Randy Lerner "State of Aston Villa" Statement

[JJ-AV]

Cheers

[robbyfvillain]

There is an abstract form of investment in the playing squad which costs very little and can save dozens of millions of pounds.   I refer to the investment of confidence and patience in home grown or cheaply bought players.   How much has it cost the club to dispose of Peter Whittingham, Craig Gardner, Gary Cahill and Darius Vassell for peanuts.

There are two sides to running a successful business - buy as cheaply as you can, sell for as much as you can.   I think this was what robbyfvillain was referring to when he urged the club to gather experienced hard headed football men at board level.   Wheeling and dealing makes money and saves money.

Precisely. We can't match the top 4/5 on a financial basis so we have to be smarter behind the scenes and that will require experience in the football business which we just don't have.

At the moment we cant match the top teams on the field, or in the transfer market and it appears we're not close at the financial management of the club either. Until the financial and business management improves there will be no improvement on the field.

[phantom limb]

Udinese achieved CL football with a buy low, sell high policy. They have benefited from an excellent scouting network that has unearthed some class players. It's tough but it can be done.

[Villa'Zawg]

He could find someone to fund additional wages based on current revenue?

There's an awful lot of nonsense talked about our wage bill. The gap between revenue and wages in Doug's final year was £10.7m. How big does that gap need to be now?

[Toronto Villa]

He could find someone to fund additional wages based on current revenue?

There's an awful lot of nonsense talked about our wage bill. The gap between revenue and wages in Doug's final year was £10.7m. How big does that gap need to be now?

rolls eyes

[TheSandman]

Udinese achieved CL football with a buy low, sell high policy. They have benefited from an excellent scouting network that has unearthed some class players. It's tough but it can be done.

That is probably what we should and need to do and what was the biggest and most disappointing failure of O'Neill's tenure.

[Chris Smith]

He could find someone to fund additional wages based on current revenue?

There's an awful lot of nonsense talked about our wage bill. The gap between revenue and wages in Doug's final year was £10.7m. How big does that gap need to be now?

I'm no expert but surely the size of "the gap" is where we generate funds for growth, in Doug's day it went in dividends. I've seen the Dragon's Den and a pitch that offers 88% of turnover in wages and no plan for increasing revenue beyond what they ask for on the day has little chance of attracting investment.

[pauliewalnuts]

I am scared to death by the extent to which we have slammed on the brakes  - our Osbournesque economies will end in tears - but I really can't take anyone seriously if they think 88 percent of turnover going on wages is sensible or sustainable.

Disagreeing with the way we're going about tackling the problem is one thing, pretending it isn't a problem is another one entirely.

Villadawg - honest question (and it's one I wouldn't really know how to answer myself, to be honest), but what if Randy simply hasn't got the money to fund things in a more extravagant way?

Not "should he spend more" or "are we spending a lot", but "the money isn't there"?

[Greg N'Ash]

isn't that the point though...it isn't a business, and none of the dragon den lot would invest in a football club.. If you're a swindon say then of course you have to keep things on a business setting but when you're supposedly a rich mans toy like half the clubs in the prem then no-one is trying to make a profit. I'm pretty sure Randy didn't think he was going to get rich by buying Villa. If he did then we are in trouble.

[hawkeye]

A football club can only increase revenue significantly by success on the pitch, more attendacies, more pies, more souvineers, more advertising and sponsorship. Most sponsorship deals are based on the succes in cup and league positions.

[Risso]

I am scared to death by the extent to which we have slammed on the brakes  - our Osbournesque economies will end in tears - but I really can't take anyone seriously if they think 88 percent of turnover going on wages is sensible or sustainable.

Disagreeing with the way we're going about tackling the problem is one thing, pretending it isn't a problem is another one entirely.

Villadawg - honest question (and it's one I wouldn't really know how to answer myself, to be honest), but what if Randy simply hasn't got the money to fund things in a more extravagant way?

Not "should he spend more" or "are we spending a lot", but "the money isn't there"?

Randy should sell to a better business man.  His one strategy - letting O'Neill run around like a kid in a sweet shop - hasn't worked, and now he's bereft of funds and ideas.   

[pauliewalnuts]

I am scared to death by the extent to which we have slammed on the brakes  - our Osbournesque economies will end in tears - but I really can't take anyone seriously if they think 88 percent of turnover going on wages is sensible or sustainable.

Disagreeing with the way we're going about tackling the problem is one thing, pretending it isn't a problem is another one entirely.

Villadawg - honest question (and it's one I wouldn't really know how to answer myself, to be honest), but what if Randy simply hasn't got the money to fund things in a more extravagant way?

Not "should he spend more" or "are we spending a lot", but "the money isn't there"?

Randy should sell to a better business man.  His one strategy - letting O'Neill run around like a kid in a sweet shop - hasn't worked, and now he's bereft of funds and ideas.   

You have a point re the shit management, but "should sell to a better businessman" does not equal "there's a better businessman waiting to buy us".

What if there are no takers?

[Risso]

Then we're stuck with a crap owner unfortunately.

[Greg N'Ash]

I am scared to death by the extent to which we have slammed on the brakes  - our Osbournesque economies will end in tears - but I really can't take anyone seriously if they think 88 percent of turnover going on wages is sensible or sustainable.

Disagreeing with the way we're going about tackling the problem is one thing, pretending it isn't a problem is another one entirely.

Villadawg - honest question (and it's one I wouldn't really know how to answer myself, to be honest), but what if Randy simply hasn't got the money to fund things in a more extravagant way?

Not "should he spend more" or "are we spending a lot", but "the money isn't there"?

Randy should sell to a better business man.  His one strategy - letting O'Neill run around like a kid in a sweet shop - hasn't worked, and now he's bereft of funds and ideas.   

Probably my view too. Sorry but a big premiership club is not for someone on his uppers as we saw with Ellis

[pauliewalnuts]

I am scared to death by the extent to which we have slammed on the brakes  - our Osbournesque economies will end in tears - but I really can't take anyone seriously if they think 88 percent of turnover going on wages is sensible or sustainable.

Disagreeing with the way we're going about tackling the problem is one thing, pretending it isn't a problem is another one entirely.

Villadawg - honest question (and it's one I wouldn't really know how to answer myself, to be honest), but what if Randy simply hasn't got the money to fund things in a more extravagant way?

Not "should he spend more" or "are we spending a lot", but "the money isn't there"?

Randy should sell to a better business man.  His one strategy - letting O'Neill run around like a kid in a sweet shop - hasn't worked, and now he's bereft of funds and ideas.   

Probably my view too. Sorry but a big premiership club is not for someone on his uppers as we saw with Ellis

But what if nobody else wants to buy it.

What then?