Doubting Randy?

[Dave Cooper please]

I think this proves that Randy was always willing to spend, he just wasn't willing to give the money to O'Neill with the prospect of him spending it on McGeady and Keane.

[Chris Smith]

I think this proves that Randy was always willing to spend, he just wasn't willing to give the money to O'Neill with the prospect of him spending it on McGeady and Keane.

I don't think it proves any such thing but if it did it wouldn't reflect well on Randy. If he doubts about MON he should have done something about it, why would he just let things drift instead?

The issue was always about wages.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

A major major statement of intent.

I havent felt like this about a new signing since Dean Saunders.

[usav]

A major major statement of intent.

I havent felt like this about a new signing since Dean Saunders.

Collymore or Saunders, I would agree.    Saunders was the better return on investment, but was still pretty short lived, although he was in the twilight of his career when we got him.

[Dave Cooper please]

I think this proves that Randy was always willing to spend, he just wasn't willing to give the money to O'Neill with the prospect of him spending it on McGeady and Keane.

I don't think it proves any such thing but if it did it wouldn't reflect well on Randy. If he doubts about MON he should have done something about it, why would he just let things drift instead?

The issue was always about wages.

I think it was pretty obvious that Randy had doubts about O'Neill, hence the refusal to allow him to buy anymore players before the ones he had already bought and hardly used were moved on. I don't think it was just about wages (although this was definitely a factor), it was also about value for money, and players like Sidwell, Davies and Harewood did not provide it.

Now of course all managers make bad signings, but O'Neill's stubbornness when asked to admit to his and move them on was the reason he walked. (In my opinion!)

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I think this proves that Randy was always willing to spend, he just wasn't willing to give the money to O'Neill with the prospect of him spending it on McGeady and Keane.

I don't think it proves any such thing but if it did it wouldn't reflect well on Randy. If he doubts about MON he should have done something about it, why would he just let things drift instead?

The issue was always about wages.

The issue was always about wages to players that would never play.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I think this proves that Randy was always willing to spend, he just wasn't willing to give the money to O'Neill with the prospect of him spending it on McGeady and Keane.

I don't think it proves any such thing but if it did it wouldn't reflect well on Randy. If he doubts about MON he should have done something about it, why would he just let things drift instead?

The issue was always about wages.

I think it was pretty obvious that Randy had doubts about O'Neill, hence the refusal to allow him to buy anymore players before the ones he had already bought and hardly used were moved on. I don't think it was just about wages (although this was definitely a factor), it was also about value for money, and players like Sidwell, Davies and Harewood did not provide it.

Now of course all managers make bad signings, but O'Neill's stubbornness when asked to admit to his and move them on was the reason he walked. (In my opinion!)

They did have doubts about his transfer targets, but the main issue was wages.
Keane was asking for a weekly wage similar to what he was demanding from the Dog shit and McGeady was demanding a wage far in excess of his abilities.
Combined fee for the both of them was nearly the full Milner proceeds.

Value for money?

[pauliewalnuts]

I agree on the uncertainty re media spin. My point was that it was disappointing so many opted to believe that, rather than a board which thus far has not let us down.

I don't think most did, but barring any evidence or assurance to the contrary I think some rightly asked a question or two. 

Asking a question is one thing.  The lack of trust and respect shown by many was truly embarrassing. It might not have been the majority but the number of people who turned in him at the first opportunity was depressing.

[Brend'Watkins]

I agree on the uncertainty re media spin. My point was that it was disappointing so many opted to believe that, rather than a board which thus far has not let us down.

I don't think most did, but barring any evidence or assurance to the contrary I think some rightly asked a question or two. 

Asking a question is one thing.  The lack of trust and respect shown by many was truly embarrassing. It might not have been the majority but the number of people who turned in him at the first opportunity was depressing.

I agree.  RL's reluctance to converse with the media and tell all has been a stick to beat him by some so they make up what they think is happening and it then becomes fact while at the same time completely forgetting what has gone before.

[Mazrim]

I agree on the uncertainty re media spin. My point was that it was disappointing so many opted to believe that, rather than a board which thus far has not let us down.

I don't think most did, but barring any evidence or assurance to the contrary I think some rightly asked a question or two. 

Asking a question is one thing.  The lack of trust and respect shown by many was truly embarrassing. It might not have been the majority but the number of people who turned in him at the first opportunity was depressing.

It was indeed.

I think anybody who pays attention to my posts (and that should be everybody.....right?) will know my thoughts already.
I can hand on heart say that I did not doubt Randy's full support for one second and I defy anybody to call me stupid or naive. Nor am I claiming to be special, loyal or whatever and neither am I criticising anybody who was asking the odd question, its only natural. But the level of some of the snidey, underhanded and downright abusive remarks was quite ridiculous at times.

You dont have to buy players in every window to prove your support. You dont have to back a manager that is wasting resources with reckless profligacy and will not take steps to arrest it, in fact its right for the club not to. Everything Randy has done since he came to us, chose us, has earned him a pass when any doubts arise in my opinion. At the very least that.
I cant believe anybody would doubt him after his investment, and I'm not just talking financial but emotional.

When you lift up the slabs and see the lengths Randy has gone to in restoring this club, the little things, the fine details that he really doesn't need to do yet has with gusto, then its just a matter of common sense for me. If he does that, he has the club in his heart. Therefore he'll do the right thing as he sees it. He'll invest when he feels he can and should and what else can you ask?

Will it always be this way? I dont know. I cant see him getting bored as such but one day he may feel he has done all he can and wants to retire to the background and let somebody else have a crack. I hope that day is a long, long way off, but I think he'll always have Villa in his heart, just like any of the most dedicated of us. He is one of us.

[Concrete John]

I think this proves that Randy was always willing to spend, he just wasn't willing to give the money to O'Neill with the prospect of him spending it on McGeady and Keane.

No, I don't see it that way at all.

Randy has never struck me as the sort of chairman who would 2nd guess his manager's judgement on a player.  It's not that he objected to signing Keane and McGeady, but he objected to signing them before high wage earners that weren't getting a look in were moved on. 

[Mazrim]

I dont think Randy would second guess a managers dealings in isolation but when its a long spell of wasting money, I'd be disappointed and suprised if he didn't have an opinion on it.

[Greg N'Ash]

think it all comes down to whether you think there was sort of a plan. Not the semi-mythical 5 year plan but a solid idea of getting the side into the top4. I believe there was, and like investing in say an extension, if after 4 years its not finished, doesn't look like being finished and the builder wants another 20k to finish it, you're gonna look round for someone else to do it.

[Concrete John]

I agree on the uncertainty re media spin. My point was that it was disappointing so many opted to believe that, rather than a board which thus far has not let us down.

I don't think most did, but barring any evidence or assurance to the contrary I think some rightly asked a question or two. 

Asking a question is one thing.  The lack of trust and respect shown by many was truly embarrassing. It might not have been the majority but the number of people who turned in him at the first opportunity was depressing.

Yeah, some did go way over the top.

I agree with Maz that his heart is and always was in the right place.  That I never doubted.

[ktvillan]

It seemed obvious to me that RL wasn't happy with so much money being tied up in "assets" that were being, at best, under utilised,  and which were sucking money out of the club with no apparent benefits accruing.  I think that's an attitude that any sensible business man might adopt, and I think he was quite right to pick O'Neill up on it.  It looked to me as if he offered O'Neill the opportunity to rectify the situation but O'Neill chose to walk out instead.   I never really understood why this was interpreted as RL having pulled the plug on any further investment, but I suppose the delay over appointing the new manager and therefore having no opportunity to make signings in that window added fuel to the little fire that was being so avidly fanned by the media and a few others. 

My attitude though was that the subsequent two windows would provide the answers.  January is always difficult because clubs don't like to part with good players half way through a season, so while I'm not surprised RL has backed GH, I am actually a little surprised at the extent of the investment made so far, with possibly more to come.   Well done RL and co.