Super Clubs

[NeilH]

European leagues are, by and large, falling into two categories: those dominated by anti-competitive wealth for the few against the many, and those where the financial regulation of the league ensures competition. Into the latter category go France and Germany, of the major leagues - everyone else is in the former.

The Bundesliga is everything the Premiership should be, but isn't. The fans are at the heart of it and stadiums are built with the fans in mind. The league is there to further the national team and there is a huge focus on developing German talent... Oh yeah and the prices are competitive.

[Countryside Villain]

As others have said, a sad reflection on the reality of football.  For me, there is little enjoyment in knowing that Villa just can't compete on a level playing field for anything.  A lucky cup run is the best you can hope for, crossing your fingers that should you make the final, the "super clubs" have got their mind on bigger prizes or that you come up against Arsenal.

I'm undecided on a European Superleague though.  The money in that league would be like nothing before and any founder clubs would be at an immediate advantage.  There would still be plenty of cash at the domestic level and should a club like Villa manage to get promotion to the Superleague, a single season in that league, plus parachute payments when the inevitable relegation comes along, would just mean that Villa were in a stronger position to dominate the domestic league and could become a yo-yo club between the two.  The first 5-10 years would see a much more competitive domestic league before the inevitable gulf in financial resources becomes apparent.

[Vanilla]

We know it's true, so do the players, I just don't like hearing the manager say it.

You approach it in two ways. Be positive without being unrealistic or be negative and like any manager in any business your staff end up being de-motivated and will consider other options.

It's this sort of attitude, coupled with the style and approach to the first few games that confirm my, and many others, reservations about having this guy in charge.

Perhaps that's the intention. Set the bar so low, that if we finish 9th or even 8th, we'll be walking away thinking 'Well, not a bad season really'.

[luke25]

European leagues are, by and large, falling into two categories: those dominated by anti-competitive wealth for the few against the many, and those where the financial regulation of the league ensures competition. Into the latter category go France and Germany, of the major leagues - everyone else is in the former.

The Bundesliga is everything the Premiership should be, but isn't. The fans are at the heart of it and stadiums are built with the fans in mind. The league is there to further the national team and there is a huge focus on developing German talent... Oh yeah and the prices are competitive.

This a million times over.

[VillaAlways]

I'd be very surprised if the players are even aware he's said these comments or would take a blind bit of notice if they had,they're not fans, We are.As for Darren Bent he wouldn't be considered good enough for these so called Super Clubs anyway.I'm confident Darren is going nowhere in January

[Phil from the upper holte]

I think he's just trying to dampen down peoples expectations, if we finish top half then its an acheivement if we finish bottom half then its becuse we can't compete

I'd rather he said nothing regarding other clubs and thier ability to spend

[andyh]

I think he's just trying to dampen down peoples expectations, if we finish top half then its an acheivement if we finish bottom half then its becuse we can't compete

I'd rather he said nothing regarding other clubs and thier ability to spend

I think you are dead right about setting expectations.
The shit thing about it is that those expectations keep being re-set at an alarming rate. 

[Concrete John]

I suppose the divide is between those who need to balance the books and those to whom money is no object.  Those I'd class in that 2nd category are the Manchester clubs and Chelsea only.

[Irish villain]

It's all so sick.

[MarkM]

Its nothing that we dont already know, but perhaps some dont want to face.

We are not a big club [in the modern use of the word] we could and should have been but the owner of the club did not take the right steps and the right time [when we won the European Cup that should have been the start of something great]

But alas we missed the boat and uless Randy finds a few hundred million that he wants to throw at us or he sells to another very well off person then we will remain where we are...

One of the also rans in the league who hope for a decent cup run

[Billy Walker]

We know it's true, so do the players, I just don't like hearing the manager say it.

You approach it in two ways. Be positive without being unrealistic or be negative and like any manager in any business your staff end up being de-motivated and will consider other options.

It's this sort of attitude, coupled with the style and approach to the first few games that confirm my, and many others, reservations about having this guy in charge.

I feel inclined to agree with this.  I think, given the climate of football at the moment and the fact that we are not in a position to financially compete with certain clubs, I would rather we had appointed a real Villa man to lead us through these unchartered territories.   My big worry about McLeish is that he is indoctrinated into this present day system of football, a paid up Fergie disciple who buys into the Sky TV perception of how football works.  He's part and parcel of the "industry", if you will.  One of the things I look for in a Villa manager is pride in our club and a bullishness.  I don't think McLeish has the nous to think outside the box and lift the club, to take the way the "industry" currently is and to say to hell with it, I can still beat the lot of them. 

Calling other clubs "superclubs" isn't the best way to motivate Aston Villa players or supporters, in my view.  It's one thing being realistic and saying other clubs have more resources than us at the moment, but calling them superclubs immediately gives them the upper hand over us when we get to play them.  Placing other clubs on a pedestal and making us sound inferior is just downright poor leadership in my view.  There's a fine line between calling other clubs superclubs and running on the pitch with an Arsenal shirt for Thierry Henry to sign.

[Concrete John]

I feel inclined to agree with this.  I think, given the climate of football at the moment and the fact that we are not in a position to financially compete with certain clubs, I would rather we had appointed a real Villa man to lead us through these unchartered territories.   My big worry about McLeish is that he is indoctrinated into this present day system of football, a paid up Fergie disciple who buys into the Sky TV perception of how football works.  He's part and parcel of the "industry", if you will.  One of the things I look for in a Villa manager is pride in our club and a bullishness.  I don't think McLeish has the nous to think outside the box and lift the club, to take the way the "industry" currently is and to say to hell with it, I can still beat the lot of them. 

Calling other clubs "superclubs" isn't the best way to motivate Aston Villa players or supporters, in my view.  It's one thing being realistic and saying other clubs have more resources than us at the moment, but calling them superclubs immediately gives them the upper hand over us when we get to play them.  Placing other clubs on a pedestal and making us sound inferior is just downright poor leadership in my view.  There's a fine line between calling other clubs superclubs and running on the pitch with an Arsenal shirt for Thierry Henry to sign.

And which 'real Villa man' would you have picked?

I cna agree that the use of the term 'super club' may be a poor choice of words, but it you think back to the League Cup final against Arsenal he certainly didn't set his team out to be in awe of them.

[Eigentor]

You can't really argue with what he said, but it does add to the feeling that we've given up and are resigned to making up the numbers. Even though results were shite under GH, at least he seemed (at times) to communicate the belief that we could become competitive without the money of the super clubs. I feel that we lost that sometime during the summer.

[UK Redsox]

European leagues are, by and large, falling into two categories: those dominated by anti-competitive wealth for the few against the many, and those where the financial regulation of the league ensures competition. Into the latter category go France and Germany, of the major leagues - everyone else is in the former.

The Bundesliga is everything the Premiership should be, but isn't. The fans are at the heart of it and stadiums are built with the fans in mind. The league is there to further the national team and there is a huge focus on developing German talent... Oh yeah and the prices are competitive.

Why should the league be there to "further the national team" ? Surely putting the best, competitive product on display should be the aim of the league and its clubs.

I just want to see Villa do well and don't give a £$%^ about how England are doing.

[andrew08]

I had a quick reality check of the dream not long after Randy took over. We weren't doing a Chelsea or what is now a City and going after real success, we wanted 4th place and CL revenue. I initally thought we were but we never made a 'trophy' signing, one that would put bums on seats with no resale value, like at the time a Henry type.

Mon got slaughtered for the cup surrenders but it make you wonder how much was board instruction.

As for now we have realised we just can't get fourth anymore and so have Spurs,Everton and the like and there will always be three worse sides in the league than us. Perhaps now we will focus more on domestic cups