Not the General Krulak Thread

[taylorsworkrate]

I've heard the theory that Houllier is merely a stopgap, to keep the club in a saleable position whilst Randy touts for potential buyers. Why not?

Because this is your first post and anyone whose first post is something like this will be treated with a great deal of suspicion.

In fairness Dave it is a theory some have propagated elsewhere, hence my unanswered question to General K 2 weeks back 
Not the best of conspiracy theories, but not an impossible scenario.

It's a theory born in the depths of the murky underworld, where the the members all subscribe to The Onion, and have frame prints of the fake moon landing, Bush dining with Bin Laden planning 9/11, and white suited blokes enjoying yet another new years bash down at Area 51.

They did fake the moon landing though 

[pestria]

On the 9th December, 2010 I said this :-

"ll admit I've never been 100% convinced by this board, from the very early days I never knew why they needed to compulsory purchase all the existing shares.  But to be fair they made a promising start, I readily acknowledge the good work they did and the funds made available to buy players.  And obviously it was much appreciated that the board were trying to listen to  fans through the message boards.

But the start was the easy bit.  Essentially picking off the low lying fruit.  Now times are tougher it appears they don't like criticism and awkward questions.

I'll repeat what I've said previously here.  This board is replaying all the mistakes of old (burning cash on moderate players, meddling in buying players, lurching into managerial appointments, poor marketing, not developing overseas scouting networks).  Lerner is in danger of becoming an american version of HDE but without the ego and the occasional trophy.

Maybe we should be satisfied with that, but when they're talking the talk and not walking the walk then it's legitimate to ask questions."

In response I was accused of being a bluenose, a wind up merchant and a heretic for speaking out against the party line.  In defending myself I wrote ....

"I'm a Villa fan of 40+ years standing having had my first season ticket in the late '60s just prior to the drop to div 3.  I'm not at all sure of what facts I'm supposed to be twisting.  I'm merely saying what I see and how it compares the ups and downs I've witnessed in years gone by.

I am not comparing the current situation to the fag end of HDE's reign.  The comparison I've been drawn to is that at the end of the Gregory era.  At that time the we'd finished 6th ish on a number of occassions on the back of the NTL windfall.  This time around we've done the same on with the Lerner windfall.

At that time the club failed to market itself effectively, failed to develop overseas scouting networks, failed to appoint an effective chief executive, etc - ie exactly the same situation as now.

I suppose the big difference is that there's always the get-out of using more of Lerner's personal fortune.  However, that misses the point I'm trying to make.  The issue for me is that on the evidence we've seen so far I doubt the ability of the senior management team to leverage the financial resources at their disposal and translate them into sustained development."

I just wondered in the light of recent events if anyone who argued against me at the time had now changed their mind, or are they still right behind Lerner and his merry men?

[Lee]

I've changed my view of the Board completely.

[Rigadon]

I've changed my view of the Board completely.

What do you think now then Lee?

[Lee]

I've changed my view of the Board completely.

What do you think now then Lee?

Can you ask me that in a week mate. I have to say that I would like to treat this like my mattress at the moment and sleep on it.

I have the feeling that I have been duped along with a lot more Villa Fans

[sidcowans10]

Pestria its difficult to argue with anything you said!!

[Rigadon]

I've changed my view of the Board completely.

What do you think now then Lee?

Can you ask me that in a week mate. I have to say that I would like to treat this like my mattress at the moment and sleep on it.

I have the feeling that I have been duped along with a lot more Villa Fans

Fair enough mate.

[DB]

Do we have any info from Browns fans on what they think of Randy?

[Irish villain]

I have not only changed my view of the board, but of the MON walk out too. He must have seen that mediocrity was all they'd settle for and was fed up of it all.

If this isn't the case, board have only themselves to blame for people like me reaching this conclusion on hearing of this appointment.

[Lambert and Payne]

How have we been duped? The board have been fantastic and this is the 1st true test of faith they've asked of us and we turn our backs on them
Keep the faith!

[hawkeye]

Pestria its difficult to argue with anything you said!!

I too find myself in agreement, the failing of this board started 2 years ago, they allowed MON to squander the resources for the final push, the result was an ageing over paid squad and 2 failing Wembley appearances. Since then the wheels have been coming off the wagon and they have presided over folly and crisis.RL has been brilliant at putting the financial resources behind the club but pretty useless at finding the talent to maximise those resources.

[Lee]

I have not only changed my view of the board, but of the MON walk out too. He must have seen that mediocrity was all they'd settle for and was fed up of it all.

If this isn't the case, board have only themselves to blame for people like me reaching this conclusion on hearing of this appointment.

Had the same conversation today. I wanted MON to go at the end, 'cos I felt that he had run his course, but it does get you thinking now we have finally found how intransigent Lerner really is

[Lee]

How have we been duped? The board have been fantastic and this is the 1st true test of faith they've asked of us and we turn our backs on them
Keep the faith!

You think that this appointment is part of the "Proud History, Bright Future" ethos?  I don't. They have probably produced the biggest PR gaffe ever in English Football.

[Irish villain]

I have not only changed my view of the board, but of the MON walk out too. He must have seen that mediocrity was all they'd settle for and was fed up of it all.

If this isn't the case, board have only themselves to blame for people like me reaching this conclusion on hearing of this appointment.

Had the same conversation today. I wanted MON to go at the end, 'cos I felt that he had run his course, but it does get you thinking now we have finally found how intransigent Lerner really is

Whenever the truth comes out it'll be interesting. I feel a right tool for taking the board's side in all that. Fans of other clubs and the media might have been right afterall but I blindly followed.

[Lee]

I have not only changed my view of the board, but of the MON walk out too. He must have seen that mediocrity was all they'd settle for and was fed up of it all.

If this isn't the case, board have only themselves to blame for people like me reaching this conclusion on hearing of this appointment.

Had the same conversation today. I wanted MON to go at the end, 'cos I felt that he had run his course, but it does get you thinking now we have finally found how intransigent Lerner really is

Whenever the truth comes out it'll be interesting. I feel a right tool for taking the board's side in all that. Fans of other clubs and the media might have been right afterall but I blindly followed.

.. me too mate.