Paul Faulkner interviewed on BRMB

[olaftab]

Just on WM PF saying DB will not be going anywhere regardless of who may come in for him

Yes just like Barry, Milner , Young and Downing. Two weeks before Downing joined Lpool Eck was  saying he is not for sale at any price.

[PaulWinch again]

I can't see Bent going anywhere purely due to cost and those prepared to meet it. However we need to start playing attacking football so we can supply him, or sooner or later he will want out.

[nigel]

No, you're just happy because Paul Faulkner is telling you stuff you want to hear. He's a good PR guy I'll give him that.

But not once did he explain on how we're going to reach the Europa League. We're miles off under this management. We have one of the worst pass rate and possession as well we can't defend for toffee now. If he had given us an in depth view on how we're going to turn things around to bring us back to Europa league then that would have been taken more seriously over something like we're a big club and deserve to be there. Talk about clinging on false hope. Doesn't sound like good planning does it?

And I find it very funny how he's very confident on keeping Villa players considering we keep losing all the best ones. There's no doubt in my mind Bent will be off sometime in 2012.

It's not that at all.
Yes, of course he said the 'right things' I believe that our ambitions are to play European football.
It wasn't that sort of interview though, it was, basically, 2 blokes having a chat at a football game.
If you want more in depth stuff, go to one of the meetings he was on about. He said all are welcome (or words to the effect)

[nigel]

Just on WM PF saying DB will not be going anywhere regardless of who may come in for him

Yes just like Barry, Milner , Young and Downing. Two weeks before Downing joined Lpool Eck was  saying he is not for sale at any price.

When did he say Downing wasn't for sale at any price? Sorry, but, I don't remember that.
I remember him saying that he didn't want him to go and that his first priority would be to talk to him.
Downing was as good as gone, like Young, before AMcL was appointed.

[olaftab]

Just on WM PF saying DB will not be going anywhere regardless of who may come in for him

Yes just like Barry, Milner , Young and Downing. Two weeks before Downing joined Lpool Eck was  saying he is not for sale at any price.

When did he say Downing wasn't for sale at any price? Sorry, but, I don't remember that.
I remember him saying that he didn't want him to go and that his first priority would be to talk to him.
Downing was as good as gone, like Young, before AMcL was appointed.

Read any of these. cheers!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jul/07/stewart-downing-aston-villa-liverpool
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jul/07/stewart-downing-aston-villa-liverpool
http://www.7500toholte.com/2011/7/7/2263801/aston-villa-transfer-news-rumors-rumours-stewart-downing-liverpool-alex-mcleish-not-for-sale

[JUAN PABLO]

Just on WM PF saying DB will not be going anywhere regardless of who may come in for him

Yes just like Barry, Milner , Young and Downing. Two weeks before Downing joined Lpool Eck was  saying he is not for sale at any price.

When did he say Downing wasn't for sale at any price? Sorry, but, I don't remember that.
I remember him saying that he didn't want him to go and that his first priority would be to talk to him.
Downing was as good as gone, like Young, before AMcL was appointed.

Read any of these. cheers!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jul/07/stewart-downing-aston-villa-liverpool
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jul/07/stewart-downing-aston-villa-liverpool
http://www.7500toholte.com/2011/7/7/2263801/aston-villa-transfer-news-rumors-rumours-stewart-downing-liverpool-alex-mcleish-not-for-sale

f**k  glen Johnson on 120 k a week  .....   

[Dante Lavelli]

We have to stop selling our best players - full stop. If it means losing one on a Bosman then so be it. We took that stance with Barry and we all were proud we did it, unforutnately we didn;t stick to our guns.

Until we do that we will be 2nd rate to the best clubs.

Unforutnately apart from Gabby no-one else in our first team would interest a top club and before anyone says Darren Bent - I bet not one fo them would entertain a player who can't trap a ball.

I disagree with that Fuse.  I think we need to maximise the sales price we get and then make sure we reinvest the profits in young players.  I would guess that once you deduct all our expenses - wages, maintenance etc from our turnover then there will be zero left for transfers (anyone?).  Without any money for transfers then arguably we are not going to improve from where we are now.

Therefore our most viable way of making any money for transfers is to occasionally sell one of our top performers.  Where we have failed is that we have not reinvested the money from the sales of downing and even milner.

[gaucho1966]

I think the sad truth is we have nothing more to sell other than Bent. If we are to reach the giddy heights of 2 years ago then another massive injection of cash is need. I doubt Randy gas the stomach or the pockets to do this however. Mid table mediocrity is our best option at this point.

[nigel]

Just on WM PF saying DB will not be going anywhere regardless of who may come in for him

Yes just like Barry, Milner , Young and Downing. Two weeks before Downing joined Lpool Eck was  saying he is not for sale at any price.

When did he say Downing wasn't for sale at any price? Sorry, but, I don't remember that.
I remember him saying that he didn't want him to go and that his first priority would be to talk to him.
Downing was as good as gone, like Young, before AMcL was appointed.

Read any of these. cheers!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jul/07/stewart-downing-aston-villa-liverpool
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jul/07/stewart-downing-aston-villa-liverpool
http://www.7500toholte.com/2011/7/7/2263801/aston-villa-transfer-news-rumors-rumours-stewart-downing-liverpool-alex-mcleish-not-for-sale

Still doesn't say "Not for sale at any price"
It only says "He's not for sale"
He didn't want to sell him so he said that "He wasn't for sale", which is exactly what any other manager would have said. At the end of the day, like I said, Downing was as good as gone, like Young, before AMcL was appointed.  so AMcL had no choice in the matter.
It was also the Guardian reporting :-)

[olaftab]

Still doesn't say "Not for sale at any price"
It only says "He's not for sale"
He didn't want to sell him so he said that "He wasn't for sale", which is exactly what any other manager would have said. At the end of the day, like I said, Downing was as good as gone, like Young, before AMcL was appointed.  so AMcL had no choice in the matter.
It was also the Guardian reporting :-)

Honestly what am I dealing with here!
Try these  and from the Villa page read Fox News, Sportinglife and Stenta comments. Cheers.

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2388547,00.html
http://www.freefootball.org/read-news.php?newstitle=soccer/11/07/07/manual_123124&BID=4

[Iago]

Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner has heaped pressure on manager Alex McLeish by asking him to deliver European football on a budget.

The American billionaire, along with Villa chief executive Paul Faulkner, have outlined their demands for the season and raised the stakes for the club's under-fire boss.

Lerner, via Faulkner, has communicated that the club expects to qualify for the Europa League while cutting back its' hefty wage bill.

McLeish has already been told that he won't be receiving any additional funding during the January transfer window and now the dictat from above has clarified his mission.
In training: The Villa squad are put through their paces on Friday

In training: The Villa squad are put through their paces on Friday

'I think Europe sits there as a goal and that would be our goal this year,' said Faulkner.

'We believe that being in Europe is psychologically important. Randy wants it back.
 

'I believe it's do-able. Aston Villa is a great club and should be up there challenging at the top of the league and we should be there pushing for Europe. 'It should always be the goal for a great club like this.'

Villa's boss was rounded upon by his own supporters who chanted 'oring, boring Villa' at his side during an insipid display at White Hart Lane.

And he is not expecting any help when the January transfer window opens. He has not held a discussion yet on any possible targets with the club's owner whose stance is in direct contrast to this time last season when Gerard Houllier was lavished with riches.

What a terrible article this is too. GH offloaded Sidwell and Carew to sign Makoun and Bent, what lavished riches?

It is sell to buy, and it seems to me AM is happy with his core squad.

[DeKuip]

Is "challenging for a place in Europe" really something to get excited over any more? Unless Europe is taken seriously once you've qualified, or your lucky enough to draw a decent away day for the fans - it's just treated as a distraction nowadays. What I want to hear is that we're looking forward to taking on Europe and giving it our best shot, and not treating it as a few games to give the squad players a run out.
Of course, winning the FA Cup would also get us into Europe, but we'd have to show that competition a bit of respect too to have a chance, unlike last season.

The most surprising thing to me about the interview was that BRMB still exits and Tom Ross still hasn't retired. I thought all that went down the drain years ago when the beeb closed down WM after Tony Butler and Ed Doolan turned 90.

[ROBBO]

The interview was pure spin but what was he expected to say,we can't afford to be ambitious.

[nigel]

Still doesn't say "Not for sale at any price"
It only says "He's not for sale"
He didn't want to sell him so he said that "He wasn't for sale", which is exactly what any other manager would have said. At the end of the day, like I said, Downing was as good as gone, like Young, before AMcL was appointed.  so AMcL had no choice in the matter.
It was also the Guardian reporting :-)

Honestly what am I dealing with here!
Try these  and from the Villa page read Fox News, Sportinglife and Stenta comments. Cheers.

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2388547,00.html
http://www.freefootball.org/read-news.php?newstitle=soccer/11/07/07/manual_123124&BID=4

"Honestly what am I dealing with here!"
Who are you to judge me?
You post 3 links and none said ".... at any price"
Yes, the later link had Fox, Setanta & Sportinglife saying that, but, the problem is that people are all to ready to believe what's in the media and not what someone says live on radio.
We all know that the media add little snippets or re word articles to suit and we all know that we didn't want to sell Downing.
Whether AMcL said ".... at any price" is debatable in my opinion.

[olaftab]

"Honestly what am I dealing with here!"
Who are you to judge me?
You post 3 links and none said ".... at any price"
Yes, the later link had Fox, Setanta & Sportinglife saying that, but, the problem is that people are all to ready to believe what's in the media and not what someone says live on radio.
We all know that the media add little snippets or re word articles to suit and we all know that we didn't want to sell Downing.
Whether AMcL said ".... at any price" is debatable in my opinion.

There was no judgement just a light hearted comment. Apologies if you felt it so.
I want my club to say something and stick with it just like Spurs did on Modric.  I have no  hope that this board will not repeat the past  trend and keep on selling as soon as a Club comes in and player is destabilised.  Other teams now know that they can buy any decent player  from us and our past performance confirms  that. Make any excuse we like but we have form.