Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2013/14

Neil3030 wrote: »

The more I think about it, the more I think we'll either get:

A slight improvement on Lerner (via an investment group, hopefully not buying the club with an LBO)

..........

People always seem to think when their club gets taken over that they will turn into the next Manchester City. It rarely works like that.

I think your on the ball with your first option. It'll much more likely be someone who is steady enough, will spend a bit more money than Lerner does lately without being too extravagant ,

Lerner seems to get a hard time on here I think, though I admit I don't read a whole lot of the thread so might miss out on a bit. The man did spent a lot of money under O'Neill, let Houllier spend over £32m, McCleish £17.2m and according to Transfer League Lambert spent £25.7m in his first season and £18.5m this season.

I wouldn't expect a new owner to be spending a whole lot more than that.

I think if Liverpool win the league I think it could be good timing for us in terms of potential US investors seeing the value of investing in an English team.

COYVB wrote: »

Welcome ray and Bob!

They are no Guggenheim group but as long as Villa can get to sustainable premier league level spending they are to be welcomed. I still reckon Lambert should be given a little bit of time unless they have someone exceptional lined up to replace him.

Oh god, a dallas based pair, associated with the Rangers. Now where have we heard THIS before??!

JPA wrote: »

There that alright, but I suppose it just shows texas is full of wealthy people.

I suppose if we can't get an Arabian oligarch, a Texan... coaligarch? will have to do.

Moyes to Villa? Yay? Nay? Assume we would all take that with open arms if the rumours did begin.

CSF wrote: »

Moyes to Villa? Yay? Nay? Assume we would all take that with open arms if the rumours did begin.

I think he'd annoy me TBH, there must be someone exciting out there.

Any ideas what the 2 coaches did that got the bullet?

Jesus we really are still right in the thick of it - massive game at the weekend.

I was looking at fixture list there and I think there's still a good chance that Fulham, West Brom and Sunderland could all overtake us - assuming we lose our remaining games.

Helenius' agent says he's 100% and raring to go :rolleyes:

COYVB wrote: »

Not sure why that gets a rolly eyes tbh?

Because it's his agent that has had to come out and say it.

Neil3030 wrote: »

I actually think being relegated could attract more investers into the fold, depending on how much it shaves off the club's value.

It may also see Lerner taking a hit, which wouldn't be the worst recompense on earth for what he has subjected fans to over the past 3 years.

And before anyone leaps to his defense with the amount he pumped in over the MON era, I maintain that was an investment / gamble which would have rewarded him handsomely if the team had become a top four regular. But it failed 100% due to his incompetency at trusting the wrong man with too much money. He has since looked to strip the club as bare as possible to get the best selling price. Three years of banality for fans was collateral damage. **** him.

Attracting more investors as a Championship club would cause more trouble.

If they can't afford a PL club at our level then where are they going to find money to invest in the playing squad?

The only people who would be interested in proposition like that are the likes of Tan, Venkys etc.

No matter what you say about RL - he is better than anything like that.

Neil3030 wrote: »

I actually think being relegated could attract more investers into the fold, depending on how much it shaves off the club's value.

It may also see Lerner taking a hit, which wouldn't be the worst recompense on earth for what he has subjected fans to over the past 3 years.

And before anyone leaps to his defense with the amount he pumped in over the MON era, I maintain that was an investment / gamble which would have rewarded him handsomely if the team had become a top four regular. But it failed 100% due to his incompetency at trusting the wrong man with too much money. He has since looked to strip the club as bare as possible to get the best selling price. Three years of banality for fans was collateral damage. **** him.

Em.

No thanks.

It's NEVER too early to be hitting the crack pipe, you take that right back!

The biggest threat to a relegated team is an exodus of players. There's hardly any chance of that at Villa, except for maybe Benteke, Guzan and Delph. But I'd be confident of holding onto 1 or 2 out of those 3 if we went down. Otherwise we have a squad that should be talented and fit enough to win the Championship, with nowhere near the overhead of a relegated side like QPR or Newcastle.

So an investor might look at us as we are now, and think of the asking price in addition to the immediate investment needed to survive next year / move up the table (probably on par with the asking price for the club), and think "no thanks."

But if the asking price drops sharply as a result of being relegated, we become a way more attractive prospect. We're pretty much in the same position in terms of squad strength, will likely go back up a again (which will drive a feel good factor at the club from actually winning some games for a change) and it also stalls the need to invest heavily in players for at least a year. Incremental investment over time is another very attractive prospect to investors.

It also means that we can do more with the same money. Someone buys us now for, say £200m + £50m for squad strengthening, vs. £100m if we go down + £150m for strengthening once we come back up, would leave us in a far stronger position.

As someone rightly points out, relegation could cause Lerner to dig his heels in though. But I would hope upon hope that he would cut his losses, as I'm sure the money is not really the issue any more, rather the personal stress of managing this rather noisy asset.