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

[Doorbell]

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

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

A nice short and sweet analogy!

[Eigentor]

There is little reason to question Randy's commitment.

Sadly, though, there is reason to question his competence as a football club owner.

Not saying that a football club owner needs to know a lot about how run a football club, but he should surround himself with people who does. Randy has favoured surrounding him with people he gets on with. That is slightly at odds with the rhetoric of him being a 'custodian' and not an owner.

Randy invested a lot in his first years. We cannot question that. But results were meagre in terms of sustained growth, trophies and reputation.

There is little doubt that we now need to tighten our belts. But I'm not sure the club is carrying out the austerity better than the initial extravaganza.

The important question is not why we don't have any money, but why the club isn't better run.

[newtonsballs]

There is little reason to question Randy's commitment.

Sadly, though, there is reason to question his competence as a football club owner.

Not saying that a football club owner needs to know a lot about how run a football club, but he should surround himself with people who does. Randy has favoured surrounding him with people he gets on with. That is slightly at odds with the rhetoric of him being a 'custodian' and not an owner.
Randy invested a lot in his first years. We cannot question that. But results were meagre in terms of sustained growth, trophies and reputation.

There is little doubt that we now need to tighten our belts. But I'm not sure the club is carrying out the austerity better than the initial extravaganza.

The important question is not why we don't have any money, but why the club isn't better run.

I agree. And sadly, I feel the Villa will not move forward until the issue is faced up to and addressed.

[Jimmy Smash]

Thanks. Now tell us something we don't know. Stats aside, this article is something any of us could have written.

[garyshawsknee]

There is little reason to question Randy's commitment.

Sadly, though, there is reason to question his competence as a football club owner.

Not saying that a football club owner needs to know a lot about how run a football club, but he should surround himself with people who does. Randy has favoured surrounding him with people he gets on with. That is slightly at odds with the rhetoric of him being a 'custodian' and not an owner.
Randy invested a lot in his first years. We cannot question that. But results were meagre in terms of sustained growth, trophies and reputation.

There is little doubt that we now need to tighten our belts. But I'm not sure the club is carrying out the austerity better than the initial extravaganza.

The important question is not why we don't have any money, but why the club isn't better run.

I agree. And sadly, I feel the Villa will not move forward until the issue is faced up to and addressed.

If only he'd pick up the phone and call Steve Stride and Sir Graham.

[Shoody]

^ pretty much the exact comment I was going to make.

Bring back Steve Stride.

Infact. Put Stride, Graham and Ian Taylor on the board.

[dave.woodhall]

^ pretty much the exact comment I was going to make.

Bring back Steve Stride.

Infact. Put Stride, Graham and Ian Taylor on the board.

One's retired, one I believe is chairman of another club and the third has never worked at a club.

[Monty]

^ pretty much the exact comment I was going to make.

Bring back Steve Stride.

Infact. Put Stride, Graham and Ian Taylor on the board.

One's retired, one I believe is chairman of another club and the third has never worked at a club.

Exactly, and, to half-borrow Eigentor's phrase, that's just replacing people he likes with people we like. It reflects not a jot on their ability to run a club footballing-wise.

[Fuse]

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.

What makes it even more distressing is that Randy is no longer a $ billionaire either. He has probably spent 30-40% of his net wealth on Villa!

[Leighton]

This is just the type of thing that has made me lose my interest in the game. Football, and Villa, is not a spread sheet of figures.

Or maybe it is!

[dave.woodhall]

This is just the type of thing that has made me lose my interest in the game. Football, and Villa, is not a spread sheet of figures.

Or maybe it is!

I've just read a comment saying Randy should "finally put his hand in his pocket" and calling for more investment because "We can't go on like this." Somewhere along the line a belief has developed which in its most simplistic form holds that we should always be at the top of the league and as soon as we aren't the owner, whoever he might be, should give the club away to someone who will again spend enough to make sure we return there.

[Leighton]

or... We demand a level playing field. As long as we are way above everybody else.

[KevinGage]

It is mental to see the sums involved.

Even in a supposed austerity/ cutbacks mode, he's pumped in £25 million recently. 

Little over 2/3 years ago, that would have had contributors on websites such as these speculating about which top class players we should sign.   Now it's just servicing existing costs/ debts.  Depressing.

I don't take the figures on that blog as gospel, mind. As I'm pretty sure it's the same guy who had NRC listed as a £9.5 million purchase by us and Bent as a £25 million signing by Tottingham.

But it wouldn't surprise me at all if the wage bill has actually increased since 2010, despite the amount of high earners we've shifted.

[VillaSpen]

Just read this

Don't tell me what to do. 

[Simba]

Brilliant. Randy has a very difficult balancing act. The MON effect is there for all to see especially wages/turnover.

It also highlights the mistake in employing AMC. Lower crowds, lower league place, reduced TV revenue, reduced commercial income (shirts etc) reduced income from having no cup runs. But, look at the costs to rid ourselves of him.

 But also how much difference a Champs League makes which puts those other incomes look small. However, by all accounts we should be seventh or thereabouts in the league.

"Gambled but lost". Well put.  Bloody Tottenham.