Ellis stands accused of mediocrity. Even in the price he got for the club, he was mediocre. That is not to say that what he did did not bring some benefits - lack of indebtedness, a reasonable new owner, etc.
Quote from: dave.woodhall on October 07, 2010, 04:44:49 PMThe big difference is hindsight. It will never prove O'Leary as anything other than a self-obsessed incompetent. However, looking back at it, a fair chunk of what Doug did from the mid-nineties onwards proved correct. Just out of interest Dave, what kind of things do you have in mind when you say he did a lot that proved correct?
The big difference is hindsight. It will never prove O'Leary as anything other than a self-obsessed incompetent. However, looking back at it, a fair chunk of what Doug did from the mid-nineties onwards proved correct.
Quote from: ktvillan on October 08, 2010, 09:33:45 AMQuote from: dave.woodhall on October 07, 2010, 04:44:49 PMThe big difference is hindsight. It will never prove O'Leary as anything other than a self-obsessed incompetent. However, looking back at it, a fair chunk of what Doug did from the mid-nineties onwards proved correct. Just out of interest Dave, what kind of things do you have in mind when you say he did a lot that proved correct? Questioning the price of a cup of coffee in Birmingham Airport?
Quote from: cdward on October 08, 2010, 11:28:17 AMQuote from: ktvillan on October 08, 2010, 09:33:45 AMQuote from: dave.woodhall on October 07, 2010, 04:44:49 PMThe big difference is hindsight. It will never prove O'Leary as anything other than a self-obsessed incompetent. However, looking back at it, a fair chunk of what Doug did from the mid-nineties onwards proved correct. Just out of interest Dave, what kind of things do you have in mind when you say he did a lot that proved correct? Questioning the price of a cup of coffee in Birmingham Airport?Well, there was a recession five or six years around the corner. Now that's foresight.I think it's important to remember, using hindsight, that while Doug probably wasn't Satan himself, and a doer of nothing but evil and terrible deeds, neither - and I understand how unpopular this view might be with many - was Dolly. He bought Martin Laursen, Freddie Bouma, finished 6th... etc. That doesn't mean he wasn't an unctuous turd, especially towards the end, but still.
You can either remain bitter and frothing at the mouth with every mention of his name or you can smile at the sight of Doug heading towards his tenth decade as egotistical and publicity-hungry as ever.
Quote from: dave.woodhall on October 07, 2010, 11:32:09 AMYou can either remain bitter and frothing at the mouth with every mention of his name or you can smile at the sight of Doug heading towards his tenth decade as egotistical and publicity-hungry as ever. Or maybe you can view Doug's often factually inaccurate and self serving pronouncements with the level of cynical scepticism that they deserve.
I'm glad he's not in charge any more, but I really can't be bothered disliking him. Now he's just an elderly, slightly embarrassing gent who cares about the Villa. Plus that time he shook Abramovitch's hand with a look of pure delight on his face as we beat Chelsea made me smile.