Randy Lerner

[Malandro]

Looks like Randy is having another little get together with his staff in NY this week. I wonder what restaurant he won't end up being in?

Try skype Randy. Its greener.

[Villafirst]

Looks like Randy is having another little get together with his staff in NY this week. I wonder what restaurant he won't end up being in?

Try skype Randy. Its greener.

Has Lerner actually thought of coming over here to sort the mess out? Senior staff going to NY when there's 2 home games in a week sort of sums up the idiocy of the hierarchy.  Or is it a 'cunning' plan ala Baldrick? Lerner reminds me of the Prince Regent in Blackadder 3!

[mr underhill]

yes - reminds me of the song lyric 'New Orleans is sinking, man and I don't want to swim'

[andyh]

Is it just me or does it feel like something is building to a horrible crescendo?

Fans verbally attacking players.
Players trying to calm fans in the stands, while a game is in progress.
The manager getting the absolute dogs abuse.
Players pissing about in the dugout like naughty children.
Protests planned before the next game.
The muppets flying to New York to discuss transfer funds, 2 weeks after the window opens.

And meanwhile the culprit, acts like Nero. Fiddling while Rome burns.

[oldtimernow]

Is it just me or does it feel like something is building to a horrible crescendo?

Fans verbally attacking players.
Players trying to calm fans in the stands, while a game is in progress.
The manager getting the absolute dogs abuse.
Players pissing about in the dugout like naughty children.
Protests planned before the next game.
The muppets flying to New York to discuss transfer funds, 2 weeks after the window opens.

And meanwhile the culprit, acts like Nero. Fiddling while Rome burns.

I would say more like Czar Nikolai and the rest of the Romanovs

[SashasGrandad]

Looks like Randy is having another little get together with his staff in NY this week. I wonder what restaurant he won't end up being in?

Try skype Randy. Its greener.

Has Lerner actually thought of coming over here to sort the mess out? Senior staff going to NY when there's 2 home games in a week sort of sums up the idiocy of the hierarchy.  Or is it a 'cunning' plan ala Baldrick? Lerner reminds me of the Prince Regent in Blackadder 3!

He should come and stand on the touchline by the dugout and supervise the player-supporter interactions.

[tomd2103]

Is it just me or does it feel like something is building to a horrible crescendo?

Fans verbally attacking players.
Players trying to calm fans in the stands, while a game is in progress.
The manager getting the absolute dogs abuse.
Players pissing about in the dugout like naughty children.
Protests planned before the next game.
The muppets flying to New York to discuss transfer funds, 2 weeks after the window opens.

And meanwhile the culprit, acts like Nero. Fiddling while Rome burns.

I have had that feeling for a while now.  I just get the feeling that although things are bad now, there is something much worse to come. 

[themossman]

One thing I'll say about Lerner is that he is an abysmal "leader".

Some things trickle from the top down and his entire "yes i will, no I won't sell" / "yes I do care, no I don't care" routine stinks the whole club out.

I wonder what General Krulak - a man who quite clearly is an excellent leader - thinks of that?

Exactly right, and this is what I was getting at in a rambling way the other day - that Krulak, in dishing out silly quotes to the press, is reacting to the leadership void left by Lerner and shouldn't be ridiculed for putting himself out there even if his message itself is ridiculous.

I also blame Lerner and his weak leadership for the absurd abuse our manager is getting and the general sense of chaos pervading things, which creates an atmosphere in which players treat the whole thing like a lesson with a supply teacher, where nothing they do, good or bad, has any consequences.

[john robsons sideburns]

Looks like Randy is having another little get together with his staff in NY this week. I wonder what restaurant he won't end up being in?

Try skype Randy. Its greener.

Has Lerner actually thought of coming over here to sort the mess out? Senior staff going to NY when there's 2 home games in a week sort of sums up the idiocy of the hierarchy.  Or is it a 'cunning' plan ala Baldrick? Lerner reminds me of the Prince Regent in Blackadder 3!

Totally agree, this is absolutely absurd.  In his second week in the job Garde had to travel out there for 2-days for meetings with the Chairman, missing out on two valuable days with the players on the training ground.....now this.  It is just plain wrong.

I have always cut Lerner some slack because of the respect he showed Villa as a football club, understanding the tradition and history, trying to reach out to the fans by resotring the pub etc....I still have great respect for that.

But the last 3-4 years have been an absolute farce of a regime, all starting with the quite bemusing and inflammatory appointment of McLeish which was the beginning of the end of his relationship with the fans.

The fans don't demand success, we do demand commitment, we do demand effort, we do demand understanding and when the owner and chairman are the other side of the Atlantic, the CEO is a finance guy who recognises commercial success over on the field success, then loyal fans (or customers as they probably call us), are going to get angry.

I don't think that anybody condones the guy shouting abuse at the players on the coach, that won't help anyone, but I think we can all at least understand how he felt.

In times of crisis leadership needs to be strong, needs to be visible and needs to reassure......a visit, even for 2-days from Lerner to communicate that, reassure fans, reassure staff, and show leadership from the top, fighting in the trenches style was needed. 

What wasn't needed was him stripping Villa Park of all of the senior staff and hiding thousands of miles away

[David_Nab]

Apparently making a statement today

[pbavfckuwait]

Yes David along the lines of "The Shulamites have told me to fuck off, so I am going back to Plan B, only problem is at the minute, I am not sure what Plan B is, so I have asked Tom and what ever his name is to come and have a spot of lunch with me and General Custer to sort one out. I will get back to you in 2 years time when we have it sorted, Proud History, not sure about tomorrow, toodle pip guys"

[aj2k77]

Apparently making a statement today

Can he manage to make one without sounding like some weird recluse this time? A lot of people are agitated by what's going on and I for one would appreciate it if faced up to a lot of the problems, commented on things we see as a disaster, possibly put forward some views on how we are going to turn this around and why he hasn't done what he said he was going to do and keep any of his strange personal shit out of the statement and not turn it in to a joke people will laugh at again.

[Locko]

Yes David along the lines of "The Shulamites have told me to fuck off, so I am going back to Plan B, only problem is at the minute, I am not sure what Plan B is, so I have asked Tom and what ever his name is to come and have a spot of lunch with me and General Custer to sort one out. I will get back to you in 2 years time when we have it sorted, Proud History, not sure about tomorrow, toodle pip guys"

Like 👍

[MattW]

Apparently making a statement today

At Garde's request (link):

Randy Lerner is set to make a statement about Aston Villa’s season of shame after being urged by Remi Garde to speak out.

Lerner is today having crisis talks with chief executive Tom Fox and sporting director Hendrik Almstadt in New York.

The American owner has been reluctant to speak publicy during his 10-year tenure, particularly during the last five years.

His last public address came in the summer and he is yet to give his opinion on the current shambles at the Premier League’s bottom club.

Garde revealed that he has asked the board to make a statement after being faced with questions beyond his managerial remit.

“This is something I asked from them a fortnight ago or something like that.

“Not to take the pressure of me - if I didn’t want the pressure I wouldn’t have this job.

“It’s more because I’m facing you every week but actually I knew Villa from inside for only 10 weeks now.

“At some point I cannot explain and am not in the position to judge what happened before and whether it was right or wrong because I wasn’t here.

“At some point it is important that the Aston Villa voice for now is not only mine.”

Garde, who took over from Tim Sherwood as Villa boss in early November, admits it is not his place to answer for the entire club.

“I don’t have all the answers to the questions about Villa,” he said.

“This is not to avoid my responsibilities at all. I will do it as long as I am in this position at this club.

“But I feel you need to explain some things at some point in your history.”

Sounds like it could be a pretty interesting statement.

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

Does anyone have the phone numbers for any of the restaurants in New York?