The General C. Krulak Thread XV

[Matt Collins]

Next step?!

I hope people realise how difficult it will be to stand still, particularly if the funds have dried up and we can't shift our dead wood for better than half price. If we're not even able to use proceeds from the sale of our better players then the business model does seem in trouble. We'd better hope those kids are as good as some hope they are. Personally, I have my doubts.

[Moorski]

I think that Bob Bradley would be a big mistake General along with Sven.

[dave.woodhall]

I repeat - there's a manager's thread. In fact there's more than one manager's thread. Any more on here and it's locked. 

[The Situation]

It works both ways though. People can bitch and moan saying "yeah, why isn't Randy investing... MON needs the money to spend" whilst someone else says "well, Randy has given sufficient funds to MON to spend etc..." Randy has been generous over the last 4 years regarding transfer money, but MON hasn't spent it as well as he could of. At the same time I'm pissed because O'Neill has walked because he hasn't been given money to sign a striker we need... it's not as if MON wanted £30 million to sign Luis Fabiano.

If I were allowed to spend the money I would of got us into the Champions League by now.

[CJ]

The silence is deafening.

I think the US military term is SNAFU.

I think FUBAR is more appropriate

[ozzjim]

Debating the pros and cons of Randy is being done enough in other threads too, can we keep it to questions for the general as much as possible please.

[ckrulak]

General Krulak here:

1.  I have been trying to post all night...have sent 3 into the ether already on the MON's gone thread on the forum.  I guess the gremlins are out in force today!!  Let me try to outline what I have tried to send on the other 3 occasions.  I am sure I am not going to answer everyone's specific question or comment but I hope I can shed some light on where we are.

2.  Martin's decision to leave was just that...Martin's decision.  He quit 5 days before the beginning of the season.  He was not pushed out.  Rumors that there was a row between Randy and Martin over the sale of some players (Young and Friedl) are just that...rumors!!!  There is absolutely no substance to the rumors that either player are up for sale!!  Martin's decision was a surprise to the Club.  Randy had spoken to Martin last week and on the weekend and then flown back to the US.  This morning, Randy was informed that Martin had quit and so Randy is now on a plane flying back to the UK.  Martin was fully involved in the Milner deal...every step of the way...from the very beginning.  It is a good move when look at in totality.  We have not suddenly become a "selling Club"...we have a good offer that makes sense.  That does not make us a selling club.  There is no question that if ANY Club has players that are on the payroll but not playing on the pitch...it is prudent to sell them if possible.  As I know I have mentioned MANY times before, a Premiership Club must balance wages against revenue...cutting wages must include the sale of players.  I have also written many times that we are trying to run the Club in a sustainable and sensible manner BUT the amount of money we have spent over the past 4 years should tell everyone that we marry this approach with aggressive ambition!!  Some of the comments I have read are truly amazing!  Randy is NOT broke!  Randy is NOT selling the Villa!  Randy has NOT lost interest!  I have even seen comments about Randy's divorce!  All of this is utter nonsense.  Like all of you, I am not privvy to Martin's thinking when he made his decision to quit.  I am sure we will read enough about it in the media.  My only hope is that whatever comes out, it comes out on both sides.  What I do know is that Randy cares deeply about the Villa!!!  He cares deeply about the Fans!!!  I have not posted thousands of comments on 3 sites without caring about the Club and the Fans!!!  We will all get through this together...we will get the right man and we will continue to move forward.  As I get more info, I will pass it on.

[Nelly]

Thanks, General. Speaking personally, I have faith in Randy that he'll be able to pick the  right man for the job. If  I may ask, did  you have any indication at any point that O'Neill would walk away?  No problem if that's  unanswerable.

[BannedUserIAT]

Thank you, General.
I think everybody (well mostly everybody) understands that the club simply can't sustain the payment of non-playing players any more than any other company could afford to pay top whack for non-working employees. It's a no brainer.

I've seen very little reason thus far not to trust Randy to get the right man for the job. I'm sure he knows what's at stake from both a footballing perspective and a business perspective.

I'm sure most of us, like yourself, would thank MoN for the excellent work he did in stabilising Aston Villa from the Ellis/DoL era but this is the time to move on.

Now, I suppose I should ask a question......a bit early in the piece to be bouncing this off you but, when you've had a chance, could you tell us the mood around Villa in regard to this news? Both playing and non-playing staff?

[old man villa fan]

General,

Many thanks for posting your comments so quickly.  It will certainly calm down some of the 'less experienced' supporters and us 'old timers' as well.

Randy is an experienced businessman and also sports club owner and has no doubt been through this type of situation before.  I am not too sure whether he has been through the 'media storm' that's going to hit over the next few days but just hope it does not put him off English football.

Hope Randy's on airmiles!

[Toronto Villa]

inevitably General, rumours spread faster than the truth ever will. Tomorrow is going to be a very frantic day. I trust that the club is able to find the right person and manager to move us on from this. I dislike the notion put forward by some that the last 4 years have been a waste because they haven't. I want to thank Martin for stabilizing the football side of the club and getting us to this point. All things good or bad come to an end, and if his departure leads to the next stage of our bright future then he'll have played a large part in the proud history.

[ROBBO]

General, it would come as a disappointment to lose the manager so close to the start of the season, we will get through this and move on. The one question i have is what transfer funds will be made availeable to an incoming manager?

[ozzjim]

General, thanks for posting and not giving up when you could not get on, at a time like this your link to the fans is invaluable.

Thankfully I think it is a minority, and you will be able to see that, who are questioning Randy and his motives right now, the vast majority are in support and hoping he continues to back our club in the way he has for the last few years, under a different manager.

Finally good luck with the search.

[Rancid custard]

General, Thanks for replying.

Here's how I feel, gutted, absolutely gutted, but nothing lasts forever. Thanks to MON for his time served and the way he's pushed the club forward. As a fan I'd like to see the right appointment but please let's get it right, if the next candidate can't be gotten, then I'm fully prepared to wait it out for a couple of seasons of mediocrity just for this to happen. I'm sure not everyone will feel that way but I know Randy and co. are going to do what's best and you have my support.

[Phil from the upper holte]

Thank you General.

I think the club should release their own statement so we don't have to endure shit stories from the media.