Randy Lerner

[Locko]

I read the other day that in the three years since Randy Lerner sold the Browns the value of that franchise has increased by 500 million dollars.  I highlight this to ask how on earth does his mind work as a businessman?

He strikes me as a man who sees himself as a philanthropist rather than a businessman, see his donations to the National gallery. He may have looked on owning Villa as restoring a grand old institution to it's former glory, it would explain the custodian shite he often spouts. The reality is when  O'Neill walked, he realised he was totally out of his depth and swimming with some pretty nasty sharks. I'm guessing he wanted out at this point but was in too deep, so he goes into hiding and hopes that whoever he appoints can protect him from having to deal with the mess he's got himself into. He just wants it all to go away without costing him anymore money... He's a spineless spoiled rich kid. Total wanker.

[Toronto Villa]

All NFL franchises are worth more than ever because the NFL simply prints money. America's number 1 sport and they have a monster TV deal ($27bn deal signed in 2014). The Browns have been every bit as shit since Randy sold the team arguably more so. Their current valuation has no real correlation to who owns it or who used to own it.

[Steve67]

Randy cares more about his pocket than this football club.

[Billy Walker]

All NFL franchises are worth more than ever because the NFL simply prints money. America's number 1 sport and they have a monster TV deal ($27bn deal signed in 2014). The Browns have been every bit as shit since Randy sold the team arguably more so. Their current valuation has no real correlation to who owns it or who used to own it.

  I'm just wondering to myself, if I had two assets to offload, why would I sell the more secure one first?  The Browns were never going to depreciate as an asset whereas there was the risk Villa would if Lerner kept his running costs to the bare minimum.  My thinking is why not take a 100 million hit on Villa and hold onto the Browns for an extra year or two to make up for the hit? 

Obviously I don't know Lerner's personal circumstances and maybe he was desperate at the time for the Browns money.  Indeed, maybe no one a couple of years back would have been interested in a cut price Villa but looking at it from the outside, if I was planning to sell two such assets I would have done all I could to sell the riskier one first.  Maybe that was Lerner's plan but it didn't pan out.

[Steve67]

Billy, he had a buyer for the Browns. No such luck yet for the Villa. If only.

[Billy Walker]

Billy, he had a buyer for the Browns. No such luck yet for the Villa. If only.

Yes, I suppose that's what it boils down to, alas.

[joe_c]

Something I remember hearing a few years ago about his ownership of the Browns and the Villa were that the former were his dad's team and he had no real emotional attachment to them and was looking to sell as soon as he inherited it. Us, on the other hand, were his team so he was more engaged and active in the running and financing. Or at least that was the case in his first few years.

[PaulWinch again]

Good intentions or not Randy has sadly proved to be a disaster of a custodian.

[pbavfckuwait]

A good statement that Joe-c and something I remember along those lines too, but even from those days of engagement and interest, his lack of business nous especially regarding finance should have been there to be seen, of course we were not telling him to stop spending and paying at least the going wage for a top half club, but he must have come in with a ball park figure of how much he wanted to invest and over what period, even Chelski amd Man oil have the target to be self financing at some stage, not that there doing very well on that front.
Inherited wealth spunked down the drain through lack of a business brain and as seems to be the case even now, only surround yourself with people who are not going to highlight your fuck ups.

[Billy Walker]

A good statement that Joe-c and something I remember along those lines too, but even from those days of engagement and interest, his lack of business nous especially regarding finance should have been there to be seen, of course we were not telling him to stop spending and paying at least the going wage for a top half club, but he must have come in with a ball park figure of how much he wanted to invest and over what period, even Chelski amd Man oil have the target to be self financing at some stage, not that there doing very well on that front.
Inherited wealth spunked down the drain through lack of a business brain and as seems to be the case even now, only surround yourself with people who are not going to highlight your fuck ups.

I remember fans on various Villa forums, back in the day,  asking General Krulak what the "plan" was and he would always reassure folk not to worry, a plan was in place and Randy had top people advising him etc.  Dear me, they were actually winging it, weren't they?

[pbavfckuwait]

Oh the General, the little wag, what fun he had pulling us along by our twinkies.

[saunders_heroes]

Oh the General, the little wag, what fun he had pulling us along by our twinkies.

Brave General Krulak. Reminds me of that Monty Python song - "When danger reared its ugly head he bravely turned around and fled, brave brave brave General Krulak..."

[pbavfckuwait]

The General when you think about it was Lerner's first mouth piece and also in a way scape goat. He has had a few since then and the current crop are from the same model.
Hard nose business men are normally quite adept at lying, I do not think Randy can lie, so he fronts people up for him that will. When he does come out with stuff, it goes 60's flower people style about poxy Shulamites. He really has not got a clue what he has done to Villa and more scary is the fact he might stick around thinking he is the guy that can fix it.
Aston Villa corporate speak, "We are not afraid of relegation" Well you should be.

[dave.woodhall]

Oh the General, the little wag, what fun he had pulling us along by our twinkies.

Brave General Krulak. Reminds me of that Monty Python song - "When danger reared its ugly head he bravely turned around and fled, brave brave brave General Krulak..."

 Whenever his name is mentioned I get the strangest feeling of hypocrisy and double standards.

[Locko]

Garde's press conference this morning was a concern, by all accounts and reading the text he's pissed off and the less than subtle subtext to it was he blames the board for this transfer window shambles. Ifeel he may walk. If he does could this be the catalyst for Randy to sell, the much vaunted new structure he's pinning his hopes on appears pretty  dysfunctional. Could Garde's resignation be the straw that finally makes him think  ' fuck it,I can't do this,I have to move this on whatever it may cost.'
If Garde were to resign and that is the outcome it would be some consolation