Was Lerner just naive?

[Jimmy Buffett]

I know that Randy Lerner has brought AVFC to the brink of oblivion. However, I wonder if this man is just another 'aw shucks' American abroad who hasn't got a clue about what is going on around him. Here is a guy with inherited wealth who apparently had a soft spot for the Villa, formed in his time as a student in the UK. He bought us and promptly handed over the running of the club at every level to a mixture of incompetents, parasites, cynics and piss takers. The results are there for all to see. Perhaps Deadly D has a bit of a case to answer here for selling AVFC to an amateur, albeit well meaning at the start?

[kippaxvilla2]

I can see clearly now the rain has gone.

[N'ZMAV]

People wanted DD out, hingsight is a wonderful thing, ay? Cleveland Browns fans told us this would happen...

[jembob]

I don't believe that he was that naive, but he took a gamble that MON could get us into the Champions League from which point the Club should have been self financing at the highest level. The gamble failed and the arrival of the new owners at Man Citeh further reduced the chance of us playing at the CL level. Despite having access to a multi billion family trust fund, he would not sustain the level of expenditure incurred in the early years.
Where Lerner has really failed badly was in the quality of appointments that he has made, both on executive and playing sides. Having decided to manage the finances more closely, it should not have been impossible to compete at Top 8 level while not breaking the bank. Sadly Lerner does not seem to have much of a vision for the Club and despite an education from one of the best establishments on the planet, does not appear to have the accumen to run a competitive organisation. Ultimately his failure to appoint talented people has led the club to the edge of disaster.
I just wonder whether he will use the parachute payment to cover his losses and let the club go for peanuts.

[adrenachrome]

No. He's B-B-B-B-B-B-Baaaaaaaaaaaaad to the Bone.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Perhaps Deadly D has a bit of a case to answer here for selling AVFC to an amateur, albeit well meaning at the start?

I don't think anybody was critical of the choice at the time. In fact, for the first four seasons approval ratings probably increased. Blaming Ellis for our troubles now is a bit like the Tories blaming things on previous Labour governments. 

[four fornicholl]

Ive said this before and thought this several times, on here, and to whoever will listen, that RL is being taken for a ride by the £1m plus gang who are in it for themselves, not the fans and certainly not AVFC.

[London Villan]

Irresponsible and stupid more like. Spend $250m and for six years not get involved with how it's managed.

[sickbeggar]

Doug knows a mug when he see's one and lets face it the only thing on Mr. Eliis' mind was how much he got in coinage. If Naive is going into a business you know nothing about thinking you're going to take on the experienced sharks who've done it for years, then he was naive. I prefer suicidally arrogant and full of himself, If he'd spent the money on hookersand booze like the average lottery winner he would have at least had fun

[Des Little]

He's not naive, he's just a tw4t.

[SirSteveUK]

I know that Randy Lerner has brought AVFC to the brink of oblivion. 

Really

[Steve67]

This Lerner really did have L plates.

[Walmley_Villa]

He is naive and easily led e.g. The letter from SAF recommending McLeish. He is an old fashioned romantic who unfortunately doesn't live in the real world. Inherited his money had most things I imagine on a plate throughout his life. We really must be an itch he wants but can't get rid of.

[FrankyH]

I know many will disagree , but I just think he was Naive. The decision to appoint McLeish did smack of "I'll show you" , but even that was naive.I might be wrong , but I don't think any of the many bad decisions he has made were with malice.

[NorthYvillan]

Whatever enthusiasm Lerner had was bled dry by Mr O'Neil's behaviour. I think that R L was led to believe (as we all did at the time) that MO'N was some kind of managerial guru. But lots of money spent; lots of well paid players sat on bench or not even in the squad; promising youngsters sold; and then he storms off when his shortcomings were questioned. That's when I believe RL started to fall out of love with Aston Villa and football and losing an industrial tribunal just killed it dead.
Maybe it is us who were naive as much, if not more so, than RL. He was never in the Abramovich or the arabian oil sheik league regarding disposable income but we all hoped he was going to be the sugar daddy we craved and turned a blind eye to the reality.