Given the state that the club is in, we haven’t had many people submit posts over the last few months, but I got hit with a couple shortly afer the game yesterday and here they are, first from “Richard Webb”;
Why?? Watching villa chelsea match I think the manager should sack the first team and play the under 21 team.
To me they all are playing for the money and not the club. They all should be ASHAMED. What has the caretaker manager got to loose???
Drop the LOT and play the players who would give everything to play for Aston Villa.
And then, on a brighter note, from “Martyn Bishopp”;
I was at Feyonoord in 82 and Super cup vs Barcelona (got that out of the way), today I took my 10 yo son for his 1st game at Villa Pk vs Chelsea. Embarrassed as hell, but my son enjoyed the large spectacle.
When he asked why I was laughing out loud, I had to tell him about a fans song I just heard.
“He’s got a new car, he’s got a new car” You know the rest.
When Chelsea fans sang “we’ll never play you again”, Villa fans reminded them “Champions league, Ta Ra Ra”.
With fans like we have, we will be back.
Thanks to them for making a difficult day entertaining!
Which pretty much sums things up doesn’t it?
Those who actually bother to turn up are fuming and rightly so.
While Richard has possibly been turning up regularly and was just venting, Martyn’s post is perhaps the more worrying.
How are you supposed to persuade your kids to support the Villa, when even Leicester are streets above us?
It’s not like we don’t have enough on our plate in trying to challenge the traditional top 4/5/6, is it?
And even though I didn’t see the game, it turns out I wasn’t that far off the mark in the preview really.
The players tried a bit, but not enough and ultimately just weren’t good enough. Which I believe is ultimately what it boils down to.
But it’s mainly because too many of the team weren’t ready to be thrown in straight away in my opinion.
It’s a point that I think Sherwood might have been totally right about, with my 20-20 hindsight.
But now that they have been thrown in, they’ve been found wanting and their heads have dropped.
That’s not to say we don’t have some shirkers in the team though and we all know who they are.
But the likes of Gana, Ayew and Hutton have tried mostly.
Yes, even Hutton, who apparently got a standing ovation yesterday, even though he’d been sent off.
Ok, he’s been poor overall, but he has at least tried, hasn’t he?
And that’s all we want, as fans.
We can stand being beaten by better sides and have plenty of grace about us to applaud an adversary that’s simply played better than us.
It’s what the game’s about, after all, isn’t it?
So just as I was gutted that I couldn’t get to see the game, so I was dismayed to read some of the punters’ comments.
The killer was David Pleat saying Chelsea looked like they were playing against a load of cones in a practice session.
I think I’m glad I didn’t get to see it.
So it seems if Norwich do better than us next week, we’re down.
Not that any of us believe we could win every one of our games left.
Rather, my tongue in cheek comment a couple of weeks back about us not getting another single point is much more likely.
Part of me says let’s get the season done and dusted.
But there’s a big part of me that’s seriously worried about next season.
The Martyn and his lad scenario is the most upsetting side of all this though.
That said, my old man (God bless him) first took me down the Villa as a nipper, when we were in a worse state than this and
MY EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY! of all but the FA cup.
Hopefully Martyn’s nipper’s eyes will too.
There’s no doubting Villa’s fans, if you give them something to get behind and cheer about.
But we have to be careful we don’t lose the kids.
Do I smell a “kids for a quid” type campaign coming on; for EVERY game in the championship?
Hmm, there’s a thought.
Comments
150 responses to “Villa 0 – 4 Chelsea; others thoughts as well as mine.”
Another reason that the last board had to go – more interested in appearance than performance! Riley and the CFO (can’t spell his name) also have to go. The new board are hardly going to throw good money after bad so will have to run with the changes.
Great news about the new badge. Looking forward to seeing it.
Andy Townsend to make a return as DoF?
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/7053229/Aston-Villa-make-shock-move-to-land-Andy-Townsend-as-director-of-football.html
Not quite sure what I make of this but I liked him as a player and quite like him as a pundit so who knows?
The club are supposed to be looking for a Head of Football Operations, and my guess is it will be Bernsteins buddy from the FA that we just appointed. Townsend was apparently approached for the role Little now holds, so the story is typical SUN BS…
Up to this point Charlie Whateverhisnameis must have thought he might survive the cull. What a muppet, £2mil to very slightly alter a badge, during our worst ever season, but we can’t get a couple of players in on loan?!
Did anyone else notice Reilly sitting with the rest of the board at the Chelsea match, but not being there for the 2nd half?
Coleman as new manager? Jesus wept, just what as he done?
Another run of the mill journey yes man.
All aboard and hold onto your hats for the double drop.
BWS, I think you’re going to have to adjust your sights on the calibre of manager you’re expecting mate. Just heard Warnock throw his hat in the ring to go along side Yorke, Carver and Coleman. I can’t see us getting anyone that will unite all the fans when we’re in such disarray.
I see there’s been a story released saying we’ll offload Gabby, coincidentally the same day the story gets announced that Under Armour will make our kit – tightest fitting shirts I’ve ever seen, so no wonder he wants out before pre season training begins.
Mate I ain’t expecting Pep Guardiola but Coleman ffs?
What does he bring to the table? Any sort of success? Promotion?
Anything?
I really don’t get it but still it’s par for the course at VP.
The papers will come up with loads more names before any one arrives. Think Paddy Power have got about 50 names to bet on, including Paul Merson so no one really knows. I don’t think it’ll be Coleman. As discussed on this forum, someone mentions a name in passing on the radio and its reported as fact in the Scum or Mirror the next day. Don’t worry, once were relegated, sky and talk shite won’t give a toss about Villa as they only care about the prem. Might work in our favour to be under the radar.
Coleman average win rate 33%.
Pearson average win rate 43%
Moyers average win rate 43%
Figures we peruse Coleman who will incidentally be away at the Euro’s in the summer when our new manager should be signing players and stamping his methods on the squad.
What a complete f##king joke we are.
Do any of you listen to Radio 5 Monday night club, where they talk about football from 7 till 9. On this weeks show Andy Townsend was asked if he would accept if Eric Black asked him to come down to the club and talk to the players, he said he definitely would. Interesting that the Sun is now reporting that he may be offered a role at the club. He also said that Ashley Westwood would be one of the few players he would keep at Villa, said that he tries his heart out and that he’s Villa through and through!!
I think Townsend would be a good ‘acquisition’ for the Villa. He always talked a lot of sense as a pundit. I’m also pro Westwood. OK he’ll never be a star player but if we had some decent attacking mids alongside him, I’ve always reckoned he’d be an asset with his distribution – and he can score goals.
What does a director of football actually do?
Kick it in this direction?
Never really understand the role of a DOF.
BWS – that’s a very pertinent question.
If football clubs were run like normal businesses, then I’d presume the “DoF” to be responsible to the rest of the Board for: recruitment & selection of managers/coaching staff, approval of new players / renewal [or not] of existing player’s contracts, etc. In other words, the actual playing side of the business; leaving others to concentrate on finance, marketing, etc.
However, in most cases the “DoF” appears to be a token appointment; some ex-player or ex-manager appointed, more on a ‘jobs for the boys’ basis than with any real responsibility or role; very rarely do you hear of one being sacked along with the manager when things go wrong, whereas if they were really responsible for ‘football matters’ then you’d expect them to carry some of the can when things didn’t work on the playing side.
Nothing against Townsend, he was a good player in his time with Villa, but along with all of these football pundits they don’t seem to realise that talking isn’t the same as doing!
Interesting take Ardent. I’ve no idea exactly what his ‘executive’ responsibilities are other than the generalisations in the Sun article. However as a Director of the club he has very serious obligations to fulfil under the Companies Act in regard to the governance of the club. On that basis alone Hollis has to think carefully about who he appoints to the Board. I’ve been both a Chairman and a Director of a number of companies and it’s not a roll to be taken lightly whatever the job description might say.
Having said that I do find Riley’s continuing employment as a Director baffling given the accusations / allegations in the Telegraph article. No doubt all will become clear in due course.
H60, agree entirely – have spent years reminding clients of what being a ‘Director’ actually means when they’re setting up or joining a new business – although I also know quite a few people who’ve used the title “Director of…” on their business cards without being formally appointed as ‘director’ of the company for which they work.
That was really my point about the “DoF” title as it seems to be used in football, at least in the English game: it often seems to be no more than a title; some of these people may actually be [non-executive] directors appearing on the Annual Return as formal directors, but I suspect that in most cases the so-called “DoF” isn’t actually a formal Companies Act appointment at all, just a title for PR purposes.
Whoever it is he will probably have have have as much clout was a wet fish.
Absolutely Andy, now be a good boy and go and fetch Randy and I another of those delicious prawn sandwiches.
Townsend?
God no, he’s an awful pundit and would make an awful DOF, imo.
But of course he’d come as we’re a money-spinner.
Didn’t ITV sack him for frankly being crap?
As for Coleman, he won’t get a look in either.
Pure speculation.
And simply not good enough for the Villa, even though we’re on our arse atm.
I can’t believe you entertain this rubbish, but it’s good fun, I suppose.
And I guess we did take a punt on Garde.
Hence anything’s possible under Lerner.
Andy Townsend was a great captain for us. 100 % committed.
If we had a few like him today we wouldn’t be in this shit.
It woud be a novel idea having a Director of Football that actually played at a high level.
OS just posted a statement regarding the club’s new brand identity…
The Club can confirm that we will be refreshing our badge this summer as part of a comprehensive visual identity rebrand project.
The whole project has cost less than £80,000 – not the £2m quoted in press reports this week.
The work, which was undertaken to make us more effective in the digital age, affects Club publications, retail products, AVTV graphics, the current and the new official website and the stadium.
However, we will not be spending significant sums on changing the branding in the ground this summer.
New Badge:
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~5475744,00.html?
oops – highlight and copy full link into a browser.
Old badge was more representative of our current team – no claws, no bite, no hope.
Not really bothered about the badge, it’s just rearranging the furniture on the Titanic but liked the old roundel best.
Why has Jimmy Sinclair been brought in? To prepare for Ally McCoist coming in as manager?
Fair comment – would have to check with Companies House although it would seem by the Brian Little appointment that Hollis is keen to make a distinction.
Question for you then Ardent – I’ve always been advised that if you hold yourself out to be a Director you can become responsible in law for the duties of a Director even though not formally registered as such with Companies House – horrible terms like shadow director then come into play. The issue then is that a pseudo director would not be covered by the D&O insurance. Interested in your take on that.
With apologies to all those bored by our discussion!
Above should have been in response to Ardent Villa above
H60, I’m not a lawyer, but I believe that the distinction would be examined as to it’s purpose. In most of the cases that I was thinking of, the ‘director’ title was just a courtesy or marketing title: senior managers [but who weren’t actually company directors in the strict sense] in one organisation who regularly dealt with genuine ‘directors’ at potential corporate clients, were allowed to call themselves ‘director’ simply so that they were on the same apparent level in discussions.
Where you refer to shadow directors, yes, I’ve known a few of those too – but those were cases where individuals had been banned from holding formal directorships [e.g. by the Dept of Trade] because of previous misdeeds, or most often – bankruptcy. They still continued to pull the strings behind the scenes, and it was always risky: they knew that HMRC or other regulatory bodies could hold them personally liable if things went awry!
[& again, apologies to those who find all this irrelevant to a football fan-site!]
Interesting debate Ardent – would be interesting to continue it over a beer sometime – but back to footballing matters!
Surely if we’re going to keep the Lion on the badge, it should be the dead one on the Tate & Lyle golden syrup tins with the bees buzzing around it.!!
still no manager news or even bookmakers slashing odds. feels like limbo until season ends. i would have thought they would appoint soon but they start after the last game.
thought bws post was accurate “We’ve been through plans from A to Z and almost as many managers” most of these plans were never given time or were never ever gonna work. hopefully the new plan alpha bravo 28 will work
Someone posted earlier that failure to appoint quickly suggested that Moyes, Pearson et al of the unemployed variety are not under consideration. I’m not sure I buy that arguement. Why should the board rush into making an appointment so soon after Garde’s departure. What is important is that the new manager has enough time to sort the problems out, unload the dross and get new players in early in the close season. I’m sure Bernstein and Little understand that.
I just can not see a new manager coming in before we are relegated I.e. until after Bournemouth.
moyes, Pearson etc will not want relegated Aston villa on there c.v.
I would hope new man in place as soon as we are down which will give them as much time as poss to prepare for next year.
A bit off subject (or not)…..our season or maybe many recent ones is being played out in Europe with PSG and City….its 2-2 at the moment and all goals are like the many we let in…..just so funny to watch….and a missed pen as well.
Link to new badge
http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/ren-and-stimpy/images/30567729/title/stimpy-photo/b/30567729
Another break with the history of the club. It should not be forgotten that McGregor and a good many of the founding committee of Aston Villa were Scotsmen. North of the border, and before WWII anyway the word PREPARED did not quite have the same meaning or use as in England. The best example being the starter of athletics races in England would say On your Marks, Get set, Go, but in Scotland he would say On your Marks, Prepared, Go.
Fully ready for the task ahead? No – I can see how the present team and management have lost the right to the Scots’ use of Prepared. I hope they can earn the right to put it back.
Probably somethingto do with George Ramsey too, Scottish connection, the Lion Rampant.
Perhaps we adopt the Queen Park FC motto “Ludere causa Ludendi”.
*should*
The Lion Rampant was the Royal flag of Scotland –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Standard_of_Scotland
You can see the close similarity to the Villa lion.
Apparently the English lions are ‘passant’ (isn’t Wikipedia wonderful)
And there is one more reason. The site of Villa park was once a zoo, open to the public and the property of the owner of the nearby mansion. Allegedly the lions roamed (well, paced anyway) where the pitch now is and the gymnasium for the payers (now gone) was the giraffe house.
TBH just compared the old and new badges for the first time and the old one does look a bit like a pussy cat while the new one is quite ferocious.
Hopefully a statement of intent for the future.
(If you disagree you don’t need to vote – it’s just me clutching at straws again)
Looks like we’ll have to wait then according to Pat Murphy –
‘Aston Villa have made no approaches to anyone to fill the vacant manager’s job and it may be some time before they do so’.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/35718681
I’ve said we should get someone in sooner rather than later but it looks like those of you who were for ‘later’ may well be right.
Oh well what do I know?
We’ll probably be left with the scraps that no one else wants
Giddy – not just scraps – Cheap scraps !
The board are playing it like poker, to announce a manager now will not get you and I to buy seat tickets to next season. They will hit us all at the same time with promising you cheaper seats ,New manager, New players , old ones out, that they hope will up the trade. Start from scratch is the philosophy and draw us in.
Yep we will be re branded the new villa with yet another 5 year plan and a process we must go through. Yawn. The usual bs speak for saying we are going to stitch you up fir another 5 years. ST prices will probably stay the same as they will argue there are more home games in championship even though they will be against shite teams with zero entertainment value. This is our chance to boycott the club but as always the sheep will still buy tickets and merchanduse
Personally I think it is silly to think the club could convince any manager to take the job before we are mathematically down. It isn’t about sale of tickets or selling merchandise but more about giving a new manager the sole task to building us back up rather than hastily appointing a manager in a futile attempt to keep us up. I know that sounds ridiculous, considering we all know we are down now – media included – but history and stats don’t remember such details. At this point it is a waiting game because no one good manager wants the stain of relegation on their cv, ie Garde. As soon as we down for good then we should see some names making the rounds.
See Chris Hughton is gaining some traction in the manager race. Now before you all knock the idea – the guy has never finished outside the Championship top six when in charge for a full season – saved Brighton from relegation last season and turned them into challengers for promotion – that’s a pretty impressive CV. It would seem the board aren’t limiting themselves to Pearson and Moyes or any other currently unemployed manager – so it looks likely no appointment before the end of the season.
I know he managed the Blues but is that a valid reason on its own not to employ a manager if he can actually benefit us?
According to his wiki page – Hughton places great emphasis on two aspects of management: “As a manager, I’ve got to make sure they have the correct training sessions. That they are disciplined. That creates a good environment.”
Both needed at VP
That’s a basic requirement of any manager. He’s also a far left liberal so will defend our useless players and make excuses for them. No thanks
Houghton? That ain’t a bad call Hitchy.
Would that be Eric Houghton? could do with him in defence.
Decent manager as well Bill if I recall correctly!
According to the media – he would be interested if approached but Is unlikely to apply for the job – can’t really blame him with the likes of Carver and Yorke applying. I doubt whether Pearson, Moyes et al will be applying either.
Only around 25’s in the betting – might be worth a flutter
No thanks he was crap at Norwich and a far left Trotskyist liberal so will play the likes of Gabby and defend him as liberals like an underachieving underdog because they are so naive! Plus he’s too nice we need someone ruthless with our bunch of useless players! Not to mention he’s an ex blue nose so damaged goods.
Now there’s me thinking Trotskyists and liberals are completely different. I think Norwich fans were against him for negative tactics. Not sure about the Noses as I give them as little attention as possible. I can’t see any manager with a negative approach being welcome, whatever his previous club history.
Would he make the same excuses as staunch labour supporter and left wing socialist sir Alex Fergurson? I’ve never heard hughton taking about politics? I couldn’t care less if a new manager is a card carrying member of the Monster Raving Loony party if he’s going to turn us into a competitive outfit.
Yes it is no ex blue noses thanks. Mckeish got blues promoted and won a cup and we still hounded him out of VP
i concur lol no X bluenoses
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03q9d1z
Someone doesn’t like the new badge…
Agree with Jonny Gould that the round badge is better.