Randy Lerner exclusive on the OS

[rutski]

i think an endorsement from one of the games most successful managers isnt a problem, but it can go one of 2 ways. Dont forget that Sir Graham was in the press saying we had made a mistake by not appointing Mclaren. Look what he did at Forest, and what would we have said about Sir Graham if we had appointed him and gone tits up like that?
Personally, i dont have a problem with the mcleish signing, but i dont live in brum and it doesnt affect me daily like it would brummies who have had a lot of stick over it. I dont see a lot different to the Mon football just a lack of quality of players as the money has had to be trimmed.

[Billy Walker]

Is it just me who finds the reference to Ferguson absolutely nauseating?

I find it nauseating and worrying.  He keeps Fergie's letter in a safe?  Ashley Young's move was inevitable?  I don't really like to hear any man responsible for leading Villa go all doe-eyed for another club or saying anything like this. On reading this, Randy just does not strike me as a winner or leader.  A nice guy, sure.  A decent, well meaning Chairman?  Absolutely.  The man to drive Villa to the very top?  Nope. 

Reading the final paragraph of the interview I see no evidence of clarity or defining leadership.  What are our club's targets and ambitions? "Ultimately, to get back into Europe."  When are we expected to achieve this?  Who knows?  Surely it would make sense to let the fans in on the set timescale - if there is one?

If we get back into Europe he expects "more to follow."  What does this mean? Are we going  to be competing for the title?  Are we just going to set our sights on top four?  Maybe we will simply concentrate on being a good cup team?  Compare and contrast this to the leadership shown at any of the clubs currently above us.  Dalglish knows that it is top four or bust, for example.  The Liverpool fans know it, too.  Because of a clearly defined target the whole club has got something to rally behind and fight for.

I like Randy, he is a good guy, but I have lost a fair bit of belief in him these past eighteen months.  Aiming, ultimately, for Europe?  I'd expect Stoke City, Fulham, Sunderland, West Brom, Wolves, QPR...all the also-rans of the league, to be aiming for this.  In my view he's selling the club short when he ought to be lifting us and driving us on.

[Fuse]

I can't fault Randy for finally coming out and doing what we have been askign for since he cam eot the club and communciaitng directly with us. What is good is he acknowledges that fact and that he aims to eb more communicative going forward. For that I say well done.

Nothing in the interview you wouldn't expect but at least it puts to bed whether he is committed to the  club still or not. I also despite not agreeing with his choice initially, admire his strength in going for AM if he felt it was the right thing to do. It would given everythign that had gone on in the last 18 months been very easy to go for a manager who would pacify the fans but may not have worked out as beign the best man for the job long term. I think Randy values having a connection with his manager which he obviously has with AM and perhaps that will bode well for the future.

I am actually warming a bit to AM. I think he is a really honest guy who has a strong enough character to deal with what is a huge job. Maybe with the potential for a new stand and proper backing in the transfer market, competing for the tiop 4 again might not be a pipe dream.

[DeKuip]

Damn, I was hoping he'd say at least one of these things: "75% off all season tickets next season... David Silva is signing for us in January... the North Stand will be re-named the Witton End... fans would once again be trusted with bottle tops".

[hawkeye]

I think he showed some statemanship and acknowledged that he has not comunicated enough. Well done.
If the aim is the Europa Cup I would rather not bother.

[pauliewalnuts]

It was nice of him to come out and finally say something but, if considering 24 managers they came to the conclusion that Alex McLeish was going to be the guy that pushed us forward then they really are not that good at football knowledge.

That's the bit I don't get.

i like AM myself, he seems a very affable chap, but I can't see how they considered 24 managers and concluded that the best option was one with two relegations in four years in the Premier League. It just doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

Mind you, as he says, he likes him, so he's basically given him the job because he gets on well with him.

I'd prefer our appointing decisions were based on a bit more than that.

Oh, and the Ferguson letter thing - good luck to him if it made him happy, but fuck me, how cringeworthy and small time does it feel to hear our chairman go on about keeping it in a safe box as if it's the most precious thing ever.

[KevinGage]

Is it just me who finds the reference to Ferguson absolutely nauseating?

Makes you wonder about the consequences if RL had asked the redfaced miserablist about Paul Ince or Darren Ferguson.  I'm sure they also would have received glowing references.

Despite my better instincts I quite like Big Eck - I did so ever since he mocked the B-lose fans for being small-time, for running on to the pitch after beating us in the cup.  As manager of that lot, he never engaged in petty point scoring and always spoke well  of us.

But he is  one of Fergies stool pigeons -see also Steve Bruce and Fat Sam-  average>below average managers who regularly worship at the feet of Siralex and hope to get some kind of kudos from the association.   It's largely a one way attraction (although due to his connection with Big Eck dating back to his time at Aberdeen I can readily believe Fergie might actually have a bit of time for him).   And doesn't seem to get in the way of the real business, with Fergie's sides turning over any side managed by the above with relative ease.   They praise him - he takes the points.  That seems to be about the size of it.

I'd rather we had a manager that Fergie didn't particularly like, in all honesty.  Because then we might actually be a thorn in his side.

[pauliewalnuts]

In the interview, he comes across as a chairman with the best of intentions, but someone who doesn't quite know what he is doing. Yes, I'm sure that McLeish is more likeable than many managers, but like it or not, at the end the manager is judged on results. I'm not saying that McLeish has failed or will fail in that respect, but his record of delievering results have been mixed in the past, and surely that should have been just as important as his 'character'.

I'd say that's as good a summation of him as I've seen anywhere.

[Risso]

I'd rather we had a manager that Fergie didn't particularly like, in all honesty.  Because then we might actually be a thorn in his side.

Quite so.  I got sick of Ferguson always being nice about us, usually after they'd just torn us a new arsehole.

[pauliewalnuts]

I'd rather we had a manager that Fergie didn't particularly like, in all honesty.  Because then we might actually be a thorn in his side.

Quite so.  I got sick of Ferguson always being nice about us, usually after they'd just torn us a new arsehole.

That has been Ferguson's speciality for donkey's years - freely bigging up those who are absolutely no threat to him.

[SashasGrandad]

It seems pretty clear they don't know much about football but that interview is about as good as you're going to get.  He's hardly going to set out his detailed business model or strategy for success.  How many other businesses publish that info for all their competitors to see?

Is there no way we can prize Sir Graham away from his punditry duties?  If the Board are as clueless about footy as they appear to be they couldn't do much better than getting Sir Graham in as an advisor.

Hasn't he recently fallen out with Watford so he might have time on his hands.

[Rigadon]

In the interview, he comes across as a chairman with the best of intentions, but someone who doesn't quite know what he is doing. Yes, I'm sure that McLeish is more likeable than many managers, but like it or not, at the end the manager is judged on results. I'm not saying that McLeish has failed or will fail in that respect, but his record of delievering results have been mixed in the past, and surely that should have been just as important as his 'character'.

Spot on.

A Hughes or a Benitez might have been more 'distant,'  not as willing to chat and engage with Faulkner and RL when it came to football matters, but you get the best possible candidate for the job.  Not someone who massages your ego and tells you what you want to hear.

Benitez wasn't a runner once he was told the transfer budget. Hughes apparently put the kybosh on his chances by insisting on a release clause if one of the Sky 4 lot came in.

In times gone by, the mere suggestion of such a clause would be an insult to a club of our size, but you can look at it two ways.  1: He's out for himself and would drop us like a stone if a better gig came up.   Or 2: He must have a degree of faith in his ability to even request such a stipulation. Maybe a misplaced faith.

Personally, such a clause wouldn't have automatically put me off.  To invoke it, he'd likely needed to have overseen a degree of success at VP, a cup run (a cup win, even)  or a challenge for top 5/6 despite bigger spending by all the other sides directly around us.

If he had managed any of that- and left us in a better state than he found us-  he'd go with my blessing.

Not sure I agree with the last bit KevinGage.  I don't think we need another nearly man or somebody to use us as a stepping stone back to the 'big time'.  We seem to have had our fill with them in years previous to these..  Personally think that what the club needs is a long-haul, big-picture manager.  Whether that is AM remains to be seen and he has a long way to go.   Somebody who is fucking chuffed to be here but with a steely determination for bigger and better things.  Easier said than done obviously. 

[Chris Smith]

Randy gets stick for not having a football man on the board. He takes advice from the best manager the game has seen and, surprise, surprise, he gets stick.

And the idea that Ferguson is doing it part of some cunning plan to fuck up other clubs is a conspiracy theory that even the recently dumped Gazza would laugh at.

[Compass]

The club had the power to keep Downing. Tottenham had no trouble keeping Modric in a similar situation. No excuse. It also contradicts the fact we're suppose to be reducing the wage bill and have seen no reinvestment of the 20m sale, so I doubt our chairman wasn't too disappointed he has gained money.

24 managers and the best he could come up with McLeish? A man who can't even do good in a shoe shring budget as proven with his 2 Premier League relegations? It seems Randy Lerner only wants yes men at the helm and that's why we've got the equally hopeless Paul Faulkner.

And Chris, when has SAF ever had our interests at heart? Would he be happy to see McLeish succeed after him at Man Utd? Not a chance.

[Billy Walker]

Randy gets stick for not having a football man on the board. He takes advice from the best manager the game has seen and, surprise, surprise, he gets stick.

And the idea that Ferguson is doing it part of some cunning plan to fuck up other clubs is a conspiracy theory that even the recently dumped Gazza would laugh at.

Fergie's a very good manager.  I'm pretty certain he didn't get there by assisting rivals in their bids to strengthen themselves.  His influence at other clubs is what makes him so powerful.

Having a person he gets on well with manage a club in the Premier League strengthens Fergie's hand.  Look at the magnificent job Steve Bruce is doing at Sunderland for Fergie: he lets Man Utd blood their talented youngsters there whilst, at the same time, doing them the further favour of giving them very good money for players past their sell-by dates. 

When Fergie recommends anyone or anything for another club I'm pretty sure he is doing it for the main benefit of himself.  If Fergie asks McLeish to keep him informed of Gary Gardner's progress, for example, I wonder what McLeish's response would be?  I hope he would tell him to mind his own business but would he - especially after Fergie putting in a good word for him in the context of getting the Villa manager's job?

The sooner Fergie retires the better.