Randy Lerner "State of Aston Villa" Statement

[KRS]

Injuries are like shagging slags without a condom and catching an STD...its inevitable.

My prediction of 12th is looking optimistic.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Am I right in thinking that he could have sold his shares before their price crashed?
Or do we know that there were terms and conditions which prevented him selling his shares.

I'd guess that he would have diversified his investments (in a football club maybe) rather than leaving it all in The American Bank so whilst it's probably safe to say his wealth is less than before it's probably not the worse case scenario of "only" being £400m.

Risso - you know about this sort if stuff. Is this correct or am I being overly optimistic?

In cases where you sell a company in return for cash and/or shares in the purchasing company it is common for there to be a covenant that will prevent you selling some, any or all of those shares for a certain period of time to prevent the value of those shares dipping as a large tranche is dumped on the market. These covenants are usually very confidential in case the knowledge affects share dealings.

So, it's possible Randy was forced to keep some of those shares and that they've been hit badly by the banking crash. My guess would be that a proportion would have been available to sell and only a fool wouldn't cash in on a part of that investment if only to diversify your portfolio away from such an imbalance. Might account for the Paige claim that Randy was illiquid.

BTW, I don't remember Randy ever being touted as anything more that a sterling billionaire ($1.5m). Only!

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Apologies for not being Risso

[Risso]

Apologies for not being Risso

One's more than enough surely?

[Dante Lavelli]

Thanks for the response. I hope randy finds a few spare million or ten down the back of the sofa as a decent DM would make a helluva difference to our squad.

[TheSandman]

6 weeks ago I was convinced that given 4-5 signings McLeish could do a good job with it and the board had never let us down previously and would give him the right support to do so, even if it meant less spend next summer as we needed the player in certain positions (replacing the talismanic Ashley Young for one). I was still optimistic. Now, I am fast falling into the same mindset as Paulie. Worried. And I hope IF we start poorly, then the cash is found for 2-3 players even on loan.

That's my take on things as well. I really did thing that there was no way that they would make such a poorly received appointment without intending to back him heavily. The fact is that we had a poor season last year and I don't actually think that was all Houllier's fault. Now we are being asked to expect something other than a poor season with a weaker squad shorn of some of it's more talented players. I was expecting Ireland, Dunne and Warnock to be wild cards which might prove successful but rather it seems we are depending on them.

[Mister E]

6 weeks ago I was convinced that given 4-5 signings McLeish could do a good job with it and the board had never let us down previously and would give him the right support to do so, even if it meant less spend next summer as we needed the player in certain positions (replacing the talismanic Ashley Young for one). I was still optimistic. Now, I am fast falling into the same mindset as Paulie. Worried. And I hope IF we start poorly, then the cash is found for 2-3 players even on loan.

That's my take on things as well. I really did thing that there was no way that they would make such a poorly received appointment without intending to back him heavily. The fact is that we had a poor season last year and I don't actually think that was all Houllier's fault. Now we are being asked to expect something other than a poor season with a weaker squad shorn of some of it's more talented players. I was expecting Ireland, Dunne and Warnock to be wild cards which might prove successful but rather it seems we are depending on them.

Can't argue with that.

[Neil Hawkes]

Has no-one considered the squad, as it stands now, is at the level our current manager wants it to be.

Therefore he hasn't asked for additional funds and would rather see how we get on with what we have, rather than spending his clearly defined budget on either stop gaps or in areas that aren't required, (which we won't know until the season kicks off in earnest).

I'd leave judgement until the next transfer window, as our league placing, injuries and player performance will determine the next stage of investment.

Risky, foolish or quietly confident - all depends on your view of the manager and his ability to assess what the squad is like.

[Risso]

Only an idiot would think that our squad doesn't need further strengthening, and I don't think that McLeish is an idiot.  He's made it clear he has to work with what he's got.  Despite the rubbish that Krulak came out with about Randy backing the manager, McLeish had better backing from his owner at the Blues.

[brian green]

Nobody could possibly challenge the view that it is now clearer than ever - and to some of us it was clear from the start of the prevarication over the appointment of a replacement for Houllier - that McLeish was appointed to try to achieve Premiership survival with a very makeshift squad which had been stripped for two successive seasons of its best players.

I think 13th is about the best we can hope for but if we get unlucky and Darren Bent picks up a serious injury we will be fighting relegation all the way.   I really hope that five o clock tonight will deliver our first win of the season and that the dark clouds which hang over Villa Park start to be blown away but our squad problems are so fundamental and so deep rooted I shall remain pessimistic until the players we need start to be brought to the club.

[Neil Hawkes]

Only an idiot would think that our squad doesn't need further strengthening, and I don't think that McLeish is an idiot.  He's made it clear he has to work with what he's got.  Despite the rubbish that Krulak came out with about Randy backing the manager, McLeish had better backing from his owner at the Blues.

It's very clear that you believe everyone currently employed in a senior position, at our club, is an idiot.

I don't happen to agree.

[Neil Hawkes]

Nobody could possibly challenge the view that it is now clearer than ever - and to some of us it was clear from the start of the prevarication over the appointment of a replacement for Houllier - that McLeish was appointed to try to achieve Premiership survival with a very makeshift squad which had been stripped for two successive seasons of its best players.

I think 13th is about the best we can hope for but if we get unlucky and Darren Bent picks up a serious injury we will be fighting relegation all the way.   I really hope that five o clock tonight will deliver our first win of the season and that the dark clouds which hang over Villa Park start to be blown away but our squad problems are so fundamental and so deep rooted I shall remain pessimistic until the players we need start to be brought to the club.

With the greatest respect to all viewpoints................the only dark clouds are in the minds of some of our supporters, I don't believe we will be in any relegation battle and I don't believe we have cut our cloth just for premiership survival.

But then, that's my opinion.

[Risso]

Only an idiot would think that our squad doesn't need further strengthening, and I don't think that McLeish is an idiot.  He's made it clear he has to work with what he's got.  Despite the rubbish that Krulak came out with about Randy backing the manager, McLeish had better backing from his owner at the Blues.

It's very clear that you believe everyone currently employed in a senior position, at our club, is an idiot.

I don't happen to agree.

I clearly said "I don't think McLeish is an idiot".  However I think you need to read his comment from yesterday, when he clearly said that he would like to bring in a midfield enforcer, and that he wants to bring more players in but can't because of the conditions he's working under.  Not by any means, the words of a man who thinks that what he has is good enough.

[PaulWinch again]

Only an idiot would think that our squad doesn't need further strengthening, and I don't think that McLeish is an idiot.  He's made it clear he has to work with what he's got.  Despite the rubbish that Krulak came out with about Randy backing the manager, McLeish had better backing from his owner at the Blues.

It's very clear that you believe everyone currently employed in a senior position, at our club, is an idiot.

I don't happen to agree.

I clearly said "I don't think McLeish is an idiot".  However I think you need to read his comment from yesterday, when he clearly said that he would like to bring in a midfield enforcer, and that he wants to bring more players in but can't because of the conditions he's working under.  Not by any means, the words of a man who thinks that what he has is good enough.

Agreed and it's shocking given the rubbish that was spouted about supporting the manager.

[brian green]

Okay Neil, fair enough.   You are entitled to your opinion as I am mine.   If I am wrong and Barry Bannan becomes the new Des Bremner and Stephen Ireland plays to his full potential and all the other assumptions the optimists are making are fulfilled I shall come on these pages and say I was wrong and apologise.   If we spend a season struggling and scrapping for points I would like to think you and all the others who see no clouds over Villa Park only clouds in the minds of long time fans like me will do the same.