There was a rumour from an ITK (yes, I know!) a week or two back, that was floating around on H&V (and maybe another Villa site, I forget exactly) which basically said that Randy Lerner originally promised Paul Lambert money to spend in the current window, but later pulled the plug.
It now transpires that it has (maybe, you know what ITK’s are like) come from someone who is apparently close to the assistant manager, Ian Culverhouse.
Now I’m not necessarily saying it’s true, but it would make sense to me.
It would certainly explain why Lambert seemed reasonably ok when we were going through the really bad period that was Christmas and has recently seemed lost and even tetchy during interviews (so much so that it seems he’s fallen out with Matt Kendrick).
If Lerner has pulled the plug (and I know it’s all conjecture), you would have to ask the question “why?”
There are only two reasons that I can see.
a) Randy doesn’t have the money, or:
b) He doesn’t trust Lambert to spend it wisely.
Neither make sense to me.
Randy has a boatload of money he can lay his hands on if needed (yes, I know it’s trust money, but he could draw on it, surely?)
And if he doesn’t trust Lambert, surely he’d have sacked him by now?
No, IF this rumour is true, there has to be another reason, that I’m not seeing.
As I said, I suspect this rumour is not far off the mark, but would be interested in what you think.
Morning all, well Ive been reading all the comments and I’m confused . com, I have said in earlier post what Yanks are like in business, they are ruthless in business and do not give a dam about you or anyone, Lerner bought Villa as a investment, but things didn’t go his way, so now he’s in my mind looking for a way out, We wont get any money for new players full stop, he is playing the business game of using people and taking money away from Villa at every opportunity,IE selling players off. He pulled in people he can use and manipulate and dont ask questions, we have them in Falkner, and Lambert, my way its plain and simple do not give up your money to him, use your feet and voice your anger at the people that ruined our club. I know it will hurt us but in the long run we will have made it quit plain, English fans are not American fans , we dont lie down like them.
Morning Bill! U may be right, money is the only thing Lerner understands. It wouldn’t be difficult for Lerner to syphon off a few mill here and there to recoup his loans. The quicker the loser sells up and pisses off, the better.
Morning Jeff, two right, crying shame to our club, I just hope and pray that we get points Tuesday, that Jeff will be the cruncher.
I just cannot fathom what Lerner is trying to achieve here. Surely, in any business you would want to safeguard your assets. Why when £60m of TV money is at stake, is the club doing nothing. Its farcical.
All this talk of the wage bill, but if you want to pay championship wages then you will end up with a championship team, as we have.
I now understand why the Cleveland Browns fans despised him so much, its a clear lack of ambition, all he does is hide away whilst his club is humiliated. Where is the leadership, the desire, the drive to push his club, his asset forward?
avfc123, its very easy: even if you invest 20 mio for new players there is no guarantee for survival. And if you do so and we go down, then the whole club collapse next year.
PL must sell before he can buy in this window. And I can understand this strategy even if my AV heart suffers from that.
Randy doesnt have money? Dont chat shit, for a club that apparently is loosing money he cant be doin that bad if this statement is anything to go by:
“The Birmingham Post’s Rich List, published in our sister paper, revealed his worth has rocketed by £300million to £1.1 billion.”
The man is a joke, he is making a fortune off us, you sheep are just too blind to see.
But that wealth may be tied up andrew in long term asstes and investments…
or Bank of America shares and check their price in 2007 and now ?
Morning my villa ARMY pals UTV.I see it has taken us a poor January transfer window when we really need it to fathem out Lerner.He did exactly the same with the Cleveland browns.Lowered standards,players,wages ECT till the club was on its knees his dads dying wish was for him not to sell the browns untill Wankdolph had made it a success again but he couldn’t even do that.He is ruthless and a silent assasin.He knows we are in the shit and we need proper funding but he has lowered or tried to lower expectations now he’s been found wanting.In this transfer window he has proven to me that he doesn’t care about the Vila.20million at the start of the season for a club of our size is nothing relegation money IMHO.He had a chance to sort it and he hasn’t loser Lerner out.
Benteke off in the summer.
To be honest JD I couldn’t give a toss if Benteke is off in the summer as long as we are in the Prem somehow..
If we stay up and we get 20M for him plus Hutton Warnock Petrov Ireland Dunne of wage bill then we have room to play with wages wise..
Just a shame a lot of good players have been brought this window all within our wage structure of under 40K..
I guess you may refer to the French invasion at Tyneside, lets see if they are any good before predicting that ?
Looking at the bottom lot you have
Southampton – sacked manager no signings
Reading – some signings at the lower level
QPR – typical Redknapp a shit or bust tactic
Newcastle – Obviously got an agent in the French market raking it in with a manager who can barely speak English never mind French
Us – well we know …
Norwich – No activity
Fulham – No activity
Wigan – Usual Wigan cheap signings see if Martinez’s ability to keep picking stays with him
In fact overall there has been little movement. If we want to look at say MON then he has brought two foreign signings this window, how strange eh ? But I count Sunderland out of it
The second half of Prem table is fucked. No real quality – no money. Very often discussed here.
And when we look at latest cup upsets of Norwich (against Non-league team), QPR and us its a clear proof of the declining quality.
yep, exactly what I have always said about this years PL. Forget the hype and look at the reality of the situation. Just one quality signing for any of the teams (including us) could be the difference.
I think qpr wouldn’t give a toss about getting beat yesterday it’s the fa cup it’s only worth going for if you are a comfortable top ten/mid table team. Those teams challenging for real honourable won’t give a toss about it. Qpr will only worry about what happens in the league exactly the same as us fuck the cups they are not important and yes I would if said the same if we had beaten Bradford. Prob a blessing in disguise we got knocked out