New chairman and Lerner ramblings

[Exeter 77]

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.

That is a very sensible sounding idea. Southgate always seemed to have great respect for the club even when he was getting loads after leaving.

[eamonn]

Have more confidence, Dante. You've been lauded, not abused.

[Risso]

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.

I think that's optimistic.  I think our 2016 accounts will show wages above the £90m mark, when you deduct Benteke and Delph, but add in the £50m of new players.  Get rid of say, £10m of high earners, and if the rest of the do take a 25% to 30% drop, then that's still a wage bill of between £50 and £60m.  The parachute payments and remaining income should cover it, but I don't think it'll leave much for team strengthening.  If we get high earners like Richards off the bill it's unlikely that we'll get a fee for them, so then if you need to sell others, who else is worth much?  Ayew, Amavi and Grealish maybe.  But then if you sell them, you've got to replace them with players who are going to do a job getting us up.  It's why I think we're in for a less than easy time next season.  Gestede might repeat his one good season I suppose, but then again, he might not and we don't have many other players who you would back to tear up that decision.

[AV89]

By his own admission, Steve Hollis is not a football man.

However, it's good to see that Hollis has acknowledged this and has sought to bring in people who know the game and also have an affinity to Aston Villa to give him guidance.  Fox clearly thought being involved at a previous club as a commercial guy qualified him to become the senior official of a club needed major surgery without the need for help.

Sadly it's come too late to save us from relegation, but hopefully it gives our chances of bouncing back and cleaning the wreckage left behind by Fox and his mates a boost.

[Ads]

£90 million seems a bit steep. Wouldn't that be an £16 million leap from this set of accounts? Delph, Benteke and Cleverley must have been on £50-60k per week, while Vlaar must have been mid-30s. We'd have to have added £26 million with the the summer buys and be paying the majority of them £40k per week, which I just cannot see happening.

[Dante Lavelli]

Have more confidence, Dante. You've been lauded, not abused.

Ha!  I've suggested him before as a DoF and it has not gone down very well, albeit that might be as much to do with the merits of a 'DoF' rather than Southgate the individual.

I'd also let him carry on with his U21 job as we could not have a better link to the county's emerging talent than their coach.

[Pat McMahon]

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.

That sounds like a very good idea. Definitely worth considering.  His dad was a facilities manager at our company when Southgate was at Villa and he most definitely got what our club is about.

[aj2k77]

£90 million seems a bit steep. Wouldn't that be an £16 million leap from this set of accounts? Delph, Benteke and Cleverley must have been on £50-60k per week, while Vlaar must have been mid-30s. We'd have to have added £26 million with the the summer buys and be paying the majority of them £40k per week, which I just cannot see happening.

Wages were £83.7m last season. £90 million seems close enough for this season unfortunately.

[olaftab]

I'll get abused for this, but I've long thought Southgate is suited to this sort of position. 

Can I ask what sort abuse you are most uncomfortable with before I start?

[Ads]

Ah I thought they were 74 million.

[Ian.]

Little and Southgate. Wouldn't it be great to have a team like '95 again? Thats a cracking idea.

[Dante Lavelli]

I'll get abused for this, but I've long thought Southgate is suited to this sort of position. 

Can I ask what sort abuse you are most uncomfortable with before I start?

Fill your boots olaftab, I can take it. 
As I said earlier, I've touted the idea before and it has gone down like a pint of sick. 

[Dante Lavelli]

Little and Southgate. Wouldn't it be great to have a team like '95 again? Thats a cracking idea.

If only it was as easy as Little + Southgate = 1995

[Ian.]

Little and Southgate. Wouldn't it be great to have a team like '95 again? Thats a cracking idea.

If only it was as easy as Little + Southgate = 1995

If only. Quite, sometimes the dream doesn't pan out. I thought us appointing Lambert was going to be a new golden age. Sent us back to the stone ages more like.

[kippaxvilla2]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/03/18/aston-villa-chairman-steve-hollis-i-am-not-randy-lerners-poodle/

I like Mr Hollis so far.