The Official Aston Villa FC thread

[JNW1]

Gad-Westy said:

Interesting summer ahead. I think I'm looking it a little more positively for next year at the moment. It clearly depends on who stays, who goes and who comes in but looking at last season, we were there or there about's with the top 3 teams, a long gap back to fifth and those 3 teams won't be there next season and I'm not seeing anything too worrying from the three teams coming down. So we could be a good position for auto promotion next season if we can avoid too many changes. Couldn't face another play offs! I'll reassess in August.

If you look at the two teams who gained automatic promotion this season (Wolves and Cardiff) they were nowhere last season so I think it's dangerous to assume teams who finished mid-table this time around won't be contenders in 2018/19. As with the teams being relegated from the Premier League, it will all depend on who manages to keep their decent players and/or add some extra quality to their squad; however, we won't know that for a couple of months so I think you're right to reassess in August!

I do think Villa are likely to be one of the teams pushing for promotion next season but if you lose players like Grealish, Snodgrass and Terry - and are unable to replace them because you've lost the parachute payments and the owner won't commit the necessary funds to compensate - then it's possible mid-table mediocrity beckons; if so welcome to our (Leeds United's) world!!

[FN2TypeR]

John Terry has left the club.

[AC43]

FN2TypeR said:

John Terry has left the club.

Oh well that's one more disabled parking spot available outside the local kebab shop.

[Driver101]

What is going to happen to Villa now?

I read they've vastly overspent the last couple of seasons trying to get back to the Premier League and financial fair play rules cover 3 seasons. They now need to sell off players and cut wages to balance the books.

Is that Villa's chance of getting to the Premier League gone?

[Lurking Lawyer]

Driver101 said:

Is that Villa's chance of getting to the Premier League gone?

That's the £280 million question.....

They've certainly made life much harder for themselves than it would have been if they'd gone back up last season or this.

I suppose a lot depends on whether Tony Xia does a Lerner and decides to cut back spending. If he's willing to carry on spending, the FFP rules can be bent a bit. Looking at the UEFA website, there are a number of sanctions for FFP breaches before you get to transfer bans or points deductions. He could always just swallow any fines - but I suspect having spent a good chunk already he's not willing to maintain a free-spending approach.

I wonder to what extent there are means of circumventing the rules, maybe by selling off the naming rights to Villa Park to Xia's company? I could probably live with it becoming Recon Park for a season or two if it meant more money coming in. Bodymoor Heath training complex was rebranded as Recon earlier in the year, and I suspect that was a wheeze to put money into the club without directly falling foul of FFP.

I don't think it's impossible. But I'd say it's just as likely to end up in a Leeds-esque vicious circle descent into perpetual mediocrity as it is in promotion. We live in interesting times...... :/

[Fittster]

Looks like the truth about the finances is about to become clear.

[cuprabob]

Fittster said:

Looks like the truth about the finances is about to become clear.

Looks like John Terry filled his pockets with cash when he left.

Failed to pay HMRC £4m on time...

[chow pan toon]

No income tax, no VAT, no money back, no guarantee [of promotion]

[PurpleTurtle]

I get the impending feeling of doom.

When Xia took over I questioned his 'Dr' credentials - he just didn't seem to be old enough to have achieved a Doctorate and been so (apparently) succesful in business. I smelt a large rat and said so to anyone who would listen at the time, many Villa fans elsewhere on the 'net effectively told me to pipe down and not be so negative, desperate as they were to see the back of Lerner.

My point at the time and now being that, if he's happy to extensively bullst about his background, what else don't we know the truth about? He is now apparently 'having difficulty getting his money out of China'. Much like I am 'having difficulty buying an original 1960's AC Cobra' - because likewise I don't have the money for that either. My suspicion has always been that he is not the Bill Gates of China, but rather a front man for others who have effectively gambled on getting back into the Premier League quickly and lost.

The club have announced they've come to an agreement with HMRC (staged payments, one assumes). It won't be long until the wolf is back at the door. Lots more to come, I very much suspect we will 'do a Leeds'. League One, anyone? Wouldn't be our first time in the third tier!

[chow pan toon]

High sixes all round from Albion as they found someone to write them a banner.

[Fittster]

Looks like another monthly cash crisis is approaching. Levy must be thinking Christmas has come early.

[Lurking Lawyer]

Fittster said:

Levy must be thinking Christmas has come early.

Hannukah, surely.....?

It's all profoundly depressing. Lurching from month to month wondering whether the bills will be paid. Not being able to afford to bring in even loan signings.

Dear god. It almost makes me wistful for the Lerner era! :/

[PurpleTurtle]

It seems things are on the move again: https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2018/07/20/club-statem...

Hopefully this will be a dilution down leading to "Dr" Xia ejecting out of the door and down Witton Lane as soon as possible.

This sounds very positive, but we have another season in the Championship under FFP to negotiate yet.

[Gad-Westy]

PurpleTurtle said:

It seems things are on the move again: https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2018/07/20/club-statem...

Hopefully this will be a dilution down leading to "Dr" Xia ejecting out of the door and down Witton Lane as soon as possible.

This sounds very positive, but we have another season in the Championship under FFP to negotiate yet.

Positive change I think. I'm not sure about the season ahead right now but the future generally looks a bit brighter.

Rumours about Thierry Henry replacing SB. I hope not. I think Bruce is exactly who we need right now.

[oxford drinker]

More "autograph hunting", like the Birmingham owners.... sack a good English manager to bring in a "big name".

[Yidwann]

I think fans of most clubs, want to see a thriving Villa back in the Prem, as they're such a big club! But now you have some new owners with cash, who want to bring in a big name, can't do that on the pitch because of FPP, so are going to swap out probably one of the best candidates to get you promotion, for Henry? Who is untested in probably the most demanding league in the world! Madness, I cannot see it ending well! Shame....

[Lurking Lawyer]

if there's any truth to the headline trumpeted in today's Star about Henry having been offered and accepted the job, it will be utter barminess of the highest order.

Just how many vanity appointments of great ex-players with little or no management experiences are required before the penny drops that there's very little correlation between ability on the pitch and ability as a manager?!

I'm no great fan of Potato Head but it would be utterly idiotic now to bin him now for someone with no track record.....

[NordicCrankShaft]

I have a feeling you'll be pleasantly surprised, whilst he has no managerial experience, he has by all accounts excelled at getting his badges through the much lauded UEFA backed FAW system which Vieira and also Arteta came through, there's a while host of other big names that have also endorsed the course. Add that he does have experience as the Belgium assistant.

I'm very interested to see what he can do for you guys and no doubt you'll have a lot of Gooners watching and rooting for you this coming season.

[Challo]

NordicCrankShaft said:

I have a feeling you'll be pleasantly surprised, whilst he has no managerial experience, he has by all accounts excelled at getting his badges through the much lauded UEFA backed FAW system which Vieira and also Arteta came through, there's a while host of other big names that have also endorsed the course. Add that he does have experience as the Belgium assistant.

I'm very interested to see what he can do for you guys and no doubt you'll have a lot of Gooners watching and rooting for you this coming season.

I think the challenge comes in getting out of the Championship and into the Premiership with the squad he has, and limited options to go out and get loan/perm signings.

Its a HUGE risk....just hope it doesn't all come tumbling down.

[PurpleTurtle]

Challo said:

NordicCrankShaft said:

I have a feeling you'll be pleasantly surprised, whilst he has no managerial experience, he has by all accounts excelled at getting his badges through the much lauded UEFA backed FAW system which Vieira and also Arteta came through, there's a while host of other big names that have also endorsed the course. Add that he does have experience as the Belgium assistant.

I'm very interested to see what he can do for you guys and no doubt you'll have a lot of Gooners watching and rooting for you this coming season.

I think the challenge comes in getting out of the Championship and into the Premiership with the squad he has, and limited options to go out and get loan/perm signings.

Its a HUGE risk....just hope it doesn't all come tumbling down.

Agree entirely. I loved watching Henry play (unless against Villa, usually scored) but I feel he’ll be in the Roy Keane school of management - frustrated that players available to him can’t recreate his brilliance. I’d love to be proved wrong though.