Tony Xia interview in The Guardian

[Pat McMahon]

Alex McLeishes best line. "You cant always be the most talented on the pitch, you may not always be the biggest or strongest, but you can always be the player wth the best effort. In football nobody can stop you running."

[/quote]

As we saw at Villa Park in 1983, Claudio Gentile could stop anybody from running.

[oldhill_avfc]

See I can understand people being cautious, as I said yesterday this summer will tell us a lot, if he does as he's said and gives us whatever money we need (which is my interpretation of £20m, £30m, £40m ... £50m?) to back up a  well consider and sensible choice as manager then he'll have started things as well as anyone could ever hope.  If we go into the new season with most of the current squad and Steve Bruce then we can start to worry.

What I can't see is people who are making claims like calling him a shyster or a fraud or calling for us to back out of the deal less than a day after it was announced, that's just weird.  I also got a bit frustrated last night with the idea that there was no internet presence when it was clearly there but took a bit more effort to find because it's all chinese.  That's where some people are going to far and falling into being overly pessimistic rather than just sensibly cautious.  If they were doing it because the of all the people who were talking about getting "AVFC Champions league winners 2019" tattoos then I'd be ok with it, the balanced perspective would help but I haven't seen a single person be anything like that level of wide-eyed loon, the majority seem to be of the opinion that it all sounds good so far but let's wait and see so an overly pessimistic attitude is just strange.

Whilst I agree that a balanced perspective is desirable,  there's a lot here to be very wary of.   It might be a small issue but lying about his qualifications is not a good start.   Then we see that his main business makes a loss.   While not wanting to piss on anyone's parade I'd be very happy to see this one bounced by the FA. 

[Jon Crofts]

Well he has a plan, which is more than the last idiot had, unless you count getting us relegated was part of the plan.

[paul_e]

See I can understand people being cautious, as I said yesterday this summer will tell us a lot, if he does as he's said and gives us whatever money we need (which is my interpretation of £20m, £30m, £40m ... £50m?) to back up a  well consider and sensible choice as manager then he'll have started things as well as anyone could ever hope.  If we go into the new season with most of the current squad and Steve Bruce then we can start to worry.

What I can't see is people who are making claims like calling him a shyster or a fraud or calling for us to back out of the deal less than a day after it was announced, that's just weird.  I also got a bit frustrated last night with the idea that there was no internet presence when it was clearly there but took a bit more effort to find because it's all chinese.  That's where some people are going to far and falling into being overly pessimistic rather than just sensibly cautious.  If they were doing it because the of all the people who were talking about getting "AVFC Champions league winners 2019" tattoos then I'd be ok with it, the balanced perspective would help but I haven't seen a single person be anything like that level of wide-eyed loon, the majority seem to be of the opinion that it all sounds good so far but let's wait and see so an overly pessimistic attitude is just strange.

Whilst I agree that a balanced perspective is desirable,  there's a lot here to be very wary of.   It might be a small issue but lying about his qualifications is not a good start.   Then we see that his main business makes a loss.   While not wanting to piss on anyone's parade I'd be very happy to see this one bounced by the FA. 

Is there any real evidence that he's lied about qualifications? Main business making a loss is a bit misleading.  The main business is recon which appears to have numerous saubsidiaries where all their money is used as they see fit.  One comapny amongst a portfolio making a loss means very little, it could quite easily be entirely intentional.

[Lastfootstamper]

What qualifications has he lied about? I know that got brought up yesterday, but I've seen nothing conclusive either way.
And as for the loss-making business people refer to, from what I can glean he was installed as chairman only last year, when they underwent a restructuring. Before or after he landed there, I don't know, but I assume he either instigated it or was installed to see it through.

[oldhill_avfc]

He's neither a medical doctor or got a PhD.

He's played a part (paid exec?) in a business that organises construction/urbanisation work - what was his role?

He now runs loss making businesses.

That makes me weary - that's all.

[Percy McCarthy]

He's neither a medical doctor or got a PhD.

He's played a part (paid exec?) in a business that organises construction/urbanisation work - what was his role?

He now runs loss making businesses.

That makes me weary - that's all.

It's when you're tired and weary that you should really worry.

[Villafirst]

I think Dr Xia has done more interviews in one day than Lerner did in 10 years!!  Welcome Tony, and best of luck.

[cheltenhamlion]

Have a good night's kip Oldhill. You will be positive again by morning.

[chrisw1]

Can't believe you hope this falls through on the basis of the info we have?

Then what?  There isn't time to line up another deal. No manager in his right mind would join the current cluster fuck.  So you're looking at another season of struggle, possibly another relegation.

Unless of course Howard Hodgson rides in on his white horse and comedy 'report' with a few well meaning businessmen cobbling together with a few quid and a bag of beans?

I'll take the successful Chinese businessman carefully selected by Hollis who is impressed by his ambitious plans thanks.  Until someone comes up with something more shady than a limited internet presence and possibly a questionable PhD.

[cdward]

He's neither a medical doctor or got a PhD.

He's played a part (paid exec?) in a business that organises construction/urbanisation work - what was his role?

He now runs loss making businesses.

That makes me weary - that's all.

http://www.xwhodesign.com/en/aboutx.asp?li=1&action=%D6%C7%C4%D2%BA%CB%D0%C4

Dr Xia Jian Tong was promoted to be the president of XWHO in 2001. He earned his Doctor of Design degree from Harvard University. He also has been appointed by China Mayor Center and the Ministry of Construction as Distinguished Professor since 2002. He has served as urban development specialist for several cities in China. As a world famous expert in urban planning and landscape architecture, Dr. Xia has participated and chaired in hundreds of projects and cities all over the world.

[pauliewalnuts]

He sounds very likeable.

I'm still highly suspicious of his bona fides, though.

Still, if he's anything but genuine, we're going to find out very, very quickly, as there's shit loads of work to do, and most of it needs to be done well before August.

[adrenachrome]

He's neither a medical doctor or got a PhD.

He's played a part (paid exec?) in a business that organises construction/urbanisation work - what was his role?

He now runs loss making businesses.

That makes me weary - that's all.

It's when you're tired and weary that you should really worry.

True dat.

And if you still journey on till come to your happy abode the jig will be up and your hash will be settled.

[paul_e]

He's neither a medical doctor or got a PhD.

He's played a part (paid exec?) in a business that organises construction/urbanisation work - what was his role?

He now runs loss making businesses.

That makes me weary - that's all.

http://www.xwhodesign.com/en/aboutx.asp?li=1&action=%D6%C7%C4%D2%BA%CB%D0%C4

Dr Xia Jian Tong was promoted to be the president of XWHO in 2001. He earned his Doctor of Design degree from Harvard University. He also has been appointed by China Mayor Center and the Ministry of Construction as Distinguished Professor since 2002. He has served as urban development specialist for several cities in China. As a world famous expert in urban planning and landscape architecture, Dr. Xia has participated and chaired in hundreds of projects and cities all over the world.

Xwho was also renamed to recon so he's the president of the company that did all that work not a 'paid exec' (it's actually now listed as a subsidiary of recon - http://www.xwhodesign.com/en/) but was the boss.

He is listed as the chairman of one of the companies in his own portfolio and that company happened to make a loss.

I'm weary of all the posts looking for things to dislike about him/them and believing any negative rumour they hear.

[cdward]

The XWHO architecture/planning/design business part of the Recon group has offices in Seattle, Boston, Sydney, Vancouver, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Batonrouge as well as 5 offices in China, with an impressive list of over a hundred projects with a detailed write up on each.

The board of directors are a mix of people from all these regions.

Also interesting reading of various news articles going back at least 8 years, with photographs of Dr Tony being invited to speak at events organised by Forbes about planning and strategies for cities.

It's all there with help from Google translate.
http://www.xwhodesign.com/