New Swiss ramble...an excellent insight into the current situation...

[Doorbell]

Just read this

http://swissramble.blogspot.com/2012/03/aston-villa-prophets-and-losses.html?

Very interesting and well written.  I think gives an excellent insight into our current situation...thoughts?

[pauliewalnuts]

I predict the arrival of Villadawg within 24 hours.

[Monty]

"[H]is lack of popularity with some Villa fans is surely as much to do with his poor track record (leading the Blues to two relegations in four years) and his dour brand of football as his stint at St. Andrews."

Wrong, for most of us it's ENTIRELY to do with that poor track record.

I also disagree with the dismissal of the Houllier reign as "an unmitigated disaster." As the seeds of something long-term were clearly being sewn, for all its and his faults that reign was at least mitigated, and best almost promising.

However, it's very hard to argue with the facts and figures on display. Which are really just explaining things that most on here understand pretty well already (one would hope, given the sheer amount of space devoted to arguing about it for a few years!).

[Doorbell]

I agree monty that some of the semantics may be a little out, and im definitely in the camp that thought houllier was starting to achieve towards the end of the season, but I think generally its an eye opener and a reminder as to why some of the things that are happening at the villa are...

[Monty]

I agree monty that some of the semantics may be a little out, and im definitely in the camp that thought houllier was starting to achieve towards the end of the season, but I think generally its an eye opener and a reminder as to why some of the things that are happening at the villa are...

It's true, the context-adding is very important. Sometimes people seem to forget the world doesn't stop outside the B6 bubble.

[Doorbell]

I can't deny that I had become very frustrated with Randy and his choice of manager in McLeish and my opinion that AMc was the wrong choice won't change, but it has renewed my faith in Randy, may be not in his decision making process, but certainly in his commitment to the club, reading the Swiss report, it's hard to deny...purely in financial terms, that the commitment is there.  One thing the Swiss says which I agree with and have always thought, is our lack of ability in the overseas transfer market and picking up decent but cheaper foreign players, for me, we need a manager that is competent in this as much as anything else.

[Doorbell]

I predict the arrival of Villadawg within 24 hours.

Why's that?!

[Monty]

That's something we've struggled with for a very long time, in fairness. It helps to build up scout networks over time which are independent of whoever happens to be in charge, so that you have knowledge of what's going on in places no matter what type of player a particular manager is looking for. It is the responsibility of the club as much as a manager to build these up, and it's another area where Lerner's lack of football nous is sadly exposed. However, as far as the business side is, it's as good as it could possibly be while running up record losses, which is better than I make it sound!

[Trinitymiddle]

Mad to think RL has spent nearly a quarter of a BILLION on the Villa, and we are one place higher in the league than when he bought us.

[bilsim]

The things I notice after reading are firstly, considering the amount of money we spent, how different could things have been if we'd actually made a couple of marquee signings in 2008 instead of signing up the dross that we did. But more importantly, the game is absolutely rotten because of money and it's not going to get any better. I know we should have all learnt to accept that a long time ago but it's still desperately sad that we can't compete, even with a multi millionaire owner.

[Doorbell]

Mad to think RL has spent nearly a quarter of a BILLION on the Villa, and we are one place higher in the league than when he bought us.

It's a crazy stat/fact...and a depressing one at that.  I'm sure it's painful reading for RL too.

[ROBBO]

The article reinforces the mainstream opinion that Randy let himself and the club down by not having football people at the club that may have kept MON in check. I must admit that when you see the figures in black and white no-one can say Randy wasn't or isn't committed to Villa it's purely his selection process for key positions that astound most of us. Houllier was in the process of doing what most of us had been crying out for and that is cheaper better overseas players, i think most of us was looking forward to see who he could bring to the club.

[Doorbell]

The things I notice after reading are firstly, considering the amount of money we spent, how different could things have been if we'd actually made a couple of marquee signings in 2008 instead of signing up the dross that we did. But more importantly, the game is absolutely rotten because of money and it's not going to get any better. I know we should have all learnt to accept that a long time ago but it's still desperately sad that we can't compete, even with a multi millionaire owner.

Agreed on all accounts.  I'm pretty sure that when Real Madrid signed beckham they made their transfer fee back within something stupid like 24hrs just in shirt sales.  I know we're no RM but a marquee signing brings more than just their playing ability...we should sign a half decent Chinese player just for shirt sales.

[Dante Lavelli]

The Swiss Ramble dude certainly does his homework.  Fair play to him.

The article basically translates as "We gambled and lost" unfortunately.

[Doorbell]

The article reinforces the mainstream opinion that Randy let himself and the club down by not having football people at the club that may have kept MON in check. I must admit that when you see the figures in black and white no-one can say Randy wasn't or isn't committed to Villa it's purely his selection process for key positions that astound most of us. Houllier was in the process of doing what most of us had been crying out for and that is cheaper better overseas players, i think most of us was looking forward to see who he could bring to the club.

We should have kept him on in a DoF type role...