The Takeover Thread - Recon Group - NOW WITH NEW POLL

[DB]

I'm not going into an extended quotation but I believe that with the money O'Neill spent he did just about the minimum he should have to be regarded as a success. However, he was always going to have his best players cherrypicked, as is any manager who doesn't have the resources to add world-class stars regularly and any club who can't pay Galactico wages to keep them.

Agree with that. I'm not having a pop at Randy for cutting his losses just that he knew what he was getting involved in.

Just out of interest, what do you think the club needs now? And that isn't a dig I'm interested.

In a fantasy world, I'd happily have similar to what we had under Brian Little. Spent money, but not outrageously compared to others, but have players who can actually pass, dribble, excite.
Its a shame that such a simple game has got so complicated.

If I could go back to one realistic time it would be the day of the 1996 League Cup final. Not only were we on the big stage but for the only time in my life we behaved like we belonged there and this was a normal day at the office - play, win a trophy, move on to the next one. We had big game players, they hadn't cost a fortune but they could be relied upon to perform when the occasion demanded. Whether we or any other club could do that again I don't know. You'll certainly never find players like Yorke and Ugo in the reserves or Wright, Charles and Johnson journeymaning in the lower divisions.

Yep. We just needed a few tweaks that Summer but we didn't and ended up stalling. 4th in the League too...when you look back it was a chance missed to do something...I now shudder at what happened.

[dave.woodhall]

I'm not going into an extended quotation but I believe that with the money O'Neill spent he did just about the minimum he should have to be regarded as a success. However, he was always going to have his best players cherrypicked, as is any manager who doesn't have the resources to add world-class stars regularly and any club who can't pay Galactico wages to keep them.

Agree with that. I'm not having a pop at Randy for cutting his losses just that he knew what he was getting involved in.

Just out of interest, what do you think the club needs now? And that isn't a dig I'm interested.

In a fantasy world, I'd happily have similar to what we had under Brian Little. Spent money, but not outrageously compared to others, but have players who can actually pass, dribble, excite.
Its a shame that such a simple game has got so complicated.

If I could go back to one realistic time it would be the day of the 1996 League Cup final. Not only were we on the big stage but for the only time in my life we behaved like we belonged there and this was a normal day at the office - play, win a trophy, move on to the next one. We had big game players, they hadn't cost a fortune but they could be relied upon to perform when the occasion demanded. Whether we or any other club could do that again I don't know. You'll certainly never find players like Yorke and Ugo in the reserves or Wright, Charles and Johnson journeymaning in the lower divisions.

Yep. We just needed a few tweaks that Summer but we didn't and ended up stalling. 4th in the League too...when you look back it was a chance missed to do something...I now shudder at what happened.

It's not often I defend Doug, but both Brian and Allan Evans said he let them buy the players they wanted; they were just the wrong ones.

[olaftab]

It was nice for Savo to get that beauty too, although that one didn't end too well. I knew there was a player there.
Can you remember the stick he used to get in the papers!

Behind the goal in the Villa end and right in line with Savo when he pumped it and I knew it was heading in as soon as it settled on a trajectory!  I liked Savo and I really did feel sorry for him being the butt end of jokes. One of the best ball players in our shirt in my supporting life.

[olaftab]

It's not often I defend Doug, but both Brian and Allan Evans said he let them buy the players they wanted; they were just the wrong ones.

I thought we were going to smack everyone in sight and move onwards and upwards once Stan was signed but later realised that by the time he came rot had already set in.

[saunders_heroes]

It was nice for Savo to get that beauty too, although that one didn't end too well. I knew there was a player there.
Can you remember the stick he used to get in the papers!

Behind the goal in the Villa end and right in line with Savo when he pumped it and I knew it was heading in as soon as it settled on a trajectory!  I liked Savo and I really did feel sorry for him being the butt end of jokes. One of the best ball players in our shirt in my supporting life.

I was in a similar area to you at Wembley and I agree about Savo, I genuinely thought he was a fine player. Perhaps his temperament and attitude let him down occasionally.
His Wembley goal is one of my favourite Villa goals ever.

[Steve67]

It was nice for Savo to get that beauty too, although that one didn't end too well. I knew there was a player there.
Can you remember the stick he used to get in the papers!

Behind the goal in the Villa end and right in line with Savo when he pumped it and I knew it was heading in as soon as it settled on a trajectory!  I liked Savo and I really did feel sorry for him being the butt end of jokes. One of the best ball players in our shirt in my supporting life.

I agree about Savo. Great touch player. Makes me realise just how bad the current lot are when we reminisce.

[DrGonzo]

  The year of that Savo goal there was an article in the Grauniad that, for me, encapsulated the feeling of being a Villa fan at that moment, it was entitled "A Quiet Little Revolution at Villa Park".  We had a squad of players who were not world beaters of them selves but as a unit were solid and capable of playing some very effective football that would trouble any other PL club of the time.  To quote the bard:  "There is a tide in the affairs of men.  Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune", a moment missed and never recaptured.  Sadly I'm unable to find the article in question to this day but it sat in glory on my wall for many years before fading, rather like my hopes.

[supertom]

Those initial signings by Little almost all seemed to do the business. It was Sasa Curcic which got him into the unfortunate habit of signing erratic under-performers. By the time we bought Stan in it appeared as if the dressing room wasn't as tightly knit as it was 2 years previously, and obviously Yorkie would have been getting itchy feet at that point.
Unfortunate really, that when we generally sign players with the bigger reputations, they're either over the hill or they under-perform. On the basis of ability, players like Curcic and Collymore should have seen us pushing the big boys. Our defence was very solid, we just needed a bit of a boost in midfield and attack.
Close but no Ceeegar. Ditto Gregory. Ditto O Neill.

[silhillvilla]

Hoping Lerner puts a timeline on the sale and if it drags on too long he recommits for a few more years and takes us off the open market.
Then again when you're losing US $150,000 a day by owning us that's easy for me to say.

If he doesn't sell & we go down, he'll lose a hell of a lot more than that.

If there's no buyers he can't sell

[dave.woodhall]

Those initial signings by Little almost all seemed to do the business. It was Sasa Curcic which got him into the unfortunate habit of signing erratic under-performers. By the time we bought Stan in it appeared as if the dressing room wasn't as tightly knit as it was 2 years previously, and obviously Yorkie would have been getting itchy feet at that point.
Unfortunate really, that when we generally sign players with the bigger reputations, they're either over the hill or they under-perform. On the basis of ability, players like Curcic and Collymore should have seen us pushing the big boys. Our defence was very solid, we just needed a bit of a boost in midfield and attack.
Close but no Ceeegar. Ditto Gregory. Ditto O Neill.

They got a lot closer than anything those last two managed but you're right about the signings. Our big signings always seemed to have a flaw, whether it be inconsistency, temperament or flattering to deceive. We cornered the market in four star players. 

[peter w]

Another thing against him, he's ORANGE.

Does he look like a golfer? It's bugging me, but I keep going back to golfer.

Olazabal?

there's a touch of Gareth Hunt c1981 going on there too

I was thinking more Mike Hunt

Reminds me more of the anchor for ITN. He of the big nose. Mark someone?

[Steve67]

Mark Austin?

[robbo1874]

It was nice for Savo to get that beauty too, although that one didn't end too well. I knew there was a player there.
Can you remember the stick he used to get in the papers!

Behind the goal in the Villa end and right in line with Savo when he pumped it and I knew it was heading in as soon as it settled on a trajectory!  I liked Savo and I really did feel sorry for him being the butt end of jokes. One of the best ball players in our shirt in my supporting life.

I agree about Savo. Great touch player. Makes me realise just how bad the current lot are when we reminisce.

Was at the side surrounded by Leeds scum, play from left to right. Seemed like slow motion watching it fly in to the net. A goal of absolute quality besmirched by my surroundings of Leeds filth. Didn't give a fuck by the time Taylor's went in - dancing on the seats!

[Steve67]

Oh well. New month and all that! Let's hope this is the month of change!

[Malandro]

Oh well. New month and all that! Let's hope this is the month of change!

Its going to all kick off when the stock exchange opens tom. Is that 2.30pm?

Its funny I've also got a dentist appointment 2:30.

- I know very old gag