No smoke without fire: Lerner will sell, if the right offer is made

[Iago]

So do we compete by trying to buy (borrow) our way in; with no guarantee of success; do we build a sustainable club or do we hope for a new richer owner? One thing is certain whichever one some people will complain anyway. Eck was appointed, in my opinion, in an attempt to contain expectations, we will not be in a position to compete for the top 6 anytime soon.

We NEED to be competing with the top six, and a club of our stature should rightly be in a position to do so. I am sick of this negative attitude that we cannot compete. I hope Randy studies William McGregor, and how he took the club seriously in a competitive sense, but I guess he is still listening to senile Doug for advice.

[Billy Walker]

Spot on Iago.  We need to be competing for the biggest prizes full stop.  Aston Villa weren't formed to make up the numbers.

[john2710]

So do we compete by trying to buy (borrow) our way in; with no guarantee of success; do we build a sustainable club or do we hope for a new richer owner? One thing is certain whichever one some people will complain anyway. Eck was appointed, in my opinion, in an attempt to contain expectations, we will not be in a position to compete for the top 6 anytime soon.

We NEED to be competing with the top six, and a club of our stature should rightly be in a position to do so. I am sick of this negative attitude that we cannot compete. I hope Randy studies William McGregor, and how he took the club seriously in a competitive sense, but I guess he is still listening to senile Doug for advice.

Stature, history and how we perceive our club currently count for nothing, money buys success. Is there a a magic formula that enables us to compete on a consistent basis, with our current levels of turnover and debt, against clubs with vastly greater resources than us? I think not, but if the foundations and the right manager are in place (not Mcleish, although I like the man) I think at some point we will. I just don't think we can do it at the moment.

Club                    Turnover (£ms) 2010
Arsenal                     382
Manchester United     286
Chelsea                     213
Liverpool             185
Manchester City     125
Tottenham Hotspur  119
Aston Villa               91
Everton                       79

[john2710]

Spot on Iago.  We need to be competing for the biggest prizes full stop.  Aston Villa weren't formed to make up the numbers.

Over the last 30 years for all but a few years, that's exactly what we have been doing, making up the numbers. Saying we need to compete is alright it's how are we going to do it, given the odds that are against us?

[olaftab]

Does anyone really expect clubs like Man City to abide by the rules? Rich people always find ways around rules, and this will be no different.

Rules are for the middle classes. The rich always  find a way around them and the poor never get close to breaking them. So I am afraid we have to "uphold"  the rules as there is nothing else.

[olaftab]

We NEED to be competing with the top six, and a club of our stature should rightly be in a position to do so. I am sick of this negative attitude that we cannot compete. I hope Randy studies William McGregor, and how he took the club seriously in a competitive sense, but I guess he is still listening to senile Doug for advice.

Well said and I for one will never give up the hope.

[Iago]

Spot on Iago.  We need to be competing for the biggest prizes full stop.  Aston Villa weren't formed to make up the numbers.

Over the last 30 years for all but a few years, that's exactly what we have been doing, making up the numbers. Saying we need to compete is alright it's how are we going to do it, given the odds that are against us?

How do you compete? Well you focus on your own product; we have a lot going for us, we are the biggest club in England's second city, we have great infrastructure and unique history.  We have many qualities already in place to be hugely successful.

What we do not have is a forward thinker on the board, somebody who is going to be aggressive and grow our fan base and business. Randy has the right sentiments, but is really idealistic and seems ignorant about the modern game. It is sad to say, but it is not 1874 anymore, this game is huge business now.

Would any credible business hire the guy who has failed with a rival? Does a great owner alienate a club's fan base?

Randy needs to be consistent with his plans for the club, and do a lot better in the future.

[Mister E]

Stature, history and how we perceive our club currently count for nothing, money buys success. Is there a a magic formula that enables us to compete on a consistent basis, with our current levels of turnover and debt, against clubs with vastly greater resources than us? I think not, but if the foundations and the right manager are in place (not Mcleish, although I like the man) I think at some point we will. I just don't think we can do it at the moment.

Club                    Turnover (£ms) 2010
Arsenal                     382
Manchester United     286
Chelsea                     213
Liverpool             185
Manchester City     125
Tottenham Hotspur  119
Aston Villa               91
Everton                       79

Good data John - slightly misleading to show the Arse with a £384m t/over that includes £156m of property development (presumably the benefits accruing from Highbury). But the benefit of having a London-based stadium with a 60k capacity is clear: they earn nearly 4x our gate receipts. And we're adrift of the likes of Spppppppppppurrrrrrrs and Liverpool.
Iago: we may feel we ought to be competing but I endorse John's point - it's all about the £££.
McMinge is here to develop the club slowly-surely; 'cos we have no silver bullet (i.e. money). So, get the youth academy working even more effectively and develop players that can come through - either for sale or for delivering us some success (or a combination of both). We have to be thinking long-term 'cos short-term is going to be just underwhelming.

[Dante Lavelli]

I think Iago has hit the nail on the head describing Randy as an "idealist" and to be honest I like his vision for the club, self sustaining and of good moral calibre.  However where he fails (currently) is getting people in who can deliver this vision.  Most clubs of our size seem to have a hands on owner or CEO business type AND a football person.  Whereas we have randy who in his own words is quite removed from the day to day stuff and Faulkner.

Faulkner is an easy target but I don't think there is a man on this planet who could successfully manage and grow the whole club on their own.

[dave.woodhall]

Spot on Iago.  We need to be competing for the biggest prizes full stop.  Aston Villa weren't formed to make up the numbers.

Yes we were.

[DB]

Does anyone really expect clubs like Man City to abide by the rules? Rich people always find ways around rules, and this will be no different.

Rules are for the middle classes. The rich always  find a way around them and the poor never get close to breaking them. So I am afraid we have to "uphold"  the rules as there is nothing else.

OK, I've had a few beers, but don't know what that is upposed to mean.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

The simple trurh is Randy threw his money at us but he backed the wrong manager. Yes we got results, yes we finished top 6 three times but we never really advanced as a football team - in marketing terms, the product was crap. It's not his fault, you have to go back to Sir Brian to find an entertaining Villa side. I'm sure most Villa fans wouldn't complain if we were finishing 6th, 7th, 8th or 9th if were were worth watching.

Looking at the last 35 years, only Saunders, BFR and Sir Brian have managed to get us playing to a decent standard, which makes Randy's managerial appointments so disappointing, he completely missed the point. Find somebody that will get the Villa, especially at Villa Park, playing attacking, bums off seats progressive football. It just appears we're going round in circles and it's only the die hards that bother to turn up.

Maybe Martinez wasn't such a bad idea but any new manager needs to be supported if you want him to change the footballing culture at Villa Park. For me, McLeish is just MON without the money. Decent chap that he is, he's never going to revolutionise the way we play and when you look around the PL, there are plenty of teams that are trying to play 21st century football. I just wish, 11 years in, we were one of that group.

[Salsa Party Animal]

If Alex need to do something he need to follow what work for Sir Alex and make free flowing attacking football like Manchester United for Aston Villa. 

[Chris Smith]

Talk is cheap. People would be more re-assured if we didn't currently have a smaller squad than before he took over.

Entirely predictable from you, Greg. When he doesn't say anything you moan because he's not communicating, when he does "talk is cheap".

[Chris Smith]

So do we compete by trying to buy (borrow) our way in; with no guarantee of success; do we build a sustainable club or do we hope for a new richer owner? One thing is certain whichever one some people will complain anyway. Eck was appointed, in my opinion, in an attempt to contain expectations, we will not be in a position to compete for the top 6 anytime soon.

We NEED to be competing with the top six, and a club of our stature should rightly be in a position to do so. I am sick of this negative attitude that we cannot compete. I hope Randy studies William McGregor, and how he took the club seriously in a competitive sense, but I guess he is still listening to senile Doug for advice.

What's our stature? A club that has won the league once in our lifetimes and averages around 33k for home games. We've got a fantastic history but haven't been Dining at the top table for a long time. We have no god given right, we have to work for it.