieved due to non-playing high earners and the emerging youth, and then keep buying players within the revised framework.  Sort of one step back in order to take two forward.

Either is his perogative as he owns the club, but number one does sound awfully close to the way Doug ran the club.  I'd be perfectly happy with number 2, as would a good manager who may come in, so I agree the next appointment will say more about the club's ambitions than anything we hear from the General or Randy himself.   

I've heard nothing to date that would suggest anything other than Option 2.

Neither have I, but then we also have not seen anything to date that confirms either theory, other than Randy's previous record with us, which lends itself towards option 2.

I think the proof is in the tasting, so it's a matter of sit back and see what happens.  The new manager will be a significant pointer though, as in modern football the better he is the more money he'll have been promised to work with!

Absolutely John but when we have loons on here saying we are delaying appointing a new manager to save money

How many regular posters on here, for example, were calling for MON to get the bullet?

I can think of about five. You'd think there was a massive knot of "sack the manager" feeling, when it was nothing of the sort.

And I can only think of two posters on here who were jumping on anything negative with the zeal you suggest.  OK, three if you include me

I can think of plenty of times when poster x posted something in anyway negative about the club and was pounced on by a number of people.

Tell me about it. I remember pointing out the season before last at how poor the football was, even though we kept winning. Rather than see it as a direct attack at MON, it's all about wanting the best for the team, the club.

The next Villa manager is such an important appointment, it can not be over emphasised. Due to the timing of the departure of MON it may not be possible to get players in but we must go out and get the right man to lead us. As several have pointed out, the wrong man will lead to us losing our best players, not to mention failing to attract the best.

Get your pray mats out.