It transpires that Randy Lerner was in the country today and while there were suggestions that maybe he was over here to sanction some much-needed transfer funds, someone in the previous thread called it spot on (ITK Lionheart? or a pure guess?) in that he was indeed here to have talks with a prospective new CEO, in Arsenal’s chief commercial manager, Tom Fox;
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/11044183/Arsenals-Tom-Fox-close-to-being-appointed-Aston-Villa-chief-executive.html”
Now it makes sense that we need a new CEO, but does it make sense that we would look to appoint one when there are suggestions that we’re close to being sold?
I’d suggest not, as if a sale was imminent, surely a prospective owner would want to look to bring his own man in?
Or could it be that Lerner is working with a prospective buyer and the latter wants Fox in?
I doubt it personally.
Which probably means that any dreams we might have had about a big fat transfer pot in this window have er, gone straight out of the window.
Ah well, it was a nice thought while it lasted.
As for Fox being American, I’m not sure if that means anything.
This is a difficult one to call. Heads or tails whether he is here to work for Randy or a new owner. Would like to think its the latter, but doubt it!
We live in hope!
If we’re sold, no doubt it’ll be September, wouldn’t expect a “big transfer kitty” this window, we already have to get rid of a fair few players as it is to make a 25 man squad.
Either way, if he’s working for Lerner or a new owner, this guy is a serious player. A really experienced modern football professional business type who could steer the club onto greater things. If he’s a success under Randy, the club will become more attractive to a new buyer. The Arse’s loss is our gain. Our biggest complaint, even during some dodgy spending days by MON, is the mismanagement of our club. Maybe this chap can sort that out and strike a reasonable balance.
nice one!
Is this the bloke who infuriated Arsenal fans a couple of years ago by saying ‘winning isn’t everything’? I am pretty sure it was him. Makes you wonder what his priorities are. I want someone who helps build a decent team and not someone who is just here to further fatten Randy’s wallet!
Yep, that’s the one;
“Fox, however, claimed that being competitive on the pitch was not the only measure of success. “Arsenal Football Club is not only about winning,” he said. “We have a large and engaged fan-base around the world who want to feel as if they belong to the club, and want to feel proud to belong to the club. That’s my primary business.”
http://www.espnfc.com/story/1253024
As I suggested in the previous thread, just before I posted this; a bean counter, no more and no less.
I hadn’t heard that…Shit.
It does make me wonder, would a guy of Fox’s calibre take on such a potentially short term role. I suspect he is either here early to oversee the transition to a new owner or Randy has given him assurances that the club will not be sold for the foreseeable future for some reason. My gut says someone at this guys level would be looking medium to long term and is here for the new owner/s
Reading between the lines. Villa sale is off for now. Randy couldn’t get a quick sale so will now stick around for a while yet. Maybe if things go okay this season he may have a change of heart and take club off the market all together.
I’ve had that feeling for a while Tekkers. The signals being given out fromm Randys camp have changed. If he can spend little, recoup a fair amount for the next three years, Lerner will feel he’s back in the black. Maybe then he’ll start to invest properly. A long wait for the fans though!…and if we don’t get relegated in the meantime…
I agree with Badger; appointment of a new CEO suggests no imminent sale. You cannot run a business of Villa’s size without a CEO being in place and I don’t buy the ‘transition’ argument as, in my experience a buyer would want to see a sound structure in place with top people running the business. A new owner would not, of course, bring in his own CEO but would put representatives on the Board possibly in non exec positions. I believe RL still wants to sell, tried to do a quick deal, it failed and now his prime objective is to increase Villa’s market value / appeal.
Fox looks a good appointment to me notwithstanding his winning comments. These were made in his role as commercial director where, clearly, one of his prime roles was to expand Arsenal’s fan base in the lucrative Asian market. The media are saying he will be both CEO and Commercial Director at Villa; that sounds a good move.
Has anyone else noticed that RL seems more connected since Fatty left; coincidence?
Yup. Three times at Bodymoor Heath in the last month.
Could that simply say he had total (if misguided) faith in fatty Faulkner?
Agree BWS but I think it’s more than that. It seems to me that Fatty was blocking any good football knowledge advice getting to RL and I get a sense that has changed recently.
If we get Fox and with Keane as PL’s No 2 the club looks more stable than it has done for a couple of years – now we just have to get Vlaar and Delphi signed up to new contracts
Well the proof of the pudding and all that, signing post – Fatty are simply another level from your Tonev’s etc.
Is that just coincidence?
Somehow I doubt it.
And the reinstatement of the bomb squad!
Hitchens do you think fatty was the architect of that? Never understood it, what was the point of paying players silly amounts and have them sitting at home watching Jeremy Piles? Crazy.
Yes, I do and that’s one reason why I have sympathy (and some respect) for PL who was IMHO just following orders. The fact that he just got on with his job as best he could and,despite the awful football, kept us in the EPL plus the way the ‘bomb squad’ seem to respect him says volumes for the man.
The reason in pure financial terms – to try and force them out of the club or, at least, get a significant proportion of their wages off the books.
It just seems to me that post Fatty, RL has at last woken up to the reality of what needs to be done at Villa
Yes it looks like we’re stuck with him for a while now,maybe the amount of tv money now is making him rethink run the club on a shoestring PL survival then reap the financial rewards each season.
Hitchen60 absolutely bang on what your saying,I was about to write my assumption of what’s in my mind going on, Villa’s hole marketing infrastuture was not at a standard for anyone to take a chace and purchase, this move in my mind is to market the club at a later date, our problem now is sales of younger players from our academy’s and in coming has been, that’s how it looks o me.
According to the Express this is such a big deal (is it? F**k knows but that’s what they reckon) that this Fox fella is held in such high esteem it leads to the assumption Randy’s had a change of heart and may not be selling up after all but who knows?
I don’t see any sale on the horizon, and never have. No doubt the next time anything changes on that score IanRobo will be on here telling us he saw it coming ha ha. I don’t know the first thing about Fox but it would be a massive career gamble to join a club that is likely to be sold in the near future.
As for his comments I don’t see anything wrong with them. His job is to make Arsenal commercially successful, not run the team. A better run club is what we need, and if that could be achieved whilst Lerner is still owner then yes please.
Lots of people on here keep talking about SKY money and what a money spinner Aston Vila is. If it could make profits approaching £20M a year there would be a queue of buyers prepared to pay £200M. They aren’t out there because it’s been proven that it can’t be done. Don’t quote me Man U as they are simply different. In order to compete as a team at the top end of the Premiership you need top class players. That rules out about 90% of our team. The level of investment would be huge and would lead to serious losses and FFP would kick in. The only chance of success for a club like Villa is to be run properly, with slow and sustained investment under a brilliant manager. That looks like a long way off to me.
Whether Fox comes or not we could do with one or two decent signings to help ensure a more comfortable season. It’s early days but the squad certainly looks stronger this season so fingers crossed.
Mate this slow sustained success thing, well it’s never going to happen. As soon as you by hook or by crook assemble a half decent squad you’re going to be raped (see Southampton).
And the Man U thing that is just so funny, the team that orchestrated the FFP fails to get a CL spot, with no CL football they then fail to attract the top players . This then results in their shirt sales to plummet in the far east (even if they put some sub standard Korean tailors dummy on the pitch for the odd twenty minutes) and they end up in a vicious downward spiral of their own making and they can’t buy their way out of it cause of the FFP they created.
I’ve got to stop now, I’m getting a hard on.
I agree. I don’t think it would happen. Clutching at straws really. Any bad news for Man U is hilarious. I do think they will buy their way out of it though. Look at what Barcelona have spent this summer and they were banned from doing transfers! Money talks as always.
Money does talk DS, say the scenario I suggested above with the dirty mancs failing to get in the CL season after season and falling further and further behind came to fruition, then how long before they (Man U) where pushing for a Kerry Packer type breakaway?
Not too long I think, with Man U, Bayern and the likes negotiating their own global rights.
Tom Fox new Villa CEO
If Lerner carries on making good why would I want him to sell….Seems Tom Fox is a massive appointment for AVFC…And also Fox orchestrated a 170 million quid Puma deal….Great stuff on the up…utv
Roy Keane also a grand app….utv
Yep; best two signings of the window lol
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/501283/EXCLUSIVE-Tom-Fox-deal-is-major-coup-for-Randy-Lerner-s-Aston-Villa
Very good read about the Tom Fox appointment
Fair play to Mr Fox. So he can make money. Good so far. Its the way that the money is spent that concerns me. If a fair percentage is earmarked for team building thats cool. On the other hand, if its just there to further line Lerners picket then I have reservations. The point that Hitchens made about the bomb squad is spot on IMO. Faulkner was a disaster as CEO. Mr Fox, settle in quick and get talking contracts with Vlaar, Delph and Grealish straightaway. As for your statement ‘winning isnt everything’…..well winning occasionally would be a great change for us after four years of utter shite.
Mr Fox……we are a great footballing insitution. My statement to you is ‘winning IS everything’.
Good luck mate, your going to need it!
Langford, I think Fox’s comment is being taken out of context. If he had said ‘winning is important but it’s just one ingredient of a successful football club’ – no one would have argued. Given his role and responsibility as Commercial Director that’s how I interpreted what he said. Perhaps that’s because over the years as a Director and then Chairman of various companies, I found how important it was to be very precise when making a statement!
Langford,but was Faulkner just following orders?
According to a piece on MOMS a few weeks back he was a top bloke and his sacking allegedly proceeded a request to our glorious leader for more funds to be made available to purchase some decent quality players in order to preserve our premier league status.
If there’s any foundation to that wouldn’t it be convenient for our glorious leader? Another patsy to carry the can just like MON before him.
Fox is another bean counter but probably a step up from faulkner. No big deal other than Lerner will make more money commercially so no way will he sell now. We now have years of mediocre dross to look fwd to. So fucking glad we didn’t get STs
You know what. I just dont know what to think anymore as its such a fucking mess from top to bottom.
Hitchens and BWS both make very interesting points. I do think that Faulkner was just taking instructions from Randy but its the way that thise instructions were being carried out which baffles me. As you so rightly say, WTF was there a need for a bomb squad….we were just paying people for doing fuck all and we were nearly relegated as a result. Non of it makes sense anymore. I am just hoping to see better football and an improvement in our league position.
Hitchens…looking back on that statement by Fox I guess your right. It probably was taken out of context and I see where he is coming from.
Reading his CV is interesting. I note that he was previously employed by NIKE. Would be good to get a lucrative kit deal with them.
To be honest LV it will piss me off a bit if RL will comes out of this smelling of roses lets face facts, the f**kers ran us into the ground for the past 3 seasons.
But on saying that and if I’m totally honest I’m past caring about the politics at the club all that interests me is we’re looking a bit healthy on pitch.
As you say LV P&P.
Rl has to go we will never succeed under this joker.
BWS, Langford, really good points and in reality we are all playing a big guessing game but it’s fascinating to speculate.
As I see it, the Board chaired by RL would have agreed and set out a strategy (Fatty being a party to that) but my guess is that the strategy would be something along the lines of a targeted reduction in operating costs, an increase in revenue and a consequent improvement in earnings. There would also be some sort of strategy around improving the balance sheet and hence the final strength of the company (whilst staying in the EPL!). Fatty would have been charged with implementing the strategy but he would decide how best to do that and would be measured on results. He appears to achieved the outcomes required but at what cost to the football club?
I’ve no idea why he left but it was suggested that RL wants to bring in a football man at the top and was unwilling to find Fatty a position elsewhere in his businesses. Apparently Fatty is speaking at a Chamber do in Brum and it was suggested he was going to open Pandoras Box but I’ve heard no more on that.
BWS I don’t mind if RL does come out of this well if it means Villa are flying again. I don’t subscribe to the view that RL is just trying to line his pockets. With the collapse of the banking system, his divorce and MON’s profligacy I reckon he’s taken a financial hammering relative to his wealth. Simply put I don’t think he can afford to be sole owner of an EPL football club. Just my view you understand
true mate, if we finish in the top half and have a decent cup run then I’ll quite happily have Randys love child.
LOL 😀
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfer-news-john-7642772
That’s that then – thank heaven! Although another bit of evidence which suggests that RL has had a change of mind / strategy.
Like Iv always said Lerner was never selling it was just a ploy to passé the fans. We are stuck with Lerner and lamberk for years yet. I almost hope we go down to teach the useless idiot a lesson. At least we can challange for play offs instead of relegation
Why do you bother to support Villa at all. Those comments are just childish
I don’t support them I’m a Walsall fan
This is precisely why I have great admiration for Lambert. I am not a fan of his, especially tactically. But to put his own reputation on the line under the financial constraints placed on him by Randy and/or Faulkner shows good character and bottle IMO. MON and Pulis walked out their respective jobs for identical reasons (allegedly). Whenever Lambert has been given reasonable transfer funds, he has bought well IMO. I would have loved to have segn him with just a fraction of what MON was given. Say what you like about Lambert but, for me, he is a man with integrity, pride and the balls not to give up despite the very difficult circumstances in which he has had to manage.
Agree 100%
couldn’t av said it better myself 🙂
so we av a new ceo hope he does better than the last guy 🙂 any progress with new players ???
I have to agree with you on that langford. Not a big fan of a lot of the football that has been played though. I suspect if he had been in place rather than MON when the funds were available he would have spent more wisely. If he can get results he can mumble at press conferences all he likes! If we are still near the bottom come Xmas (and assuming Benteke and Kozak are back soon) then that’s it for me.
I think we will struggle against the barcodes next up so any positivity could be straight out the window!
Disagree if he had MONs funds he would not have succeeded. Why do people on this site talk rubbish. Why do you actually think he would spend better than MON? He has spent an average of £25m a season and other than Benteke and to a lesser extent a Vlaar has bought complete and utter dross. He has gone for loads of one to 2 million players instead of buying 3-4 quality players. The man is clueless. We started well last year v arsenal and everyone in here was having a wank fest. Dosnt anyone ever learn the guy is a joke period!
anyone talks rubbish its you
having slagged off vlaar constantly and without reason. the guy is solid and had a solid w/c and you still don’t admit you talk shit ur losing street credit my friend why would anyone listen to ur opinions when u stand by this ridiculous claims
instead of fishing 4 reactions you should talk some truths
Do you not consider your replies before making them? The issue Lambert had was having to replace some huge wage earners with a greater number of players on low wages. Do you expect to be able to attract the best quality for the least money? He has his faults but I don’t think he would have bought the likes of Heskey and Zat Knight for the amount we paid in transfers/wages just as an example. If Kozak and Okore work out for us (they show promise but the jury is out here) that means that pretty much any player he has spend even reasonable money on is good value. Yes a lot of the cheaper signings haven’t delivered but that will not cost the club in the way that MONs failed signings did.
Agree to a point but I have it on great authority he was offered Barry on loan last season and Lerner said the money was there. Lamberk told his agent no before he could finish his sentence. I agree that okore has potential but now he’s had that injury I’m not sure. No I don’t expect us to buy top quality players but we should be competing with teams like saints, stoke etc.
DS yes the footballs been shite at times but so has what he’s had to work with, you can’t polish a turd mate.
What reputation is that then other than getting Norwich promoted ffs. Lamberk is here not because he’s got bottle but he can’t walk out due to contract restraints and even if he did what half decent club would touch the mumbling, bumbling fuckwit! We have one half decent win v stoke and the lamberk apologists are back out in force. Pathetic
u forgot 2 mention beating norwich 7 1 with colchester oohahahhahaha
i bet ur were one of the villa fans like me shouting his name when his bad tactics kicked our ass with norwich
Actually I never wanted him tbf I wanted someone with a bit if charisma like poyet or Klinnsman. Lambert is just the typical grey suited dull person I didn’t want. And to be honest I thought mcleish was actually slightly better I no il get slated for saying that but at least he won something with a shite team.A lot of villa fans appall me the way they hounded him out from first game till last fans wanted him to fail. Is it because he was a murderer! No he managed blues ffs. Who gives a fuck.
i never wanted mcliesh in fact i hated the appointment, but while he was villa manager i accepted it. your constantly moaning the porridge is too hot and too cold you forget villa can’t command 2 hand pick the best players and managers. before lamberts came to villa he was well thought off and respected.
hes not been given a fair crack and this season will show him up for what he is, cos this season of the three is the only one hes got players that are premiership class
Lambert not had a fair crack!! Are u having a giraffe! He’s had 2 years and given us the most unwanted records in history. Mcleish had exactly the same restraints and was never given the same chance lamberk has.
Because getting successive promotions is a piece of piss isn’t it? Credit where credit is due. No one is claiming he is the best manager out there. Just asking for a bit of perspective. You clearly don’t have that. Now that is pathetic.