Brian Little and David Bernstein to join the board

[Risso]

What we needed was an injection of new blood in January, not an advisor to the board with 9 games to go. 

[Chris Smith]

What we needed was an injection of new blood in January, not an advisor to the board with 9 games to go. 

We needed both.

This is about the future, not the present. They appear to recognised that things could not continue as they were and have attempted to address them. Clearly, given what has gone before we are going to be sceptical but only time will tell on that score.

[Ron Manager]

What we needed was an injection of new blood in January, not an advisor to the board with 9 games to go.

I agree. You could employ Pele as an advisor but without funds his advice would be pointless. Finance is what we need.

[Jimbo]

What we needed was an injection of new blood in January, not an advisor to the board with 9 games to go. 

Correct. Why wait until the patient is dead and buried before opening the medicine cabinet? Although I've no doubt Bernstein and Little will be welcome additions to a board full of under-qualified marketing men, their job has been made extra difficult by bringing them in so late. They'll be struggling to patch up the vessel while it's already on the seabed.

And as for this idea that some pesky Villa fans will always complain. You can kind of understand them complaining when their team is cut adrift at the bottom of the Premier League. You can kind of get their frustration as they go into a home game against Spurs - as they do every game -expecting to get twatted. You might even forgive them for being fucking furious that their club threw in the towel in January.

Personally, I'm happy to welcome the new board members, but I'm not appeased by them.

[Clampy]

If you think Brian Little is the answer you don't understand the question. He may be Villa through and through but he has has no recent experience in current football. What would I do? I'd sack current  management team. I'd get ready for 5 years in the Championship. Appoint a hard nosed manager capable of bloodying a few noses. I'd spend 5 years sorting out Bodymoor Heath. Then I might think about reinvesting in the playing staff.

And bringing in the sort of expertise we've been crying out for since 2007 is part of that.

Brian Little might have been relevant in 2007. I hate to break it to you but football has moved on...

And I hate to break it to you, but he's been working in the game ever since then so he probably knows a thing or two about it.

Keep backing that horse Dave. Unfortunately it's nowhere.

Whatever makes you happy.

No one would love it more than me if BL rode in on a white horse and saved us all. Unfortunately it's not going to happen. Whoever is pulling the strings at VP has seen a last ditch opportunity to appease the fans and brought him in. I'll tell you what... mark this day in your diary and PM me in a years time and tell me how fantastically we're doing. If we're still crap I'll give you a pass and let you gloat in two years. I'll bet you we will still be having the same conversations as we are now.

Why a years time when you think we should be preparing for 5 years in the championship? I'm just glad you're not on the board, you wouldn't last very long.

[Mister E]

... the manager ,who on reflection with the new input at Board level will more than likely be British ...

How do you draw that conclusion?

Because Mervyn King and Bernstein should have an extensive knowledge of players and managers in the British Isles as should Brian Little through his pundit work. To get a top class foreign manager, such as Simone, you have to pay big money. British managers in the lower divisions come cheap and that I fear is what we will get.

Thanks Ron; understood.
I would hope that Merv's input on players, playing and managers is give due 'balance': he's not a football 'expert'.
I don't think we'll be in the market for a 'top class foreign manager, such as Simeone' simply because we have neither recently likely to have seriously been in the market for one nor is one likely to want to come to B6 as our manager in the near-future.
If Garde leaves us, we may be in the market for an up-and-coming foreign manager; as much as we may also be looking at British up-and-coming candidates.

[Risso]

Why not announce him when the much vaunted review is complete, or at the end of the season? There's a risk now his name will become tarnished.

[Clampy]

Why not announce him when the much vaunted review is complete, or at the end of the season? There's a risk now his name will become tarnished.

If they'd done it at the end of the season, they would have still been asked why they didn't do it sooner or earlier in the season.

[Risso]

Why not announce him when the much vaunted review is complete, or at the end of the season? There's a risk now his name will become tarnished.

If they'd done it at the end of the season, they would have still been asked why they didn't do it sooner or earlier in the season.

I disagree. This timing is very suspicious. And if the toadying report from the Trust about their meeting with Fox is anything to go by, people will swallow anything.

[Clampy]

Why not announce him when the much vaunted review is complete, or at the end of the season? There's a risk now his name will become tarnished.

If they'd done it at the end of the season, they would have still been asked why they didn't do it sooner or earlier in the season.

I disagree. This timing is very suspicious. And if the toadying report from the Trust about their meeting with Fox is anything to go by, people will swallow anything.

I can see where you're coming from and I admit, the thought of Little coming in to take the pressure off the board did cross my mind but at the end of the day a football man with Villa links is what fans have been asking for and it's been done, albeit too late.

[brian green]

One man's toadying is another man's truth as he sees it.

[TonyD]

A new owner would surely appoint a new board so I see this as pointless.   

[Zouch Villa]

I believe that this is a positive step towards rebuilding the club, both on and off the pitch.  If Hollis has identified the need and targeted the right people, why wait until the summer to bring them on board when they can make a start now?

I can fully appreciate why people will be cynical about attempts to deflect criticism and accountability for the calamatous decision making, and personally still beleive Fox will be shown the door before too long. It's just a pity they didn't act with such conviction in the January window to give us some hope that they are ready to overhaul the playing staff in the same way.

[pbavfckuwait]

The much hailed review may be complete and they are acting on the in-comings before they swing the axe on the outgoings, the club is viewed as a total basket case in the media at the moment, so maybe one of Holis aims , is to wait until the storm on relegation has passed and then swing the axe.
We are so use to being run as a total shambles that at times we cannot see through the trees and our very suspicious of any actions taken that could be to the benefit of AVFC, that's also Dave W why people are sceptical of any announcement unless it is the expected bad news, we are not use to good sound business decisions being made and more importantly common sense decisions.

[Chris Smith]

Why not announce him when the much vaunted review is complete, or at the end of the season? There's a risk now his name will become tarnished.

If they'd done it at the end of the season, they would have still been asked why they didn't do it sooner or earlier in the season.

I disagree. This timing is very suspicious. And if the toadying report from the Trust about their meeting with Fox is anything to go by, people will swallow anything.

Understandably given the repeated failures and cock ups everything they do will be treated with scepticism, I feel the same myself. However, regardless of timing these appointments bring the right sort of skill set and experience to the club; only time will tell if it makes any difference to our ability to shoot ourselves in the foot.