The Takeover Thread - Recon Group - NOW WITH NEW POLL

[Ian.]

Ha, imagine if we get a new owner and STILL end up with Lambert in charge. I would probably just burst out laughing, Arya Stark style.

Lambert with some decent backing and a some good coaches could also still be a good manager.

Some people said the same about TSM.

Really?

Who?

[mr underhill]

the general certainly did

[DeeBoy1]

Ha, imagine if we get a new owner and STILL end up with Lambert in charge. I would probably just burst out laughing, Arya Stark style.

Lambert with some decent backing and a some good coaches could also still be a good manager.

Some people said the same about TSM.

Really?

Who?

Loads of people did, I have to say me included. There was a hell of alot of talk about how he could only work with what he had at Blues, and that he would be a more attacking manager with our squad, with references to his successful Rangers team. I think it was probably a mix of folorn hope and him saying the right things but it was there was definitely an opinion that maybe he may surprise us.

Unfortunately he didn't.

[not3bad]

Ha, imagine if we get a new owner and STILL end up with Lambert in charge. I would probably just burst out laughing, Arya Stark style.

Why? It wouldn't be any big deal.  Lambert would be given one last chance and if he didn't turn things round he'd be out the door. Is that so traumatic?

The last two years have been traumatic enough thank you. Why bother taking the risk of having another desperate season? The only reason to keep him would be if we literally can't afford to replace him and you would hope that a new owner wouldn't be stuck in that position.

Takeover = fresh start please. Not 'Oh go on Paul, have another season

If he was given another chance I think he'd have to show marked improvement within a season.

[Dante Lavelli]

Ha, imagine if we get a new owner and STILL end up with Lambert in charge. I would probably just burst out laughing, Arya Stark style.

Why? It wouldn't be any big deal.  Lambert would be given one last chance and if he didn't turn things round he'd be out the door. Is that so traumatic?

The last two years have been traumatic enough thank you. Why bother taking the risk of having another desperate season? The only reason to keep him would be if we literally can't afford to replace him and you would hope that a new owner wouldn't be stuck in that position.

Takeover = fresh start please. Not 'Oh go on Paul, have another season bless you. Maybe if you have money to spend you'll be able to beat Sheffield United and Bradford. Here's the cheque book...'

I'd hope that the new owners do retain Lambert.  Not because I want him as manager but because I hope the new owners take a long term view of how they manage the club.  Instantly replacing Lambert will be a hmmm 10-15m comitment in the new manger.  I'd prefer that this level of investment is only undertaken having done pretty thorough research which would be just about impossible unless they (the new owners) are already in the football business.

I might be in the minority here but even in our new dawn I do not want to see the club wasting money or indeed just seeing money and spending as the solution to all problems.  Give me Dortmund over PSG any day of the week.

[pauliewalnuts]

Ha, imagine if we get a new owner and STILL end up with Lambert in charge. I would probably just burst out laughing, Arya Stark style.

Why? It wouldn't be any big deal.  Lambert would be given one last chance and if he didn't turn things round he'd be out the door. Is that so traumatic?

The last two years have been traumatic enough thank you. Why bother taking the risk of having another desperate season? The only reason to keep him would be if we literally can't afford to replace him and you would hope that a new owner wouldn't be stuck in that position.

Takeover = fresh start please. Not 'Oh go on Paul, have another season

If he was given another chance I think he'd have to show marked improvement within a season.

I'd give him till Christmas. If at that point we were still arsing around the bottom of the table, I'd sack him.

Of course, it's not an easy one, because you'd have to back him with money in the summer, so to sack him shortly after would be a gutsy decision.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't really know if this should go here or in the Lambert thread, but I was thinking how strange our circumstances are.

We've got Lambert, one year left on his contract, seemingly happy to plod along under the same financial controls until something happens with the takeover - which will almost certainly mean he gets the sack.

We've got Randy who has gone public about his desire to sell.

We've got players with a year left on their contract and not much clarity over extensions.

We've got talk of Roy Keane coming in as coach. Now, whatever we think about Keane, he's a man with plenty of career choices. He's a number two at international level, turned down Celtic last week, has spent the last few years doing punditry and has dropped ITV in it by pulling out of their World Cup coverage less than two weeks before it starts.

He's also a high profile former manager who is prepared (or so it seems, nothing confirmed, obvs) to do all that to become assistant to a bloke with a much lower profile than him, at a club where he might well get the push at the same time Lambert does if new owners come in.

So, basically, he's prepared to walk into a situation like that where he's entering an environment of zero stability or certainty.

I don't so much care about it from a "see, that's why we're getting Roy Keane, who else would put up with such a short term situation" standpoint because, quite frankly, we could have insisted on a promotion from within and had several other, cheaper options to choose from.

This takeover thing could end in weeks, or it could go on for years, we genuinely have no idea. Assuming there's not much happening at the moment, the whole situation looks up in the air, and it's really hard to see a course out of the sea of mediocrity we're bobbing around in.

What I don't get is why Lambert and Keane are prepared to work in those circumstances. It can't just be money, they are both extremely wealthy men, Keane especially, one imagines, and they are both relatively young and will almost certainly see their career progression as more important than cash right now.

So why are they prepared to do it? Why put up with it? Why take the risk?

I am not suggesting there is any sort of self-preservation or looking after number one about it. In fact, to be honest, regardless of what we think of Lambert, the best thing he could do for his career would be to quit, right now. Most of the football world would understand why he'd quit, and I genuinely don't think he'd struggle to get another decent job - in fact, by staying on another season in conditions like this, I think he'd be less likely to get a decent job after another season.

It all doesn't really add up, does it?

[IAmTheOneIanOlney]

We need Rebus.

[AV82EC]

We need Rebus.

And Morse and we still wouldn't be any the wiser!

[The Laughing Policeman]

Could it be that the takeover is well advanced and that Lambert has been given assurances from the prospective new owners about his job and the go ahead to appoint new coaching staff?
After all if Lambert is just doing a holding job, he wouldn't need an assistant. with players either at the world cup or on holiday.
It's the only way any of what Pauie say's seems to add up.
Mind you we are Aston Villa so maybe logic doesn't come into it.

[PaulWinch again]

I agree Paulie, whilst I'm not keen on Keane joining particularly it does seems an odd move for him unless there's something going on.

[Toronto Villa]

I am trying to think back to what it was like in 2006. At the end of that season we had a dead man walking in O'Leary who was finally fired in July of that year. I can't remember exactly when Doug put us up for sale but I think it was around the same time and then after a bit of speculation MON joined the club in late July/early August and Randy bought the club soon after, officially taking office in September.

It's early June as much things appear uncertain and generally shit much of that feeling is a constituent of the last 4 years. The actual process of the sale, the continuation of the current manager and the possible hiring of Keane for me doesn't have a bearing on the the long term future of the club. I still believe that when Randy sells the club and it could be this month or next, that things will naturally resolve themselves with regard to finances, the manager, players irrespective of what has happened prior to that. Anyone looking to buy the club will at the very least want to have a definite say in who is the manager, and as a first impression want to have sufficient time to give that manager some resources and time to buy and sell players. I don't think Randy wants this to go any longer than it needs to and after 8 years in charge he'll also be aware that the club will need stability heading into the new season. I believe he will be fully aware of his responsibility in getting out and allowing whoever takes over time to prepare as adequately as possible for the future.

[Ron Manager]

I don't really know if this should go here or in the Lambert thread, but I was thinking how strange our circumstances are.

We've got Lambert, one year left on his contract, seemingly happy to plod along under the same financial controls until something happens with the takeover - which will almost certainly mean he gets the sack.

We've got Randy who has gone public about his desire to sell.

We've got players with a year left on their contract and not much clarity over extensions.

We've got talk of Roy Keane coming in as coach. Now, whatever we think about Keane, he's a man with plenty of career choices. He's a number two at international level, turned down Celtic last week, has spent the last few years doing punditry and has dropped ITV in it by pulling out of their World Cup coverage less than two weeks before it starts.

He's also a high profile former manager who is prepared (or so it seems, nothing confirmed, obvs) to do all that to become assistant to a bloke with a much lower profile than him, at a club where he might well get the push at the same time Lambert does if new owners come in.

So, basically, he's prepared to walk into a situation like that where he's entering an environment of zero stability or certainty.

I don't so much care about it from a "see, that's why we're getting Roy Keane, who else would put up with such a short term situation" standpoint because, quite frankly, we could have insisted on a promotion from within and had several other, cheaper options to choose from.

This takeover thing could end in weeks, or it could go on for years, we genuinely have no idea. Assuming there's not much happening at the moment, the whole situation looks up in the air, and it's really hard to see a course out of the sea of mediocrity we're bobbing around in.

What I don't get is why Lambert and Keane are prepared to work in those circumstances. It can't just be money, they are both extremely wealthy men, Keane especially, one imagines, and they are both relatively young and will almost certainly see their career progression as more important than cash right now.

So why are they prepared to do it? Why put up with it? Why take the risk?

I am not suggesting there is any sort of self-preservation or looking after number one about it. In fact, to be honest, regardless of what we think of Lambert, the best thing he could do for his career would be to quit, right now. Most of the football world would understand why he'd quit, and I genuinely don't think he'd struggle to get another decent job - in fact, by staying on another season in conditions like this, I think he'd be less likely to get a decent job after another season.

It all doesn't really add up, does it?

The best post on this thread Paulie. As I keep saying, nothing makes sense at Aston Villa currently. Nothing at all.

[mattjpa]

The only appointments ive been pleased with under Randy have been Lambert and Houllier. I will always believe I was right with Houllier and that could have been outstanding had things turned out differently. Lambert I was wrong on and it would take an almighty swing in outcomes to change my mind. But....every day that passes moves him a step closer to being the right man to take us into next season.

That my friends is a very sad thought....

[fbriai]

What I don't get is why Lambert and Keane are prepared to work in those circumstances. It can't just be money, they are both extremely wealthy men, Keane especially, one imagines, and they are both relatively young and will almost certainly see their career progression as more important than cash right now.

So why are they prepared to do it? Why put up with it? Why take the risk?

I am not suggesting there is any sort of self-preservation or looking after number one about it. In fact, to be honest, regardless of what we think of Lambert, the best thing he could do for his career would be to quit, right now. Most of the football world would understand why he'd quit, and I genuinely don't think he'd struggle to get another decent job - in fact, by staying on another season in conditions like this, I think he'd be less likely to get a decent job after another season.

It all doesn't really add up, does it?

There is the possibility that Lerner has told Lambert that any takeover will likely be some time in the making, so he needs to get on with his job and prepare for next season, as he will likely still be in charge come the start of it. In which case, what does Keane have to lose by becoming assistant? If things go well, he can take the plaudits for having a positive impact in a difficult situation. If things don't go well, it was a difficult situation anyway, so what more can be expected? On top of it all, he's helping out a mate.

Same goes for Lambert. I don't agree that he would necessarily find it more difficult to find another job in a year or so. In fact, given the uncertainty around the club at the moment and the fact that he hasn't walked, he has probably made himself a more attractive proposition for other potential employers in the future. He's shown himself to be dependable.

It's also possible that, considering he can use the bomb squad again, will have players coming back from long-term injuries and can maybe make another couple of additions on higher wages than he has been able to do in the past - even if they are free transfers - he feels he will actually have a stronger hand come the start of the new season.

If the stories are true and Lambert really is talking to Keane about taking him on as his assistant, it suggests to me that any potential takeover might still be some way off. Of course, I could be miles off and we might end up being bought tomorrow, for all I know!