January 2016 - Transfer Rumours, Speculation & Suggestions

[old man villa fan]

I have resigned myself to relegation and did so before Xmas.  We are holed below the waterline, the hole is too big to patch and we cannot bail out the water fast enough.  What we must ensure is that we sink gradually, rather than list badly and capsize.  If the latter, we will do major damage to the club and it will take years to repair.  Apologies for the analogy but, to me, it reflects the crisis at the club.

Garde has started to get some response from some of the squad and he may feel that we have enough to stabilise the situation until the end of the season, having accepted the inevitable relegation.  We could have spent reasonable money to help bail out the water faster but would it have had a different result.  Do we have the money to spend big to do the virtually impossible, I doubt it and the implications of doing so and failing could send this club into a Portsmouth, Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday (and it looks like you can add Bolton to this list) situation.  Football is now a business with massive money involved and financial mismanagement can cripple football clubs.  I think Lerner has finally woken up to this and the fact you cannot play at this game.

As fans, we do not know what is written in each of the players' contracts.  Whether they have relegation clauses that allow them to leave, reduction in wages, both etc.  What is written in those contracts will determine the shape of the squad next season.  Very painful lessons have to be learned about players' contracts, as to length, conditions and, not least, wages.  What we cannot afford in the Championship is to have imbalanced squad as to ability and players' contracts.  We need everybody to pull together.

I have read many comments about the new Chairman and being a businessman who never thought he would end up in football.  Most comments have been along the lines of 'what does he know about football'.  The question I have is how many Chairmen (or equivalent position) at other clubs are 'football' men or came into their current position as 'football' men.  A well structured Board should be controlled by the Chairman but not dictated to.  Each member should add something to the running of the company, with the Chairman making final recommendations to the owner/shareholders.  In our case, the Chairman will be setting the parameters as to finances, direction and aspirations.  Clearly, we need a strong person on the Board to represent the playing side of the club from 1st Team down to the Academy and how to link them to get the best results, whether it be togetherness or developing talent.  The club is putting together this structure but we are still missing that strong personality that can reason/fight his corner at Board level.  Like any business, we cannot put all our eggs (money) into one basket and have to structure our spending across the club.  The sooner we get rid of staff that are not providing value for money, the sooner the club will rise back to the level where we should be playing to match the size of the club.

I have read comments about asset stripping and wonder if some people understand the finances of a football club.  Man Utd. is the biggest commercial entity in English football and up there with Real Madrid and Barcelona in world football.  They are worth £3bn. and the owners are looking for cost-cutting across the club.  They are reported to be taking £15m a season out of the club as a return on their investment.  This is peanuts compared to the value of the club but shows the fine balance in football between income and expenditure.  Back to our situation and what assets are there to realise.  Bodymoor Heath is on green-belt land (I think) and has no development value, Villa Park is built on land with low development value, the playing squad is reducing in value by the season and we know that it has to be trimmed (value-wise) to rebuild but there is not enough for Lerner to balance a depreciating value of his asset.  So that brings you to the remaining item, which is income from the playing and commercial side.  This is quite transparent, albeit in retrospect with annual accounts.  All in all, I cannot see asset stripping being realistic as it damages the value of the club and what Lerner can get back for it.  Mismanagement has already reduced the value significantly and I do not see Lerner committing financial suicide.  Yes, I can see him not putting more money in but I cannot see him taking it out.  As to the comment of selling everything and closing down, well, I never knew you could sell staff (what is the going rate for a groundsman these days!)

I am as p***** off as the next fan but I am at least looking at the picture realistically and looking from both sides.  I work with and have friends who are fans of other clubs and get the usual 'stick' but this does not affect the way I look at things, I am stronger than that.

[Locko]

I just think Lerner is trying to pay out as little as possible as he bides his time for a buyer. For all the written off loans, the fact is there have been titanic TV deals before the one coming up, and we've practically spent peanuts. I'm convinced there won't be huge amounts spent on a rebuild because it's not going to be worth his while.

Were a rapidly depreciating asset that he holds no interest in. For his and our sakes he needs to move us on and just take the financial hit. It's our only way back, otherwise we'll continue in the downward spiral of cost cutting we've been locked in.

[old man villa fan]

I just think Lerner is trying to pay out as little as possible as he bides his time for a buyer. For all the written off loans, the fact is there have been titanic TV deals before the one coming up, and we've practically spent peanuts. I'm convinced there won't be huge amounts spent on a rebuild because it's not going to be worth his while.

Were a rapidly depreciating asset that he holds no interest in. For his and our sakes he needs to move us on and just take the financial hit. It's our only way back, otherwise we'll continue in the downward spiral of cost cutting we've been locked in.

He has invested £250m-£300m in the club.  I would say he has a big interest in it.  It is easy to play with other peoples money.  I should imagine £50m (or whatever) hit on selling the club makes him very interested.  The guy does not know what he is doing and how to protect his investment but is very interested in his investment.

[curiousorange]

I just think Lerner is trying to pay out as little as possible as he bides his time for a buyer. For all the written off loans, the fact is there have been titanic TV deals before the one coming up, and we've practically spent peanuts. I'm convinced there won't be huge amounts spent on a rebuild because it's not going to be worth his while.

Were a rapidly depreciating asset that he holds no interest in. For his and our sakes he needs to move us on and just take the financial hit. It's our only way back, otherwise we'll continue in the downward spiral of cost cutting we've been locked in.

You're completely right; however, the buyer, as ever, needs to be the right one. The dilemma would be, do we want to stay as a Lerner asset until another billionaire comes along, or would an enthustastic but relatively cash-strapped buyer be better?

[cdward]

Nobody puts 4 new tyres on a car they are trying to sell.
Hollis is here to find a buyer, not spend more money.

[old man villa fan]

Nobody puts 4 new tyres on a car they are trying to sell.
Hollis is here to find a buyer, not spend more money.

Tuning up and getting better mpg is the order of the day, not giving it a re-spray.  So it should be, first.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Nobody puts 4 new tyres on a car they are trying to sell.
Hollis is here to find a buyer, not spend more money.

You might fix the flat tyres though.

[Des Little]

Nobody puts 4 new tyres on a car they are trying to sell.
Hollis is here to find a buyer, not spend more money.

You might fix the flat tyres though.

And the ashtray needs emptying out

[LeeB]

Nobody puts 4 new tyres on a car they are trying to sell.
Hollis is here to find a buyer, not spend more money.

You might fix the flat tyres though.

And the ashtray needs emptying out

The suitcase with the body parts in needs to go too.

[Matt C]

And what is that smell? We should probably do something about that too.

[aj2k77]

Nobody puts 4 new tyres on a car they are trying to sell.
Hollis is here to find a buyer, not spend more money.

You might fix the flat tyres though.

And the ashtray needs emptying out

The suitcase with the body parts in needs to go too.

Probably should have wound the windows down too to keep the strays out.

[olaftab]

Pass Debuchy! No point in doing any silly business. We have a couple of games   now for decision as we are getting close to all but confirmation so we need to reduce rather than take on burden.

[Louzie0]

I'd quite like us to buy somebody.

[old man villa fan]

Pass Debuchy! No point in doing any silly business. We have a couple of games   now for decision as we are getting close to all but confirmation so we need to reduce rather than take on burden.

Is he better than we have - yes
Does the manager want him - yes
Will he cost a lot of money - no
Will he stabilise the defence - hopefully
Will he improve us - hopefully
Is it value for money - based on above, yes

[saunders_heroes]

Pass Debuchy! No point in doing any silly business. We have a couple of games   now for decision as we are getting close to all but confirmation so we need to reduce rather than take on burden.

What a depressing post.