The Randy Lerner thread

[sharkyvilla]

 

The thing is that its allright to talk about cutting wages and the club bieng able to sustain itself, BUT what happens if from now on we get better and move up the table.What happens when any of the players contracts are up for renewal ? If by then we are a mid table team then they will want an increase in their wages,so somewhere down the line our wage bill WILL go up, then what will Lerner do ? Cut back and fall down the table or pay the higher wages ?

That isn't a problem. The club has always been prepared to pay big wages if the player is performing and the team is moving up. The problem is having big wages for players that aren't contributing or improving the side.

 

 

True.  Too many people don't seem to realise there is a difference between spending money and wasting money.  Apart from manager's pay-offs which is mostly down to Lerner, you could say Randy's spent the money and the manager has wasted it.  If Lambert continues to show he can invest it wisely then I can't see why he won't be backed properly.

[Big_John_10]

First time in premier league history we've had back to back bottom half finishes.

So thankful he bought the club.

[PaulC]

Yes the previous chairman took us down to the 2nd division twice.

[TrentVilla]

Can we please please please please stop using Ellis as some sort of benchmark for how we asses the performance of Lerner.

 

This isn't directed at anyone individual just a general plea.

 

Can't we just judge him on his own merits rather than in reference to a man who well... I won't even go there.

[ArteSuave]

First time in premier league history we've had back to back bottom half finishes.

So thankful he bought the club.

Have you just made that up off the top of your head? 05-06 and 06-07 were both bottom half finishes.

[Risso]

The club will only be its true self when its selfsustaining. I for one wouldnt want villa being a Man city or Chelsea in terms of buying leagues and trophies. You need your club to have a soul and these clubs i mentioned are being ripped out. Ask a true city fan who supported their club in 3rd div what they think.

If you get success with putting in the hard work, development and time then it will be more sweeter when you do win.

I havent felt as close to a Villa team in a long long time and we were nearly relegated. What does that say... Ps dont answer that

 

 

Villa are about as far from being self sustaining as it's possible to get.  There's the thick edge of £200m to pay back before we're that.  Ask any fan of a lower league club if they think we're some shining beacon of worthiness.  We're not, we've just wasted nearly a quarter of a billion quid of a bored billionaire playboy's inheritance. 

[HeyAnty]

 

The club will only be its true self when its selfsustaining. I for one wouldnt want villa being a Man city or Chelsea in terms of buying leagues and trophies. You need your club to have a soul and these clubs i mentioned are being ripped out. Ask a true city fan who supported their club in 3rd div what they think.

If you get success with putting in the hard work, development and time then it will be more sweeter when you do win.

I havent felt as close to a Villa team in a long long time and we were nearly relegated. What does that say... Ps dont answer that

 

 

Villa are about as far from being self sustaining as it's possible to get.  There's the thick edge of £200m to pay back before we're that.  Ask any fan of a lower league club if they think we're some shining beacon of worthiness.  We're not, we've just wasted nearly a quarter of a billion quid of a bored billionaire playboy's inheritance. 

 

 

200m, where you get that from?  Its 120million.  And when i say self sustaining i mean making profit, which includes paying back the debt year on year to Lerner.  Reason why we are 120 million in debt is because we werent self sustaining and with all these high earners going id be very surprised if we dont make a self sustaining profit next year!

[Genie]

I think we have the debt level we have is because RL gambled on bankrolling us in to the Champions League. We didn't make it so we are stuck with the bill without the increased revenue.

[briny_ear]

 

 

The thing is that its allright to talk about cutting wages and the club bieng able to sustain itself, BUT what happens if from now on we get better and move up the table.What happens when any of the players contracts are up for renewal ? If by then we are a mid table team then they will want an increase in their wages,so somewhere down the line our wage bill WILL go up, then what will Lerner do ? Cut back and fall down the table or pay the higher wages ?

That isn't a problem. The club has always been prepared to pay big wages if the player is performing and the team is moving up. The problem is having big wages for players that aren't contributing or improving the side.

 

 

True.  Too many people don't seem to realise there is a difference between spending money and wasting money.  Apart from manager's pay-offs which is mostly down to Lerner, you could say Randy's spent the money and the manager has wasted it.  If Lambert continues to show he can invest it wisely then I can't see why he won't be backed properly.

 

This is a big misunderstanding that a lot of people who write on here seem to share. Basically, Lerner doesn't have the resources available to fund the level of wages he started off with whether the players are, in the opinion of some fans, good, or. in the opinion of some fans, poor. They cost the same whatever the fans' view of their abilities and Lerner couldn't afford the wage bill he created in the first 3 seasons. That's what the last two seasons have been about - do people still not really get that?

[thetrees]

I sort of understand that Lerner is going to be damned if he does and damned if he doesnt but then a lot of that is down to the fact he is practically feckin invisible. He could get away with it so to speak when times were good but when it goes tits up he does need to step forward and be seen even if its only to say look its going to be tough but we are working to make it better. Having Faulkner send out some news release just doesnt cut it.

 

 

 

This I never get.

I believe that Sheikh Mansour hasn't been to Citeh.

Old man Glazer is never at the TOH, although the two boys are there occasionally.

Has Kroenke been to the Emirates? Does Joe Lewis know where White Hart Lane is?

 

The fact is that they all hire guys to run the show,like Randy Lerner does. Faulkner is paid a lot of money, and the owner is not going to undermine him, just as he wouldn't to the guys who run his other investment interests.

[Big_John_10]

First time in premier league history we've had back to back bottom half finishes.

So thankful he bought the club.

Have you just made that up off the top of your head? 05-06 and 06-07 were both bottom half finishes.

Missed that 11th place finish.

I take it back that its the first time.

Still 16th and 15th back to back finishes shows what we've curretly become under this owner.

[VillaForever1970]

Brilliant, people some keen to have a go at ANYTHING they dont even research pointless stats.

[Big_John_10]

Brilliant, people some keen to have a go at ANYTHING they dont even research pointless stats.

It's pointless to mention back to back low league finishes?

i was wrong about it being the first time but when you look back at our clubs history such low finishes happening back to back are rare. I think it's worth mentioning in regards to our owner.

[Woodytom]

 

Brilliant, people some keen to have a go at ANYTHING they dont even research pointless stats.

It's pointless to mention back to back low league finishes?

i was wrong about it being the first time but when you look back at our clubs history such low finishes happening back to back are rare. I think it's worth mentioning in regards to our owner.

 

 

 

I think your doing Lerner at bit of a disservice now John. I totally understand and agree with the frustrations but we have survived his catastrophic mistakes and he appears to be learning from them.

 

No, he doesnt need congratulating but maybe the time has come to get behind him again as we now seem to be making some progress albeit in small chunks.

[Big_John_10]

I'll get behind him if I can see a clear plan and an interest to make us more than a nothing midtable team.

At the moment I'm still not sure wether we have that plan or its just to keep costs down and survive.

Considering how much he's been praised as an owner I think these 3 pretty piss poor seasons in a row are worth mentioning.

[VillaForever1970]

Brilliant, people some keen to have a go at ANYTHING they dont even research pointless stats.

It's pointless to mention back to back low league finishes?

i was wrong about it being the first time but when you look back at our clubs history such low finishes happening back to back are rare. I think it's worth mentioning in regards to our owner.

 

 

I think your doing Lerner at bit of a disservice now John. I totally understand and agree with the frustrations but we have survived his catastrophic mistakes and he appears to be learning from them.

 

No, he doesnt need congratulating but maybe the time has come to get behind him again as we now seem to be making some progress albeit in small chunks.

Err thats not going to happen until he starts spending money like QPR and Newcastle, because it did them the world of good... oh.

Looks like people will be back stamping their feet again, its like they have only child syndrome used to getting what they want and being spoilt all at the same time. Booo Hooo.

[Woodytom]

I'll get behind him if I can see a clear plan and an interest to make us more than a nothing midtable team.

At the moment I'm still not sure wether we have that plan or its just to keep costs down and survive.

Considering how much he's been praised as an owner I think these 3 pretty piss poor seasons in a row are worth mentioning.

 

 

to be fair we are not keeping the costs down. We are keeping them realistic. He only seems to be being tight due to his crazy spending with O'Neill. Pretty sure we were like the 5th biggest spenders again in the summer. 

 

I think the last 3 seasons have been atrocious and will not be forgiven, but surely you have seen enough to suggest we have at least turned a corner?

[smetrov]

 

I'll get behind him if I can see a clear plan and an interest to make us more than a nothing midtable team.

At the moment I'm still not sure wether we have that plan or its just to keep costs down and survive.

Considering how much he's been praised as an owner I think these 3 pretty piss poor seasons in a row are worth mentioning.

 

 

to be fair we are not keeping the costs down. We are keeping them realistic. He only seems to be being tight due to his crazy spending with O'Neill. Pretty sure we were like the 5th biggest spenders again in the summer. 

 

I think the last 3 seasons have been atrocious and will not be forgiven, but surely you have seen enough to suggest we have at least turned a corner?

 

 

I keep hearing this turned a corner. Try as I might - I just don't see it. Weve escaped relegation by a whisker, haven't kept a clean sheet in 20 odd games, and the manager has just said the days of big signings are over. So if Lambert keeps weaving his magic with the bargain basement players, what do we expect next season ..14th ?.

 

For all the praise of Lowton, Westwood, Bentekke - lots of teams got the better of us last season. True we were able to beat Stoke, Norwich and Sunderland to stay up - but is that really a sign of a new dawn ?

 

I am bit older than most, but I remember us smashing Liverpool 5-1, then I thought yes, something is happening here(Champions 4 years later). Im not feeling that because we beat Norwich + Stoke. We managed not to be quite as crap as a few other clubs, is that really a ringing endorsement of the direction the club is heading ?

[Risso]

 

 

The club will only be its true self when its selfsustaining. I for one wouldnt want villa being a Man city or Chelsea in terms of buying leagues and trophies. You need your club to have a soul and these clubs i mentioned are being ripped out. Ask a true city fan who supported their club in 3rd div what they think.

If you get success with putting in the hard work, development and time then it will be more sweeter when you do win.

I havent felt as close to a Villa team in a long long time and we were nearly relegated. What does that say... Ps dont answer that

 

 

Villa are about as far from being self sustaining as it's possible to get.  There's the thick edge of £200m to pay back before we're that.  Ask any fan of a lower league club if they think we're some shining beacon of worthiness.  We're not, we've just wasted nearly a quarter of a billion quid of a bored billionaire playboy's inheritance. 

 

 

200m, where you get that from?  Its 120million.  And when i say self sustaining i mean making profit, which includes paying back the debt year on year to Lerner.  Reason why we are 120 million in debt is because we werent self sustaining and with all these high earners going id be very surprised if we dont make a self sustaining profit next year!

 

 

We'vd made £165m of combined losses to date, and loans plus share capital (ie the entire amount of money that Lerner has put in) is well over £200m.

[Pelle]

I'll get behind him if I can see a clear plan and an interest to make us more than a nothing midtable team.

At the moment I'm still not sure wether we have that plan or its just to keep costs down and survive.

Considering how much he's been praised as an owner I think these 3 pretty piss poor seasons in a row are worth mentioning.

 

That's all fair enough. We've had our different opinions on what Lerner shall take the blame for and not. Let's not go there again. But I wonder what you would consider a good enough progress next season to give him the benefit of a doubt that we've actually turned a corner and are making progress again? What will it take to make you feel that maybe he too has learnt from his mistakes and might actually start to be a good owner in your eyes? I mean, we'll probably not make very big noises in the league next season, a mid table finish is to be expected IMO if we're going forward. I don't think we can expect a very high finish, at least. Get what I mean?