Redundancies at VP?

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Lorna did a great job at VP and BMH and beyond for the players, their families and well-being.
I honestly don't know how any club can operate without someone carrying out the role that she has done for the last 14 years.


(She and her husband are also old college friends who I have stayed in touch with for over 40 years since we left in 1975 and shared a house with up the road from The Armada, in the shadow of Spaghetti Junction when we first started teaching. Happy days!)   

[Ad@m]

Strange also with Xia talking of bringing over young Chinese players to learn from us, surely they'd need help whilst over here?

Maybe more suitable for someone who speaks Mandarin then?

That's what I thought but surely some cross over time for someone less experienced to learn from someone who's done the job for so long?

Would make sense. I guess the question is, how many other Championship clubs have a member of staff solely dedicated to helping overseas players settle in. I doubt there are that many.

[Ron Manager]

Strange also with Xia talking of bringing over young Chinese players to learn from us, surely they'd need help whilst over here?

Maybe more suitable for someone who speaks Mandarin then?

That's what I thought but surely some cross over time for someone less experienced to learn from someone who's done the job for so long?

Would make sense. I guess the question is, how many other Championship clubs have a member of staff solely dedicated to helping overseas players settle in. I doubt there are that many.

How do foreign players who do not speak English settle into everyday life in our leagues without some kind of help then?

[edgysatsuma89]

Strange also with Xia talking of bringing over young Chinese players to learn from us, surely they'd need help whilst over here?

Maybe more suitable for someone who speaks Mandarin then?

That's what I thought but surely some cross over time for someone less experienced to learn from someone who's done the job for so long?

Would make sense. I guess the question is, how many other Championship clubs have a member of staff solely dedicated to helping overseas players settle in. I doubt there are that many.

How do foreign players who do not speak English settle into everyday life in our leagues without some kind of help then?

High fives and fist bumps.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Lorna did more than just help players settle in...she looked out for their general welfare and family issues and lots more too. Finding them homes and teaching them to speak English were her most obvious "duties".
I think Gabby must have wagged the English lessons!
;-)

[dave.woodhall]

Strange also with Xia talking of bringing over young Chinese players to learn from us, surely they'd need help whilst over here?

Maybe more suitable for someone who speaks Mandarin then?

That's what I thought but surely some cross over time for someone less experienced to learn from someone who's done the job for so long?

Would make sense. I guess the question is, how many other Championship clubs have a member of staff solely dedicated to helping overseas players settle in. I doubt there are that many.

Which would give us an advantage over them.

[olaftab]

As discussed elsewhere, would anyone like to copy & paste the story here?

No.

[Louzie0]

This is a film of Lorna doing her thing, posted by Matt Lynch on Twitter a few hours earlier than the ME story link.  It's probably better!  Very interesting, anyway.

[claret and blue blood]

That more than anything hits home just what relegation means, one of my friends was a community youth development coach for the club and he has retired this week probably due to the cuts.
What a personal disaster this is for the staff who loved their jobs and the club !

[in exile]

As discussed elsewhere, would anyone like to copy & paste the story here?

No.

[class-of-82]

These cuts was going to happen no matter what league we was in

[Ad@m]

Strange also with Xia talking of bringing over young Chinese players to learn from us, surely they'd need help whilst over here?

Maybe more suitable for someone who speaks Mandarin then?

That's what I thought but surely some cross over time for someone less experienced to learn from someone who's done the job for so long?

Would make sense. I guess the question is, how many other Championship clubs have a member of staff solely dedicated to helping overseas players settle in. I doubt there are that many.

Which would give us an advantage over them.

I'm sure there are lots of things we could do which would give us an advantage over them but there comes a time when you have to cut your cloth according to the situation you're in.

I don't doubt she did an excellent job but having a dedicated person for that role seems to be the sort of thing I'd expect a top 10 Prem club to do but certainly not a 2nd tier club.

[Ad@m]

Strange also with Xia talking of bringing over young Chinese players to learn from us, surely they'd need help whilst over here?

Maybe more suitable for someone who speaks Mandarin then?

That's what I thought but surely some cross over time for someone less experienced to learn from someone who's done the job for so long?

Would make sense. I guess the question is, how many other Championship clubs have a member of staff solely dedicated to helping overseas players settle in. I doubt there are that many.

How do foreign players who do not speak English settle into everyday life in our leagues without some kind of help then?

How many people move countries to find work with little grasp of the culture or language of the country they're moving to?  And how many of those get a job where they have a person dedicated to helping them settle in?  I'm sure the delicate little multi-millionaire lambs will cope.

[old man villa fan]

Strange also with Xia talking of bringing over young Chinese players to learn from us, surely they'd need help whilst over here?

Maybe more suitable for someone who speaks Mandarin then?

That's what I thought but surely some cross over time for someone less experienced to learn from someone who's done the job for so long?

Would make sense. I guess the question is, how many other Championship clubs have a member of staff solely dedicated to helping overseas players settle in. I doubt there are that many.

How do foreign players who do not speak English settle into everyday life in our leagues without some kind of help then?

How many people move countries to find work with little grasp of the culture or language of the country they're moving to?  And how many of those get a job where they have a person dedicated to helping them settle in?  I'm sure the delicate little multi-millionaire lambs will cope.

I would add that, other than the language, what is the difference between a foreign player and a British player.  The most important thing in the short term is suitable accommodation.  The players live in a bubble in the short term and it is only over the longer term that the more 'social' issues come into play.

I am sure that this job function will be shared with another and not just neglecting the function.

[Virgil Caine]

Prompted by another thread on which the question was raised if the Head of Goalkeeping Recruitment, Tony Coton was being retained, has the Community Coach Simone Farina been relieved of his duties? He has been at Villa a couple of years now I think and was known for whistleblowing a match fixing scandal in Italy.