What's your view on Paul Faulkner now?

[TheSandman]

In the case of Benteke, I'd imagine that Paul Lambert also had a lot to do with it - as he did with the convincing of the other young players that his way forward is worth persevering with.

A good point. I'm sure the competence and power of the manager plays a big part in these things too. I'm not denigrating Faulkner there, I think there are a number of areas that are specifically his responsibility that he has handled well throughout his tenure such as commercial deals and so on. However, a strong football man who likes to take charge of everything related to the footballing side of things (which I believe is the one thing that PL took from MoN) can cover a multitude of other sins. Many of our new signings and Benteke following his new deal have emphasized the role of Lambert in their decisionmaking and how well he persuades them of his vision for the club.

[Dave Cooper please]

He didn't come from a football background so maybe it was no surprise that he struggled early on with some of the more football-based decisions, it must have been a hell of a steep learning curve for him.

[Toronto Villa]

Toronto, I have noticed you often do that ironic "hurr hurr, isn't Faulkner shit?" thing.

I don't know why, I am pretty sure you too gave him/them plenty of shit when you thought they deserved it, too.

The reason lots of us gave him shit at the time was because they kept on making really shit decisions. It's good we're on the way to making more good decisions than bad ones, yes, but I'm not going to start berating anyone who criticised them in the recent past, mostly because they had a point, and I certainly wouldn't play the "how wrong were you?" card just yet.

For starters, I can't speak for anyone else, but I'd guesstimate that for me, the minimum period of time within which I can ever forgive someone appointing Alex McLeish to manage my club is at least 20 years, so there's a fair way to go yet.

In the case of Benteke, I'd imagine that Paul Lambert also had a lot to do with it - as he did with the convincing of the other young players that his way forward is worth persevering with.

An excellent appointment, and whoever chose him deserves respect, but let's not act like people didn't have a point raising their eyebrows at the previous two appointments.

see what's disappointing in your post is that if you look at my initial post I said very clearly that he deserved shit for the stuff he fucked up. However, while Paul Lambert is getting plenty of praise, it should be noted that Faulkner gets grief when it goes wrong rarely gets praise when it goes right. I'm not in least saying I told you so, because I didn't so wind your neck in on that one. I never defended him for McLeish as I'd be an idiot had I done so. Irrespective of the past mistakes, this is about this summer and he's done really well. It's ok to admit that.

[PeterWithesShin]

Personally, I can find little fault with the club since a certain ginger scottish thundercloud left the club.

[kippaxvilla2]

He is still a pen pusher.  Lerner is the true poker player.  No nonsense, learned this industry fast and can play with the big boys in business. Just wish he hadn't lost his ambition for real success.

[cdbearsfan]

Faulkner reminds me of Ace Rimmer.

What a guy.

[Villadroid]

At this stage there is too little information to form an opinion.

We don't know what changed Benteke's mind or whether Faulkner broke the club's pay policy to get CB to sign.

So as I said to someone last light:

To be honest, mate, I haven't got a clue.

[Leicester_Villian]

Why dont we just give credit where is due ......

Sponsorship deal sorted .....
New kit out a second year running in time for holidays
New signings done before pre season commences
Contracts sorted for the players who deserved them
CB matter dealt with in professional manner

If we just go back say 4 years none of the above would have happened

We now appear to be a club who have learnt from mistakes and really look like we are moving forward

Lets hope there are still a couple of signings to come - but lets give praise where its due

Well done PF RL PL

[stubbsyandy]

Why dont we just give credit where is due ......

Sponsorship deal sorted .....
New kit out a second year running in time for holidays
New signings done before pre season commences
Contracts sorted for the players who deserved them
CB matter dealt with in professional manner

If we just go back say 4 years none of the above would have happened

We now appear to be a club who have learnt from mistakes and really look like we are moving forward

Lets hope there are still a couple of signings to come - but lets give praise where its due

Well done PF RL PL

Spot on in all respects

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Why dont we just give credit where is due ......

Well done PF RL PL

Gets my vote too. Great team effort.

[Ryu]

It's funny how when you read forums of other clubs there is pretty much always  a lot of people who are very vocal about how rubbish their CEO/DOF/Chairman or whoever are totally rubbish at negotiating/concluding deals quickly/appearing like a real human being.

Other clubs forums when discussing dealings with spurs paint Levy as some sort of Machiavellian genius who is the only man ever in business to think of trying to pay as little as possible for things you are buying and getting as much as possible for things you are selling.  But go on a spurs forum today and it will be full of people saying he couldn't sign a striker to save his life and that he has committed the cardinal sin in football fans eyes; lacking ambition.

I even remember when we signed N'zogbia, which was in the height of PF's unpopularity, reading on a Sunderland forum someone saying they wished they had our negotiators!

Now, maybe PF was at least partly responsible for the whole Mcleish debacle but I found it strange that so many people seemed to KNOW it was all the chief executive's fault, along with any other things going wrong at the time.  And it's a theme with fans of other clubs. 

Maybe that's why owners like to have chief executives or other people on the board who are high profile as it creates a lighting rod for criticism that would otherwise be directed at them...

[TopDeck113]

He didn't come from a football background so maybe it was no surprise that he struggled early on with some of the more football-based decisions, it must have been a hell of a steep learning curve for him.

I'd buy into that argument.  It does though reinforce the point that many, including myself, have made, that given his lack of football experience, Lerner was amiss in not having a Steve Stride/Graham Taylor figure on board to hold his hand.  That error could quite easily have seen us unhitched from the Premier League gravy-train .

[dave.woodhall]

As Doug said - managers win games and chairmen lose them.

[Mister E]

... Now, maybe PF was at least partly responsible for the whole Mcleish debacle but I found it strange that so many people seemed to KNOW it was all the chief executive's fault, along with any other things going wrong at the time.  And it's a theme with fans of other clubs. 

Interesting. Conventional wisdom is that Lerner met TSM and liked the cut of his jib, went off on his 'plane to meet said TSM and persuaded him to join the Villa.
I didn't really see PF as the problem on that decision, although he could have more vociferously argued against it, if indeed Lerner was the real driver behind it.

[danlanza]

We need at least 3 more vending machines or else next season will be the same as last.