This all smacks a bit of damned if he does...
Quote from: Ads on May 30, 2018, 10:53:58 PMQuote from: brentastonb6 on May 30, 2018, 10:51:13 PMQuote from: Ads on May 30, 2018, 10:43:03 PMWhat should the statement have said?It should have said “ Obviously not getting promoted wasn’t what we wanted, however we planned for both eventualities and will move forward with no fire sales and a great group of youngsters waiting in the wings to be integrated with our senior pros . We will make a formidable challenge next season”How does that sound ? Sounds like you're addressing insecurities that are personal to you. Who says there's going to be a fire sale?He's made a statement. Says he's gutted. Says we're going to be smothered by FFP, but this isn't a surprise. Thanks Bruce. And then again.This isn't an A-Level English exam. There's no marks for identifying symbolism. If there's anything to read between the lines it's that Bruce and his time is up.Yes, and he also says:QuoteWe are all aware that we will face severe FFP challenges next season. I am an Aston Villa fan. But I am also a businessman. Under the current circumstances, I think the club needs to rethink not only the past two years but also the past ten years. Villa needs to be a sustainable football club. People join. People leave. That is the cycle of football. There's no A Level English symbolism exercise there, it is there in black and white.I'd have preferred him to say nothing, to be honest. At least leave us with some sort of sign of positivity, of hope, but it reads to me like a 'tighten your belts, lean times ahead' message and there is absolutely nothing there which suggests 'I'd love to invest more, but I'm stopped by FFP'
Quote from: brentastonb6 on May 30, 2018, 10:51:13 PMQuote from: Ads on May 30, 2018, 10:43:03 PMWhat should the statement have said?It should have said “ Obviously not getting promoted wasn’t what we wanted, however we planned for both eventualities and will move forward with no fire sales and a great group of youngsters waiting in the wings to be integrated with our senior pros . We will make a formidable challenge next season”How does that sound ? Sounds like you're addressing insecurities that are personal to you. Who says there's going to be a fire sale?He's made a statement. Says he's gutted. Says we're going to be smothered by FFP, but this isn't a surprise. Thanks Bruce. And then again.This isn't an A-Level English exam. There's no marks for identifying symbolism. If there's anything to read between the lines it's that Bruce and his time is up.
Quote from: Ads on May 30, 2018, 10:43:03 PMWhat should the statement have said?It should have said “ Obviously not getting promoted wasn’t what we wanted, however we planned for both eventualities and will move forward with no fire sales and a great group of youngsters waiting in the wings to be integrated with our senior pros . We will make a formidable challenge next season”How does that sound ?
What should the statement have said?
We are all aware that we will face severe FFP challenges next season. I am an Aston Villa fan. But I am also a businessman. Under the current circumstances, I think the club needs to rethink not only the past two years but also the past ten years. Villa needs to be a sustainable football club. People join. People leave. That is the cycle of football.
Quote from: dave.woodhall on May 30, 2018, 10:53:33 PMThis all smacks a bit of damned if he does...Is the correct answer.
Yes. We're not permitted to horse cash at it, so we try something new. Hardly ground breaking is it? There will be change, but then there always is.That to me means we are saying ta'ta to a fat squad whereby 35k a week players who don't make the 18 will be gone the sort of out a businessman can get behind.
Whatever happens the squad will be weakened this summer. I just can't see it having the quality or depth to sustain a promotion challenge. Mid table at best.
I drafted dozens of statements like this when I worked in corporate marketing. They were all issued reluctantly by Chairmen/Managing Directors etc and were designed to say something without actually saying anything specific ( which would , in the main, have been better). Invariably this resulted in further media speculation which created even more uncertainty and further rounds of corporate speak until the real truth manifested itself. I read the Dr's words as being akin to a worldwide plea for Villa fans to rummage around the backs of their sofas to donate any money found there. We're skint, and will be taking every fiscal measure available to stop bleeding money. Once all the marketable assets have been sold, we might be able to plug a few gaps with frees and loans.So we are now Ipswich Town but with the added burden of a huge stadium and associated infra-structure. If Dean Smith wants to take that situation on, I for one will applaud him.