Or moreso the money factor? Can't see what else Blackburn, Newcastle or Middlesbrough had over Brum.
The big problem was that we didn't really have anything to attract them. Never was the London factor so important.
Quote from: dave.woodhall on April 06, 2020, 11:34:07 PMThe big problem was that we didn't really have anything to attract them. Never was the London factor so important. That has definitely been a factor in the EPL years, but Ravanelli rocked-up in Middlesbrough after Euro 96 having scored a few weeks earlier for Juventus in the CL final, and there are other examples. There was maybe just a different attitude to risk and reward in B6. We'd obviously had a good season leading up to Euro 96, and Little's early signings had been largely successful. I suppose that it is at these moments though that Villa have perennially failed to push on to the next level. Whilst it's difficult to argue with the intent shown by signing Collymore, with hindsight the signings between summer 95 and autumn 98 were largely underwhelming - and even Merson and Dublin at this point were (not directly) filling holes left by departures like Milosevic and Yorke.
Little said that he bought the sort of players he wanted. Unfortunately, that's one thing Doug can't be blamed for.
Quote from: dave.woodhall on April 07, 2020, 12:35:11 AMLittle said that he bought the sort of players he wanted. Unfortunately, that's one thing Doug can't be blamed for. Fair enough. It obviously depends to a significant extent how successful things are on the pitch, but perhaps the biggest lost opportunity in the 90s was not scaling-up our commercial operations in the same way that Man U were doing. I remember hearing somewhere (so don't know how accurate it is) that Man U had opened offices in London in the early/ mid 90s and had a team who were driving sponsorship and international connections etc. At the same time Doug was concentrating on stadium redevelopment using an in-house construction manager to save a few quid. I can't help bringing it back Doug, I think it's ingrained!
Pretty sure collymore was on about 19k with us.
Quote from: dave.woodhall on April 06, 2020, 02:46:32 PMQuote from: Sexual Ealing on April 06, 2020, 02:40:44 PMWasn't he having an affair with someone who was documenting it week-by-week via Dannys Baker & Kelly?It was apparently an old one from his time at Leicester. That rings a bell. The old dog (him, not her!)
Quote from: Sexual Ealing on April 06, 2020, 02:40:44 PMWasn't he having an affair with someone who was documenting it week-by-week via Dannys Baker & Kelly?It was apparently an old one from his time at Leicester.
Wasn't he having an affair with someone who was documenting it week-by-week via Dannys Baker & Kelly?
Quote from: FatSam on April 07, 2020, 12:31:35 AMQuote from: dave.woodhall on April 06, 2020, 11:34:07 PMThe big problem was that we didn't really have anything to attract them. Never was the London factor so important. That has definitely been a factor in the EPL years, but Ravanelli rocked-up in Middlesbrough after Euro 96 having scored a few weeks earlier for Juventus in the CL final, and there are other examples. There was maybe just a different attitude to risk and reward in B6. We'd obviously had a good season leading up to Euro 96, and Little's early signings had been largely successful. I suppose that it is at these moments though that Villa have perennially failed to push on to the next level. Whilst it's difficult to argue with the intent shown by signing Collymore, with hindsight the signings between summer 95 and autumn 98 were largely underwhelming - and even Merson and Dublin at this point were (not directly) filling holes left by departures like Milosevic and Yorke. Little said that he bought the sort of players he wanted. Unfortunately, that's one thing Doug can't be blamed for.
Quote from: dave.woodhall on April 07, 2020, 12:35:11 AMQuote from: FatSam on April 07, 2020, 12:31:35 AMQuote from: dave.woodhall on April 06, 2020, 11:34:07 PMThe big problem was that we didn't really have anything to attract them. Never was the London factor so important. That has definitely been a factor in the EPL years, but Ravanelli rocked-up in Middlesbrough after Euro 96 having scored a few weeks earlier for Juventus in the CL final, and there are other examples. There was maybe just a different attitude to risk and reward in B6. We'd obviously had a good season leading up to Euro 96, and Little's early signings had been largely successful. I suppose that it is at these moments though that Villa have perennially failed to push on to the next level. Whilst it's difficult to argue with the intent shown by signing Collymore, with hindsight the signings between summer 95 and autumn 98 were largely underwhelming - and even Merson and Dublin at this point were (not directly) filling holes left by departures like Milosevic and Yorke. Little said that he bought the sort of players he wanted. Unfortunately, that's one thing Doug can't be blamed for. Curcic and Thompson were excellent signings, based on their career to date. Both bombed badly at the Villa. Isn't that what really did for Little's managerial career with us?Well, apart from all the shagging that appears to have been going one!
Quote from: Mister E on April 07, 2020, 12:59:54 PMQuote from: dave.woodhall on April 07, 2020, 12:35:11 AMQuote from: FatSam on April 07, 2020, 12:31:35 AMQuote from: dave.woodhall on April 06, 2020, 11:34:07 PMThe big problem was that we didn't really have anything to attract them. Never was the London factor so important. That has definitely been a factor in the EPL years, but Ravanelli rocked-up in Middlesbrough after Euro 96 having scored a few weeks earlier for Juventus in the CL final, and there are other examples. There was maybe just a different attitude to risk and reward in B6. We'd obviously had a good season leading up to Euro 96, and Little's early signings had been largely successful. I suppose that it is at these moments though that Villa have perennially failed to push on to the next level. Whilst it's difficult to argue with the intent shown by signing Collymore, with hindsight the signings between summer 95 and autumn 98 were largely underwhelming - and even Merson and Dublin at this point were (not directly) filling holes left by departures like Milosevic and Yorke. Little said that he bought the sort of players he wanted. Unfortunately, that's one thing Doug can't be blamed for. Curcic and Thompson were excellent signings, based on their career to date. Both bombed badly at the Villa. Isn't that what really did for Little's managerial career with us?Well, apart from all the shagging that appears to have been going one!If you mean Collymore not Thompson, then yes, it probably did.