Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Rip Van We Go Again on March 08, 2012, 02:36:37 PM
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sportinglife.com
Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov claims club owner Randy Lerner is a familiar face at the training ground and has made everyone aware of his plans.
The American businessman has made weekly visits to Villa's Bodymoor Heath training complex over the past month, allowing him to be kept up to date on events.
Villa have been struggling to generate results on the field, with a five-match winless run dropping them to within eight points of the relegation zone.
Plans are, however, being drawn up for next season with manager Alex McLeish and chief executive Paul Faulkner.
Petrov claims the players are aware of the situation, with talk of cost-cutting doing the rounds, and says every member of the squad is fully behind Lerner and his methods.
"The owner has been to training quite a few times and been in a good mood," said the Bulgarian midfielder.
"He tried to give positives to all members of the club.
"At the end of the day, we have a chairman who is trying to run his books and knows what is right and wrong.
"If you have good, new players coming in, it is always a help but, if not, we just need to deal with it."
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"If you have good, new players coming in, it is always a help but, if not, we just need to deal with it."
Anyone else get the feeling we won’t be seeing many new faces in the summer?
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As with Gabby's quote, I think there is a mistake. I think Petrov was just discussing his toilet habits.
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"If you have good, new players coming in, it is always a help but, if not, we just need to deal with it."
Anyone else get the feeling we won’t be seeing many new faces in the summer?
it does sound a bit like that.
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"If you have good, new players coming in, it is always a help but, if not, we just need to deal with it."
Anyone else get the feeling we won’t be seeing many new faces in the summer?
it does sound a bit like that.
Both statements from Gabby and Petrov feel a bit forced and like they’re towing the party line.
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I was hoping otherwise but it's dawning on me that we're going absolutely nowhere while Lerner is still here. I'm not saying it's his fault as such, but when you have the captain saying things like the chairman is happy (about what?) and that they're going to 'get on with it' (admirable as that might be) it all feels very, very drab. It is almost exactly the same vibes as the last days of O Leary. Shocking really.
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'Lerner is regular at training round'
If that's the case could he put a pair of shorts on as we desperately need some squad players.
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You'd think if he was able to come over regularly as Petrov implies then he'd attend matches rather than watching the players train.
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I wish Randy would let the fan base know of the plan and the club's ambitions. A bit of clarity and a real sense of purpose might help shift a few season tickets too.
This is just the most frustrating way of going about things, using ambiguous soundbites from the players to keep us all (just about) onside. It feels to me as though we are being strung along unfortunately - but all this could be sorted with a clear, bold statement of intent from Randy. It strikes me as being a baffling way to run a club, really. There's no real sense of direction, ambition or leadership coming through from the Chairman - surely he can appreciate and see that?
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re these soundbites, I can see it from both sides.
From their side, the club need to issue stuff like this as, well, that's their job.
From our side, some of us find it a bit irritating and wish they'd just say nothing.
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"If you have good, new players coming in, it is always a help but, if not, we just need to deal with it."
Anyone else get the feeling we won’t be seeing many new faces in the summer?
Didn't Randy say he would allow a big name signing though?
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re these soundbites, I can see it from both sides.
From their side, the club need to issue stuff like this as, well, that's their job.
From our side, some of us find it a bit irritating and wish they'd just say nothing.
I'd go further: I actually think it's patronizing that the club issue these wishy-washy statements every so often just to "spin out" their message. It's like they they know what the fans are thinking, so a couple of senior players suddenly come out with these thoughts. I bet neither Gabby or Stan even read the statements, never mind wrote them.
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I wish Randy would let the fan base know of the plan and the club's ambitions. A bit of clarity and a real sense of purpose might help shift a few season tickets too.
Maybe the clubs ambitions are not the kinds of ambitions which will sell season tickets? Maybe they don't offer the kind of jam today that supporters crave? Speaking personally, and I think a lot of other supporters might be the same, I motivate myself by the thought that things will change and evolve into something better. This can exist in a vacuum but if the club are honest and remove that hope it is just so draining. Take the letter to season ticket holders in the pre-season. When I read that the hope drained out of me. You will probably sell more season tickets in a hopeful vacuum.
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"If you have good, new players coming in, it is always a help but, if not, we just need to deal with it."
Anyone else get the feeling we won’t be seeing many new faces in the summer?
Didn't Randy say he would allow a big name signing though?
Depends on what Lerner classes as a big name signing though?
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"At the end of the day, we have a chairman who is trying to run his books and knows what is right and wrong.
"If you have good, new players coming in, it is always a help but, if not, we just need to deal with it."
"Every game is difficult: the ball is round"
"You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs and our midfield is a fucking soufflé".
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I just picture Lerner now as that Texas millionaire from the Simpsons, dancing up and down on the Bodymoor heath pitch, firing a gun in the air and shouting 'YEE HA, I'M A FUCKING IDIOT.'
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Let's face it we could sign Messi and Ronaldo in June and still struggle with McLeish in charge. I'd be happy if we only spend £10 million net and replace our manager.
The worry is we will spend nothing and keep McLeish in which case we'll be relegation fodder in a season played out in front of a half empty Villa Park.
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"If you have good, new players coming in, it is always a help but, if not, we just need to deal with it."
Anyone else get the feeling we won’t be seeing many new faces in the summer?
Didn't Randy say he would allow a big name signing though?
Depends on what Lerner classes as a big name signing though?
Jan Venegoor of Hesselink
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Let's face it we could sign Messi and Ronaldo in June and still struggle with McLeish in charge. I'd be happy if we only spend £10 million net and replace our manager.
The worry is we will spend nothing and keep McLeish in which case we'll be relegation fodder in a season played out in front of a half empty Villa Park.
You waited until page two to mention the manager!
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Let's face it we could sign Messi and Ronaldo in June and still struggle with McLeish in charge. I'd be happy if we only spend £10 million net and replace our manager.
The worry is we will spend nothing and keep McLeish in which case we'll be relegation fodder in a season played out in front of a half empty Villa Park.
You waited until page two to mention the manager!
I was responding to the worries about not having much to spend and the effect on season ticket sales. For me that isn't our biggest problem right now!
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"If you have good, new players coming in, it is always a help but, if not, we just need to deal with it."
Anyone else get the feeling we won’t be seeing many new faces in the summer?
If so hello Championship.
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Depends on what Lerner classes as a big name signing though?
Jan Venegoor of Hesselink
Ha ha! Very good.
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You'd think if he was able to come over regularly as Petrov implies then he'd attend matches rather than watching the players train.
It's probably just a cardboard cut-out. A bit like those life-size police officers placed strategically at the road-side.
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Stan Petrov in sycophantic "please give me a new contract" statement shocker!
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sportinglife.com
Plans are, however, being drawn up for next season with manager Alex McLeish and chief executive Paul Faulkner.
As soon as I read that , I could just hear The omen soundtrack in my head.
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So Randy gathers all the squad together down the Bodymoor locker room....
"Right guys, big plans for the franchise next season. I know it's been tough and you must all be thinking about questioning our ambition in the press and leveraging moves away but don't worry we've got a new strategy - there'll be pay freezes and in some instances pay cuts, we're reducing the offense roster as we're selling Smash Bent as soon as his ankle heals not because we want to but Martin O'Neill has threatened to sing like a canary unless we give him another £7mill this year and I've taken a deposit already on Rookie QB Gary Gardner in return for Man City getting first dibs in the draft to offset the injured loan players bills. No new recruits are coming in except a few of the under 9's and a couple of 40 year old bosmans Glenn Roeder has identified from ESPN classics plus Alex Mcleish is going nowhere. Off the field Nicky Keye has bunged 10 people to renew their season tickets so you won't even hear the booing anymore, we're introducing a cycle to work scheme you'll need to speak to Barry Bannan for more details and finally if you want bacon butties after training you'll have to pay 5p for a sachet of sauce from today, any questions speak to Paul afterwards I've got a plane to catch, let's do this."
Petrov: "3 cheers for Mr Lerner"
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Brilliant!
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Depends on what Lerner classes as a big name signing though?
Jan Venegoor of Hesselink
Ha ha! Very good.
I could see that one, Randy will be thinking about money we could make from the name being printed on the shirts at 75p per letter!