Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Tuscans on May 12, 2025, 11:39:17 PM
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🚨 Francesco Calvo has resigned from his position as Managing Director of Revenue & Football Development at Juventus — he’s set to join Aston Villa.
@cmdotcom
"Francesco Calvo studied Business Administration at Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi and obtained a Master in Strategic Marketing in 2002 at the Profingest Management School.
He began his professional career in 2004 at Philip Morris International, holding roles of increasing responsibility until 2011 when he was promoted to the position of Director Event Marketing.
In October 2011 he entered the world of football as Commercial Director of Juventus FC S.p.A., where in 2014 he was promoted to Chief Revenue Officer.
From 2015 to 2018 he held the position as Chief Revenue Officer at FC Barcelona, until he joined AS Roma first as Chief Revenue Officer and then Chief Operating Officer.
He returned to Juventus on April 1, 2022 as Chief of Staff, a role he held until 22 January 2023 when he was appointed Chief Football Officer, reporting to the Chief Executive Officer. Currently, he holds the position of Managing Director Revenue & Football Development."
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Is he the new Chris Heck?
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Francesco Calvo (Juventus director): "Sometimes, I wish we were based in Milan rather than Turin. It gives you more commercial opportunities. But there are already 2 clubs and that wouldn't be convenient for us. We are still proud to represent Turin in Italy and in the world though."
Hmmm
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https://leadersinsport.com/sport-business/videos/5-minutes-leaders-francesco-calvo-fc-barcelona/
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FC Barcelona’s Chief Revenue Officer explains the Barca brand secrets, reveals the club’s target growth territories and how the club promotes its most valuable assets.
Francesco Calvo is FC Barcelona’s Chief Revenue Officer, responsible for the operations, sales, marketing and revenue management of the club. Having previously worked as Commercial Director and Chief Revenue Officer at Juventus FC, Calvo worked for many years at the Italian club where he gathered in-depth knowledge of the football business, the generation of income and sponsorship deals. Calvo was put in charge of Juventus’ commercial plans and strategies, generation of income, financial sustainability, licenses and the implementation and development of new digital platforms. Calvo has also held managerial positions at Philip Morris International and Marlboro Motorsports Global Communication, and his representation of these companies led to his involvement in the business side of Formula One and Moto GP.
Interviewed backstage at the Leaders Sport Business Summit in New York in March, Calvo discusses why the FC Barcelona brand is so unique, reveals the club’s target growth territories and what FC Barcelona is doing to cultivate those fanbases, delves into the strategy for promoting the club’s most valuable assets, and addresses the rumours about Gerard Pique having set up the club’s sponsorship deal with Rakuten.
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Formula One, Juventus AND big tobacco. I assume he's bringing John Terry with him.
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Solid name, sounds like he's a theologian from the Reformation. Wonder how he'll get on with Monchi.
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Solid name, sounds like he's a theologian from the Reformation. Wonder how he'll get on with Monchi.
They'd have been at Roma at the same time.
FWIW when i saw his name, i thought "wasn't that 'God's Banker' who they found swinging under Blackfriars Bridge?"
My second thought was "No".
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Solid name, sounds like he's a theologian from the Reformation. Wonder how he'll get on with Monchi.
Think they were at Roma for a year
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Solid name, sounds like he's a theologian from the Reformation. Wonder how he'll get on with Monchi.
Think they were at Roma for a year
It was a reference to Monchi's recent lecture on faith, rather than any serious concerns about them working together.
https://islapasion.net/monchi-ensalza-una-madruga-infinita-junto-a-jesus-nazareno-y-la-virgen-de-los-dolores/
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Can he bring the Doug with him?
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Is he the new Chris Heck?
Absolutely no idea. Reads like his previous role’s had a narrower remit compared to heck’s. Maybe Calvo (sponsorship deals) and the Oak Group (gigs etc) are seen as appointments that can deliver Heck’s masterplan over the next few years. In the meantime the club can find a new person responsible for imagining the ‘five year plan’ which follows.
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Solid name, sounds like he's a theologian from the Reformation. Wonder how he'll get on with Monchi.
They'd have been at Roma at the same time.
FWIW when i saw his name, i thought "wasn't that 'God's Banker' who they found swinging under Blackfriars Bridge?"
My second thought was "No".
We must have some sort of Vulcan mind meld going on because that was precisely my thought process.
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Doesn't our very own Nas sit on the main board of Juves biggest sponsor as I'm sure it was reported that relationship was instrumental in the Dougie move.
Wheels within wheels as they say
Juventus and Barcelona on your commercial cv is not to be sniffed at.
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Everything about him just howls 'stronzo'.
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I've just had to run that through Deepl. Chortle
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Me too. Very Funny.
I think you have to be one for the role.
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Well it appears as if he’s Heck’s replacement. Most weren’t fans of certain methods employed by Heck but he got us results that did improve revenue. We are still a good way short of targets that will help us avoid selling our best players every window. So hopefully Calvo can continue moving us in the right direction financially. He certainly comes with an impressive resume.
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Everything about him just howls 'stronzo'.
I notice he went to Bocconi, which tends to have a pretty tight demographic, and produces people who tend to make sure the first thing you know about them is that they went to Bocconi.
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Everything about him just howls 'stronzo'.
I notice he went to Bocconi, which tends to have a pretty tight demographic, and produces people who tend to make sure the first thing you know about them is that they went to Bocconi.
It's not funny at all that 'bocconi' is also slang for 'blow jobs'.
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Well it appears as if he’s Heck’s replacement. Most weren’t fans of certain methods employed by Heck but he got us results that did improve revenue. We are still a good way short of targets that will help us avoid selling our best players every window. So hopefully Calvo can continue moving us in the right direction financially. He certainly comes with an impressive resume.
I am sure Heck added to things like the shirt deal, the sponsorship, etc, and all those nice bars, but easily the biggest addition to the financial performance was a result of on pitch activities.
The new guy is possibly going to have to learn how to keep revenue high without the golden egg of CL football.
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Well it appears as if he’s Heck’s replacement. Most weren’t fans of certain methods employed by Heck but he got us results that did improve revenue. We are still a good way short of targets that will help us avoid selling our best players every window. So hopefully Calvo can continue moving us in the right direction financially. He certainly comes with an impressive resume.
I am sure Heck added to things like the shirt deal, the sponsorship, etc, and all those nice bars, but easily the biggest addition to the financial performance was a result of on pitch activities.
The new guy is possibly going to have to learn how to keep revenue high without the golden egg of CL football.
No doubt on the pitch success makes it easier to have commercial success. Easier to sell the “brand” to corporate entities across the globe when the team isn’t at arse end of the table every season. But we weren’t always shit as a PL club yet significantly underachieved what we could have made as a PL club since 92 for a variety of reasons. Not least a small minded former chairman who didn’t see the big picture in an uncapped era followed by the Lerner years. Heck did his part, and as long as Emery stays and we keep improving then hopefully it makes Calvo’s job a little easier. The big question we will all have is what methods will he employed to get us to the next level? I’m sure long time and loyal fans will be compromised in some regards along the way. It’s almost inevitable.
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Everything about him just howls 'stronzo'.
And baldness.
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Is he the new Chris Heck?
I think Heck will take care of pints and crisps and this chap will make money from livestock.
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Everything about him just howls 'stronzo'.
I notice he went to Bocconi, which tends to have a pretty tight demographic, and produces people who tend to make sure the first thing you know about them is that they went to Bocconi.
It's not funny at all that 'bocconi' is also slang for 'blow jobs'.
I feel my Italian is now coming on much quicker today than it has done in years.
Admittedly my Italian before was limited to "Si", "No", and "Questa zuppa e troppo piccante" (which have served me well so far), but the addition of 'stronzo' and 'bocconi' will, I'm sure, help immeasurably.
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I'm not sure I'd put the last two in a sentence together though.
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I'm not sure I'd put the last two in a sentence together though.
And there's another name struck from the list of invitees.
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I'm not sure I'd put the last two in a sentence together though.
And there's another name struck from the list of invitees.
And you know what, I thought after I'd posted it how on reflection if they were talking to you it would be de rigueur to use it in conversation.
I think I've become far more boring since getting married and having kids.
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A great deal of improvisation is possible within the basic structure of il trombone.
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Everything about him just howls 'stronzo'.
My God...he has not even got the role yet and already he is considered an asshole?
What on earth do people expect to be the candidates for a role like this - Robin Hood?
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Everything about him just howls 'stronzo'.
My God...he has not even got the role yet and already he is considered an asshole?
What on earth do people expect to be the candidates for a role like this - Robin Hood?
More than that, I can dislike people who not only haven't yet worked for Aston Villa, but even likely never will.
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If he is the candidate to take over surely we cannot condemn him before he even starts!
Is my point
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Yeah, let's extend the same welcome as we all did for Marcus Rashford!
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If he is the candidate to take over surely we cannot condemn him before he even starts!
Is my point
We were right about Steve McLaren.
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Juventus and Barcelona on your commercial cv is not to be sniffed at.
Welcome Francesco, to the greatest club you'll ever hit revenue targets for!
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I hope he does well, but the only question to which the answer is 'move to Milan' is 'what is the only way Juve could possibly be any fucking worse'. Throw in working for Big Baccy and you haven't exactly got a CV to put in front of St Peter come the moment of truth.
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Well, I look forward to calling him a ****** at some point, anyway.
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Yeah, let's extend the same welcome as we all did for Marcus Rashford!
The difference is we have all seen what Marcus Rashford was like as a player and in his own time in Vegas , Functions , writing off cars etc and we knew what a shitbag of a club he came from.
I am happy to say that after seeing him play in the flesh i was wrong to say i did not want him so feverishly (i still may not like him) and his performance for us actually made Amorim and them look even bigger knobs that they are.
Other than a few hours a go i had no idea who this fella was yet people are calling him an asshole and i do not know why?
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Welcome, Frashy!
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Other than a few hours a go i had no idea who this fella was yet people are calling him an asshole and i do not know why?
I think you might be taking things too literally.
It is football fans doing their legitimate duty and regarding everyone involved in running football as twats until proven otherwise.
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Yeah, let's extend the same welcome as we all did for Marcus Rashford!
The difference is we have all seen what Marcus Rashford was like as a player and in his own time in Vegas , Functions , writing off cars etc and we knew what a shitbag of a club he came from.
I am happy to say that after seeing him play in the flesh i was wrong to say i did not want him so feverishly (i still may not like him) and his performance for us actually made Amorim and them look even bigger knobs that they are.
Other than a few hours a go i had no idea who this fella was yet people are calling him an asshole and i do not know why?
Lots of us were pleased about Rashford coming here. Some were unsure, and some lost their shit to such an embarrassing degree anyone could have been forgiven for thinking they'd stumbled into one of Kelvin MacKenzie's cheese dreams.
Still, though, give the guy from Philip Morris the benefit of the doubt. It's a shame Bernie Madoff's carked it. He would've found a way around PSR, and he had none of that ugly 'feeding hungry children' shit on his CV. RIP Bernie.
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Is he the new Chris Heck?
I think Heck will take care of pints and crisps and this chap will make money from livestock.
First the points, then the pints ?
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I thought this was the Vatican banker found hanging under a bridge.
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I thought this was the Vatican banker found hanging under a bridge.
Third one.
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I thought this was the Vatican banker found hanging under a bridge.
Third one.
I’m lazy at reading!
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Other than a few hours a go i had no idea who this fella was yet people are calling him an asshole and i do not know why?
He'll do fine, he has small shoes to fill. I'm also encouraged by the fact that in football circles he's known as 'The Cesco Kid' (as he always hits his targets).
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Yeah but has he got a big nose?
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Yeah but has he got a big nose?
You are as funny as a genital wart ;)
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V Sports and Aston Villa Football Club (AVFC) are delighted to announce the appointment of Francesco Calvo as the Club’s new President of Business Operations, who will start at the Club in July 2025.
Francesco joins the Club from Juventus, where he has been Managing Director of Revenue and Institutional Relationships. In this role, he was responsible for all revenue streams and relationships with key institutional stakeholders in football, such as FIFA, UEFA, ECA and Serie A. Francesco has held several leadership roles over two spells with the Italian giants, as well as senior management positions at FC Barcelona and AS Roma.
Francesco Calvo said: “It is a great honour for me to join this Club at such an exciting time. Everyone in football knows the history of and passionate support for Aston Villa. In the past few years, we’ve seen this begin to be matched by success on the pitch and progress off it under the ambitious ownership of V Sports. I look forward to working with the Chairman, the Board, Unai Emery and everyone at Aston Villa to continue driving this great institution forward.”
Francesco succeeds Chris Heck, who departed the Club at the end of the 2024/2025 season.
Nassef Sawiris, Executive Chairman of Aston Villa FC commented: “We are pleased to welcome Francesco Calvo to Aston Villa. He has an outstanding track record at some of Europe’s biggest clubs and brings a huge amount of experience. Our ambition is for Aston Villa to be competing at the very top level in everything we do, both on and off the pitch. Francesco’s skills, relationships and experience will prove invaluable in making that ambition a reality.”
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Welcome Frank , sort it out. !!!
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If he is the candidate to take over surely we cannot condemn him before he even starts!
Is my point
We were right about Steve McLaren.
Even a broken watch is............
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We need to keep up with the neighbours so expect him to buy me a pint in the Troc before the first home game or he can sling it!
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Franco, sort it out! Season tickets not even on sale yet, no home shirt, we haven't even had a new badge unveiled!
Terrible, terrible.
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Franco, sort it out! Season tickets not even on sale yet, no home shirt, we haven't even had a new badge unveiled!
Terrible, terrible.
He's not even paused the North Stand redevelopment yet!!
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Tots amateur.
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Yeah but has he got a big nose?
Ha ha!
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Few thoughts via the Holy Trinity show worth a watch - https://youtu.be/seCh8ORhLjc?si=TCZ6qssaQ-mxuSH1
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Few thoughts via the Holy Trinity show worth a watch - https://youtu.be/seCh8ORhLjc?si=TCZ6qssaQ-mxuSH1
Erm that is just a 10 second video advertising Orlando City tickets.
Was this what you meant to post?
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Welcome to Aston Villa Francesco.
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The names Calvo, you can call me Frankie, capiche?
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First interview on the OS.
https://www.avfc.co.uk/video/c4e30186-6d67-4e7e-8303-a89efd72ad3c
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Francesco Calvo's first interview.
(https://img.gc.avfcservices.co.uk/fit-in/1400x1400/79d1cce0-62e9-11f0-a1cc-f1d269fa7ed9.jpg)
Francesco, welcome to Aston Villa. How have you found your first few days at the club?
“Thank you very much. I’ve found everything very exciting. I arrived here a bit in advance of when I was supposed to be here because I wanted to discover the city, to discover the club and to start getting to know the people and understanding the culture of the club. I’ve been visiting around Birmingham and the midlands, trying to understand where I’m arriving because I want to know everything properly in order to start in the right way.”
Your appointment was confirmed some time ago. What have you been learning about Aston Villa in the time that you’ve been waiting to start?
“Between my previous experience and now, I’ve had some time to study and I’ve been reading books. I’ve been trying to educate myself as much as I can about the region and about the club because I think the sooner I will be able to understand the club, its fans and the people working at the club, the better I will be able to perform.”
(https://img.gc.avfcservices.co.uk/fit-in/1400x1400/79e1d270-62e9-11f0-bf0a-f512f1da3363.jpg)
Your football CV is very impressive. You’ve been at Juventus, Roma and Barcelona – three huge clubs. How will your experiences at those giants help you here at Aston Villa?
“I think I’ve been lucky enough to work for different clubs and, as you said, big clubs. They are very different from one another. Juventus has an ownership which has lasted for more than a hundred years, with a big family in Italy, Barcelona doesn’t have any ownership other than its 155,000 members, and Roma had foreign owners, so I think I will try to take the best out of each club and try to adapt my knowledge to Aston Villa.”
You worked with Monchi in the past at Roma. Will already knowing each other help the relationship between the football side and the business side?
“I worked with Monchi for a short stint at Roma and we enjoyed working together a lot. I think that there isn’t a leading department at the club – we need to work together, helping one another. It’s very important that we work as one club because Aston Villa is more important than any of us. How Aston Villa has been developing on and off the pitch, on the pitch under the leadership of Unai, Monchi and Damian, what has been achieved so far is quite unbelievable given the short amount of time. My focus will be to support the three of them and support the football department of Aston Villa in order to make it an even more successful club.”
(https://img.gc.avfcservices.co.uk/fit-in/1400x1400/7a2d8170-62e9-11f0-a1cc-f1d269fa7ed9.jpg)
What conversations have you had with the owners so far?
“The owners have a very clear ambition to build the club every day, to make the club sustainable and lasting for the long-term. It’s admirable how determined they are to improve the club every day. That’s what I’ve been asked to do and what I will try to do every single day.”
What sort of leader are you? How would you describe the way you lead?
“That’s an interesting question. I can tell you the way I see myself and then we will have to double-check with the staff and the fans in a year’s time. I try to be open and transparent because I think that’s key to working properly with people. It’s not going to be a one-man show with me – I’m a director of an orchestra. My ultimate responsibility is to put everybody in the best possible position to deliver. I will try to support the others and dialogue, for me, will be extremely important.”
(https://img.gc.avfcservices.co.uk/fit-in/1400x1400/7a6d4990-62e9-11f0-a1cc-f1d269fa7ed9.jpg)
You’ve mentioned the supporters a few times. How important is your relationship with them, particularly when there's going to be all sorts of decisions to be taken?
“I know very well that in English football, the clubs are deeply connected with their communities and with their fans. That’s extremely important for me, for all the club and also for the owners – they’re fully aware of that. An open and transparent approach, for me, will be key, and I know very well what the fans represent to the club and what the club represents to them. We’ll do our best to develop the club and to build a strong and further relationship with the fans. I know, probably, we will not always agree or they will not always agree with us, but if we’re able to explain and be open, transparent and explain our decisions, that will be very useful to build a long-lasting relationship with them.”
You have a huge portfolio of things to do on your desk already, but what are you looking forward to most about working at Aston Villa?
“Like everybody working in football, we have a lot of tasks to do and it’s not easy to define the priorities. At the moment, in the short-term, I’m very excited and very determined to understand the club, the people and the fans. That’s important for me because understanding them will allow me to set up the priorities and understand what the club needs from me and where I can add value.”
(https://img.gc.avfcservices.co.uk/fit-in/1400x1400/7be48040-62e9-11f0-a1cc-f1d269fa7ed9.jpg)
We’ve touched on what’s going to happen straight away, getting familiar with the club, but what are the longer-term goals during your time here?
“The longer-term goal is to make the club successful 360 degrees. On the pitch, we have the right people to make it successful. Off the pitch, for me, is building on the foundations of the club and the hard work that has been done over the past seven years. The club has been growing a lot and now it’s about consolidating and optimising everything on the job in order to build something which is sustainable and solid for the long-term.”
As a football fan yourself, how much are you looking forward to the new season getting underway?
“I’m really looking forward to it. It seems like yesterday that the last season was over. The new season will start very soon, and I’ve heard amazing things about the atmosphere at Villa Park. Many people have told me that it’s probably the best atmosphere in European football, created by the fans in the stadium. I’m really looking forward to experiencing it myself.”
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First interview on the OS.
https://www.avfc.co.uk/video/c4e30186-6d67-4e7e-8303-a89efd72ad3c
Cheers mate. Added the text version also for those who want to read it. Good interview.
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First interview on the OS.
https://www.avfc.co.uk/video/c4e30186-6d67-4e7e-8303-a89efd72ad3c
Cheers mate. Added the text version also for those who want to read it. Good interview.
👍🏼
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Many people have told me that it’s probably the best atmosphere in European football, created by the fans in the stadium. I’m really looking forward to experiencing it myself.”
He certainly seems to know how to tickle our tummies.
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At least he wasn't blowing smoke up his own arse.
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Impressive first interview, so let’s look forward to a more communicative period than Heck’s time.
He is a proper football man, with a good pedigree.
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Did he actually say the word "stint"? If so, first ever Italian to do. Bodes well.
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Perhaps start by jettisoning this incompetence we have of selling our best players for barely half of their market value and giving Monchi and Vidagany their marching orders then....
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Perhaps start by jettisoning this incompetence we have of selling our best players for barely half of their market value and giving Monchi and Vidagany their marching orders then....
you're like a fucking broken record with the same incorrect nonsense.
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Perhaps start by jettisoning this incompetence we have of selling our best players for barely half of their market value and giving Monchi and Vidagany their marching orders then....
Is this for realsies?
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Perhaps start by jettisoning this incompetence we have of selling our best players for barely half of their market value and giving Monchi and Vidagany their marching orders then....
you're like a fucking broken record with the same incorrect nonsense.
At the very least, you'd think he'd be wary of tempting fate by using phrases like 'jettisoning this incompetence'.
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I like the fact he refers to being sustainable long term, and I hope that translates into looking after the fans a bit more.
We needed to raise ticket money to create revenue but there's a limit to what fan's can be pushed to, sustainability should be about balancing that with keeping fans on board and ensuring the next generation of fans can afford to come.
Here's hoping he's better than the last guy (and I don't think that will be hard). I like him from the very limited info I've seen so far.
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Perhaps start by jettisoning this incompetence we have of selling our best players for barely half of their market value and giving Monchi and Vidagany their marching orders then....
Why?
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In my lifetime of a Villa fan I’ve often felt we’ve been a bit crap in the transfer market. We’ve found gems, yes, but quite often we’ve not really been savvy. Often losing our best player and not replacing well. Buying old players with no sell on value. In very recent years, pre this revolution, buying new signings on huge salaries and long term contracts, especially players with very suspect attitudes.
Finally we’ve got our act together and we look professional, clever and quite wise as well as building something quite special with an alternative plan in generating money with the young player market and BC is losing his shit.
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I wonder what 'BC' stands for considering the content of their posts.
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Perhaps start by jettisoning this incompetence we have of selling our best players for barely half of their market value and giving Monchi and Vidagany their marching orders then....
Wibble
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I wonder what 'BC' stands for considering the content of their posts.
BumboClaat?
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Bumcum
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I wonder what 'BC' stands for considering the content of their posts.
Black Country if you must know..
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I wonder what 'BC' stands for considering the content of their posts.
Black Country if you must know..
I’d have gone for Big ******.
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Mods - For some reason Cash is being edited.
Edit - Not that time though. Weird
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Perhaps start by jettisoning this incompetence we have of selling our best players for barely half of their market value and giving Monchi and Vidagany their marching orders then....
Why?
Because he thinks the player who left for £70mil should have been sold for £150mil. The same player Fenerbache have just loaned and is already at the centre of controversy.
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In my lifetime of a Villa fan I’ve often felt we’ve been a bit crap in the transfer market. We’ve found gems, yes, but quite often we’ve not really been savvy. Often losing our best player and not replacing well. Buying old players with no sell on value. In very recent years, pre this revolution, buying new signings on huge salaries and long term contracts, especially players with very suspect attitudes.
Finally we’ve got our act together and we look professional, clever and quite wise as well as building something quite special with an alternative plan in generating money with the young player market and BC is shit.
FTFY