The Takeover Thread - Recon Group - NOW WITH NEW POLL

[silhillvilla]

It would appear the threat of relegation is putting off any potential buyers more than anything else.

Nope . I think it's the unsexiness of birmingham , the price tag and the perception we've created of ourselves these last couple years .

[pauliewalnuts]

It would appear the threat of relegation is putting off any potential buyers more than anything else.

Nope . I think it's the unsexiness of birmingham , the price tag and the perception we've created of ourselves these last couple years .

The 'unsexiness' of birmingham wasn't a problem the last time we got bought by an American billionaire.

[Lizz]

Don't know if it's been mentioned elsewhere, but Robbie Savage (yawn) gave his top 4 and relegation predictions on R5 earlier. He thinks Burnley, Southampton and quelle surprise, Villa will be relegated, though he did briefly waver between us and Albion.

[Steve67]

It would appear the threat of relegation is putting off any potential buyers more than anything else.

Nope . I think it's the unsexiness of birmingham , the price tag and the perception we've created of ourselves these last couple years .

Actually, relegation might see the price come down dramatically as the product is worth less.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

It would appear the threat of relegation is putting off any potential buyers more than anything else.

Nope . I think it's the unsexiness of birmingham , the price tag and the perception we've created of ourselves these last couple years .

The 'unsexiness' of birmingham wasn't a problem the last time we got bought by an American billionaire.

And it's a far more sexy now than it was in 2006 even if you taking into consideration the giant Toys'R'Us.

[DrGonzo]

Don't know if it's been mentioned elsewhere, but Robbie Savage (yawn) gave his top 4 and relegation predictions on R5 earlier. He thinks Burnley, Southampton and quelle surprise, Villa will be relegated, though he did briefly waver between us and Albion.

Well some good news then, he knows the square root of sweet bollock all about football.  Why were you listening to that drivel??

[brian green]

Seconded. It is bad enough having that thug Savage forcing himself into every nook and cranny of the media without having to have him referred to on here.

[Matt Collins]

It would appear the threat of relegation is putting off any potential buyers more than anything else.

Nope . I think it's the unsexiness of birmingham , the price tag and the perception we've created of ourselves these last couple years .

We're just about turning a profit despite several years of austerity and hugely inflated TV revenues. FFP restricts the ability of any owner to make a big difference. unless we get into Europe and much higher up the league we can't bring in loads more money. If we get relegated and that seems more likely we lose a huge income stream and will lose money. It's essentially the Everton predicament - how much better can we realistically get?

Our redeeming features might be either that someone doesn't care about losing money or that someone has their eyes on an even bigger TV deal next time and thinks they can sustain us in the league in the meantime. But ina purely commercial sense we're a pretty risky bet at over £200m.

Just look at what happened to lerner, or mike Ashley, or why Everton haven't been sold. You can pick up a smaller club at a knockdown price. You're paying big bucks for a team like us with much more downside than upside risk.

[silhillvilla]

What I was trying to say is geographically we are caught between the London factor and then the footballing "Mecca's" of Manchester / Liverpool. Then again Everton haven't found a buyer either.

[olaftab]

 

Actually, relegation might see the price come down dramatically as the product is worth less.

I have missed all the positive points of being relegated

[Legion]

There are none.

[old man villa fan]

It would appear the threat of relegation is putting off any potential buyers more than anything else.

If that is the case, they wouldn't have much confidence in themselves as owners.  Football clubs do not magically move up the table on their own.

These days, like any other business, football clubs need to be managed daily to be successful.  You need hands on management and that is what has been lacking with Lerner.  You cannot do it long distance over the telephone.  He employed a CEO and a team manager but I have never had the impression that they were given a free hand when money was concerned.

I agree about the need for "hands on management" but it appears you want the owner to give the manager "a free hand" where money is concerned and still operate like "any other business". Sorry but you can't have both. We gave MON a free hand but he refused to accept we operate like any other business and left us in this mess.

We're now acting like any other business, the problem is we have poor leadership on and off the pitch. Until both these issues are taken care of we will continue to struggle. Sadly, it's Catch 22. An owner not willing to invest medium to long term or brave/knowledgeable enough to make the necessary changes, so wh're stuck with a manager that doesn't know his arse ftom his elbow.

The timing hasn't helped us. Ideally a new owner at the beginning of the summer would have allowed us to replace Lambert. Now we're one week from the season starting, we haven't invested and we still have a fool of a manager. Relegation has never looked more likely than it does now. We all pretty much accept it will be a struggle, as I'm sure do the advisors of any potential buyers.

It's not a case of potential buyers not having "much confidence in themselves as owners", it's about the reality of what can be achieved in a very short period of time to help us avoid relegation and the costs that go with it. It's extremely risky business and there are plenty of examples out there of new owners that have failed.

I think you misinterpreted what I was saying.  You have to have hands on management and as an owner you either do that yourself or you put others in place to do it.  You cannot do it on the end of a telephone line and have people that are supposed to be running the shop having to get approval to buy a box of paperclips.

[Drummond]

As ever, our own supporters are so worn down they talk as if we're relegated before a ball has been kicked.

[Des Little]

As ever, our own supporters are so worn down they talk as if we're relegated before a ball has been kicked.

Not a surprise though really is it? The annual prom starts on Saturday and a few of the other regular losers (Hull, QPR especially) are having their hair done and we are doing a comb-over. Prepare yourselves to be taking home the goofy bird with BO.

[pauliewalnuts]

Not a surprise though really is it? The annual prom starts on Saturday and a few of the other regular losers (Hull, QPR especially) are having their hair done and we are doing a comb-over. Prepare yourselves to be taking home the goofy bird with BO.

..... and a cock.