Will we qualify for the CL?

[Nunkin1965]

Cheers Duncan. It would be remiss of me not to mention £170m invested in corporate areas, the Warehouse and the North Stand, plus the proposed improvements to two local railway stations. Seasonal attendances have smashed through the one million barrier over the last three years for the first time since the late seventies. With better facilities and diverse offers, visitor numbers to the area will also grow outside of football matches. Judging by the local growth plan, this is only the start.

I think your confirming my belief that the future of Aston Villa Football Club is bright.
Such exciting times to be a supporter of this great institution.

[PaulWinch again]

That’s all positive. The bit that worries me is the reliance on Unai - he’s brilliant and has completely turned us around and it’s been entirely necessary to essentially give him the keys. But that does mean when he does leave it’s not just an exceptional manager going, but the entire footballing structure like needs rebuilding. That is very difficult.

[Mellin]

Final day, 5 mins to go and it's 0-0. Other scores mean a ManC win gives them the title, a Villa win gives us CL, a draw means both miss out. Now that would be fun.

I never thought it would be possible for a single short paragraph to trigger a panic attack...

We'll get a pen in the last min of added time, Ollie steps up to take it. That thought should relax you.

That pen would need to involve a shotgun in those circumstances.

[AV82EC]

That’s all positive. The bit that worries me is the reliance on Unai - he’s brilliant and has completely turned us around and it’s been entirely necessary to essentially give him the keys. But that does mean when he does leave it’s not just an exceptional manager going, but the entire footballing structure like needs rebuilding. That is very difficult.

How about, as Percy is laying out for us, revelling in and being positive about what we do have rather than worrying about some hypothetical that may not happen for a decade?

[Dave]

That’s all positive. The bit that worries me is the reliance on Unai - he’s brilliant and has completely turned us around and it’s been entirely necessary to essentially give him the keys. But that does mean when he does leave it’s not just an exceptional manager going, but the entire footballing structure like needs rebuilding. That is very difficult.

How about, as Percy is laying out for us, revelling in and being positive about what we do have rather than worrying about some hypothetical that may not happen for a decade?

How about doing both?

Everything is a finely-balanced series of pros and cons. We have Emery at the moment (or at least a big part of why) because we're basically happy to let him run the club from top to bottom as his plaything. Which is fine, because he's really good and reducing the level of control that he has would mean we are less likely to keep him.

All good.

But it's still a perfectly normal thing to think about the negative impact that decision will have when he does go. If that one person that you've allowed to build a club in his own image gets hit by a bus on the way to training, the current way we do things is a big problem for succession planning. I'm fine with that, because that risk is worth what Emery gives us now.

But I'd certainly hope that the owners have more of a plan for when it does happen* than "not worrying about some hypothetical" at the moment.

*Emery leaving, not getting hit by a bus.

[Beard82]

Yeah - I have thought this too.  To be honest the last 6 years have shown that the owners will have a plan.  They will be clearly aware of the as a possibility - and is clearly why they have sought to reduce risk of Emery leaving in many ways.   I would imagine that will continue to be plan A.  And whilst I think they are confident of keeping him for a good few years yet, I am sure they will have a Plan B. 

[PaulWinch again]

That’s all positive. The bit that worries me is the reliance on Unai - he’s brilliant and has completely turned us around and it’s been entirely necessary to essentially give him the keys. But that does mean when he does leave it’s not just an exceptional manager going, but the entire footballing structure like needs rebuilding. That is very difficult.

How about, as Percy is laying out for us, revelling in and being positive about what we do have rather than worrying about some hypothetical that may not happen for a decade?

Don’t see why they’re mutually exclusive as the other folks have outlined. I am enjoying all of this - which I think is suggested in the post. I also have an eye for the future too, which I think is entirely reasonable.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

Yeah - I have thought this too.  To be honest the last 6 years have shown that the owners will have a plan.  They will be clearly aware of the as a possibility - and is clearly why they have sought to reduce risk of Emery leaving in many ways.   I would imagine that will continue to be plan A.  And whilst I think they are confident of keeping him for a good few years yet, I am sure they will have a Plan B.

Have they reduced the risk of Emery leaving by giving him more freedom and power though? That’s adding to the potential problems when it does happen. Its a balancing act between control and a succession plan. I suppose when you’re a club like us and you have a manager like UE you do all you can to keep him happy.

[LeeB]

That’s all positive. The bit that worries me is the reliance on Unai - he’s brilliant and has completely turned us around and it’s been entirely necessary to essentially give him the keys. But that does mean when he does leave it’s not just an exceptional manager going, but the entire footballing structure like needs rebuilding. That is very difficult.

How about, as Percy is laying out for us, revelling in and being positive about what we do have rather than worrying about some hypothetical that may not happen for a decade?

How about doing both?

Everything is a finely-balanced series of pros and cons. We have Emery at the moment (or at least a big part of why) because we're basically happy to let him run the club from top to bottom as his plaything. Which is fine, because he's really good and reducing the level of control that he has would mean we are less likely to keep him.

All good.

But it's still a perfectly normal thing to think about the negative impact that decision will have when he does go. If that one person that you've allowed to build a club in his own image gets hit by a bus on the way to training, the current way we do things is a big problem for succession planning. I'm fine with that, because that risk is worth what Emery gives us now.

But I'd certainly hope that the owners have more of a plan for when it does happen* than "not worrying about some hypothetical" at the moment.

*Emery leaving, not getting hit by a bus.

We could take steps to avoid this by not having him get the bus to training.

[Dave]

We could take steps to avoid this by not having him get the bus to training.

Be serious Lee, those SCR costs aren't going to just reduce themselves.

[Drummond]

Yes we will. Confirmed by beating Liverpool in the last home game before getting double qualification 3 days later.

[Rigadon]

Yes we will. Confirmed by beating Liverpool in the last home game before getting double qualification 3 days later.

Amen to that brother! 

On the point of post Emery...  That fateful day will at some point come.  My own anxiety is more about whether it comes before we've actually had a sustained period of wining things, something like Man Utd / Ferguson or Arsenal / Wenger.  Perhaps my expectations are too high, but if Emery left having not won stuff (cups probably) then, despite all of the amazing football we've enjoyed, it would feel like yet another missed opportunity in our history.

[Drummond]

I feel lucky that we've had the chance to dream like we have over the past 3 years. Like anything in life, relish it whilst you have it. A trophy would be nice, continuing this dream is almost better. I love that we go into every game (bar Palace) knowing we could win it.

When he leaves (I don't think he's immortal) these owners will find the next person, and they will know who to go for, and Emery will help them. And we will be fine.

[eamonn]

Perce, would you take a job down the Villa in their Comms & Strategy dept. ?
No more night-duty, could be a game-changer.

[Rigadon]

I feel lucky that we've had the chance to dream like we have over the past 3 years. Like anything in life, relish it whilst you have it. A trophy would be nice, continuing this dream is almost better. I love that we go into every game (bar Palace) knowing we could win it.

When he leaves (I don't think he's immortal) these owners will find the next person, and they will know who to go for, and Emery will help them. And we will be fine.

Yes, going to into nearly all games with an expectation we will compete is brilliant.