AVFC statement - McLeish sacked.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

As part of his ludicrously overpaid settlement agreement, he should be made to stand in the centre circle while five random supporters are pre picked to kick him repeatedly up the arse, in a Laurel and Hardy comedy style.

[midnite]

It's just one of those statements. You you can't go to one of those public dinners without knowing you're going to be asked that question. An if asked what would the response be? It would be very irresponsible of Faulkner to say anything else. They have to show unity and support for each other until the time is right to state otherwise.

[PeterWithesShin]

He's hardly going to say to a random bloke at a dinner "well to be honest, we fucked up big style and can't wait to get rid of him as soon as possible."

[Dribbler]

A pal was out with Faulkner at a bankers dinner and was quite open at the fact that Mcleish will be manager next year, his only target this year was to reduce the wage bill and survive. We are on target for both!!

Taking out the emotion and desire as fans we have there only aim is to make the club sustainable and not as gung ho as the MON period.

Ultimately if you like it, dislike it,believe it, dont believe it, if this is true then we have to accept we are to look forward to mid table mediocrity for a few years!!!

If this is the case then IMO we have to hit the club where it hurts most, in the pocket. Nothing else will maybe persuade them otherwise. What other type of business continually goes against the will of its customers and expects to continue to get custom and continue profiting? Ok, there are probably a few, but football clubs and their owners, being more than 'just' a business', often rely on the sentiments of the clubs supporters to carry on paying money to the club even though they are protesting. In which case the money brought in by the protesters often outweighs their protests. 

[Rudy Can't Fail]

The decision maker/s will sit down and way up the pros and cons and decide to stand by the manager. They are fully aware of the fans feelings and will anticipate a big hit in season ticket sales – losing 10,000 sales would be the worst case scenario and that would cost around £5m.

It's not £5m though, it's £5m plus associated sales next season...and the next season etc..

It's not just ticket sales, we stand to lose between £4m - £5m this season on PL prize money compared to last season.
I can't believe Randy and Faulkner are from the same school as George Osborne, where they'll continuously cut away at the costs whilst ignoring the revenue losses. For that reason alone it makes financial sense to replace Alex McLeish.

[Merv]

A pal was out with Faulkner at a bankers dinner and was quite open at the fact that Mcleish will be manager next year, his only target this year was to reduce the wage bill and survive. We are on target for both!!

Taking out the emotion and desire as fans we have there only aim is to make the club sustainable and not as gung ho as the MON period.

Ultimately if you like it, dislike it,believe it, dont believe it, if this is true then we have to accept we are to look forward to mid table mediocrity for a few years!!!

Mid table? I wish.

[Astral Weeks]

A pal was out with Faulkner at a bankers dinner and was quite open at the fact that Mcleish will be manager next year, his only target this year was to reduce the wage bill and survive. We are on target for both!!

Taking out the emotion and desire as fans we have there only aim is to make the club sustainable and not as gung ho as the MON period.

Ultimately if you like it, dislike it,believe it, dont believe it, if this is true then we have to accept we are to look forward to mid table mediocrity for a few years!!!

Mid table? I wish.

Yeah, I think we'd all settle for mid table mediocrity right now. The trouble is, when you set up your club and your squad to make mid table your default position, it only takes a few weeks and a run of poor results to slip from mid table to dire peril. Witness our season so far. Far better to aim higher and fall short.

[Jimbo]

As part of his ludicrously overpaid settlement agreement, he should be made to stand in the centre circle while five random supporters are pre picked to kick him repeatedly up the arse, in a Laurel and Hardy comedy style.

Can we introduce custard pies and a saw-mill to the scenario?

[Chrisupnorth]

The decision maker/s will sit down and way up the pros and cons and decide to stand by the manager. They are fully aware of the fans feelings and will anticipate a big hit in season ticket sales – losing 10,000 sales would be the worst case scenario and that would cost around £5m.
Changing the manager would cost about that when you take into account McLeish's compensation, paying off a contract at the new manager's current club and then the first year of his wages. Having gone through the process of finding a new manager in each of the last two seasons and seen both of those appointments proving to be unpopular with fans, I'm guessing there's going to be a big reluctance to have another summer of upheaval when we could still ending up making the wrong appointment.
They will know that the current manager hasn't lost the backing of his players and retains respect both at Bodymoor and in the football world in general. They will also know that football fans ARE pretty fickle and can be swayed by a run of decent performances and results.
I think they'll back their own initial judgement on McLeish at this stage, with their fingers firmly crossed.

As for my own opinion for what it's worth – I wouldn't sack him for the sake of it, if it meant fumbling blindly for a replacement. I don't see how that would benefit the players who have had not only changes of management to contend with but have gone from one extreme to the other and back in terms of footballing philosophies.
Sadly, and I am ashamed to say this, what I would hope for is that if they have already decided on a change and have his replacement lined up (and a deal agreed) with a clear plan of the way forward. Somehow I can't see that.

A balanced response and one that I find hard to disagree with.  This owner and senior management have done much to pander to the wishes of the VP faithful in recent years with little or no success (largely due to their own failings).  Like the majority I'd rather McLeish hadn't been appointed and would be delighted to see him leave, but I also have the feeling that with no obvious replacement (that we could realistically attract), Randy is unlikely to want to repeat his mistakes, so will let the dust settle for a few weeks after the season's end, then announce that the scotsman will continue as manager of Aston Villa next season.

[Chrisupnorth]

As part of his ludicrously overpaid settlement agreement, he should be made to stand in the centre circle while five random supporters are pre picked to kick him repeatedly up the arse, in a Laurel and Hardy comedy style.

Can we introduce custard pies and a saw-mill to the scenario?

They could always get McLeish and Grant to push an upright piano up the stairs to the top of the Holte.

[James]

As part of his ludicrously overpaid settlement agreement, he should be made to stand in the centre circle while five random supporters are pre picked to kick him repeatedly up the arse, in a Laurel and Hardy comedy style.

Can we introduce custard pies and a saw-mill to the scenario?

They could always get McLeish and Grant to push an upright piano up the stairs to the top of the Holte.

Only if they let it go at the top and had to race it back down! 

[JUAN PABLO]

A pal was out with Faulkner at a bankers dinner and was quite open at the fact that Mcleish will be manager next year, his only target this year was to reduce the wage bill and survive. We are on target for both!!

Taking out the emotion and desire as fans we have there only aim is to make the club sustainable and not as gung ho as the MON period.

Ultimately if you like it, dislike it,believe it, dont believe it, if this is true then we have to accept we are to look forward to mid table mediocrity for a few years!!!

expect crowds of 23,000 , Mr Faulkner

[Mazrim]

Not convinced. McLeish will not be Villa manager next season.

[mr underhill]

picking up on midgeavfac's post about PF chatting to people at a recent corporate do its true and I made a simiar post a week or two ago. however during his chat with my brother-in-law who knows him to talk to at these do's he only really talked about not understanding why our crowds were solow this season, when, even factoring in the current economic climate, other clubs had not seen such a marked decline. Naturally my b-i-law wa a little gobsmacked and suggested it had a lot to do with AM, worst home season ever, etc etc. PF then expressed support for his gingerness but as others point out, you wouldn't expect him to do anything other than that. Lastly, this was a few weeks ago, and the situation has got worse since, he obvious tipping point being last Tuesday.

[Mazrim]

If Mr Faulkner is still of that opinion he is a famous eejit.
Somehow I doubt he is. But the fact he has expressed suprise means he really should have no input in footballing matters and stick to the business side.