Villarocker

Could the mods not run a poll of say the top 6 or 7 names linked with the job and then add "other" to that poll, just to see what the fans on here think?

Let's face it, it is going to be Pearson isn't it? Someone that will be unwanted by many right from the start. In which case, why don't we all make some money off him? Someone start spouting in-the-know bullshit about having a friend who works at Bodymoor Heath who told you they saw Martinez having a tour of the training ground and then when Pearson's price drifts we all lump on. At least making some money might make up for the disappointment.

For some reason, I don't feel comfortable about Di Matteo becoming Villa manager although, that bastard may have inadvertently saved me severe injury by way of scoring the winning goal in the 2000 FA Cup final, where I was sat, completely decked out in claret and blue, amongst the Chelsea fans due to having bought a ticket off someone I had never met before who assured me it was for the Villa end . Pearson seems completely bonkers and a more experienced and tougher version of Sherwood. That approach didn't seem to be working for tactics Tim so not sure if it would work for Pearson either. I would like to see Grayson given a go as mentioned earlier but have a feeling that he is too unfashionable to be given a chance. I wouldn't mind Hughton as he has done a good job at Brighton. They were ruling the Championship at the start of last season. They dramatically fell away after a poor run but he then turned them around again and only just missed out on automatic promotion. As for Moyes; I wonder if he is hoping for a return to Everton now that they have more financial backing? Or, if Koeman leaves Southampton, would he consider moving down south? Personally, I can see him at West Brom doing a steady job replacing Pulis, if no other Premier League clubs want him.

Spoken like a true, concerned Villan! Welcome to the club mate Get used to lots of moaning, groaning, never being satisfied and lots of piss-taking. All in good spirits, of course .

It's interesting that Eric Black was in charge when we officially were relegated. Another Scotsman to oversee a Villa relegation - that makes me weary of Moyes The last three managers to have won anything with Villa - John Gregory (I know! The Intertoto Cup), Brian Little (League Cup) and, Ron Atkinson (League Cup) were all English and ex Villa players. There's a manager out there right now with experience of the Championship who fits the billing of those last three managers - Simon Grayson. I know he's not a fashionable name but for where we are right now I don't see why he couldn't be given a chance, at least to try and take us back up. He's done relatively well at his previous clubs and had multiple promotions. He is still young and would be hungry for Villa to succeed as they would be the biggest club he has managed. I checked out his managerial stats. From all of his games as manager he has a win percentage of 43%, which isn't bad. Look where Little and Gregory came from to manage us and they did OK. Why not give Grayson a chance at a bigger club to see what he is made of?

Was a mix of good and bad. I think that he genuinely tried to help people and make them feel good about the Villa and valued as fans but, when it came to the football side of things he just went into Lerner's defence lawyer mode with a blinkered vision. I remember when he said that we would finish top four. I questioned him on it and he replied saying that he meant top five, or something like that, and that it was a typo about finishing top four. I also got the impression, through PM's exchanged, that he too was frustrated with some of the things Lerner was doing but had to try to sell Lerner's actions because they are buddies.

Now ^THAT^ is exactly what I want to see. An owner who shows his face, shows that he's interested and takes no shit from those that he employs. Maybe then the players will care more about their role at the club.

I'm going to predict that whoever comes in decides, for whatever reason - contract lengths, wages, they're unwanted by other clubs, the new manager wants to give second chances etc - to keep the majority of last season's shysters on and, because they're crap and/or not bothered, they cost the new man his job by the New Year. Just a hunch, that's all. Hope that I'm wrong though!

The maths in that article don't add up. He paid £52m up front and agreed to pay off the overdraft of £24.5m. That equals £76.5m so why only ring-fence £74m? A theme park in Aston, really? Where exactly? He must be planning to buy Aston Park from the council. With the surrounding area in such a state he will do well to promote that as a tourist attraction. I really hope that this fella is trustworthy and is successful in his ownership of Villa but I do worry that he's just another dreamer like Lerner who will quickly lose interest in the club.

A great thread, Deisler and a very interesting read. Out of interest, do you have much knowledge of Xia? Is you gut feeling saying he will be good or bad for Villa?

A net loss of 508.5m on revenues of 1.7bn sounds quite a big loss, unless I am mistaken? Also, turning a 23.9m profit one year into a 508.5m loss the next makes Lerner look like Bill Gates!

Is anybody worried/concerned/suspicious that Lerner - either out of spite or purely to make himself look like less of a failure - sold us to someone that he knew or suspected couldn't take Villa to where us fans want our club to be?

Anyone up for Noodles and pints of Tsingtao on match days then?

Chill out dude, you're in the south east, not the far east!

Would he not have got that money back by remaining in the Premier League for next season when the big TV money comes into effect?

If it means extra player funding then f*** it, name it Happy Villa Park

Lerner's failings have made me feel pessimistic this morning. It's got me wondering why the Doctor hasn't said that he will return us to being a top four side, rather than saying he wants us to be a top six side again? Maybe he's been advised not to set his sights too high by Lerner. If so, don't listen to him Doctor. Set your sights as high as possible!

My only question is: Why wait until we got relegated to buy us? If he's worth so much surely it can't be to wait for the price to drop, that wouldn't make sense.

Welcome to our wonderful football club DrXia Congratulations on purchasing the greatest club in the world . Now all you need to do is employ the right people on the business side of your staff and then fund the players they choose to make us successful again.

HanoiVillan by any chance?

Financial Fair Play? Maybe they want to inject lots of money quickly and the easiest way to do so is by renaming the stadium?

Would he have been allowed to watch Western television in those days. I hope so because if he did he might just have been impressed upon enough to one day make that happen for himself.

To be fair, I was about to reply to Rich with the same comment about Hughton but, I agree with Rich's reply after having a think. Hughton was unlucky to lose his job at Newcastle after taking them up but, he does have a passive air about him whereas Rowett does seem to be made of something a bit stronger and has a steely look about him. I'm not sure who is the answer anymore. I moaned when we got John Gregory and then enjoyed watching Villa with him as manager, so what do I know? After one club wonders like Sherwood and Garde I am more inclined to hope for a manager with more experience in the management game. Someone who is say early 50's who has managed at least 3-4 clubs. I guess Moyes fits that bill well?

So we are potentially being brought out by a Chinese pharmaceutical group called Rui Kang. I heard the new owners are going to endear themselves to the supporters upon arrival, ala Randy Lerner. Whereas Lerner gave us all scarves with the motto "Proud History, Bright Future", the new owners are going to give all Villa fans a batch of their very best anti-depressants to help us get over the stress caused by the previous incumbent.

This is the thing, Rich. All talk is about how we go about re-building the club - at all levels - following a takeover. Nobody, and I include the clown himself in this, knows what Lerner's plans are should he fail to sell the club. Let's face it, there are no guarantees that he will NOT be owner for the next season or beyond. He is owner of the club and cannot simply expect someone to take it from his hands. He has it until someone decides they are serious about buying us and taking us forward. If nobody buys it from him, what then? I would not be amazed at all if we got to the end of July without a new owner and then seeing some laughable statement on the website saying that Lerner is a willing owner but due to the fact the potential takeover fell through he is now going to have to set about finding a new manager, coaching staff etc. I think he is that stupid and irresponsible that he would allow it to go that far before thinking of doing something about the coming season. Even if he couldn't sell and started the re-building process early enough, does anybody trust him to get the right board, manager, backroom staff, supply enough funding for transfer dealings etc? I certainly don't and would definitely fearing another relegation with Lerner still here.