Randy Lerner

[PeterWithesShin]

Does this mean no one is going to buy the hats I just ordered?

[Irish villain]

What should be his way forward and how far is he culpable for our current situation? Keep it constructive, please.

It isn't working. I think the side that nearly got relegated in 2006 would turn today's lot over. We are moving backwards. I haven't seen any leadership from Randy and despite liking him feel that he isn't at the races.

If he's in it for the long-haul then he has to become more involved in the day-to-day goings on at the club and should look to get some football people involved at board level.

If you look a Villa in the Lerner era, it is always the manager who has to front for the club. In fairness, MON was good in that role. However, Houllier both TSM looked out of their deoth in the role of all around Club PR man while Lambert should be able to devote all his energies to developing this quite limited squad.

We just seem to be drifting. A few good, positive moves such as a reasonable cash injection in January, increased visibility and more evidence of their being a strong group of trustees behind the manager of the day might even be enough to give us a bit of new impetus again.

This is all based on him still caring. If his heart isn't in it, he should sell up and let somebody else have a go.

[dave.woodhall]

TBH, RL and PF has been given loads of stick on here since MON walked. Not a day has gone by without Rip calling him a bastard or a c***.

I've said before that it surprises me that Lerner and Faulkner don't get far more stick than they do, especially on here.  There isn't anyone who bears more responsibility for the club's disastrous trajectory over the last three seasons than those two.

I've seen some posters whose opinions I generally respect contort themselves in trying to apportion blame to anyone other than Lerner and Faulkner.  Purely my own view and all that but at a time when the club's direction is so diabolically bad I would have thought that an established fanzine like H&V should be hammering the ownership with all its might.

Agreed.

I look forward to the contributions of you both.

That just proves their point.

How does it? Please tell me; I'd love to know.,

[bertlambshank]

You do seem to come out with a smart arse comment to stop any bashing of Randy.

[dave.woodhall]

You do seem to come out with a smart arse comment to stop any bashing of Randy.

Nothing to do with smart or arse. If someone wants a point of view to be expressed, they should express it. Asking for it isn't stopping anything - it's encouraging it.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Fair enough if people want to have a go at him for not getting involved and being too elusive but I struggle to see how he can also be accused of making terrible decisions at the same time.

You can't have it both ways Ad@m.
As you know, if something went tits up under the Government of Cameron or Blair, they may not be directly responsible, but they have to carry the can.
With great power comes great responsibilty. A great man once said that (Spider Man's Uncle).

[ozzjim]

Is Spiderman one or 2 words? Mmmm


Anyhow, it is simple for me. He backed Lambert last summer, if he believes in his manager and wants to help him move the club forward he has to back him this winter with another 20 million or so, which he can afford. He has invested in the past money wise when we have needed him too, and boy we need it now more than ever.

As such, for me it is invest and back Lambert, or face relegation being a real possibility and not being able to get back anything on his investment. He is not as stupid or moronic as people make out I am sure, so I think the investment will be there this winter.

[TopDeck113]

I think one of his biggest delusions is that our youth set-up, whilst rightly lauded, is somehow the answer. Anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of top flight English football knows that if you produce a genuine first team regular everyday 2 or 3 years you're doing well.

[bertlambshank]

You do seem to come out with a smart arse comment to stop any bashing of Randy.

Nothing to do with smart or arse. If someone wants a point of view to be expressed, they should express it. Asking for it isn't stopping anything - it's encouraging it.

Ok Randy isn't interested any more,he will never get his money back,and has slowly over the past 3 years dragged us closer to the Championship.
By employing a Paul Faulkner who knows fuck all about football,and expecting him to get the club self sufficient and in the top half of the table shows us all we need to know about Randy as a person.
I wouldn't let Randy look after my dog nevermind a football club.
He needs to cut his losses and go before it gets really messy.

[Ad@m]

Fair enough if people want to have a go at him for not getting involved and being too elusive but I struggle to see how he can also be accused of making terrible decisions at the same time.

You can't have it both ways Ad@m.
As you know, if something went tits up under the Government of Cameron or Blair, they may not be directly responsible, but they have to carry the can.
With great power comes great responsibilty. A great man once said that (Spider Man's Uncle).

I don't want it both ways - others are berating Randy for not being involved enough whilst simultaneously making terrible decisions.  That's trying to have it both ways.

As far as I'm concerned, assuming GH and TSM were appointed by Faulkner rather than Randy he's been a model chairman so far.  He's ploughed shit loads of money in to the club and generally kept his gob shut.  That's exactly what I want from a chairman.

I put the blame for GH and TSM at Faulkner's door.  Those appointments, and giving MON free will to almost bankrupt us chasing Champions League football are the major strategic cockups during the Lerner reign.  Everything else done by the Board during the Lerner reign has been pretty good generally.

As for ultimate responsibility being Randy's - whilst you're right, I think Faulkner should be walking the plank first.

[hawkeye]

Who appointed Faulkner?

[Ad@m]

Who appointed Faulkner?

First prize for stating the bleeding obvious hawkeye.

Isn't it worth changing Faulkner before we hound out the guy who put £200m in to our club?

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I put the blame for GH and TSM at Faulkner's door..

Maybe others can clarify, but my impression was that Lerner (and the General) were very impressed by his demeanour and frendliness after the 5-1 drubbing we inflicted on him, this stayed in their memory when it came time to replace Houllier.
Let's not forget Lerner's cherished letter of recommendation from Siralex.

I'm putting the blame for that firmly at Blandy's door.

[old man villa fan]

As for selling up - he's sunk £200m in to the club which he'd want to see a fair chunk of back.  You only have to look at Blackburn and the Blues to see that new foreign owners are not necessarily a good thing.  I think our best approach is to put pressure on Randy to spend more money on players.

I suppose the one good thing about him investing so much in the club is that if he wants to sell, then the buyer would have to be a really serious player in the market.

On the downside, has too much money been invested to make us saleable.

[Dan England]

Is Spiderman one or 2 words? Mmmm


Anyhow, it is simple for me. He backed Lambert last summer, if he believes in his manager and wants to help him move the club forward he has to back him this winter with another 20 million or so, which he can afford. He has invested in the past money wise when we have needed him too, and boy we need it now more than ever.

As such, for me it is invest and back Lambert, or face relegation being a real possibility and not being able to get back anything on his investment. He is not as stupid or moronic as people make out I am sure, so I think the investment will be there this winter.

I really hope you are right. I happen to agree that this will happen, however, if he does not invest and we do go down he will have to go down as one of the worst club owners in history. I mean who could destroy a top 6 team and get them relegated within five years. It couldn't happen to a club like Villa!