The Takeover Thread - Recon Group - NOW WITH NEW POLL

[Matt C]

While I'd be quite happy for him to spend trillions on our football club, this is the key bit:

"It is more important that you need the right people and the right decisions.”

[adrenachrome]

Torygraph

Aston Villa owner Dr Tony Xia targets Champions League glory within 10 years

By John Percy

15 June 2016 • 10:30pm

Aston Villa’s new owner, Dr Tony Xia, has set an ambitious target of winning the Champions League within the next 10 years.

Xia officially completed his £75 million takeover of the relegated club on Wednesday and pledged to deliver success with new manager Roberto Di Matteo, following six years of decline under Randy Lerner.

The Chinese businessman, 39, has promised significant funds for Di Matteo this summer and Villa are already close to signing Bournemouth defender Tommy Elphick for £3 million.

Di Matteo believes it is “a rebuilding job” after their nightmare season, with Villa preparing for their first campaign in the second tier since 1988 and facing a huge overhaul of the squad. But Xia has bold plans for the future and is demanding promotion in the first season before taking Villa back into Europe.

“We don’t have a very detailed plan but we have a vision that we will challenge to get back into the Premier League and we will be challenging when we get back,” he said. “The aim, not just the hope, is to get back in the European field within five years and I wish we can succeed to get another trophy like we have here in eight or 10 years. That is not an exact number, but we want to win the European Cup.

“It is really important to get promoted in the first season as everybody hopes but all we can do is do our best.

“We will try everything. That’s what we hope. We hope we can do it and with some luck.”

Xia has recruited former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness to the same role at Villa Park and his arrival has already given hope of a brave new era for disillusioned supporters



He is also poised to enhance his popularity even further by dispensing with Paddy Riley, the club’s much-maligned director of recruitment, who was partly responsible for their dreadful £55 million spend last summer.

“Everyone should agree with me, that he didn’t do too well,” he said.

“People should understand what he has to do, what responsibility he has to take. Everybody should take full responsibility for what happened, no matter what the situation. We will discuss this very shortly.”

Di Matteo’s return to football comes 13 months after he left Schalke and the appointment of Steve Clarke as his No 2 is a shrewd move.

The former Chelsea manager is close to signing Elphick and will also target a new goalkeeper and at least two strikers.

He said: “I think my job will be to get the right mentality into the team, the right personnel who know what the Championship is and make sure we compete in every game.

“I want to be pushing for promotion and get this club back into the Premier League. If we do what I think we can do we can have a good season.”

[Chinchilla Bathhouse]

Some cause for optimism in that Percy article, but it annoys me that the myth of the "dreadful £55m" summer recruitment lives on. We all know that the players who really let us down last season were already at the club (except Richards, who is massively culpable), and to blame the new signings lets the old fuckers off the hook. And it vindicates Sherwood, who doesn't deserve any vindication whatsoever - if Percy wants to talk about poor recruitment he can start and end with that self-serving gobshite.  Anyway, we're going to win the Champions League soon, so fuck 'em all...

[thick_mike]

Ive got a sneakin suspicion that Doctor Xia may turn out to be Dr Feelgood.

I've got a case of the shakes!

[CT Villan]

He is also poised to enhance his popularity even further by dispensing with Paddy Riley, the club’s much-maligned director of recruitment, who was partly responsible for their dreadful £55 million spend last summer.
“Everyone should agree with me, that he didn’t do too well,” he said.
“People should understand what he has to do, what responsibility he has to take. Everybody should take full responsibility for what happened, no matter what the situation. We will discuss this very shortly.”

Anyone feeling a little sorry for Riley...good, me neither.

That's pretty damning from Tony - good luck finding another job in football with that glowing reference.

[conman]

Ive got a sneakin suspicion that Doctor Xia may turn out to be Dr Feelgood.

I've got a case of the shakes!

thats what happens when you drink milk and alcohol

[Dave]

Maybe with any luck Ayew and Amavi will look at the bigger picture and now decide to stay. They are still young and have plenty to learn. I suppose it will all depend if they listen to the whispers in their ear form their greedy agents.

I don't think that footballers only want to play in the Premier League on significantly higher wages just because their agent tells them it's a good idea.

[Mister E]

Ive got a sneakin suspicion that Doctor Xia may turn out to be Dr Feelgood.

I've got a case of the shakes!

thats what happens when you drink milk and alcohol

better get down to the doctors.

[Ian.]

I was thinking more of an agent trying to line their own pocket rather than the footballer. We know it happens and it can unsettle a player. Obviously I'm speculating with Amavi and Ayew, I have no idea what their agents or their own characters are like.

I hope they stick around for another season at least.

[Ron Manager]

Ive got a sneakin suspicion that Doctor Xia may turn out to be Dr Feelgood.

I've got a case of the shakes!

thats what happens when you drink milk and alcohol

That's  pure Stupidity!

[brian green]

Chinchilla, that needed saying forcefully about nailing the myth about summer signings.  The culprits were already with us and reinforced in their indolence and defiance by Lescott and Richards, the anti foreigner culture self survival alibi cobbled together by Sherwood was able to take root and win universal credence.  There is nothing wrong with Gueye, Amavi, Veretout, Ayew and Traore that being at a stable, well run, well managed club will not put right.  Conversely there is no club that will ever make good clubmen of Lescott, Richards, Agbonlahor, Guzan, Bacuna or N'Zogbia.  They have gone rogue.

[Ian.]

Ive got a sneakin suspicion that Doctor Xia may turn out to be Dr Feelgood.

I've got a case of the shakes!

thats what happens when you drink milk and alcohol

That's  pure Stupidity!

I quite like a White Russian.

[Witton Warrior]

Ive got a sneakin suspicion that Doctor Xia may turn out to be Dr Feelgood.

I've got a case of the shakes!

thats what happens when you drink milk and alcohol

That's  pure Stupidity!

I quite like a White Russian.

We'll be Back in the (European) Night

[nigel]

We've got him in
Tony Xia in
I think he really understands
From relegation fights
To European nights
We've got our Villa back

[not3bad]

it annoys me that the myth of the "dreadful £55m" summer recruitment lives on. We all know that the players who really let us down last season were already at the club (except Richards, who is massively culpable)

And Lescott.