Quote from: ROBBO on March 07, 2012, 07:19:32 PMThe 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...
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.
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.
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.
Quote from: Eigentor on March 07, 2012, 07:50:01 PMThere 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.
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.
Quote from: bilsim on March 07, 2012, 07:09:46 PMThe 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.I see Arsenal are being linked with a £10.9 million move for Podalski. That's the type of signing we could have gone for during the first few years of the MON era and I just wonder why we did not give such things a go? There's some fantastic talent in Europe going for relative peanuts.McLeish says there's room for one or two decent signings to complement our team of young lads, if we used some genuine nous and scoured the world for top, young talent I would be delighted and have a whole lot more hope about the future.
Although I haven't read it all the facts and figures make very interesting reading. If I'm reading it right, basically O'Neill was allowed to quadruple the wage bill in 4 years. Which would have been fine had they been bums on seats signings that sold tickets and shirts, leading to a corresponding jump in turnover. But since they were largely overpaid journeymen it was asking for trouble.Where the guy lets himslef down is describing Houllier's reign as an umitigated disaster. First off, finishing 9th is not a disaster, and secondly there is plenty of "mitigation" such as the shite he was left to clear up by O'Neill, a distinctly less talented squad than their cost would suggest, selfish players undermining him, the worst injury crisis in many a year, and heart trouble. It was GHs sigings in January that went a long way to us avoiding the drop last season.
Newcastle released their figures today:http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/mar/08/newcastle-united-losses-fall