The Owners & CEO Thread | Page 12 | Vital Football

The Owners & CEO Thread

How much will the owners want to spend this season? We all know they are rich, and I've argued elsewhere that maybe now is the time to push on. However, maybe this thing called Covid-19 comes into play. I can think of a couple of reasons why they might be a bit cautious.

(1) The owners' own wealth may take a hit, as the world economy takes a big hit. My guess is they aren't too worried, because I suspect that a lot of that wealth is tied up in assets which should be OK in the longer team, and they can probably ride out a short term hit (but that is just a guess). However, I suspect they will tread very carefully and might alter their priorities.

(2) Football in general is taking a big hit. Income from all quarters is likely to be down, in some areas considerably. That may alter their view of the economics of various parts of the game, in particular what level of investment in transfers and wages is sensible.

Nothing is certain. They might decide that other clubs' problems opens up opportunities for them. But they may also decide that now is the time to rein in expenditure, at least for the short term. Or maybe its something in between. Whatever, perhaps we shouldn't assume anything about this season's expenditure.
 
david-avfc said:
Yep that’s the problem with foreign players they don’t really give a fuck about the club at all. I think at least now we look like we have a bit more of a “team mentality”. Look at the celebrations on Sunday, yes maybe it was over the top but the players looked delighted to have done a good job for the club and each other, we need to keep that mentality and not dismantle it by buying 7 or 8 mercenaries
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"Foreign players dont give a fuck"?

Didn't see it myself (not really on social media) but weren't several past Villa foreign players (most who had been sacked off) congratulate the club on survival over the weekend?
 
Xchurch Villa said:
"Foreign players dont give a fuck"?

Didn't see it myself (not really on social media) but weren't several past Villa foreign players (most who had been sacked off) congratulate the club on survival over the weekend?
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Yeah I tend to disagree that it's "foreign" players that can be categorized as mercenaries. For certain we've had a few, but then you can say the same about many British players that have worn our shirt through the years. For example, I'd say players like Mellberg, Laursen, JPA, Cuellar appreciated the club and it's history/stature far more than the likes of Downing, Unsworth, Collins etc.
 
gmvillan said:
Yeah I tend to disagree that it's "foreign" players that can be categorized as mercenaries. For certain we've had a few, but then you can say the same about many British players that have worn our shirt through the years. For example, I'd say players like Mellberg, Laursen, JPA, Cuellar appreciated the club and it's history/stature far more than the likes of Downing, Unsworth, Collins etc.
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Yep, it's down to the individual, can't generalise about such matter. After all, God was not, and is still not British. And he loves us 😍
 
gmvillan said:
Yeah I tend to disagree that it's "foreign" players that can be categorized as mercenaries. For certain we've had a few, but then you can say the same about many British players that have worn our shirt through the years. For example, I'd say players like Mellberg, Laursen, JPA, Cuellar appreciated the club and it's history/stature far more than the likes of Downing, Unsworth, Collins etc.
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Think Collins would have stayed if Lambert hadn't encouraged him to go. Didn't fit the young, hungry and cheap mantra.
 
Problem with Collins was two fold - the pissed incident with Dunne and Syd, and then the way his form seemed to tail off without any sign of him caring.

For a good period though, he was an underrated member of the squad.
 
Xchurch Villa said:
"Foreign players dont give a fuck"?

Didn't see it myself (not really on social media) but weren't several past Villa foreign players (most who had been sacked off) congratulate the club on survival over the weekend?
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My point is that if you buy in players with no connection or knowledge of the club there is a risk of players giving up when the going gets tough. The 2015/16 illustrates my point particularly as the player being discussed was in that team and openly discussed how he viewed the club as nothing other than a stepping stone. As for what people have said in social media, I couldn’t care less. A 30 second message probably written by their PR assistant doesn’t mean anything at all
 
Wes and his mates at the Bucks have been patient, building slowly and they are now genuine challengers for the NBA championship. They have built around Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is now the league’s MVP.

Jack will never be at that level but I am sure that the owners will want to build a team around him. I wonder if they will give him an idea of who we are going for in an attempt to keep him. I am sure they will provide funds to hopefully get us to mid table before then looking to a challenge for the top 6. I hope their patience leads to similar improvements as the Bucks have seen.
 
I get what you are saying about knowledge David, but Benteke thought we were in London and yet....what we'd do for a striker like him again who gave his all.
 
I like the way that the club are acknowledging the success of the women's team and putting investment in that direction. If times were tough and funds tight, then they would hold back in this area and plough all of the money into the men's PL team. They are putting in place improvements in all areas of the club and to me this shows that they are serious about their ambitions and here for the long haul.
 
david-avfc said:
My point is that if you buy in players with no connection or knowledge of the club there is a risk of players giving up when the going gets tough. The 2015/16 illustrates my point particularly as the player being discussed was in that team and openly discussed how he viewed the club as nothing other than a stepping stone. As for what people have said in social media, I couldn’t care less. A 30 second message probably written by their PR assistant doesn’t mean anything at all
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The biggest problems in that relegation team were gabby, Lescott and Richards. All of whom are local boys and 2 villa fans. The difference is that someone like Jordan Amavi will never be invited onto soccer Saturday to give his side of the story whilst the other mob can spew bollocks to their hearts content.

Players ranging from Benteke to Downing to Milner have viewed us as a stepping stone because that's what we've been. We've never given the impression of anything else since Dwight Yorke left. Its upto this new setup to change that.
 
JW1985 said:
Players ranging from Benteke to Downing to Milner have viewed us as a stepping stone
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Bit harsh on Milner to lump him in with others. He was much more dedicated to us, having come on loan and then come back permanently.

But totally agree we need a culture change and to big ourselves up as a destination, not part of journey to big things.
 
But until (if) we get to the top we have to accept we'll always be a stepping stone of sorts and next season isn't going to be perfect either. But rather than players per se dictating the stepping as they have done, we get into a position to dictate their stepping in a way that suits us to kick us on further.

However, we can demand far better next season and certainly should do so and that's why CEO/Lange/DS have to strengthen better as a statement (whilst still being sensible with applicable budgets).

We have to make the 4/5 signings most agree on, instant starting XI quality so we build settled depth by relegating others to the bench as back up - which in turn means the likes of Lansbury get moved on for whatever fee we can get.

Allied to continued improvement at U23 level with talent/development/loans for real experience so we are taking good steps forward on all fronts.

Then we pivot more to a journey rather than a stepping stone at top level and considering we've always attracted quality youth (not on the scale of others who pay wages to make a life even if they never appear for the relevant first team) that becomes a better journey in itself because we have a proper route through if they are good enough.

We should certainly dominate the Midlands catchment area on youth for a start.
 
Without going OT, hugely disappointed in Lansbury really. But arguably his best spell at Forest came when Gary Gardner played defensive mid for him, so what did we do, sign Lansbury and basically fucked off Gardner lol

Then again he's not the only one over the past - my entire life time!

Meant to add in post above with regards to our U23s (in light of another thread about never financially capitalising on our investment) but it's also appropriate here. We all remember Wolves owners saying 'we've spent, if it goes wrong, we can sell and start again'. That was there plan as opposed to ours which was spend on players with no resale fee.

I also remember stumbling over something their owner/chairman (whatever) said about their youth levels and how it had to become both a revenue stream as well as first team back up - and their U23 manager spoke about it himself. ie we'll get players in cheap, develop them and some just won't be at the level we want to be, but will have good careers - those players we cash in on for whatever we can get. Others, and they will be the minority, will be good enough to step up to our first team - and they will get the chance.

Either way they didn't view that level as being either/or nor something a club did because fans like seeing youngsters develop and think we have another one coming through. It was focused, nailed and if they had youngsters who didn't fall into either category - sorry, goodbye. If you can't make us even a profit, we've got no time to spend on you.

It struck me as being different from our approach - let 23 yr olds stall and then release on a fee and opposite to a Chelsea/City where they buy everyone and you never see them again unless it's in South America, Holland etc.
 
JuanPabloAngel said:
Bit harsh on Milner to lump him in with others. He was much more dedicated to us, having come on loan and then come back permanently.

But totally agree we need a culture change and to big ourselves up as a destination, not part of journey to big things.
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He was and is a superb pro who will always give total dedication to whatever club he's at but he left at the first opportunity after 2 seasons only one of which he was top class. I've not problem with him but he looks after number 1 and has moved at the best time fir him at every stage of his career.
 
To be fair to Milner, he didn't seek a move. Man C came calling and Randy said yes. That was the point at which we began our long slide to relegation. Randy could have said no. But it appears he had lost his ambitions for the club and welcomed a sale which offset the costs of running it. Can understand why MON got out, although don't have any sympathy for it; a different manager would have accepted the restraints and worked accordingly.

Our current owners seem to have no problem in saying no. Great!
 
Seems like our recruitment/scouting department has been a revolving door in recent years. Hope this guy is the real deal!
 
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