There’s a major lack of news lately and as you probably know, I have very little time for media stories speculating who we might be buying, as that’s all the vast majority of them are; stories.
But there is one article that made me think a little and I’m happy to link to it, for that very reason;
http://footballleagueworld.co.uk/4-things-that-must-happen-at-aston-villa-this-summer-agreed/
Play the gallery and you’ll see the points made.
I’ll go through them one by one.
1. Building bridges with the fans
This one’s easy.
Communicate with us, for a start. Which in fairness, is something that Tony Xia seems to have done from the off.
He’s been more verbose in his comments in the last couple of weeks than Lerner has in all his tenure, so he certainly ticks that box.
Now, if he were to announce some serious plan to keep attendances up, the like of “kids for a quid” for every game, he’d have this one wrapped up.
Let’s face it, it isn’t cool for kids to support a Championship club is it?
And I’ve often commented on how the kids are our future lifeblood.
I doubt that will happen, but what a way it would be to create a bond.
2. Find players who know the Championship
Pretty much common sense, this one, but not so straightforward.
It’s about getting the balance right and while getting in a team of Championship players makes sense, so we have to have a team that are good enough for the Premier league, if we were to be promoted. It was a major problem for the Albion, for example.
Hence, my opinion says we need to keep some of our more technical players, but that’s RDM’s problem and not mine, fortunately.
3. A restoration of club identity
Not so easy, this one, as I’m not sure how you go about it.
What is our club identity?
The article talks about us having a superb history and a fantastic ground; points that make me swell with pride.
But, for me it’s about Villa park being a fortress; a place where the fans intimidate other teams.
We know we’re well capable of it, but the hierarchy need to give us something to shout about.
Winning things, or at least being seen to be challenging is of course an obvious answer too and Xia seems to have appointed a pretty decent managerial team which will give us a decent footing to work from.
Perhaps a more important thing is that we should aim to play decent footy, as the turgid, frankly boring style of play we’ve been served up over the last five years or more simply isn’t what the Villa are about for me personally.
Entertain the fans and make us want to watch.
4. Ensured stability
This one is even more difficult.
Stability is great and perhaps the ultimate example is SAF at Man Utd, who as we all know, was one game away from being sacked before his team went on one of the best long-term runs in the history of the game. Would the Utd board have stuck with him if he hadn’t won the FA cup?
The difference between stable and fickle isn’t that big is it?
What if we have a disastrous start and (god forbid) we’re near the bottom of the table come christmas?
Does that mean we stick with things as they are?
The article mentions how you don’t always need money and cites Leicester as an example, which is fair comment.
But we all know that was somewhat a fairy tale and the article also mentions that there’s a lot of money at the top of the Championship.
My viewpoint here is simple.
The more you spend, the more likely you are to be successful, on the whole.
I know that will have its dissenters, but that’s how I see it.
We’ve seen managers at the club try to buy rough diamonds on the cheap and it simply doesn’t work on average. Players are worth higher fees for a reason.
But I suspect the point raised here should have been more about our style of play.
This is where we need the stability and we need to establish the same and stick with it, through thick and thin, even if we change managers.
And stop selling our better players to bring inferior ones in, would help too.
Which all comes back to Tony Xia, where I hope his actions are as good as his words.
Or am I seeing things the wrong way?
I’m sure you’ll tell me if that’s the case.
gana will get better next season, so spuds will receive a player premiership ready. last season he was by far the villa best and consistent performer, but second to him was the empty crisp packets
i just thought we should be trying to recoup most of the transfers fees we splashed last year, players like gana, amavi and ayew we should be aiming for making a slight profit, if only to cover the other transfers like vertede where we are gonna receive a massive loss. doubt leicester will want him this time
Veretout’s reportedly willing to stay if Di Matteo wants him too and talks go over well. At least that’s what some reports claim.
Brum Mail reporting that takeover is going smoothly and likely to be concluded Wed 15th June. More good news. Lets make some decent signings now!
We WILL be promoted at the first attempt!
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/dr-tony-xias-aston-villa-11455372
Here’s the Brum Mail piece
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/06/10/aston-villa-takeover-by-dr-tony-xia-to-go-through-next-week/?
Telegraph article on takeover
Great news mate. 😀
Giddy….great news!
You have to laugh at the Daily Mail. They are also saying its going to happen now. Its the same paper that was saying ‘the good Doctor Tony’ had NO money!
We WILL be promoted at the FIRST attempt!
UTV
Lol the media are a joke hope your right mate about going straight back up where we belong Utv
I think we are deffo to go straight back up!
Which lowlife scumbag put a dislike on the RIP Harry Gregory post? They must be sick in the head. There should be a lifetime banning order for sick bastards like them IMO!
There are some sick fucks out there mate.
Whooooooooooooooo!!!!
Looks like we finally have a new owner!
According to the Birmingham Mail as well, we don’t want Myhill. A bit of a relief.
Also don’t get the hype around Dorrans, he did well… 6-7 years ago for WBA. I hope we’re not looking that far back to see who once did okay in the Championship to bring back and hope they do okay again.
Agree on Myhill Andrew. No2 keeper at best IMO. We must start buying in readiness for our imminent return to the PL as well as for our one and ONLY season in the Championship!
Forward thinking
Ambition
Proactive
Midlands today just confirmed the early part of next week our new owner will be made official.get in there Utv
Funny isn’t it. We have absolutely no idea what’s to become of Villa. Imagine if Dr X really is really fucking minted, and we actually do become a top three team in the world!
Exciting times, albeit very unpredictable. Looking forward to next season!!!
The B’ham Mail claim that Xia’s proven having £500m in UK bank accounts,
Now I don’t know who’s money that might actually be, but I doubt whether anyone would lend him [or anyone else] half-a-billion sterling without being pretty certain that they were going to get it back in some form!
There is light at the end of tunnel with this takeover. I would say our management team have player’s in mind, just waiting for Tony to sign on the dotted line. It will be a very interesting transfer window. Come on the Villa.
Apparently we’re looking at a top tier director to replace Reilly and Xia’s hoping to use his ambition to entice someone. No names mentioned yet.
We live in a world of cynicism! Dear Randy tried so hard at the start but the Brown fans warned us what we were in for and they were right.
But our new owner, Dr Tony, I am going all in. I am going to buy into being one of the biggest in the world. Why? Well
* £500m in a bank account is no small feet.
* Di Matteo, Clarke and Bond is an excellent combination
* And I want to believe after the last five years ownership neglect.
My points might be slated as flimsy, but I’ve stolen The Monkees “I’m a believer” to sum up my reinvigorated passion.
“I thought love was only true in fairy tales
Meant for someone else but not for me
Villa was out to get me
That’s the way it seemed
Learner disappointment all of my dreams
Then I saw Dr Xia, now I’m a believe
Not a trace, of doubt in my mind
I’m exstatic, and I’m a believer
I couldn’t leave Villa if I tried
No not if I tried.”
UTV
Nice one Sid…..without belief we have nothing!
Well Sideforever, even i thinking at my age i still could see the good times again. Yes get this month over and Villa fans will start pushing their chests out again.
I’m like a kid again on Christmas morning – almost forgotten what that felt like! UTV
It’s called hope, something that’s been a short commodity at VP lately.
Personally just winning a few games will do it for me after a seeming eternity of Saturdays where we woke up and we just knew we were going to get tonked.
It ends here…(I hope)
Finally got rid of INSOMNIA one of the worst players to ever pull on our shirt ..good riddance to bad SHITE.
Good news dr X is coming think good times are round the corner,have a gggreat weekend everyone.
Richardson gone as well. Unlike Insomnia at least he tried and put a shift in – just not good enough as a player. No bad feeling from me and I wish him well.
No bad feelings?
Cup match v Wycombe in which Richardson rubbed his fingers together and said money money money to fans
Another great Lambert signing thank God he and his stupid pony tails are gone
Hitch, are they on free? or is it just wages save.
Contracts are up and not being renewed Bill so being released.
good riddance insomnia and massive luck trying to get another contract on same wages, pigs flying comes to mind. like hitchens said fair play to richardson he wasn’t good enough, but we can’t argue with his efforts, hate when fans have a go at players for lacking quality. fans have the right to vent against the likes of insomnia. he was talented and for some reason he just never bothered to earn a penny for the full contract.(( allegedly ))over 25million he stole from us.
wonder if the elphick story has any truth, i reckon this is the type of character and player the new squad will need. one dead weight gone 60k frees up 3x 20k players
No news on shabby fucking off???or isn’t he answering his phone???
sounds like a good poll …………gabby should he stay or should he go, no clash songs allowed. i vote GO.
It’s not that easy when a player is under contract they can do what they like unless we pay him off