Villa Park as an Olympics Venue

[remy]

I think when a decision is made that can affect thousands of jobs, businesses and lives of ordinary people it should be taken out of the hands of those who think for the minority and should be put as an open question to the majority - the people of Birmingham.

Thousands of jobs and business, ey?

When Seb Coe and Tony Blair triumphantly announced that London had won the Olympics on 6 July 2005, one of their mantras was how London and the UK would benefit from the presence of the games. They painted a rosy picture of local businesses booming on the back of the influx of tourists.

But the cold reality of today's Olympics is greyer. Commuters are being advised to work from home rather than use the overloaded transport networks; the civil service is effectively shutting down; and Zil lanes for the "great and the good" of the Olympics universe are choking already congested London streets.

Even worse, businesses across the UK, but particularly the local ones in the economically deprived environs of the Olympic Park in East London, are categorically NOT allowed to benefit from the games. Under the terms of the contracts drawn up by the corporate mega-sponsors, London small businesses are not allowed to capitalise in any conceivable, possible, miniscule way on the presence of the games in their own city.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/annie-machon/the-olympics-welcome-to-t_b_1700736.html

Yeah when I went to the match in Coventry (New Zealand vs Belarus) there were loads of 'Spectator Assistants' - all employed locally. Local bus services ferried people from stations to the ground. Extra policing (paid by the Olympic committee), all the extra people flooding into the city centre buying drinks, snacks and shopping.

[remy]

Astom Villa FC should not be JUST A BUSINESS its a FOOTBALLING CLUB. If the greatest sporting event is coming to England then Aston Villa FC should have been a part of it.

[remy]

So because Team GB werent going to come and the massively oversubscribed and commercially lucrative non-matchday business (such as weddings and conferences) and the disruption to the start of the season (but its ok for ManUre and Newcastle - both finished higher than Villa last season) its not in the 'best interests of Aston Villa'.

Well done Paul.

I think when a decision is made that can affect thousands of jobs, businesses and lives of ordinary people it should be taken out of the hands of those who think for the minority and should be put as an open question to the majority - the people of Birmingham.

That's the single biggest pile of shite I've read on here for some time.

Why the fuck should we give up our commercial space at probably the most important time of the season, to a tax-dodging corporate bandwagon?

Er...because one side of the Olympic games is a tax-dodging corporate bandwagon - you know like the Premiership is and their players and the OTHER side is watching a sporting spectacle like when you take your seat in the Holte end during a game.

[bertlambshank]

So do you want the games at Villa Park or not?

[remy]

I think PF has been, quite rightly, criticised for a good few things in the last couple of years. What is also quite apparent at the moment is he does quite a few things pretty well as well, possibly better than many other CEO's of football clubs. We invested in him to run a business first, rather than a football club and he will undoubtedly be better at the former than the latter. It takes us back to the argument about having a football man beside him. As for the Olympics, I think it will be good but whether it would have benefitted Villa to host is very doubtful.

I agree that PF might be a good business man but as CEO of Aston Villa I think he should have looked at this from more than a business point of view. If you want him to do EVERYTHING geared towards the bottom line then dont complain when the 'supporters' become nothing but 'customers' in his eyes.

[remy]

If we'd been a host coventry wouldn't have been.

Look at the games they've got, they're what we'd have been given.

Are any of them worth the effort?

Your basing that on us being equal to Coventry - were not.

[villastikz]

Villa Park will be hosting the Community Shield between Chelsea and Man City because other venues are being used for the Olympics. If we was holding Olympic games we might of only got some the games most people wouldn't have a lot of interest in and a empty ground.

I'd rather see VP full with fans for the Community Shield, between 2 of our top clubs than possibility of games like Egypt vs New Zealand that could have a half empty ground and wrecking our pitch for games there is little interest in.

..and also what is the difference between Man city / Chelsea wrecking our pitch than New Zealand vs Egypt?

Are you being serious? Do I really need to explain how 12 matches in 2 weeks for the Olympics compared with 1 match for the Community shield will cause a lot more damage to our pitch prior to the start the season?

We aren't playing any home friendlies before start of the season which means the Community Shield match will be the only game played on our pitch this pre-season which will pretty much mean the pitch will be in great condition for the start the season.

[peter w]

Watching this remyathon is like watching Olympic football. Thank Christ we didn't allow our ground to be used for it. Phew.

[remy]

So because Team GB werent going to come and the massively oversubscribed and commercially lucrative non-matchday business (such as weddings and conferences) and the disruption to the start of the season (but its ok for ManUre and Newcastle - both finished higher than Villa last season) its not in the 'best interests of Aston Villa'.

Well done Paul.

I think when a decision is made that can affect thousands of jobs, businesses and lives of ordinary people it should be taken out of the hands of those who think for the minority and should be put as an open question to the majority - the people of Birmingham.

In what way would a handful of games between teams nobody gives a shit about in front of a half empty stadium impact on the jobs, business and lives of the people of the city in general, you lunatic?

Firstly Im not a lunatic. Im having a civilised debate on a football forum.

Secondly as posted, all the spectator assistants were employed locally. Lots of people travelling to and from the centre of Coventry, new people experiencing the surrounding area and the football stadium coming to watch a worldwide sporting spectacle. The nations competing, their fans and their people back home would be aware of WHERE the match is being played, the club, its heritage, its history etc.

[Chico Hamilton III]

I'm off to Wembley on Wednesday to watch Gabon v South Korea.

I'm gutted that I didn't get the chance to see such a mouthwatering group game at Villa Park. I'm sure it would have been a sell out

[remy]

I think we're all being a bit harsh on remy.

Disagree. Had he kept to the prestige argument then I don't think he'd have gotten as much stick as he has. Sadly, for him, he brought some utter nonsense into the debate, and is justifiably being ridiculed.

And I also have to disagree with your assertion that we'd be hosting bigger matches than New Zealand and the likes. The overall standard of the teams on offer is pretty poor, and we'd have been up against 3 other grounds that I would consider to have been ahead of us in the queue for the top matches, 4 if you include Hamden.

"Justifiably ridiculed" - because Im bringing some valid points across and I dont agree with some of the points made?

The standard of teams has been pretty poor? What difference does that make? Dont they play reserve games at VP? Are you expecting Brazil 70 vs Spain 2010 every time you see teams step onto the turf. Get real. Ive seen some seriously poor games played at Villa Park over the last few years and this is supposed to be the Elite league in all of England!!!!

[remy]

Remind me again what the city of Birmingham has done for us.

What were you expecting the city of Birmingham to have done, or be doing for us to have hosted some Olympic Football matches at Villa Park in return?

[remy]

Well, I prefer to think of as the city of Birmingham being based around Aston Villa, but yes, I do know that remy.

But thanks anyway, I suppose for all you know I might be as stupid as you make me out.

No I dont think you are stupid.

I feel the same as you with the city of Birmingham based around Aston Villa. I just WISH that there was a greater presence of the club around everywhere, in schools, city centre etc. ANY opportunity to get the Aston Villa FC name out into the world should be be given maximum exposure.

[remy]

Villa Park will be hosting the Community Shield between Chelsea and Man City because other venues are being used for the Olympics. If we was holding Olympic games we might of only got some the games most people wouldn't have a lot of interest in and a empty ground.

I'd rather see VP full with fans for the Community Shield, between 2 of our top clubs than possibility of games like Egypt vs New Zealand that could have a half empty ground and wrecking our pitch for games there is little interest in.

..and also what is the difference between Man city / Chelsea wrecking our pitch than New Zealand vs Egypt?

Are you being serious? Do I really need to explain how 12 matches in 2 weeks for the Olympics compared with 1 match for the Community shield will cause a lot more damage to our pitch prior to the start the season?

We aren't playing any home friendlies before start of the season which means the Community Shield match will be the only game played on our pitch this pre-season which will pretty much mean the pitch will be in great condition for the start the season.

Nice and ready for our assault on the Premier League title while the cut up pitches at Newcastle and Manchester United will seriously hinder their prospects - as grass is notorious for not growing.

[maidstonevillain]

My recollection is we pulled out cus of the ground improvements which were required for the world cup bid, as opposed to ground improvements to meet villa demand

That is my recollection as well.