Randy Lerner

[bertlambshank]

If Lerner purchased Villa to make money he his even more stupid than I thought.

Nobody will ever know why he purchased the Villa.

[Risso]

In the short term we need a couple of players, and that doesn't need a massive injection from the owner. Longer term we need to get back to whatever it was that was driving the club forward during the first three years of Randy's time, when anything seemed possible. Wider, we and every other club have to stop living beyond our natural means.

Your two sentences completely contradict each other.  It was living completely beyond our means that fuelled the first three years of Lerner's ownership. We were told that the wanton spending was all part of the grand plan.

[PeterWithe]

Longer term we need to get back to whatever it was that was driving the club forward during the first three years of Randy's time, when anything seemed possible.

Do you think Randy would have him back?

[pauliewalnuts]

In the short term we need a couple of players, and that doesn't need a massive injection from the owner. Longer term we need to get back to whatever it was that was driving the club forward during the first three years of Randy's time, when anything seemed possible. Wider, we and every other club have to stop living beyond our natural means.

Your two sentences completely contradict each other.  It was living completely beyond our means that fuelled the first three years of Lerner's ownership. We were told that the wanton spending was all part of the grand plan.

Whenever we mentioned money to Krulak - and we did, and usually with reference to the wage bill - he'd gently patronise us and tell us not to worry, that they knew what they were doing.

The football equivalent of Chamberlain waving his scrap of paper, as it turned out.

[pauliewalnuts]

He's saying he needs to make more money available or sell the club.

I guessed as much. First, is there anyone who has a spare half a billion pounds and fancies buying a football club? Second, isn't the fools paradise of relying on an owner to bail you out every season what got us into this mess?

The difference is, Lerner knew the bigger picture financially. We didn't.

[dave.woodhall]

He's saying he needs to make more money available or sell the club.

I guessed as much. First, is there anyone who has a spare half a billion pounds and fancies buying a football club? Second, isn't the fools paradise of relying on an owner to bail you out every season what got us into this mess?

The difference is, Lerner knew the bigger picture financially. We didn't.

That's exactly the point. You can't keep relying on it, and hoping another one will be along next year.

[bertlambshank]

It's not a very clever way of building a stable football club is it.
What was he playing at? I know he has taken a hit but,the club was never going to pay for itself.

[Chrisupnorth]

Prudent and intelligent management with consistent investment is what builds any business.  Everton survive and prosper, because they have strong and competent management.  In David Moyes they have one of the best British team managers in the business and someone who consistently uses the money he has to best effect.  For an 'unfashionable' club Everton also engender the sort of loyalty from its players that you seldom see from the majority of journeymen who come through the revolving door at VP.  Villa could do worse than follow their model. 

[PaulWinch again]

Well spending some money in this transfer window to ensure safety wouldn't be relying on him to bail us out, it would be the upcoming TV deal which is guaranteed if we survive.

[Risso]

He's saying he needs to make more money available or sell the club.

I guessed as much. First, is there anyone who has a spare half a billion pounds and fancies buying a football club? Second, isn't the fools paradise of relying on an owner to bail you out every season what got us into this mess?

The difference is, Lerner knew the bigger picture financially. We didn't.

That's exactly the point. You can't keep relying on it, and hoping another one will be along next year.

We're not talking about spending huge amounts to chase the top 4 any more though, we're talking about sensible investment to keep us in the Premier League.  The costs of which, if we don't retain our top league status, will be immense.

[paul_e]

Sensible investment along the lines of £23m in the summer?

Can the myth that he's not spending any money and has 'closed the cheque book' come to an end, we spent a lot in the summer and yes we do still need a player or 2 but what we've seen this season is sensible planned spending, with an eye on ensuring we don't spend outside our means and that we keep the wage bill at a suitable level.

[Clampy]

I suppose there's the argument that if we'd spent £30m in the summer and still struggled, then Randy should have given him £40m and so on.

We do need some experience in now though and that's what Lambert should have done in the first place.

[bertlambshank]

Sensible investment along the lines of £23m in the summer?

Can the myth that he's not spending any money and has 'closed the cheque book' come to an end, we spent a lot in the summer and yes we do still need a player or 2 but what we've seen this season is sensible planned spending, with an eye on ensuring we don't spend outside our means and that we keep the wage bill at a suitable level.

The only myth is that Randy and Paul can run a football club.They haven't a bloody clue.

[paul_e]

Sensible investment along the lines of £23m in the summer?

Can the myth that he's not spending any money and has 'closed the cheque book' come to an end, we spent a lot in the summer and yes we do still need a player or 2 but what we've seen this season is sensible planned spending, with an eye on ensuring we don't spend outside our means and that we keep the wage bill at a suitable level.

The only myth is that Randy and Paul can run a football club.They haven't a bloody clue.

The comment I replied to had nothing to do with how they're running the club though, it was specifically stating the the finance required is sensible investment not gung-ho shooting for the top 4.  so, is a net spend of £23m not suitable and a form of 'sensible investment'?

I've said it many times before, criticise Lerner for his scattergun approach to manager recruitment, that's where the problem has been (due to the complete lack of football knowledge at board level), he has consistently provided the cash for transfers and there's nothing to suggest there isn't some cash available in this window, Lambert has said as much himself.

I'm fed up of reading villa fans complaining about the club having no money when it's clearly not the case.  The problem we have is down to how the money was spent, not the amount of money that was spent.

[Risso]

Sensible investment along the lines of £23m in the summer?

Can the myth that he's not spending any money and has 'closed the cheque book' come to an end, we spent a lot in the summer and yes we do still need a player or 2 but what we've seen this season is sensible planned spending, with an eye on ensuring we don't spend outside our means and that we keep the wage bill at a suitable level.

I've never denied that he made a good deal amount of money available in the summer.  However, we need some more now to get us out of this hole we're in.  If we go down, our already dire finances will be made far, far worse.  That is sensible investment.