Doug Says "Liverpool Should Have Taken a Lesson From Villa"

[alanclare]

From today's Times:

Liverpool should have taken a lesson from Aston Villa
Doug Ellis

George Gillet, currently the co-owner of Liverpool Football Club, was among the suitors who wished to buy Aston Villa when, after three operations, I decided to drop my previous stance that they would have to take me out of the club toes up. The Birmingham Evening Mail ran the headline “Doug Will Sell” and this attracted a lot of predators. The independent valuation was £115 million. As I thought I was on my death bed, this was reduced by £30 million.

Gillett, the American who owned a hockey team and two ski resorts, badly wanted the club, and was willing to meet the new asking price. On his second visit, I told him that at a community club such as Aston Villa the owner should live in situ. He said he could not, but that his son would.
All but one of the suitors, I was informed by Rothschilds, were borrowing money to strike the deal. I do not believe in borrowing. It is against my principles. And I do not believe it is the way a football club should be run. The exception was Randy Lerner. When he came over to see me, he was soon followed by his bank manager.

I was impressed by Lerner's demeanour and by his record. On his third visit, after complimenting me on appointing Martin O'Neill as manager, he said he would pay £20 million less than the asking price � but in cash. He asked me to trust him when declining to pay £20 million into a fund for Martin to spend on players. Trust a Yank?" I thought. "Never."

But we had lunch, I came to trust him and he has kept his word to the letter. They have not overreached themselves, they continue to bring through young players and they are building for a sustainable future rather, than a fast buck.

I could have benefited by £20 million but I did not wish to saddle the dub I had run since 1968 with debt. I believed Randy was the right man and so far I have been proved right. I've never been so popular with Villa fans as since I relinquished the chair.

It is not for me to criticise other clubs. But about Liverpool I can say that it is not the way I would have run it � because I wouldn't have started from where Gillett and Tom Hicks started. Liverpool are following the model of Real Madrid and Barcelona, who run up massive debts but have the banks nervous of calling them in for fear of upsetting big investors. Gillett is a nice enough fellow but he and Hicks are hardly ever there. I have yet to meet them in the Anfield boardroom.

I know Michel Platini and Uefa want to prevent clubs running up huge debts. It will be hard to implement. But it is the right direction to go.

Doug Ellis was chairman of Aston Villa 1968-2006

[Jimbo]

Almost as toe-curlingly self-indulgent as the scousers themselves. But he's right: the day he fucked off his popularity soared.

[alanclare]

Almost as toe-curlingly self-indulgent as the scousers themselves. But he's right: the day he fucked off his popularity soared.

...but only in the eyes of those little people whose lives are plagued by jealousy.

[Jimbo]

Jealous of what, exactly?

[pauliewalnuts]

Interesting

I thought Doug had a legal obligation to get the best result for the shareholders, though, not to knock 30m off the price because he thought he was dying.

[peter w]

Almost as toe-curlingly self-indulgent as the scousers themselves. But he's right: the day he fucked off his popularity soared.

...but only in the eyes of those little people whose lives are plagued by jealousy.

Either way Jimbo is right.

[darren woolley]

At least we had a lucky escape from gillette and hicks.

[Marlon From Bearwood]

Are we really supposed to believe that Doug appointed MON before meeting with Randy, and that MON knew nothing of
Randy's impending arrival when he agreed to come?

[not3bad]

At least we had a lucky escape from gillette and hicks.

To be fair to Doug, he had that pair pegged.

[not3bad]

Are we really supposed to believe that Doug appointed MON before meeting with Randy, and that MON knew nothing of
Randy's impending arrival when he agreed to come?

Wasn't Klinsmann Randy's first choice, but he found out MON had been appointed and changed his mind?

I think it is more a case of MON only accepting the role because he knew Doug Ellis was on his way out than what Randy knew.

[Concrete John]

At least we had a lucky escape from gillette and hicks.

I never have nor will be a Doug fan, but I do think that selling to Randy shows he actually had the best intentions when running the club, even if his methods were holding us back.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Doug could without doubt have sold for more money but took into account what was in the long term interests of the club.
A stark contrast to Gillett and Hicks dragging Liverpool through the High Court, stalling and dragging things out in an attempt to get a few million more.

[TimTheVillain]

He's a fucking hero that man 

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Are we really supposed to believe that Doug appointed MON before meeting with Randy, and that MON knew nothing of
Randy's impending arrival when he agreed to come?

My guess is there would have been at least informal assurances behind the scenes with all three parties, which would have meant there had to be high levels of trust with all three taking each others word.  Even if you give Doug only partial credit for MONs appointment (subsequent events 4 years down the line notwithstanding), we have to give him full credit for getting the previous manager to MON out of Villa Park. 

[alanclare]

Jealous of what, exactly?

Jealous of a self-made man who has been far more successful in his life than they have, who ran a successful football club and left it in a healthy financial state.
If the cap fits, wear it.