Tony Xia Thread
- Thread starter Villasince63
- Start date
mike_field
Vital Football Legend
That one's simple to be fair though, I work out all purchases based on a pint of lager! The true measure of currency.
And I never forget the ground rule, if I don't have it, don't spend it. Appropriate for this thread actually!
And I never forget the ground rule, if I don't have it, don't spend it. Appropriate for this thread actually!
northamptonvillan
Vital 1st Team Regular
McParlandTheGreat
Vital Champions League
...
All that hope and positivity has disappeared and say what you will, we're in a worse position that we were when Lerner's divorce robbed us of his interest and attention. No off field structure, no leadership, no money, no plan, no explanation.
When we were first relegated, before Dr X arrived, I stated that I feared I may not see a stable Aston Villa, competing at the highest level again in my life time. I worried that we would become another Leeds Utd, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday. Now it would appear that is what we must aspire to - mediocrity and survival
...
Thing is, we don't KNOW there's no off field structure, no leadership, etc. We don't know anything, apart from a cash crisis.
The Everton contingent is rapidly disappearing (the sports science bod is now going), but we can survive that. If there ever was a Plan B it may still be there. Somebody took the decision to give Hutton another contract, and avoid selling Elphick for the moment.
What we can't survive is the financial crisis not being resolved. But we don't know it won't be, one way or another.
A couple of months ago people were saying they'd enjoyed the season, and wouldn't object to staying longer. I wouldn't describe it as mediocrity.
northamptonvillan
Vital 1st Team Regular
Tried to remain open minded McP but......... The silence is deafening and the impression given by recent events is a club in crisis. Can't be justified; unprofessional and unacceptable for an organisation of Aston Villa's stature.
Make a statement, clarify the circumstances, show us and the club some respect.
starchild65
Vital Squad Member
Xia s speaking to some ho? then we really are screwed....
The Fear
A Wise Man (once sat next to him)
I forget now, I'm embarrassed to say! But it was, with family shares, the majority shareholding. He made plenty!
holtelower
Vital Football Hero
Got to say, I am more on McParlands view than the negative one. You just said it yourself Fulford - why go to Portugal if we are potless - that must be costing upwards of half a million for 40 odd people. It is hotter here and they have got one of the top leisure resorts and golf courses in the world half a mile from the training ground !.
This departure today is just sensationised journolism. It is sod all to do with our predicament, he has been poached by a Premier League club.
Yes, I was worried about the Wyness stuff, to me, he talked a lot of sense. The Round one ? - well, I don't agree with that role anyway - Wenger didn't seem to need or want it, nor does Mourinho and Guardiola - maybe we are just doing it the "Bruce way" now..
Of course the money / tax stuff is worrying, and so is the fact we could not afford Sam Johnstone but everything else that has been pure journo speculation.
At the moment (and I repeat - at the moment !) all I care about is - 1. Will we go into administration and 2. Can we compete to get promoted.
At the moment, although Journos seem to want us to think we will, logically, when I think about it - why would we. If we were skint, we wouldnt give Hutton a contract, we wouldn't relay the pitch, we wouldn't go to Portugal and 2. Even with the departures, that squad is more than good enough to walk away with this league. Hutton, Chester, Jedi, Whelan, Grealish, Green, Adomah, Lansbury, Hourihane, Kodjia, Hogan, Davis, Taylor, Elmo - any , and I mean ANY club in our league would love to have them (and I bet I have missed some out)
And even if Grealish goes, we can look forward to O'Hare , even if Jedi goes to CB, I was excited with Lyden before his injury.
In my view, unless we are docked 12 points and sell at least 6 players from that list above - the ball is still in Bruce's court, coz we have enough here to still get back. (even if that lot does go, we still have a better squad than Cardiff did !!)
Until I here something concrete, I will still believe
This departure today is just sensationised journolism. It is sod all to do with our predicament, he has been poached by a Premier League club.
Yes, I was worried about the Wyness stuff, to me, he talked a lot of sense. The Round one ? - well, I don't agree with that role anyway - Wenger didn't seem to need or want it, nor does Mourinho and Guardiola - maybe we are just doing it the "Bruce way" now..
Of course the money / tax stuff is worrying, and so is the fact we could not afford Sam Johnstone but everything else that has been pure journo speculation.
At the moment (and I repeat - at the moment !) all I care about is - 1. Will we go into administration and 2. Can we compete to get promoted.
At the moment, although Journos seem to want us to think we will, logically, when I think about it - why would we. If we were skint, we wouldnt give Hutton a contract, we wouldn't relay the pitch, we wouldn't go to Portugal and 2. Even with the departures, that squad is more than good enough to walk away with this league. Hutton, Chester, Jedi, Whelan, Grealish, Green, Adomah, Lansbury, Hourihane, Kodjia, Hogan, Davis, Taylor, Elmo - any , and I mean ANY club in our league would love to have them (and I bet I have missed some out)
And even if Grealish goes, we can look forward to O'Hare , even if Jedi goes to CB, I was excited with Lyden before his injury.
In my view, unless we are docked 12 points and sell at least 6 players from that list above - the ball is still in Bruce's court, coz we have enough here to still get back. (even if that lot does go, we still have a better squad than Cardiff did !!)
Until I here something concrete, I will still believe
"Merd"
Vital Football Hero
Last two seasons only one relegated team has gone back up. Not as easy as having more money.
Perhaps our kids will mature nicely and make the transition. Things are just continuing at Villa atm. Yes we have to rationalise and regroup and obviously Xia is looking for outside investment. That's all the information we've got, so let's get on with it and accept that our bloated wage bill has to be further reduced - perhaps this is all hot air in the press. That article on Swiss ramble that JF posted a while back explains things very well, yes we are financially stressed, but that story was known before the play offs.
Or you can call the owner a carrot and stress yourselves out. The less I hear from the club, the more I think Xia is intending to stay and his additional share options were always intended for investment purposes.
Perhaps our kids will mature nicely and make the transition. Things are just continuing at Villa atm. Yes we have to rationalise and regroup and obviously Xia is looking for outside investment. That's all the information we've got, so let's get on with it and accept that our bloated wage bill has to be further reduced - perhaps this is all hot air in the press. That article on Swiss ramble that JF posted a while back explains things very well, yes we are financially stressed, but that story was known before the play offs.
Or you can call the owner a carrot and stress yourselves out. The less I hear from the club, the more I think Xia is intending to stay and his additional share options were always intended for investment purposes.
How do you figure? I think the league is much weaker without Wolves/Cardiff/Fulham. There isn't a single fixture on the list that makes me even somewhat nervous, the only team that will beat Villa this season is Villa.
The ownership/financial troubles really are terrifying, but I agree 100% with holtelower that from a football standpoint we should be winning the league.
holtelower
Vital Football Hero
Well there you / we have it - thats what people wanted, thats what we have got.
If true (and I have no reason to doubt it) then I say thats fair enough. It is what we all knew 6 months ago. It does sound like Grealish and maybe one or two others may be sold, there is not much money to replace unless we get outside investment, but the club is safe.
If thats the case, then there isn't any shock in that - we all knew it, Bruce knew it, Wyness knew it and the press knew it.
As I said a few posts ago - we have MORE than enough quality to still get top 6 - christ, Millwall abd Brentford got 1 week away from it - I am sure we can.
Lets just put the last few weeks to bed now , we know a few will leave, we know we have to go with what is left - so lets enjoy it like we all did last season.
One thing is for certain, my trust in the Bham Mail is now absolutely ZERO !
If true (and I have no reason to doubt it) then I say thats fair enough. It is what we all knew 6 months ago. It does sound like Grealish and maybe one or two others may be sold, there is not much money to replace unless we get outside investment, but the club is safe.
If thats the case, then there isn't any shock in that - we all knew it, Bruce knew it, Wyness knew it and the press knew it.
As I said a few posts ago - we have MORE than enough quality to still get top 6 - christ, Millwall abd Brentford got 1 week away from it - I am sure we can.
Lets just put the last few weeks to bed now , we know a few will leave, we know we have to go with what is left - so lets enjoy it like we all did last season.
One thing is for certain, my trust in the Bham Mail is now absolutely ZERO !
gator
Vital Champions League
Merd I made the very same point last season about the relegated teams and it's definitely a valid one.But the teams that have come down are well established prem teams so at the very least I think they will be hard to beat.Add to that I think Leeds could be big improvers this season Boro I can see having a good season plus I think Derby and Forest could go well and there's always a surprise package.Our problem is how the hell can we prepare for a new season when the manager probably ain't got a clue what players he's going to have left to form a team.Plus the way things are going Bruce's position might become untenable.See it's alright saying we're only guessing what's going to happen but unfortunately that coin has two sides to it.
gator
Vital Champions League
And would you have worried about Cardiff before the season kicked off last season.
mike_field
Vital Football Legend
Shares opened up was always for investment. Either he's turning down perfectly good offers or we have no offers. Either way isn't good as any investor (if willing to work as minority or lead via slim majority) with every passing day sees any potential investment rise in risk so it's more of a gamble anyway.
Every passing day you have to factor in other clubs strengthening, we're getting weaker, we're losing out on go-to targets (especially in our position, they know us, we know them, they know Bruce etc) so whether minority or majority £40-50m for that with a summer to prepare to get a return, you're losing the preparation time - losing your negotiating position as time runs out for sales, losing your negotiating position to wheel and deal as loan/selling clubs/free agents see you getting that next step closer to panic and having no option to cave in - etc.
So for a potential owner the equation then becomes, invest now?
Wait for them to go bump and get more control for less?
Invest now with a growing risk of L1?
Wait for L1 to be confirmed and get more control for less?
If we had it one of us would be dumb enough to throw money in. Even a rich fan doesn't invest without options, does look for investment level suitable to risk return etc.
Every ticked day adds to the risk and makes what Xia wants (we guess/presume from bids turned down) less likely to happen.
Every passing day you have to factor in other clubs strengthening, we're getting weaker, we're losing out on go-to targets (especially in our position, they know us, we know them, they know Bruce etc) so whether minority or majority £40-50m for that with a summer to prepare to get a return, you're losing the preparation time - losing your negotiating position as time runs out for sales, losing your negotiating position to wheel and deal as loan/selling clubs/free agents see you getting that next step closer to panic and having no option to cave in - etc.
So for a potential owner the equation then becomes, invest now?
Wait for them to go bump and get more control for less?
Invest now with a growing risk of L1?
Wait for L1 to be confirmed and get more control for less?
If we had it one of us would be dumb enough to throw money in. Even a rich fan doesn't invest without options, does look for investment level suitable to risk return etc.
Every ticked day adds to the risk and makes what Xia wants (we guess/presume from bids turned down) less likely to happen.
Not even remotely, but again we beat ourselves the first match against them, and won the second match we played them. Most of the matches we lost last season were not getting beaten by the better team, they were us putting in lazy/disinterested performances with way too much respect for the opponent.
Cut out even 1/4th of the lazy performances and we would have been auto promoted. Now yes, I get that comes down to the same players/manager this year as last year and it's a big "if" but we really have it there for the taking should we just take it
mike_field
Vital Football Legend
Wolves were unexpected. Cardiff massively overperformed. So did Fulham in reality.
We might have one of the most expensive squads but we don't play to their strengths so talk of walking the title is as mental as it was last season. Look how close Sheffield United and Millwall came to back to back promotions with League 1 players. Look how we blew it with Prem/steady Champ players.
A few teams stand out for differing reasons and we don't match them, just as we didn't last year.
We might have one of the most expensive squads but we don't play to their strengths so talk of walking the title is as mental as it was last season. Look how close Sheffield United and Millwall came to back to back promotions with League 1 players. Look how we blew it with Prem/steady Champ players.
A few teams stand out for differing reasons and we don't match them, just as we didn't last year.
