New chairman and Lerner ramblings

[Jimbo]

Maybe not afraid, ashamed yes, but not afraid.

Ashamed, depressed, disgusted, ripped-off, conned, humiliated, downtrodden, ridiculed, embarrassed. But the fans will get over it.

[Rioch is King]

So the BBC headline quote from the new chairman should have been " ASTON VILLA - WE ARE ASHAMED"? - Maybe true, but not what I'd have wanted.

[Witton Warrior]

Agree WW.  If you examine forensically the recent history of the club for evidence of impending change Paul Lambert left a trail of crumbs to follow.

I shall always believe Lambert was a Lerner arse licker as was his predecessor, and by being so got a completely undeserved contract extension and remained in place for at least a year too long.  He let the cat out of the bag sucking up to Lerner when he claimed credit for lowering the fans' expectations. For me that was the writing on the wall. Financially manageable mediocrity was to be our holy grail.  Glory was for others.

Hollis is to cement in place a policy of not doing anything to frighten the accountants.

Agree with that Brian. Randy has/had a laudable but misguided need for "loyalty". He has run Villa like some feudal fiefdom where people are rewarded for their apparent loyalty to Randy despite any failings they may have in their actual jobs. Randy has always been more important than Aston Villa in this tale of woe.

Hollis has the look of a "super-head" brought in to sort out recalcitrant teachers and naughty pupils - can't see us fans having much influence

[Witton Warrior]

Maybe not afraid, ashamed yes, but not afraid.

Ashamed, depressed, disgusted, ripped-off, conned, humiliated, downtrodden, ridiculed, embarrassed. But the fans will get over it.

I'm not ashamed of my club - I'm pretty pissed-off with the people who are supposed to run it and I am not looking forward to the local in-breds celebrations at our demise - but ashamed? No...

Yep, we will get over it but I hope we never forget how we ended up here

[Rioch is King]

NO - we as fans shouldn't be ashamed - it is the people within the club that should be ashamed of the way they have managed the things things that are beyond our control.

[Witton Warrior]

NO - we as fans shouldn't be ashamed - it is the people within the club that should be ashamed of the way they have managed the things things that are beyond our control.

That's the one

[Jon Crofts]

Can't really get over excited about anything in there to be honest, Reg Hollis looks to have been given the reins to run the club based on income generated, just like any good business would. 

The only line that draws any anger or frustration at Lerner (and I know it's a figure of speech) is "deeply serious predicament in which the Club has found itself"

We haven't 'found' ourselves anywhere Randy, you & your idiotic appointments have led us there.

[dave.woodhall]

I've not seen it anywhere but is the new bloke a full-time, hands-on appointment (in which case where does that leave Fox?) or a non-exec, pop in once a month to chair a meeting and look over the books type?

[Villan For Life]

I've not seen it anywhere but is the new bloke a full-time, hands-on appointment (in which case where does that leave Fox?) or a non-exec, pop in once a month to chair a meeting and look over the books type?

They've not said that he's stepping down from his present role so it would suggest the latter.

[Mellin]

Love this bit from our new chairman..
"As we have witnessed in the Premier League this year with other clubs - money no longer buys success."

Have to say, I absolutely hate that line. So disingenuous. Not a good first impression, but let's see how he does.

[cdward]

Agree WW.  If you examine forensically the recent history of the club for evidence of impending change Paul Lambert left a trail of crumbs to follow.

I shall always believe Lambert was a Lerner arse licker as was his predecessor, and by being so got a completely undeserved contract extension and remained in place for at least a year too long.  He let the cat out of the bag sucking up to Lerner when he claimed credit for lowering the fans' expectations. For me that was the writing on the wall. Financially manageable mediocrity was to be our holy grail.  Glory was for others.

Hollis is to cement in place a policy of not doing anything to frighten the accountants.

".. and we'll really shake 'em up,
 when we reach financially manageable mediocrity,
'coz Villa ...."

It has a nice ring to it, and ties in nicely with the "shake up" we have been told about

[brian green]

Absolutely agree Mellon. If they are going to trot out aphorisms to tranquilizes us at least they should be conclusive aphorisms. Money does not buy success but it makes failure less likely.

[joe_c]

Absolutely agree Mellon. If they are going to trot out aphorisms to tranquilizes us at least they should be conclusive aphorisms. Money does not buy success but it makes failure less likely.

Or money is no guarantee of success but failure has a proven track record of being available on the cheap.

[Chris Smith]

I am assuming that Randy is just delegating any role he currently does, basically saying only disturb if the ground is burning down. In theory that should allow the 'professionals' to get on with doing their jobs. How they perform is another matter but the thinking is right at least.

[richard moore]

NO - we as fans shouldn't be ashamed - it is the people within the club that should be ashamed of the way they have managed the things things that are beyond our control.

That's the one

Absolutely. We may be embarrassing on the pitch most of the time but I am never ever ashamed to be a Villa fan or embarrassed to say so - even though I might start conversations these days with 'for my sins, I follow the Villa', it's only to stop the other person getting in first about how shit we are