Transfer Speculation / Gossip

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't think anyone is asking for £30m, but some money for half decent players might be an idea? And as for it not being there, we'll pick up at least £65m from television rights alone next season, yet we're still prepared to have a fourth season of risking our top flight status by not spending?

As for TV money reducing losses rather than being spendable - last year, they told us triumphantly that we were self sustaining and breaking even - so how does that fit in with coining in so much money on TV rights and not actually spending anything?

We can hope, that because the window is not yet over we have some good news coming before it closes. I hold out the hope that Randy is not a stupid man and will not roll the dice with our survival and his asset's value with even worse odds than last season.

Otherwise, yeah. Grim times for us.

Unfortunately, there's a bit of evidence to suggest that, where football is concerned, he is a bit stupid (harsh though that word is). This is the man who actually thought appointing McLeish might work out

[kippaxvilla2]

I'd love to see a draft of this years accounts.  To evidence the self sustaining referred to.  Normally businesses are valued on a factor of ebitda aren't they?  If he invests too much more money it would effect this figure presumably so the club would be worth a lot less.

Not saying I'm right but I'm trying to offer reasons for the thriftiness.

[pauliewalnuts]

This was Robin Russell, our CFO CEO Manager Right Back Acting CEO fourth months ago:

“The 2012-13 accounts effectively close a chapter on a period of heavy losses.

“As we near the end of the 2013-14 season, the club is financially self-sufficient, compliant with both UEFA’s and the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play requirements and we look forward to a period of continued growth and progress on and off the pitch.”

So, four months ago they were telling us we've cleared our debts, we're self sufficient, clean slate.

And now, having just survived relegation - again - whilst we stand to pick up at the very least £65m next season, just from the television revenue alone, we've gone from shopping around the Poundland end of the market to poking around the bins outside Poundland.

How does that work?

We're self sufficient when it sounds good and makes a decent soundbite, but not in the sense that we're actually going to spend any of the huge amount of cash we'll receive this year even if we finish bottom of the league?

[dave.woodhall]

No I don't understand the irony in "sneering" (a tediously unoriginal insult, but I expect no less) about people who regard football as one of several expensive leisure interests and can afford to treat it as such, and saying that the Villa shouldn't expect to rely on regular handouts from the club's owner, regardless of how many games he attends. I read that sentence again. You were wrong.

That is exactly what Lerner's attitude to this club has been.  Can you not see that?

I have no idea what his attitude has been, and neither have you. There are people on here and elsewhere who are still convinced that he's been earning out of the Villa since 2006 and will walk away in profit. Some think he gave up interest in 2010, others more recently. None of us know the ins and outs of what's going on and therefore it's hard to compare and find ironies in anything.

[kippaxvilla2]

Not forgetting of course that its actually 275m across the length of the TV deal.  Assuming we stay up of course.

[dave.woodhall]

This was Robin Russell, our CFO CEO Manager Right Back Acting CEO fourth months ago:

“The 2012-13 accounts effectively close a chapter on a period of heavy losses.

“As we near the end of the 2013-14 season, the club is financially self-sufficient, compliant with both UEFA’s and the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play requirements and we look forward to a period of continued growth and progress on and off the pitch.”

So, four months ago they were telling us we've cleared our debts, we're self sufficient, clean slate.

And now, having just survived relegation - again - whilst we stand to pick up at the very least £65m next season, just from the television revenue alone, we've gone from shopping around the Poundland end of the market to poking around the bins outside Poundland.

How does that work?

We're self sufficient when it sounds good and makes a decent soundbite, but not in the sense that we're actually going to spend any of the huge amount of cash we'll receive this year even if we finish bottom of the league?

I'm no expert, but given the level of debt we still had then, I would doubt that we made enough last season to be out of it now. Football club finances are different to real world, and self-sufficient probably has a different meaning.

[ciggiesnbeer]

I don't think anyone is asking for £30m, but some money for half decent players might be an idea? And as for it not being there, we'll pick up at least £65m from television rights alone next season, yet we're still prepared to have a fourth season of risking our top flight status by not spending?

As for TV money reducing losses rather than being spendable - last year, they told us triumphantly that we were self sustaining and breaking even - so how does that fit in with coining in so much money on TV rights and not actually spending anything?

We can hope, that because the window is not yet over we have some good news coming before it closes. I hold out the hope that Randy is not a stupid man and will not roll the dice with our survival and his asset's value with even worse odds than last season.

Otherwise, yeah. Grim times for us.

Unfortunately, there's a bit of evidence to suggest that, where football is concerned, he is a bit stupid (harsh though that word is). This is the man who actually thought appointing McLeish might work out

Thanks for reminding me

Can we pretend that one was all Faulkners fault?

[hilts_coolerking]

I have no idea what his attitude has been, and neither have you. There are people on here and elsewhere who are still convinced that he's been earning out of the Villa since 2006 and will walk away in profit. Some think he gave up interest in 2010, others more recently. None of us know the ins and outs of what's going on and therefore it's hard to compare and find ironies in anything.

We're not in the dark though are we?  It's entirely possible to judge his attitude by the way he has treated the club, particularly over the last three years.  Lerner is the mega-Tarquin.  Tarquinzilla!

[dave.woodhall]

I have no idea what his attitude has been, and neither have you. There are people on here and elsewhere who are still convinced that he's been earning out of the Villa since 2006 and will walk away in profit. Some think he gave up interest in 2010, others more recently. None of us know the ins and outs of what's going on and therefore it's hard to compare and find ironies in anything.

We're not in the dark though are we?  It's entirely possible to judge his attitude by the way he has treated the club, particularly over the last three years.  Lerner is the mega-Tarquin.  Tarquinzilla!

Have a look at how much he's continued to put in. Draw whatever conclusions you want from that.

[pauliewalnuts]

But that was our Chief Financial Officer saying in a press release on the official site that we're now self sustaining.

I don't think a finance professional like him would be speaking in tongues. We either are, or we are not.

Randy wrote off a load of debt at the start of the year. There is no getting away from that, and I am having no truck with the "he's taking money out" people, but they told us that we were now self sufficient.

We have a woefully inadequate squad and four years of struggle under our belts, and are about to be cop for a gigantic amount of money, yet despite all that, we're picking up dross like Cole, Senderos and Richardson on free transfers, with nothing to suggest it is going to get much better than that.

[kippaxvilla2]

" Aston Villa are readying a move for Crystal Palace forward Marouane Chamakh according to Football Direct News.
Villa Park boss Paul Lambert is keen on landing the Moroccan, who has been in excellent form since moving to Selhurst Park after a decidedly average stint at Arsenal.

Oh how we laughed at this potential signing on the opening page of this thread.

[dave.woodhall]

But that was our Chief Financial Officer saying in a press release on the official site that we're now self sustaining.

I don't think a finance professional like him would be speaking in tongues. We either are, or we are not.

Randy wrote off a load of debt at the start of the year. There is no getting away from that, and I am having no truck with the "he's taking money out" people, but they told us that we were now self sufficient.

We have a woefully inadequate squad and four years of struggle under our belts, and are about to be cop for a gigantic amount of money, yet despite all that, we're picking up dross like Cole, Senderos and Richardson on free transfers, with nothing to suggest it is going to get much better than that.

Like I said, it's a different world. Is that breaking even with the debt getting no worse, or making a profit with it reducing?

[PeterWithesShin]

Even I think Shakatak would be an utterly shit signing.

[PeterWithesShin]

Or is self sufficient meaning we can cover the debts without relying on Randy covering it for us?

[pauliewalnuts]

But that was our Chief Financial Officer saying in a press release on the official site that we're now self sustaining.

I don't think a finance professional like him would be speaking in tongues. We either are, or we are not.

Randy wrote off a load of debt at the start of the year. There is no getting away from that, and I am having no truck with the "he's taking money out" people, but they told us that we were now self sufficient.

We have a woefully inadequate squad and four years of struggle under our belts, and are about to be cop for a gigantic amount of money, yet despite all that, we're picking up dross like Cole, Senderos and Richardson on free transfers, with nothing to suggest it is going to get much better than that.

Like I said, it's a different world. Is that breaking even with the debt getting no worse, or making a profit with it reducing?

I don't think there are that many interpretations of self-sustaining - living on what we earn. Whatever it means, they were promoting it as a positive, hence that press release.

It's hard to find a definition that explains the forthcoming avalanche of television money being paired with an approach to transfers which is more in suiting with Ellis circa 2005.