Randy wants to cut wages further - Mirror article

[TimTheVillain]

When Randy took over and stated his ambitions, I said it would mean losses of hundreds of millions over a few years. I believed him because I thoughthaving researched it, he knew this. Maybe he just didn't.

In all that has happened over the last few years, it isn't the selling of our best players that worries me most, it isn't the bad appointments, it isn't the amateurishness we've (well, some of us) seen in the way the club is run, it isn't the slow down on the spending, and it isn't the tackling of the wage bill.

It is the suggestion that he has lost interest in us. Not the fact that he has decided we can't compete, but the idea that he has got bored of it after five years.

When they came here, they told us they were in it for the long haul, through thick and thin, and that we were all in this together.

Now look at the situation. They have abruptly ceased communicating with the forums without even having the decency to tell us - not to tell us why, even, just to tell us, they just disappeared abruptly.

Now we hear that Randy hasn't even been over for a game this season.

I'm sure you could make an argument for why he should have lost interest etc etc, but looking at what has happened, it is hard not to feel somewhat disappointed and hurt that it has come to this.

It is also - given the abrupt disappearance of the general - really quite hard not to look back at the lines of communication the club opened and not come to the conclusion that the minute it stopped being of use to them, the minute it got difficult, they were off.

It really was quite shabby.

Americans are all talk, bullshit is in their blood - I can see some 'Randy out' banners around VP before Christmas.

I think we've seen the proof of their fleeting interest followed by a quick exit when the going got tough.

Semper Videlis - my arse.

[Chris Smith]

Blimey, now buying "Beye" is money wasted in the most "hideous and wanton manner imaginable".

I agree it was a poor signing but some perspective please. There's an increasing tendency to overstate arguments with hyperbolic language and the result is polarised and unproductive discussions.

[Louzie0]

I've heard over the last couple of months and increasingly over the last few days or so that there is a massive financial crisis brewing.  People have referred to it on other threads on here.  I know about the General's new job and that he might not have the time or opportunity to keep up a forum presence, but isn't it possible thatin Randy's case, the reason Randy's not been in evidence for a few weeks this season is connected at least to this situation and its impact upon his business and his investments, including Villa and doing his best to manage all of his interests within the context of this global financial problem?

In this case the man can't be everywhere and I've no doubt that he is in constant contact with his CEOs whilst he works hard to stabilize and assure the future of his various responsibilities.

[olaftab]

I don't know what interest  Randy still has in MBNA but I understand they are in  financial melt down and seeking an urgent sale of their entire credit book. However possible buyers are only willing to pay a fraction of the value.

[TimTheVillain]

I don't know what interest  Randy still has in MBNA but I understand they are in  financial melt down and seeking an urgent sale of their entire credit book. However possible buyers are only willing to pay a fraction of the value.

I think he is out of MBNA after selling up.

It's interesting that I met an ex MBNA guy when he took over and he thought it was a plaything - I took no notice as the guy in question is a SHAer.

Hmmmm

[dave.woodhall]

Americans are all talk, bullshit is in their blood - I can see some 'Randy out' banners around VP before Christmas.

I think we've seen the proof of their fleeting interest followed by a quick exit when the going got tough.

Semper Videlis - my arse.

Nice to see you back on form.

[Risso]

Blimey, now buying "Beye" is money wasted in the most "hideous and wanton manner imaginable".

I agree it was a poor signing but some perspective please. There's an increasing tendency to overstate arguments with hyperbolic language and the result is polarised and unproductive discussions.

Your debating style gets worse by the day.  I didn't even mention Beye, so to suggest that the money I was talking about being wasted was only on him, and then telling me to get some perspective based on your completely incorrect interpretation is ridiculous.  You're either being dim or setting yourself up as the new Coopers Injury to get a reaction.

[TimTheVillain]

Americans are all talk, bullshit is in their blood - I can see some 'Randy out' banners around VP before Christmas.

I think we've seen the proof of their fleeting interest followed by a quick exit when the going got tough.

Semper Videlis - my arse.

Nice to see you back on form.

You know what Semper Videlis means ?

I see no sign of it lately, do you, have you seen him at VP, have you spoken with or heard from Gen K ?

Real question.

Ps. I'm not i the 'Randy out' camp, I'm in the 'Randy SPEAK' camp.

[Villanation]

Rigadon: No question in financial terms Ellis handed over a club in good order and good standing, and i think its fair to say, that's something that we should put on his epitaph for his time at Villa ( you could also make a few points where Ellis was
concerned that were not so good!!!) point is Ellis handed over to Randy Lerner, so
found the right man at the time, but, obviously things change.

By handed over you mean "sold at a huge profit after making a small fortune
while running the club".

Or sold at fair Market value after earning a similar amount to other chief execs?

It'll be interesting what price Lerner puts on the club if the rumour listed on here
is true.  I imagine he will look for fair market value even after paying a piss poor management team hefty salaries.

My point was that he didn't, as suggested, hand the club over to Lerner. He sold at a huge profit that as majority shareholder benefitted him enormously. That was consistent with his overall tenure where decisions that benefitted Herbert had been the norm.

I'm talking about handing over the running of the club, I'm not talking about him literally handing a club to someone for nothing or little, but as you bring the subject up, Ellis sold Villa to Lerner for 60+ ML friggin peanuts, you could pay more for a single footballer, so come to think about it yes he did hand the club over, but if you are complaining about how much profit Ellis took out the club over the years, I thought you where well into people raking of the top of these large companies....

[TimTheVillain]

It's a bit of a dichotomy though.

When Citeh are winning things all and sundry, their fans won't get the same feeling as they would have done if it had been down to organic development, fab management, superb home grown players.

They expect, they've paid enough money to expect.

The problem is that we aren't up there in the £ stakes, so we are in Everton territory, but at least their Chairman has admitted this and is actively seeking a buyer.

We get nothing, no comms is always worrying.

[Dave Cooper please]

You know what Semper Videlis means ?

Semper Fidelis is Latin for Always Faithful.
I have no idea what Semper Videlis means though.

[Percy McCarthy]

I think he'll sell, and maybe looking for a buyer on the quiet. I base this on what he said way back, something about letting someone else have a go if he couldn't achieve what he set out to. No reason yet not to trust him IMO.

[Villanation]

I think he'll sell, and maybe looking for a buyer on the quiet. I base this on what he said way back, something about letting someone else have a go if he couldn't achieve what he set out to. No reason yet not to trust him IMO.

I agree, IMO its just a matter of time, you could even say that all these cut backs are part of a policy to make the clubs balance sheet look healthier and more attractive to buy, I would be amazed if somebody of much greater wealth didn't become interested in owning a club like Villa.

[Lizz]

The signs seem to indicate he wants to sell, but that doesn't mean for certain that he does. Unlikely, but there could be genuine reasons as opposed to loss of interest as to why he hasn't been to any games yet this season.

I'd get off the fence, but I can't decide which side of it I want to be.

[DeKuip]

I'm sure the Mirror story is true, and it ought to be. Not just for us but for 98% of the other clubs too.

If people think there are multi-billionaires still out there who are daft enough to still want to invest in football then dream on. The timing is not right for anyone at the moment.
No-one can compete with the wealth of Abu Dhabi and what they're ploughing into Man City.
Anyone tempted will surely hold fire for a few years. Apart from seeing how their own wealth suffers in the forecasted financially depressing years ahead, you'd think they'd want to see how the Premier League itself copes with the next few years and a poor economy. They might also want to wait and see how long Abu Dhabi retains its interest in Manchester.

Big cuts have to made. What is the point of having a league where the only people who will be able to afford to go and watch it will be the players themselves? Or should I say the players who aren't even good enough to get in the team!