New chairman and Lerner ramblings

[kippaxvilla2]

Apologies if posted before/elsewhere.

From the OS

The Board of Directors has appointed a Football Board to oversee all football matters at the Club.

This new Board will be Chaired by David Bernstein and Mervyn King and will include Brian Little and a new Head of Football Operations (HFO) when recruited.

The manager will report directly to David Bernstein. All other football functions will report to the HFO.

This reorganisation will provide specialist and dedicated control at Bodymoor Heath with the aim of bringing stability, confidence and a platform for long term success to Aston Villa Football Club.

Bloody hell, that HFO role has nothing to do with the Sporting Director role Hendrik Almstadt had at the club. It's going to be one very powerful position. Good to see they're not even dishing fancy job titles out, no Director of Football, just old school 'Head of..'.
I can't wait to hear how they've retitled Hendrik's job.

I'm really struggling to think who they will bring in as Head of Football Operations. Somebody that knows the game inside out, a great administrator, communicator as well as a bit of a strategic visionary.

Our last Head of Football Operations was Gary Karsa - just sayin'.

[Risso]

In my opinion, the balance sheet isn't "strong", not really.  OK, we haven't got much in the way of debt since Lerner converted the last of the loan notes into equity, but there's no cash either.  It's not really any different to Newcastle's position where Ashley still has loans due to him.  When it's a single owner, realistically it doesn't make a lot of difference if its debt or equity.  They can only take cash out if the clubs make a profit, and if they don't, they have to keep propping the clubs up financially.

If I understand the new parachute payments correctly, we get the payments for 3 years, and the for the first year it's 55% of the broadcasting money of the Premier League clubs.  That's a massive cut in income, so we'll need to have included some fairly hefty relegation clauses in contracts, and/or sell some of the top earners.  My worry is that we'll have players like Agbonlahor earning decent money still, and no other team will want him.  You would think that ticket, commercial and sponsorship income will drop considerably, so wages will need to reduce massively just to break even.  I think we'll still be needing cash from Lerner to prop us up, so this talk of a strong balance sheet doesn't really mean much, as we'll be as dependent on ever on an owner who wants to sell, but who has already sunk £300m into the club, only to see it where it is now.

[pauliewalnuts]

In my opinion, the balance sheet isn't "strong", not really.  OK, we haven't got much in the way of debt since Lerner converted the last of the loan notes into equity, but there's no cash either.  It's not really any different to Newcastle's position where Ashley still has loans due to him.  When it's a single owner, realistically it doesn't make a lot of difference if its debt or equity.  They can only take cash out if the clubs make a profit, and if they don't, they have to keep propping the clubs up financially.

If I understand the new parachute payments correctly, we get the payments for 3 years, and the for the first year it's 55% of the broadcasting money of the Premier League clubs.  That's a massive cut in income, so we'll need to have included some fairly hefty relegation clauses in contracts, and/or sell some of the top earners.  My worry is that we'll have players like Agbonlahor earning decent money still, and no other team will want him.  You would think that ticket, commercial and sponsorship income will drop considerably, so wages will need to reduce massively just to break even.  I think we'll still be needing cash from Lerner to prop us up, so this talk of a strong balance sheet doesn't really mean much, as we'll be as dependent on ever on an owner who wants to sell, but who has already sunk £300m into the club, only to see it where it is now.

But, apart from that, everything be cool, yeah?

[Toronto Villa]

Is it 55% of the money in the new deal?

[kippaxvilla2]

Link shortened. Get yourself over to 'How to' in OT

Hollis used to have hair that's the main thing.

[Risso]

Is it 55% of the money in the new deal?

I assume so.  But then you've got to factor in what will already be an even higher wage bill, with all the new recruits included.

[kippaxvilla2]

Thank you - I don't like these machine things.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

The first season is key, I think from a FFP point of view.

From what I glean, a Premier League club relegated is exempt for the first season, thereafter you get fines or transfer embargoes depending on how badly you break them. Mind you, you have to have a brain like Brainiac or his doppelgänger Risso to understand them.

[Ads]

Losing N'Zogbia and the best part of £5 million a year he costs us should help. You'd have to hope somebody would be daft enough to take Richards off our hands too, while I'm not sure we can rely on anybody being as idiotic as to buy Gabby. Even with just the first two and Richardson you're probably talking £10 million a year, which would drop us to £64 million. Factor in a 30% reduction and we would arrive at a wage bill of £45 million.

I'm not sure how that would sit with the income, but whether we were going to stay up or not we should be looking to shift the high earning parasites.

[Dante Lavelli]

I'm really struggling to think who they will bring in as Head of Football Operations. Somebody that knows the game inside out, a great administrator, communicator as well as a bit of a strategic visionary.

I'll get abused for this, but I've long thought Southgate is suited to this sort of position.  He's spent donkeys studying the best academies and was involved with St Georges Park (or at the very least there during the planning and implementation) whilst working for the FA.  Apparently threw his toys out when he was not offered Ashworth's position, so seemingly likes the strategic back house role. 

Obviously he knows the club and Brian Little so there would be some sort of continuity/shared knowledge.

[Legion]

Why would you get abused for posting that?

[dave.woodhall]

I'm really struggling to think who they will bring in as Head of Football Operations. Somebody that knows the game inside out, a great administrator, communicator as well as a bit of a strategic visionary.

I'll get abused for this, but I've long thought Southgate is suited to this sort of position.  He's spent donkeys studying the best academies and was involved with St Georges Park (or at the very least there during the planning and implementation) whilst working for the FA.  Apparently threw his toys out when he was not offered Ashworth's position, so seemingly likes the strategic back house role. 

Obviously he knows the club and Brian Little so there would be some sort of continuity/shared knowledge.

I agree. He knows football, Villa and he comes across as very diplomatic.

[Toronto Villa]

I think Southgate would be a great appointment in that capacity. Wouldn't Bernstein know him from his time at England, or did Southgate work with England after Bernstein?

[Risso]

Southgate would be a good shout.  A really, really good shout thinking about it.

[Ron Manager]

Southgate would be as good a choice as anybody.