Damian Vidagany - Director of Football

[Drummond]

I agree Smithy; we're progressing all the time, we're improving each season under this genius manager, and we've not hit the ceiling yet. I actually think Emery works better with a challenge like this, when he has limited resources, and when you look at our record since he joined, and since the owners joined, we keep improving, facilities are getting better, the ground is increasing in size and thus our revenue will grow. We've got bigger and better partners, Guinness, Coke, Red Bull and of course Adidas. This is a great time to be a Villa fan, when you compare it to the previous 30 years and much of our history.

That we've been forced to sell a prized academy graduate, having had to sell Grealish previously, highlights why we all feel so shit about the modern game, but we are becoming great again, in spite of the rules, not because of them. And that's what makes us so special. We're working for success, we're not being given it.

[garyellis]

Our owners knew the rules from day one.
They are now at the point where they can demonstrate how these rules do not achieve their objective.
They will no doubt pull all the levers to challenge/modify the rules that create a monopoly.
I don’t see them walking away after making such relatively quick progress and continuing to invest in the clubs infrastructure.

[kippaxvilla2]

There’s a YouTube video doing the rounds.  It’s some guy spending an hour criticising Emery with all the backing he’s had.  He’s wearing a Villa Top.

[Rigadon]

There’s a YouTube video doing the rounds.  It’s some guy spending an hour criticising Emery with all the backing he’s had.  He’s wearing a Villa Top.

An attention seeking moron then.

[eamonn]

Were his bells ringing claret and blue?

[Dante Lavelli]

I do worry that these magnificent owners and management team we have in place, eventually throw the towel in and walk away.
I sense this is a defining season for us, whether we are able to keep Unai and the whole structure in place for next season.
God, I hope so.

I'm getting that vibe too. 

Same.

I don't want to be a doom merchant but unless something changes, I can't see why the owners, the manager and even us for that matter, bother when progress is deliberately put beyond our reach.

I'm just waiting for us all to come to the conclusion that there is no point being in a competition where there is no competition.

I'm not so sure.  We must remember that the owners will look at success through a different lens to us fans. 

The owners will still be happy as long as their return on their investment continues to grow.  Arguably, the fact they cannot spend may increase their profits because their cost are reduced.  Emery is a different risk but his best work has been at 'underdog' clubs rather than with PSG or Arsenal. 

I'm hoping the noise coming from the club is tactic designed to create a narrative and galvanize a stale squad with a common enemy.

[kippaxvilla2]

One of the only if not thee only way the club as a whole stays successful is success on the pitch.  I’m pretty sure this isn’t lost on them.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Atairos became the main shareholder in a few months though.  Wes is nowhere near as prominent as he once was. 

[Ads]

Edens has never been prominent. Swaris has the bug properly.

This is an ego thing now. Theyre not going anywhere in my view.

[nigel]

At some point the balance has to shift to the other side.
At the moment we are having to conform with these rules.
Eventually things will have to level up, then, logically, they will have to tip over to the positive side.