Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: montague on February 13, 2015, 09:44:12 AM
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31450832 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31450832)
Sacked Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert was given money to spend but produced a team that was not "fun to watch", claims club director General Charles Krulak.
Krulak, 72, also described suggestions that American owner Randy Lerner had not invested in the squad as "hogwash".
Lambert was dismissed on Wednesday after Villa slipped into the Premier League relegation zone.
"Paul was just not bringing the team together," Krulak told the Sun.
Scot Lambert, 45, described managing the struggling West Midlands club as "the toughest challenge" of his career.
He said his "initial remit" was to "massively overhaul" the squad, lower the wage bill and keep the club in the Premier League.
But after the 2-0 midweek defeat against fellow strugglers Hull, disgruntled supporters called for the former Norwich City manager Lambert to go.
Aston Villa fans hold up a banner calling for Paul Lambert to be sacked
Aston Villa have scored twice in their last 10 Premier League matches
In 25 top-flight games this season, the club have managed just 12 goals - the lowest in Premier League history.
"Randy was loathe to remove a manager mid-campaign," said Krulak. "But there was this intensely strong feeling, not least from the players and fans, that Villa should be doing a lot better.
"Randy wants a team that - win, lose or draw - is fun to watch. But the opposite was true.
"This idea that Randy had not put money into the club and that Paul's hands were tied is simply not true. It's hogwash."
Did he ever attend a Lambert match? Presumably this is Lerners vview also?
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We didn't become 'not fun to watch' in the last few games, this has been going on for far too long and if he had his hand on the tiller he'd have known that.
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"But there was this intensely strong feeling, not least from the players and fans, that Villa should be doing a lot better.
The players?
Wonder how accurate this is.
In what form did they let this be known other than a few generic comments in interviews?
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Lerner's mouthpiece.
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We've already sacked him. Don't really see any need to be slagging him off publicly. Someone (braver than me) tell the General to shush.
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What on earth would he know about anything? And what was this statement supposed to achieve after Lambert's fairly dignified statement. I can only imagine that his fingers slipped again when he was typing.
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He really should shut the f*ck up!
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Why doesnt General Krulak just ffffff..fade away...but very quietly.
The words 'ill informed' come to mind.
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When Randy Lerner took first took over the concept of General Krulak posting on fan sites was a novel concept which quickly wore thin for some and when the going got a bit tough he, probably sensibly on his part, tactically withdrew. That he has chosen to to re-appear now is slightly odd but understandable. What he has said though is just a bit embarrassing.
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The General's making a false narrative about Foxy's false narrative and it's worse than the original false narrative, I think.
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He's retired from his post at that US college, the one where he took his "Proud History, Bright Future" bollocks. I hope that means he isn't going to be spending more time at Villa again, I don't think he ever did resign as a NED.
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He's retired from his post at that US college, the one where he took his "Proud History, Bright Future" bollocks. I hope that means he isn't going to be spending more time at Villa again, I don't think he ever did resign as a NED.
He's still listed as a club NED - at least in the front of every programme.
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we sacked the manager, there's bound to be press coverage, and they will ask people who are close to the people at the top and who have had dealings with the Villa
so its inevitable they ask the General for his views, I have no problem with that
he didn't slag Lambert off, just basically said what we have been saying, we have a team which is a torture to watch, there is no secret about that
he may well be Lerners mouthpiece, so what,
I've always been interested in what General Krulak has to say, so I don't mind his comments in the press
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It was in the Sun. I wonder what he really said?
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It was in the Sun. I wonder what he really said?
'I'll rip off your head and piss down your neck if you print that'
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It was in the Sun. I wonder what he really said?
Cheers Dave...that explains it all!
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"But there was this intensely strong feeling, not least from the players and fans, that Villa should be doing a lot better.
The players?
Wonder how accurate this is.
In what form did they let this be known other than a few generic comments in interviews?
Their demeanour on the pitch, in some cases has looked way off to me. Delph doesn't have the same drive he did last season. Gabby has looked miserable as sin and a bit like it's becoming a chore.
The players often looked defeated, if not when they step on the pitch, when we go a goal down. It's all become a bit lacklustre and much of that, I'd imagine is because our squad has become ground down playing under Lambert. There's no gameplan, there's no sense that he's got an idea and he's looked a broken man himself this season. I felt sorry for the guy because he's not up to the task and should have been put out his misery ages ago.
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My newspaper has an article about PL which states that 'Paul Lambert told Aston Villa chairman Randy Lerner to sack him twice this season before he was finally dismissed on Wednesday by telephone.' If he felt that strongly that he wasn't doing a good job why didn't he resign?
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Absolutely right supertom...it's been pretty plain for us all to see for months. The fact that the meedja only seemed to pick up on it in the last few weeks shows their level of interest, knowledge and insight about teams outside the Sky darlings.
I was simply wondering if the players themselves had expressed their concerns in a more formal way to Lambert, (Fox?) through Vlaar for instance.
If they could remember what Vlaar looks like that is.
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It was in the Sun. I wonder what he really said?
'I'll rip off your head and piss down your neck if you print that'
Wouldn't that be Vinnie Jones?
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It was in the Sun. I wonder what he really said?
'I'll rip off your head and piss down your neck if you print that'
Wouldn't that be Vinnie Jones?
Clint Eastwood, Heartbreak Ridge. On the Vinnie Jones subject, have you seen him recently? Burger guzzling salad dodger.
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We've already sacked him. Don't really see any need to be slagging him off publicly. Someone (braver than me) tell the General to shush.
He really should shut the f*ck up!
Exactly.
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Krulak is the biggest bullshit artist to grace Villa Park.
After his self imposed exile away from VP for the last few years, I really think that these comments (if true), are really fucking rich coming from him.
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Aaah, so Randy wanted a team that was "fun to watch"? Now I understand the Mcleish appointment!!
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Krulak is the biggest bullshit artist to grave Villa Park.
We're not dead and buried just yet.
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Those utterances strike me as unnecessary and unhelpful.
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It was in the Sun. I wonder what he really said?
As night follows day I'm sure he never said "hogwash". It all sounds your typical bullshit from The Sun.
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It was in the Sun. I wonder what he really said?
Cheers Dave...that explains it all!
It is also in in The Torygraph in an article by John Percy: Paul Lambert twice told Aston Villa chairman Randy Lerner to sack him (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/11409797/Paul-Lambert-twice-told-Aston-Villa-chairman-Randy-Lerner-to-sack-him.html).
I don't see how they got this information unless it was leaked from PL's camp and if that is the case, we can expect more.
No wonder GK has got the vapours.
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Surely Krulak is just defending Lerner against accusations that the lack of investment is some kind of mitigation of Lambert's poor performance. And that defence has some basis - we were better funded than some of our rivals, and displaying an almost complete lack of tactical nous, coaching skills or motivational ability has very little to do with the funding available anyway.
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The General's making a false narrative about Foxy's false narrative and it's worse than the original false narrative, I think.
I think yours if a false narrative to be honest!
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I had no idea Krulak was still a director.
Since it appears he is, then he is just Randy's mouthpiece.
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I had no idea Krulak was still a director.
Since it appears he is, then he is just Randy's mouthpiece.
Knowing him, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Randy knew nothing about this.
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While I might not agree with the General coming out in the media, I also am completely against Paul Lambert coming out with his post dismissal bollocks given how much support he was given by the club. He could have been fired ages ago and the club and particularly the owner stood by him. He's coming across as an ungrateful prick. "Asked to be fired twice". Give me a fucking break.
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Personal insults at the General aside, isn't what he says the general consensus on here? Any comments that redress the balance from the real ''false-narrative'' that Lambert will be happy to propagate - (I had no money to spend, what did anyone expect?) is fine by me.
His comment on net-spend seems a bit iffy mind.
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For everyone reading that statement and bitching about it, reread it but pretend it was written by someone else (taylor, little, mortimer, etc) and see if you're still so keen to be angry about it. There's nothing in that which many people haven't said before, namely we spent enough, and have a good enough squad, to not be in a relegation battle for the 3rd year running and the football we've been playing has been eye-wateringly shit.
I swear some just see statements from Lerner and Krulak and start complaining without even reading them.
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Dismissals are always like Smashy & Nicey running down the corridor to shout "We resigned" before the controller can shout "They're sacked."
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While I might not agree with the General coming out in the media, I also am completely against Paul Lambert coming out with his post dismissal bollocks given how much support he was given by the club. He could have been fired ages ago and the club and particularly the owner stood by him. He's coming across as an ungrateful prick. "Asked to be fired twice". Give me a fucking break.
I agree Toronto completely. The classy thing to do when anyone leaves any job is to just say nothing. Recriminations never do anyone any good and just look very petty and nasty
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For everyone reading that statement and bitching about it, reread it but pretend it was written by someone else (taylor, little, mortimer, etc) and see if you're still so keen to be angry about it. There's nothing in that which many people haven't said before, namely we spent enough, and have a good enough squad, to not be in a relegation battle for the 3rd year running and the football we've been playing has been eye-wateringly shit.
I swear some just see statements from Lerner and Krulak and start complaining without even reading them.
For me it's not what's been said, it's the fact that he's coming out of the woodwork after all this time. The way he just upped sticks from all message boards without even a hint of a goodbye or reason for leaving and is now sticking his oar in again rankles, for me at least.
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My newspaper has an article about PL which states that 'Paul Lambert told Aston Villa chairman Randy Lerner to sack him twice this season before he was finally dismissed on Wednesday by telephone.' If he felt that strongly that he wasn't doing a good job why didn't he resign?
I can think of a couple of million reasons......
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I don't begrudge Lambert attempting a bit of career damage-limitation. It certainly doesn't make him “an ungrateful prick” in my eyes. What should he do, come out and say ”yeah, I was shit and deserved everything I got”? As for the General, he just epitomises everything that’s bad about the board’s communication to the fans under Lerner.
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My newspaper has an article about PL which states that 'Paul Lambert told Aston Villa chairman Randy Lerner to sack him twice this season before he was finally dismissed on Wednesday by telephone.' If he felt that strongly that he wasn't doing a good job why didn't he resign?
I can think of a couple of million reasons......
I read it as though it was more of a "back me or sack me" ultimatum.
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'Net spend'! I'm reading that as money spent minus money brought in from sale of players - we didn't have anyone left to sell!! Of course Lambert had a larger 'net spend'.
Krulak is misleading IMO.
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Agree with Ger. He was here to keep us on message before and has no need for any input. He feels that he needs to defend his mate's boy and has done so valiantly. Well Mr Krulak was part of the problem once and I certainly don't welcome someone crawling out of the woodwork and raising their heads above the parapet now. just as we're trying to attract the right person to take us through to the end of the season we don't need Krulak and his nonsense.
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While I might not agree with the General coming out in the media, I also am completely against Paul Lambert coming out with his post dismissal bollocks given how much support he was given by the club. He could have been fired ages ago and the club and particularly the owner stood by him. He's coming across as an ungrateful prick. "Asked to be fired twice". Give me a fucking break.
Yeah the asked to be fired twice thing is ridiculous. If you hate stuff that much just quit or don't sign a new contract.
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Krulak is the biggest bullshit artist to grave Villa Park.
We're not dead and buried just yet.
My finger slipped .. he's used that excuse as well
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While I might not agree with the General coming out in the media, I also am completely against Paul Lambert coming out with his post dismissal bollocks given how much support he was given by the club. He could have been fired ages ago and the club and particularly the owner stood by him. He's coming across as an ungrateful prick. "Asked to be fired twice". Give me a fucking break.
Yeah the asked to be fired twice thing is ridiculous. If you hate stuff that much just quit or don't sign a new contract.
I've only read the Telegraph article but, unless I've missed something, I haven't seen Lambert directly quoted that he asked to be sacked twice. Telegraph Sport "learning something", and Lambert actually saying it 2 days after being sacked are two completely different things.
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For everyone reading that statement and bitching about it, reread it but pretend it was written by someone else (taylor, little, mortimer, etc) and see if you're still so keen to be angry about it. There's nothing in that which many people haven't said before, namely we spent enough, and have a good enough squad, to not be in a relegation battle for the 3rd year running and the football we've been playing has been eye-wateringly shit.
I swear some just see statements from Lerner and Krulak and start complaining without even reading them.
For me the issue is not what he said, but from the supposed source and the timing.
I think that it's pretty rich coming from him of all people, considering the silence from the "Semper Fidelis"quarter during the last few years tribulations
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It's just opportunist self promotion by Krulak. He's a joke.
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Self promotion? Now that's a joke.
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Sorry General I thought you had more about about you than this.You have made yourself look like a bit of a tool.
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He's not liked seeing his friend get blamed and he's defended him. It's understandable though it would have been best left unsaid. It's generally acknowledged that though money has been tight, we should have still done a lot better than what we have been doing.
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He's not liked seeing his friend get blamed and he's defended him. It's understandable though it would have been best left unsaid. It's generally acknowledged that though money has been tight, we should have still done a lot better than what we have been doing.
About time his friend grew a pair then.
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So what has the General said that hasn't already been said by loads of people on here. When Jose Mourinho said something similar not many disagreed with him.
Just take your blinkers off and read his comments properly and you'll notice the same
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It's just opportunist self promotion by Krulak. He's a joke.
As the ironymeter goes up another level.
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So what has the General said that hasn't already been said by loads of people on here. When Jose Mourinho said something similar not many disagreed with him.
Just take your blinkers off and read his comments properly and you'll notice the same
There's a lot to be said for a dignified silence.
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Does seem a bit unnecessary on Krulak's part. Maybe the reason he has come forward and said this was because they are worried that now Lambert has said this after Mcleish made similiar comments, propspective managers may be put off?
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So what has the General said that hasn't already been said by loads of people on here. When Jose Mourinho said something similar not many disagreed with him.
Just take your blinkers off and read his comments properly and you'll notice the same
There's a lot to be said for a dignified silence.
Oh so silence is dignified for the purpose of this argument, so it's stay silent when they talk and start talking when they don't. People here need to make their mind up and stick with it FFS either you want them to talk or you don't.
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So what has the General said that hasn't already been said by loads of people on here. When Jose Mourinho said something similar not many disagreed with him.
Just take your blinkers off and read his comments properly and you'll notice the same
There's a lot to be said for a dignified silence.
Oh so silence is dignified for the purpose of this argument, so it's stay silent when they talk and start talking when they don't. People here need to make their mind up and stick with it FFS either you want them to talk or you don't.
I think the point is that we want the board to communicate with the supporters pro-actively and consistently. Not squabble with our recently dismissed manager through the back-pages of The Sun. I trust you can see the difference there?
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So what has the General said that hasn't already been said by loads of people on here. When Jose Mourinho said something similar not many disagreed with him.
Just take your blinkers off and read his comments properly and you'll notice the same
There's a lot to be said for a dignified silence.
Oh so silence is dignified for the purpose of this argument, so it's stay silent when they talk and start talking when they don't. People here need to make their mind up and stick with it FFS either you want them to talk or you don't.
Yep, in this instance, silence would be the dignified route. Why air the club's dirty laundry in public? Hopefully this is just The Sun printing nonsense.
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He's always been a loose cannon. We loved the 'pigs in mud' quote and this is much the same. Most of this is down to the sun stirring it.
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I didnt know General Krooklok was still bumbling about.I guess he was doing something to justify his directors salary. Not that Randolph would notice.
I used to smile at the soap opera that was the managerial /ownership spectacle at Newcastle. I wonder if other supporters now look at us in the same way.
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I didnt know General Krooklok was still bumbling about.I guess he was doing something to justify his directors salary. Not that Randolph would notice.
I used to smile at the soap opera that was the managerial /ownership spectacle at Newcastle. I wonder if other supporters now look at us in the same way.
That was funny. Well done.
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I didnt know General Krooklok was still bumbling about.I guess he was doing something to justify his directors salary. Not that Randolph would notice.
I used to smile at the soap opera that was the managerial /ownership spectacle at Newcastle. I wonder if other supporters now look at us in the same way.
I couldn't give a toss what the supporters of other clubs think of us. They are not the chosen ones like us.
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For everyone reading that statement and bitching about it, reread it but pretend it was written by someone else (taylor, little, mortimer, etc) and see if you're still so keen to be angry about it. There's nothing in that which many people haven't said before, namely we spent enough, and have a good enough squad, to not be in a relegation battle for the 3rd year running and the football we've been playing has been eye-wateringly shit.
I swear some just see statements from Lerner and Krulak and start complaining without even reading them.
For me it's not what's been said, it's the fact that he's coming out of the woodwork after all this time. The way he just upped sticks from all message boards without even a hint of a goodbye or reason for leaving and is now sticking his oar in again rankles, for me at least.
Agreed, Id prefer if Krulak's name was never mentioned in association with the club again.
No surprise to see his former cheerleaders defending him mind you
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For everyone reading that statement and bitching about it, reread it but pretend it was written by someone else (taylor, little, mortimer, etc) and see if you're still so keen to be angry about it. There's nothing in that which many people haven't said before, namely we spent enough, and have a good enough squad, to not be in a relegation battle for the 3rd year running and the football we've been playing has been eye-wateringly shit.
I swear some just see statements from Lerner and Krulak and start complaining without even reading them.
For me it's not what's been said, it's the fact that he's coming out of the woodwork after all this time. The way he just upped sticks from all message boards without even a hint of a goodbye or reason for leaving and is now sticking his oar in again rankles, for me at least.
Agreed, Id prefer if Krulak's name was never mentioned in association with the club again.
No surprise to see his former cheerleaders defending him mind you
Even less of a surprise to see people who never said a word to him when he was on here queuing up to slag him.
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For everyone reading that statement and bitching about it, reread it but pretend it was written by someone else (taylor, little, mortimer, etc) and see if you're still so keen to be angry about it. There's nothing in that which many people haven't said before, namely we spent enough, and have a good enough squad, to not be in a relegation battle for the 3rd year running and the football we've been playing has been eye-wateringly shit.
I swear some just see statements from Lerner and Krulak and start complaining without even reading them.
For me it's not what's been said, it's the fact that he's coming out of the woodwork after all this time. The way he just upped sticks from all message boards without even a hint of a goodbye or reason for leaving and is now sticking his oar in again rankles, for me at least.
Agreed, Id prefer if Krulak's name was never mentioned in association with the club again.
No surprise to see his former cheerleaders defending him mind you
Even less of a surprise to see people who never said a word to him when he was on here queuing up to slag him.
So? What's the issue. People may just want to release some steam that krulack has stuck his oar in when it's not wanted. On a forum surely that's more than welcome? Yes Pig in Mud quote was funny - when it looked like he and the owner gave a shit and were here to help, plus who it was aimed at. if Savage had have said the same he'd been roundly applauded and triumphed for such words even though to most he's a dick of the highest order. It's the ignoring that hurts. Why dump us and then still comment from afar? It adds nothing.
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He always was a loose cannon and comment away, but don't get upset when double standards are pointed out.
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For everyone reading that statement and bitching about it, reread it but pretend it was written by someone else (taylor, little, mortimer, etc) and see if you're still so keen to be angry about it. There's nothing in that which many people haven't said before, namely we spent enough, and have a good enough squad, to not be in a relegation battle for the 3rd year running and the football we've been playing has been eye-wateringly shit.
I swear some just see statements from Lerner and Krulak and start complaining without even reading them.
For me it's not what's been said, it's the fact that he's coming out of the woodwork after all this time. The way he just upped sticks from all message boards without even a hint of a goodbye or reason for leaving and is now sticking his oar in again rankles, for me at least.
Agreed, Id prefer if Krulak's name was never mentioned in association with the club again.
No surprise to see his former cheerleaders defending him mind you
count me in as one of his cheerleaders, and I really couldn't care less what you think of me for that
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So Krulak has come out from under his rock to slag off Lambert, Krulak soon disappeared when Randy stopped investing as much in the team after the first 2-3 years.
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For everyone reading that statement and bitching about it, reread it but pretend it was written by someone else (taylor, little, mortimer, etc) and see if you're still so keen to be angry about it. There's nothing in that which many people haven't said before, namely we spent enough, and have a good enough squad, to not be in a relegation battle for the 3rd year running and the football we've been playing has been eye-wateringly shit.
I swear some just see statements from Lerner and Krulak and start complaining without even reading them.
For me it's not what's been said, it's the fact that he's coming out of the woodwork after all this time. The way he just upped sticks from all message boards without even a hint of a goodbye or reason for leaving and is now sticking his oar in again rankles, for me at least.
Agreed, Id prefer if Krulak's name was never mentioned in association with the club again.
No surprise to see his former cheerleaders defending him mind you
Even less of a surprise to see people who never said a word to him when he was on here queuing up to slag him.
(http://ebbetsphoto-graphics.com/root/EbbetsPhoto-Graphics/iphoto/photos/images1/prvSPORTS.%20FISHING%20(15-007LR)%20Joe%20Brooks%20with%20leaping%20fish%20on%20line.jpg)
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For everyone reading that statement and bitching about it, reread it but pretend it was written by someone else (taylor, little, mortimer, etc) and see if you're still so keen to be angry about it. There's nothing in that which many people haven't said before, namely we spent enough, and have a good enough squad, to not be in a relegation battle for the 3rd year running and the football we've been playing has been eye-wateringly shit.
I swear some just see statements from Lerner and Krulak and start complaining without even reading them.
For me it's not what's been said, it's the fact that he's coming out of the woodwork after all this time. The way he just upped sticks from all message boards without even a hint of a goodbye or reason for leaving and is now sticking his oar in again rankles, for me at least.
Agreed, Id prefer if Krulak's name was never mentioned in association with the club again.
No surprise to see his former cheerleaders defending him mind you
Even less of a surprise to see people who never said a word to him when he was on here queuing up to slag him.
(http://ebbetsphoto-graphics.com/root/EbbetsPhoto-Graphics/iphoto/photos/images1/prvSPORTS.%20FISHING%20(15-007LR)%20Joe%20Brooks%20with%20leaping%20fish%20on%20line.jpg)
*Slams door shut and goes downstairs*
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For everyone reading that statement and bitching about it, reread it but pretend it was written by someone else (taylor, little, mortimer, etc) and see if you're still so keen to be angry about it. There's nothing in that which many people haven't said before, namely we spent enough, and have a good enough squad, to not be in a relegation battle for the 3rd year running and the football we've been playing has been eye-wateringly shit.
I swear some just see statements from Lerner and Krulak and start complaining without even reading them.
For me it's not what's been said, it's the fact that he's coming out of the woodwork after all this time. The way he just upped sticks from all message boards without even a hint of a goodbye or reason for leaving and is now sticking his oar in again rankles, for me at least.
Agreed, Id prefer if Krulak's name was never mentioned in association with the club again.
No surprise to see his former cheerleaders defending him mind you
Even less of a surprise to see people who never said a word to him when he was on here queuing up to slag him.
(http://ebbetsphoto-graphics.com/root/EbbetsPhoto-Graphics/iphoto/photos/images1/prvSPORTS.%20FISHING%20(15-007LR)%20Joe%20Brooks%20with%20leaping%20fish%20on%20line.jpg)
Perhaps you'd care to explain?
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So what has the General said that hasn't already been said by loads of people on here. When Jose Mourinho said something similar not many disagreed with him.
Just take your blinkers off and read his comments properly and you'll notice the same
There's a lot to be said for a dignified silence.
Oh so silence is dignified for the purpose of this argument, so it's stay silent when they talk and start talking when they don't. People here need to make their mind up and stick with it FFS either you want them to talk or you don't.
I think the point is that we want the board to communicate with the supporters pro-actively and consistently. Not squabble with our recently dismissed manager through the back-pages of The Sun. I trust you can see the difference there?
Spot on, Billy and Russell. When did the stupid, gobby, yank last come to Birmingham anyway? That's Birmingham, England, not Birmingham, Alabama.
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For everyone reading that statement and bitching about it, reread it but pretend it was written by someone else (taylor, little, mortimer, etc) and see if you're still so keen to be angry about it. There's nothing in that which many people haven't said before, namely we spent enough, and have a good enough squad, to not be in a relegation battle for the 3rd year running and the football we've been playing has been eye-wateringly shit.
I swear some just see statements from Lerner and Krulak and start complaining without even reading them.
For me it's not what's been said, it's the fact that he's coming out of the woodwork after all this time. The way he just upped sticks from all message boards without even a hint of a goodbye or reason for leaving and is now sticking his oar in again rankles, for me at least.
I agree.
I thought it was an interesting and (so far as I could tell) well meaning attempt to engage with us, and I enjoyed his attempt to care about the cold pies and the thousand other annoyances he both invited and avoided. I loved the contrast at the time between him and the Porno Dwarves down the road.
But he demanded respect which made the manner of his disengagement even shoddier, and if he's given a quote to that rag then more fool him.
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The General is right of course when he insists that Mr Lambert was given money to spend: somewhere around £10m during the last two transfer windows. Most of our Premiership rivals would think that kind of level of expenditure unimaginable.
As to the General's suggestion that his employer's team was not 'fun to watch'. Don't watch. You won't be lonely
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It may be true or not but there is need for it.
Nobody can hold there head up high these last four years can they. Upstairs, The GenerL included need to put there efforts into making it sound and clear for the next man.
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If verbatim it's an absolutely ridiculous statement and the timing is awful. I believe Lamberts statement more than this hogwash and therefore it was quite clear there was a remit to spend less on players and wages. Amazing how they are all popping out of the woodwork after saying virtually fcuk all for years.
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I thought the general had left the club
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I'm contacting Nichola Keys in the morning.
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GK can fuck off, where has he been since it all started to go tits up? He disappeared as soon as the going got tough after spouting all that army bollocks.
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The General is right of course when he insists that Mr Lambert was given money to spend: somewhere around £10m during the last two transfer windows. Most of our Premiership rivals would think that kind of level of expenditure unimaginable.
As to the General's suggestion that his employer's team was not 'fun to watch'. Don't watch. You won't be lonely
Someone posted earlier that Lambert's net spend was 8th highest in the PL.
Massively influenced by us never selling anyone, obviously.
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Sticking the boot in when he's down. Stay classy general.
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Did you say when he's down? This is a bloke who has been paid milions yet has been proven to be an abject failure. He'll now leave the club in the relegation zone with a few extra million in his arse pocket. Not only does he deserve a boot, but a fist to his willy too.
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It was in the Sun. I wonder what he really said?
The picture they used wasn't of him, anyone know who it was?
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Krulak is the biggest bullshit artist to grace Villa Park.
After his self imposed exile away from VP for the last few years, I really think that these comments (if true), are really fucking rich coming from him.
At first I thought it was a great idea that someone close to the club was coming on here an interacting with the fans but yeah after the inital hero worship and ticket requests ("ask Nicky Keye") died down and serious questions like the wage bill and O'Neill eventually leaving were dismissed with don't worry we know what we're doing and phrases like....and the subsequent way we've been run since 2010 I have to agree with you Lee.
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It's not whether Krulak's criticism of Lambert is right or wrong in its content, it is undoubtedly bad form, especially as he has been completely silent these last few years. For a club Director to pop up after so long and openly criticise the club's ex-manager via a rag like the Sun is absolutely uncalled for, when presumably as a Director he has been in a position to influence preceding events at least to some extent and should therefore bear his own portion of blame for the position the club find themselves in.
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It's not whether Krulak's criticism of Lambert is right or wrong in its content, it is undoubtedly bad form, especially as he has been completely silent these last few years. For a club Director to pop up after so long and openly criticise the club's ex-manager via a rag like the Sun is absolutely uncalled for, when presumably as a Director he has been in a position to influence preceding events at least to some extent and should therefore bear his own portion of blame for the position the club find themselves in.
I didn't even know he was still a director. I can't remember when he 'did a Benny' and went looking for a spanner but I don't associate him with the Lambert years at all. I can't believe a manager consistently over three years refuses to spend money made available to him.
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It's not whether Krulak's criticism of Lambert is right or wrong in its content, it is undoubtedly bad form, especially as he has been completely silent these last few years. For a club Director to pop up after so long and openly criticise the club's ex-manager via a rag like the Sun is absolutely uncalled for, when presumably as a Director he has been in a position to influence preceding events at least to some extent and should therefore bear his own portion of blame for the position the club find themselves in.
I didn't even know he was still a director. I can't remember when he 'did a Benny' and went looking for a spanner but I don't associate him with the Lambert years at all. I can't believe a manager consistently over three years refuses to spend money made available to him.
I didn't either. For him to heap all the club's woes on Lambert without acknowledging that others may also be to blame (mainly Lerner) says it all really.
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The Sun contacted him for his opinion and he gave one, like a few have over the last couple of days. I don't get what all the anger is about personally.
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It's not whether Krulak's criticism of Lambert is right or wrong in its content, it is undoubtedly bad form, especially as he has been completely silent these last few years. For a club Director to pop up after so long and openly criticise the club's ex-manager via a rag like the Sun is absolutely uncalled for, when presumably as a Director he has been in a position to influence preceding events at least to some extent and should therefore bear his own portion of blame for the position the club find themselves in.
Spot on that.
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GK can fuck off, where has he been since it all started to go tits up? He disappeared as soon as the going got tough after spouting all that army bollocks.
Wasn't all that army stuff so tiresome and cliched. Mind you, he duped me clean and proper at the time I regretfully have to admit.
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He sees himself as Randy's surrogate dad I think. He was a cheerleader and the club probably rolled their eyes at much of what he used to say. He was the most inspirational and motivational person I have ever met though. I've not met too many former Joint Cheifs and ex-Commanders of he USMC granted.
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He sees himself as Randy's surrogate dad I think. He was a cheerleader and the club probably rolled their eyes at much of what he used to say. He was the most inspirational and motivational person I have ever met though. I've not met too many former Joint Cheifs and ex-Commanders of he USMC granted.
Take out "I think" and "probably" and I'd agree with every word.
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So what has the General said that hasn't already been said by loads of people on here. When Jose Mourinho said something similar not many disagreed with him.
Just take your blinkers off and read his comments properly and you'll notice the same
There's a lot to be said for a dignified silence.
Oh so silence is dignified for the purpose of this argument, so it's stay silent when they talk and start talking when they don't. People here need to make their mind up and stick with it FFS either you want them to talk or you don't.
I think the point is that we want the board to communicate with the supporters pro-actively and consistently. Not squabble with our recently dismissed manager through the back-pages of The Sun. I trust you can see the difference there?
Spot on, Billy and Russell. When did the stupid, gobby, yank last come to Birmingham anyway? That's Birmingham, England, not Birmingham, Alabama.
Keep your blinkers on then I don't care, if you want to sit there and agree with someone then the moment someone who you don't like say the same thing you choose to disagree that's fine but it makes you look like a fool.
I'm not surprised the General and Lerner don't speak because the moment they do they get abuse regardless of what it is they are saying, so them saying nothing is understandable was speaking is a pointless was of time.
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Did you say when he's down? This is a bloke who has been paid milions yet has been proven to be an abject failure. He'll now leave the club in the relegation zone with a few extra million in his arse pocket. Not only does he deserve a boot, but a fist to his willy too.
Couldn't agree more, I said after the arsenal match that I wanted Lambert sacked and humiliated in the same way as we have been whilst he was our manager. So long may the kicking go on.
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GK can fuck off, where has he been since it all started to go tits up? He disappeared as soon as the going got tough after spouting all that army bollocks.
Wasn't all that army stuff so tiresome and cliched. Mind you, he duped me clean and proper at the time I regretfully have to admit.
This. Ran for the hills when it got tough-didn't like answering straight questions, but probably a bloke to have a beer with and pretend he's one of the troops.
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He's an old man defending his chum. It's frustrating after he just disappeared before, however, hardly surprising that he's back.
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He's an old man defending his chum. It's frustrating after he just disappeared before, however, hardly surprising that he's back.
It's disappointing that he even needed to do it. Lambert didn't come out with the bullshit that he did as a parting shot at the club and owner. Never before has a football manager been given as much rope as Lambert was considering how utterly abysmal his record was.
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He's an old man defending his chum. It's frustrating after he just disappeared before, however, hardly surprising that he's back.
It's disappointing that he even needed to do it. Lambert didn't come out with the bullshit that he did as a parting shot at the club and owner. Never before has a football manager been given as much rope as Lambert was considering how utterly abysmal his record was.
Randy gave him all that rope.
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He's an old man defending his chum. It's frustrating after he just disappeared before, however, hardly surprising that he's back.
It's disappointing that he even needed to do it. Lambert didn't come out with the bullshit that he did as a parting shot at the club and owner. Never before has a football manager been given as much rope as Lambert was considering how utterly abysmal his record was.
Randy gave him all that rope.
You made my point for me.
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Slightly random. I had an email from the General today wishing well.
Turns out a Colleague of mine the IT industry used to work for MBNA. They had spent plenty time with the General and Randy Learner and was asked if they wanted to a take up the CEO position. They declined but put forward their new recruit Paul Faulkner for the position.
Gneral Krulak is by all accounts everything we thought was in private as he was in public. Sincier and passionate, a proper hero, in the truest sense of the word.
For lots of reasons it’s been a rubbish day at work, but getting a note from the General was like a worm hole from another time had opened up. Proper cheered me up.
Semper Fidelis as they say.
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Thought he had passed when I saw the thread reactivate.
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Thought he had passed when I saw the thread reactivate.
gosh go back to Page 1 of this thread and you remember where we were
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I’ve got to admit that as much as was wrong with that time towards the end, the General, as much as he was and had to be loyal to Lerner was always there to answer questions until he disappeared that is. I miss him.
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He let himself in for a thankless job, and some of the grovelling on here and elsewhere was a tough read. He was just doing what he thought was best, though.
What disappointed me was the disappearance overnight. He and Lerner had pushed that "here through the thick and thin" line (referring to the whole leadership) only to disappear at the first bit of 'thin'. Even a 'goodbye' message or an acknowledgement that he wouldn't be doing it any more might have helped - it just felt a bit cliff-edge, which was really bad PR.
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He took over running a college in America which was in deeper shit than anyone had thought. That and his stomach problem (a legacy from Vietnam) meant he couldn't get here anymore and it may be that he thought the best thing was to slip away quietly. Some of the online fawning was embarrassing but the abuse he took was disgraceful.
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nunc fidelis.
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It was great PR at the time to be fair, especially when times were (relatively) good; but it's just a shame he and Randy had no real idea of how to run an English Premier League club; and didn't have the good sense to find people who could.
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I liked him always thought he was a good bloke
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I wonder what peter w is up to these days.
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What a mad time that was, pretty much 20 years ago which is scary.
Everyone just glad the Ellis era was over and up for anything and it was certainly different with Krulak coming on here and elsewhere.
I appreciated it at first although think Dave called it "Bread and Circuses" in a H&V opinion piece. Still took a free coach down to Chelsea to watch us get spanked in the league cup one midweek and the Acorns stuff was really good aswell so these were small wins before we started to improve on the pitch significantly.
I always though look at what is built after the first big managerial appointment leaves and that was a spectacular failure and took us over a decade to recover from. Plenty on here were pointing out to Krulak that they were a bit worried about MON ruling everything behind the scenes but "don't worry, everything is fine" in Iraqi spokesman manner was what we got back.
I presume the proper backlash started when he was trying to justify the McLeish appointment by saying we'd actually give him a huge budget and he disappeared then as having to find creative reasons to say how we would improve in Lambert's time would've been beyond even the General.
How old is he now, in his 80s? Randy is 60 odd now I think.
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Krulak 83, Lerner 63.
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What a mad time that was, pretty much 20 years ago which is scary.
(https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExdnRkODY2bXAzMW4zN3pwbmZ6dWx0ODZlZnpzM3kzcjJsY3dyeTlyeiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/14wHfdoQlF4p3i/giphy.gif)
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Is he Pelty ?
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I quite liked him, but he was very blind in response when I challenged him on some disability access issues. Not quite dismissive, but unwilling to concede he really didn't know much about it.
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Is he Pelty ?
No
I think the first home game, with Lerner in charge and MON on the line, was as optimistic as I've been. Nice while it lasted.
I found the begging for free tickets from Mr General Sir, more nausiating than the fawning but, a lot of water under the bridge. I enjoyed reading his answers and he seemed a decent, honourable man. I wonder if Nicky Keye felt the same?
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I found the begging for free tickets from Mr General Sir, more nausiating than the fawning but, a lot of water under the bridge. I enjoyed reading his answers and he seemed a decent, honourable man. I wonder if Nicky Keye felt the same?
She is Exec Director at West Ham Women now. But I also did wonder when she picked up the phone and heard, "On the forum the other day, the General posted........."
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I'm not sure we should be giving posters' details out unless they have expressed their consent.
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I'm not sure we should be giving posters' details out unless they have expressed their consent.
Good point
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I really liked the idea of having someone like him posting on the forums and the ability to get a little insight into what was happening at the club. I didn't like that we had outliers on either end (not so much on here to be fair) who either took it as permission to beg or just post abuse.
It felt to me like the sort of thing that loads of companies now use twitter/bluesky for, which is some cheap marketing of making people feel involved without actually giving much away.
I think it was a shame he left how he did and it would've been better to either get a replacement or at least a big final post. Leaving as he did just as things on the pitch started to go wrong felt too much like the club running away from the fans when I dont think that was really what happened.
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I’ve got to admit that as much as was wrong with that time towards the end, the General, as much as he was and had to be loyal to Lerner was always there to answer questions until he disappeared that is. I miss him.
Agree with that Bren. I'd have loved to see him kicking Heck's lazy arse around Villa Park showing him how poor the facilities were, I reckon it would make a great cartoon or TV series, very Bilko meets An Officer and a Gentleman.
Oh and I'm glad Pelty stayed along for the ride.
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Oh and I'm glad Pelty stayed along for the ride.
Yeah, it's a nice end to the story.
He's learned that you don't choose Villa, Villa chooses you.
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If nothing else it was proof of why officers don't enter the sergeant's mess.
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If nothing else it was proof of why officers don't enter the sergeant's mess.
(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/12/06/02/2F19372700000578-0-image-a-29_1449367657178.jpg)
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I'm not sure we should be giving posters' details out unless they have expressed their consent.
What details?
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They've gone now.
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They've gone now.
Ah, I thought I was being more stupid than normal!
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The only question is, “would Krulak as a General take orders from Orange Agolf Shitler?”
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The only question is, “would Krulak as a General take orders from Orange Agolf Shitler?”
I'd certainly love to hear his opinion on President Tiny Hands though i imagine for the first time in his life he may be lost for words - at least publicly.
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My main memories are him turning up for a drink with us at The Barton's after we beat Blues, & also seeing him in the Holte End the day we beat Liverpool & Blues went down & him saying that them getting relegated pretty much saved the season from being a complete write off!
He definitely understood that rivalry!
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The only question is, “would Krulak as a General take orders from Orange Agolf Shitler?”
I'd certainly love to hear his opinion on President Tiny Hands though i imagine for the first time in his life he may be lost for words - at least publicly.
I think his loyalty to his president would override all other concerns; he was a very-well connected man. *NAMEDROP ALERT!* When I was on the phone to.him one day he said. "Could you hold on please, I have Ross Perot on the other line."