Randy Lerner - Discuss

[PaulWinch again]

I have to be honest on the evidence of the 'football' we've played, as much as Mcleish seems a good man I wouldn't trust him to spend any money given to him. The reason for this is I believe on the evidence so far he doesn't appear to know how to get a team playing the game properly. On that basis eventually he will be dismissed and you'll then have to throw more money at a new manager. It may not be ideal to chop and change, but in this case I think it's better to start again with the correct man in charge instead of waste more time and money on what will ended up as a failed venture.

Can the club really cope with a third 'transitional' season in a row?

I don't know to be honest, but I think it's preferable if(and that's a big if) we get the right man in to lead us forward. I don't particularly subscribe to the theory it will come good if you give a manager time if it is clearly the wrong man for the job. In this case I think Mcleish is the wrong man for the job. I don't think there are any circumstances where he will turn it round sufficiently to prove otherwise.

[Hookeysmith]

There have been many times when we have been on the verge of having a very decent team when you just knew there was a final peice in the jigsaw to be made to take us to a higher level.

BFR - Saunders - it took a public address to get Ellis to open the wallet
Little - Curcic (so we thought) then it went wrong when Ellis did it himself (SVC)
Gregory - Juniniho - Ellis would not release funds

But al lthrough the times you just felt we were one player away - or that so many chances were being created that someone was going to get a 6-0 bollocking

This time i just dont get what a few new faces would bring with this Manager - its his whole ethos of playing the game that is wrong

The only way to change that is to change him - but i fear Lerner has been bitten too many times and with his own inexperience will not want to catch another cold

[PaulWinch again]

I think that's essentially the issue, if Randy bought Xavi and Iniesta for this side Mcleish would still play over them. I just don't believe he has the ability to change his philosophy even if he wanted to. I think Randy needs to admit he's made a mistake and bite the bullet, we need a more progressive manager who can push Villa into the 21st Century. It's the only way I can see us moving forward.

[Greg N'Ash]

Putting aside AM for a second though, do you think we're 1 or two players away from having a decent team? I don't. So if a new guy comes in he'll have exactly the same problems AM has and GH had. The strike force is probably one of the best outside the top 4, but there's no cover at all. The defence is barely adequate, and the midfield is rubbish, I'd say to get a decent team and when i say decent i mean best of the rest type decent would require probably 4 or 5 first teamers and not far off the same in cover. Not gonna happen whoever the manager is

[Iago]

Why Randy? Why did you appoint AM? I still do not get it.

[Villafirst]

Why Randy? Why did you appoint AM? I still do not get it.

Because he's an American idiot without a clue how to run a Football Club. MON called all the shots when he was in charge. Like it or not but Lerner has made one diastrous decision/appointment after another since MON left. The sooner RL sells up the better.....bright future? Ha!

[not3bad]

There are many things I've liked about Randy Lerner's tenure at Villa.  He's revitalised the merchandise and done very well on the business side.  The relationship with Acorn's is fantastic.  He has also continued the tradition of having a strong youth policy at Aston Villa, something every Villa fan can be proud of.

However since the beginning of last Summer things have begun to unravel.  The shambolic search for a new manager, culminating in an astonishing appointment (and not astonishing in a good way), the dissapearence of the General and the overall deterioration in the standard of communication with the fans (see "the letter"), and the selling of key players who were not adequately replaced.

It's difficult not to be disilussioned with all things claret & blue at present.  We have a midweek game against Arsenal just before Christmas and despite the fact I'm a season ticket holder I have the choice of paying to travel up from Reading to watch the current standard of football or go to my running club and have some mulled wine after the session.  I know which looks the most appealing.

[Concrete John]

There are many things I've liked about Randy Lerner's tenure at Villa.  He's revitalised the merchandise and done very well on the business side.  The relationship with Acorn's is fantastic.  He has also continued the tradition of having a strong youth policy at Aston Villa, something every Villa fan can be proud of.

However since the beginning of last Summer things have begun to unravel.  The shambolic search for a new manager, culminating in an astonishing appointment (and not astonishing in a good way), the dissapearence of the General and the overall deterioration in the standard of communication with the fans (see "the letter"), and the selling of key players who were not adequately replaced.

It's difficult not to be disilussioned with all things claret & blue at present.  We have a midweek game against Arsenal just before Christmas and despite the fact I'm a season ticket holder I have the choice of paying to travel up from Reading to watch the current standard of football or go to my running club and have some mulled wine after the session.  I know which looks the most appealing.

I can understand the financial situation - the clubs needs to be run within it's own means.  And I find it hard criticise a man who's put so much in for not putting anymore in.

I find the General's adsence a little unsettling.  Not becuase I think he sgould be on here, but because the timing of his departure looks too much like going into hiding.

But where he has fallen down in my eyes is the appointment of managers.  I wasn't in favour of Houllier or McLeish, although gave one time and continue to give the other the same.  So if and when he needs to make this major decision again, he has to have a re-think of the approach.  I'd be employing some mega agent to get the deal sorted, puting funds aside for the new man and forgetting the whole application/interview idea - just decide who you want and go get him. 

[PaulWinch again]

I'd still like to know how two relegations in three years, regardless of winning the league cup remotely qualifies you to be Aston Villa manager. I'm still as staggered by the appointment as I was when it occurred. It was just madness.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Putting aside AM for a second though, do you think we're 1 or two players away from having a decent team? I don't. So if a new guy comes in he'll have exactly the same problems AM has and GH had. The strike force is probably one of the best outside the top 4, but there's no cover at all. The defence is barely adequate, and the midfield is rubbish, I'd say to get a decent team and when i say decent i mean best of the rest type decent would require probably 4 or 5 first teamers and not far off the same in cover. Not gonna happen whoever the manager is

The midfield will only get rebuilt after Petrov has gone. Until then we'll continue to adapt things around him.

[Toronto Villa]

Putting aside AM for a second though, do you think we're 1 or two players away from having a decent team? I don't. So if a new guy comes in he'll have exactly the same problems AM has and GH had. The strike force is probably one of the best outside the top 4, but there's no cover at all. The defence is barely adequate, and the midfield is rubbish, I'd say to get a decent team and when i say decent i mean best of the rest type decent would require probably 4 or 5 first teamers and not far off the same in cover. Not gonna happen whoever the manager is

I actually think we are a decent side Greg. We just don't have the confidence to show that. We have internationals all throughout our team, or at least players that have played at that level. I don't think Newcastle have a better defence on paper than us, but tactically they got it right. Mind you they are going to be fucked now with their injuries. I don't think McLeish has given them the belief to go after it every game. Even in games we should be dominating we play very conservatively and timidly. I can somewhat accept that mindset against the best teams, but not against QPR or Swansea etc.

In my opinion AM has to change entirely how he approaches every game. It's not a shock to me that we generally play better in the 2nd half of games, because in the first half the team comes out without any belief or desire because the manager has stressed a defence first mentality. Only when we are behind do we open up a little. I think a manager with a more aggressive approach to games will find that he has the players at the club today to play a more expansive style.

[dave.woodhall]

Why Randy? Why did you appoint AM? I still do not get it.

Because he's an American idiot without a clue how to run a Football Club. MON called all the shots when he was in charge. Like it or not but Lerner has made one diastrous decision/appointment after another since MON left. The sooner RL sells up the better.....bright future? Ha!

Yes, let's get a British owner in. We'll be alright then. David Sullivan maybe, or Peter Ridsdale.

[pauliewalnuts]

He has no idea how to run a football club, but it's not about him being American. It's about him struggling to run a piss up in a brewery.

Talking of Ridsdale, I see he's washed up at Preston today. Gawd 'elp 'em

[Mazrim]

Why cant he find another hobby, the twat.

[Concrete John]

Putting aside AM for a second though, do you think we're 1 or two players away from having a decent team? I don't. So if a new guy comes in he'll have exactly the same problems AM has and GH had. The strike force is probably one of the best outside the top 4, but there's no cover at all. The defence is barely adequate, and the midfield is rubbish, I'd say to get a decent team and when i say decent i mean best of the rest type decent would require probably 4 or 5 first teamers and not far off the same in cover. Not gonna happen whoever the manager is

I actually think we are a decent side Greg. We just don't have the confidence to show that. We have internationals all throughout our team, or at least players that have played at that level. I don't think Newcastle have a better defence on paper than us, but tactically they got it right. Mind you they are going to be fucked now with their injuries. I don't think McLeish has given them the belief to go after it every game. Even in games we should be dominating we play very conservatively and timidly. I can somewhat accept that mindset against the best teams, but not against QPR or Swansea etc.

In my opinion AM has to change entirely how he approaches every game. It's not a shock to me that we generally play better in the 2nd half of games, because in the first half the team comes out without any belief or desire because the manager has stressed a defence first mentality. Only when we are behind do we open up a little. I think a manager with a more aggressive approach to games will find that he has the players at the club today to play a more expansive style.

I agree, Toronto.

Even if we did need the 4 or 5 players Greg suggests, some of the present first team are more than good enough to be squad players for a 'best of the rest' club, which unless serious money becomes available is our ceiling.