What's your view on Paul Faulkner now?

[Sexual Ealing]

City may be richer and more successful right now. But there is no way in a million years they are a bigger club than us.

I shouldn't have got involved as I think the debate about which is a 'bigger' club is pointless and meaningless. All I'd add is that their money and success will go some way to ensuring their stature for a good while.

[sonlyme]

In truth - the whole Faulkener thing is a red herring.  He is a manager of a business - and he will do what the owner asks of him.  If Villa fail to implement health and safety then blame Faulkener.  If the North Stand burns down and we find out the insurance lapsed - blame Faulkener.  If your pie is cold - then blame Faulkener.  But all this bile against the bloke is just scapegoating.  He knew very little about football when he came in and oversaw the biggest mistake in not rejecting the TSM suggestion.

But to be fair - Faulkener is probably a lot like our young side - got potential but inexperienced and prone to rookie mistakes.

They got through it - and so it seems has he (he has after all just been re-elected onto the FA Committee by his peers).

The finger of blame stuff is for losers - I would refer you to Small Heath and the blame culture over there.  It is not helpful.  It is not constructive.  And it takes attention away from all the good shit that is happening at Villa.   

We are Villa and things are looking up.

[TheSandman]

^That +1. The main axe people have to grind is the McLeish appointment. Some seem almost to insist that he made it all by himself. I think he does Lerner's bidding mostly with things like that. That's not to say he has no power. I think he does a lot at the club day to day, and a lot of things that would seem to be related to that such as commercial deals (and he is surely involved in sorting out deals for signings as well) have been very well done on his part. I do wish we had a CEO with more footballing knowledge and who was more assertive regarding some things but I can't blame Faulkner for that as he didn't appoint himself.

[Concrete John]

Yep, Faulkner is not a real decision maker on the football side of things.

[PeterWithesShin]

For all we know Faulkner could have been massively against the signing of McLeish. Of course it could also have been his idea. We'll probably never know for sure but it does seem harsh he gets so much stick for something he may have had little say in.

[KevinGage]

It was such a monumental phuck up- and it was obvious to just about everyone what a brainfreeze it was from the outset.

If Faulkner as Chief Exec advocated it, the blame lies solely with him.  If it was RL's choice, it's one of those moments where -as Chief Exec- Faulkner had a responsibility to politely convince him otherwise. Even if it meant offering his resignation.   Going along with a choice as bad as that reflects on him too, and he'd have known the shitstorm he was in for when it went tits up (and it did).

Anyone with a vague idea about the English game knew how bizarre a choice it was, not just because McDuff's Small Heath connections but for the safety first dross his sides invariably serve up.  Think it was that well known Villa legend John Barnes who said "You can get away with that type of football at Birmingham City.  You can't get away with it at Aston Villa."

Situations like that highlight the lack of football knowledge at the top table.   They'd met McLeish a few times as B-lose manager, were impressed that he spoke about the Villa in glowing terms and so gave him a job, or so it seems.

[Stu]

As he is chief exec, I imagine he had a lot of say in the appointment of McLeish. He was on the radio after TSM was sacked alongside Pat Murphy and when pressed by Murphy, PF said that he had to accept some of the blame for the mistake in that appointment. I was not a big fan of having someone as Chief Exec who had little knowledge of how football works in the upper echelons (I'm not claiming any expertise either), and I don't think I'm alone when I think that for the first couple of years at least, he could have done with someone who knew what it's like at this level. Steve Stride was mentioned a lot, and I'm certain things could have been smoother if he, or someone along those lines, was onboard in 2010.

However, it seems that things are coming together slowly. We have a manager that seems to get value for money, and we have a decent scouting network - or at least a scouting network that operates outside of the British Isles. The club feels more together than it has done since about 2009, as if we're all pulling in the same direction for a change. Villa is a really political club, and there's been a history of internal strife and fan factions for a very long time. However, when we pull together, fans and club, the results on the pitch tend to follow. I have the feeling back that I did in 2006, and for all of his previous errors (or his errors as I perceive them), PF also has to take some of the credit for that.

[Monty]

I still cringe a bit at the thought or mention of him, and the appointment of TSM is a memory which will not easily die, but you have to say his commercial record at the club is impressive.

[The Left Side]

He is starting to build bridges after the episode with TSM but still a long way to go for me.

[Boz]

I think another factor for these players coming to B6, is that PL has shown he's giving the younger players an opportunity to play in the Premier League and build a squad to play in the style the manager wants. No more stuck in the mud, end of their career players, whose main interest is one last big wages contract.

These guys are looking to develop their careers, and may see Villa as a stepping stone if they're as successful as Benteke, but if we are pusing the top 6 next season, they may see themselves as the start of a Villa/Paul Lambert dynasty, after all SAF had to start somewhere.

[PaulWinch again]

The thing is I imagine as the years go by he'll get better and better purely from the experience of the game. We're clearly going about things the right way now, and hopefully he's learned from his mistakes.

[JD]

I like the new kit. Never heard of any of the the players we've been linked with. A bit too early to be shooting your load yet, so lets wait till the season starts

Too late for me.  Shot my load when Tonev signed - a great player.  Just about reloaded when news came in of Bacuna (Dutch Essien is how my mate describes him) and shot it again.  Now Jores Okore signs - after impressing in the Champions League - attracting interest from Man Utd and actually turning down the offer to go the Chelsea when his club had accepted a bid - and I find myself all wrung out.

If Lambert, Faulkener, and Lerner keep this up I'll be down to the doctors for some Viagra.

And one more thing.  Does anyone else notice he is not signing big time charlies.  He is going after young guys who possess a simple professional attitude of wanting to play football.  Read the Okore interview.  How many would turn down Abramovich's money and the lure of a glamour club.  The same with Leandro Bacuna.  He wants to play - not pick up £30k a week to sit on a bench or be sent out on loan.  All our signings so far have spoken about wanting to be a part of something special - a team - and a club that gives talent a chance no matter its age or pedigree.  I think Villa's policy has not gone unnoticed in Europe and if these lads are the sort of quality we are attracting as a result - then I for one say this is good.

And it's not over yet.

Credit where it is due and a little faith.

UTV

Great post. Exactly how I feel. The players we are signing want to prove themselves and want to play, not just earn big money. Hopefully this will spill over onto the pitch. I think we have exciting times ahead next season.

[danlanza]

Have we got the vending machines yet ? If not then he is still a twunt, if we have then he is a great bloke.
Oh, and by the way, good signings and a great new kit. Bless him, maybe he has realised what he has to do, at last.

[eastie]

Have we got the vending machines yet ? If not then he is still a twunt, if we have then he is a great bloke.
Oh, and by the way, good signings and a great new kit. Bless him, maybe he has realised what he has to do, at last.

He sorted the chicken nuggets problem expertly , and augurs well for the fish finger biscuit option with parsley sauce.

Well done paul, recent weeks have been very encouraging .

[dave.woodhall]

If Benteke does go - and realistically if he did want it, there's not much that could stop him - what fee would make you feel the board did as well as they could?