Bernstein and King Resign from the Board

[mike]

If anyone had suggested a couple of years ago that Lerner could cause more damage to a football club with the standing of Aston Villa than a charlatan and crook has caused to a shower like Birmingham, they would have been slated on here. I'm a proper miserable old git and even I would have thought that was nonsense.

For all the mistakes he's made, I have always thought Randy was a decent man. These resignations suggest he isn't even that.

[dalians umbrella]

I thank them for resigning BEFORE I was again conned into buying a season ticket.

[The Edge]

I think it's time for King and or Bernstein to talk, and expose Randy Lerner for the feckless, duplicitous charlatan that he is.

That won't happen. Lerner's lawyers will make sure of that.

[PeterWithe]

Can't see the board resigning over Gabby, he's nothing really.

Indeed. You'd have to have a very vivid imagination to suggest 2 big hitters like Bernstein and King would resign over a no-mark like Agbonlahor.
They resigned over Lerner, pure and simple.

It's not that big a leap if you think of GA as a symbol of the under-performance and fecklessness rather than a single player.

It all fits if you believe that the two stories must be in some way be linked.

The resignations talk of discipline and authority, the board find internal discipline is poor and something needs to be done about it. Lerner gives them the authority to do as they see fit, Gabby is the target, he contributes nothing on the pitch, takes a fat wage off it and undermines management, we will also need to recruit hard working players on far less money than he will be on so he's a danger to the plans for next season. The London Gabby story gives the board the opportunity to make a symbolic act against the old Villa, clears out a big problem, lays a disciplinary marker down and re-exerts authority over a dressing room both shite and too big for their boots. Lerner vetoes the sacking and undermines the board further weakening discipline.

Works for me.

The other alternative- there is no money for a new manager - well, a reduction in spending would have been expected so I'm not sure that explains such sudden and venomous resignations.

[DBTW]

Look at it a different way.

Bernstein was heading a consortium to buy Villa in the summer, with King sourcing investment.

They discover yesterday that Lerner is in advanced talks with another buyer without disclosing the information to Bernstein and King.

The mention of clear reporting could mean they werent informed of any other offers, and Lerer has sold out to another party for more money than agreed with Bernstein.

Basically, have they been gazumped?

[Irish villain]

If anyone had suggested a couple of years ago that Lerner could cause more damage to a football club with the standing of Aston Villa than a charlatan and crook has caused to a shower like Birmingham, they would have been slated on here. I'm a proper miserable old git and even I would have thought that was nonsense.

For all the mistakes he's made, I have always thought Randy was a decent man. These resignations suggest he isn't even that.

Three years ago I saw Lerner as borderline negligent. I thought he was doing untold damage to villa. I had never seen us finish below 38 points and sign such no-hopers as we were at the time.

Now I think he is toxic & must be one stubborn so and so. I won't go any further than that at this point. I do think serious questions need to be asked about an individual who can be so reckless with a football club that so many of his predecessors worked hard to build up.

[onje_villa]

Relegation was hard to take, but somehow Bernstein & King going feels worse. The new 'board' gave us long suffering fans a glimmer of hope for the future. I really fear for the future with shit bag Lerner still in control. A total shambles that throws up a new crisis on a daily basis.

My thoughts exactly, relegation didn't depress me, it actually felt strangely cathartic. This on the other hand has left me extremely concerned and pessimistic for the future. Getting proper football people on the board to make good, sensible decisions gave us all hope, that has been dashed in an instant.

[tomd2103]

Without knowing the story of what went on, I'm disappointed with both Bernstein and King( especially the latter) as I would have hoped they had more bottle and fight out whatever differences there were. I can only assume that some brinkmanship was involved and Lerner called their bluff- a this is what we need, give it,or we resign scenario. Pat Murphy described Lerner as stubborn, so surely someone had told Bernstein and King that the way to get a win/win was to negotiate and compromise?

I'm the same, following the disappointing news yesterday, this morning my feelings are more about these two being quitters rather than standing up for themselves and Villa, after all, it appears nobody else is. 

I totally disagree. These guys are in their twilight - They have both been there and done it. I saw them joining the board more as an 'offer of help', than a measured career move. With their experience,  they can't suffer fools lightly, and have decided to highlight the fact that Lerner is an unbearable shitstain on our once great club, by walking.

Even though it's terrible news for us, good on them I say!

I was about to say the same. It's important to get the bullshit out in the open.

It is.

It's about time someone outed these charlatans and their working practices. For years getting any information out of Villa has been like dealing with North Korea, just sound bites and blather, no solid facts. Any mistakes and monumental fuck ups have been pasted over with excuses or rumour of what might of happened, surely that didn't happen, that makes no sense etc etc. I wan't to know exactly what we are dealing with here, it's my club that's become a laughing stock and has turned in to some sort of bizzare Randy Lerner Zombie club. I wan't someone to out this prat and let us know exactly what is going on behind the scenes right now.

As a fellow fan, I would hope that King would shed some light about the situation at the club.  He was never an employee was he, so I'm guessing he wouldn't be bound by clauses which do not permit him to talk. 

[nigel]

Welcome to Villa Park 2016

[Ger Regan]

If anyone had suggested a couple of years ago that Lerner could cause more damage to a football club with the standing of Aston Villa than a charlatan and crook has caused to a shower like Birmingham, they would have been slated on here. I'm a proper miserable old git and even I would have thought that was nonsense.

For all the mistakes he's made, I have always thought Randy was a decent man. These resignations suggest he isn't even that.

Three years ago I saw Lerner as borderline negligent. I thought he was doing untold damage to villa. I had never seen us finish below 38 points and sign such no-hopers as we were at the time.

Now I think he is toxic & must be one stubborn so and so. I won't go any further than that at this point. I do think serious questions need to be asked about an individual who can be so reckless with a football club that so many of his predecessors worked hard to build up.

I don't think he's the one calling the shots any more, it's the family trust. Either way, it's his previous negligence that has resulted in where we are, so he still shoulders the blame for the current predicament.

[VILLA MOLE]

If anyone had suggested a couple of years ago that Lerner could cause more damage to a football club with the standing of Aston Villa than a charlatan and crook has caused to a shower like Birmingham, they would have been slated on here. I'm a proper miserable old git and even I would have thought that was nonsense.

For all the mistakes he's made, I have always thought Randy was a decent man. These resignations suggest he isn't even that.

Three years ago I saw Lerner as borderline negligent. I thought he was doing untold damage to villa. I had never seen us finish below 38 points and sign such no-hopers as we were at the time.

Now I think he is toxic & must be one stubborn so and so. I won't go any further than that at this point. I do think serious questions need to be asked about an individual who can be so reckless with a football club that so many of his predecessors worked hard to build up.

I don't think he's the one calling the shots any more, it's the family trust. Either way, it's his previous negligence that has resulted in where we are, so he still shoulders the blame for the current predicament.

This is getting all a bit scary for me 

[oldhill_avfc]

It is difficult to comprehend what is truly going on at the Club.  One thing I do understand though, is that the Club is in a serious crisis.

Like others, I thought that finally that Lerner had come to some sense and brought in football people to advise on the running of the football club. It seems that once again it was a smoke screen to buy time.  The duplicity of this man is a real danger to the Club.

The only other thing that could be an answer that I haven't seen mentioned is that Bernstein and King were put forward by a potential buyer and that Lerner has turned his back on this deal in favour of another.  This is only wild speculation on my part.

I suspect this iskey to the shambles.

The new management team thought they were being brought in to run the club (on behalf of the shareholder(s)) - as in any normal, well run business.

Lerner got twitchy - possibly evidenced by getting Krulak involved again - and turned this into advising on how to run the club, with him having final say on key decisions.

[langleylions]

Come on king you keep telling us how big a fan you are now would be a good time to spill the beans.

[Adam Gittins]

An interesting paragraph in an article Mat Kendrick published last night:

We are told the resignations were not prompted by a disagreement over the managerial situation. However, sources say the future involvement of director of recruitment Paddy Riley could have been a factor, but not the deciding one.

Full article here.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]