Lerner to put Villa up for sale

Not the best owner is Mr Lerner

He had clearly lost his interest when Martin O'Neill couldn't take them higher than sixth. Worried about Villa, need to get a good owner in now really.

The problem with randy Lerner was that he gave O'Neill far too much control in which the Irishman spent like a woman with a blank cheque book on the high street. Lerner has since then being trying to recitfy the situation by doing what all good owners do - making a business self-sufficient.

The only thing Lerner is guilty of is being naive in thinking there is any money to be made in owning a Premier League football club.

Lerner sold the Browns for about a billion if memory serves so I don't think hes desperate to make cash off Villa.

Also worth noting he sold the Browns to a guy now under Federal Investigation in the US.

GSC wrote:Lerner sold the Browns for about a billion if memory serves so I don't think hes desperate to make cash off Villa.

Not now, but I'm sure that was his intention when purchasing them. Unless he sells Villa for 300m (never in a month of blue moon Sundays) he'll be cutting his losses.

Eh, he sold the Browns because he didnt like AF and preferred ours.

Think hes realising the true cost of competing in top level football these days

 

GSC wrote:Eh, he sold the Browns because he didnt like AF and preferred ours.

Not sure we are understanding each other here are we?

It wouldn't surprise me if they got passed over to Robert Kraft tbh. They like investing in Sports.

More Lerner likes the sport, I'm not sure he ever bought it to make money (has anyone ever succeeded at that).

Could see Kraft.

None spring to mind. I think he would have liked to have made money for sure. His comments when in 2006 and when he booted O'Neill out certainly hinted at it. He's a businessman first and foremost. I don't think he would have invested if he'd realised the loss he's likley to suffer.

Anyhow, hopefully they get an owner who can help them back up the league table. They have some good players but lack some quality and experience.

As a Villa fan I am really not too sure what to think about all of this. Fairly obvious Lerner had lost his spark and excitement for the game some time ago, his increasingly infrequent attendance at games is testament to this. Given this, if he genuinely lacks motivation he is right to seek to sell. However one only has to look across the second city to see that sometimes it is better the devil you know, and whilst Lerner is not without fault he is by far from a bad owner. Under his stewardship we were the first club to have a charity as our sponsor, which is/was a classy thing to do. Also has spent wisely on Villa Park to ensure it is still one of the better grounds in the country, has also upgraded the training facilities at Bodymoor Heath to be second to none.

As someone said above think his main mistake was being perhaps too supportive of O’Neill, who did a good job but also shackled us with some truly ordinary players on mind boggling wages/contracts. Habib Beye on £40,000+ a week is beyond baffling.

Not sure I would agree that Lerner was in it to make money, as he candidly said when he took over, when you’re as rich as he is you can buy bonds on pretty much zero risk that will return you a healthy return. Am sure I am a little biased and myopic when I say this but I would like to think buying Villa is one of the more attractive propositions should buying a club be your thing. Pretty much no debts, comfortably the biggest club in the second biggest city in the country and perhaps as importantly no major money needs to be spent on either the ground or the training facilities so everything the new owner puts in can be put straight on the pitch.

Whilst not a Brummie by birth have been watching the club too long to have not picked up some of the inbuilt pessimism that goes with being from Brum but hope this could be a positive time to be a Villa fan.

I think the main stumbling block is the amount of money Villa could conceivably need to rise back up the table. As Nando said, Kraft wouldn't surprise me, he and Lerner should know each other well from NFL owner meetings

Think that is one of the other issues GSG, outside of Benteke, Delph and Vlaar not too sure too many more of the first team are really capable of challenging at the other end of the table. Some of the kids may go on to be but not convinced many will to be honest. Think that is one of the problems Lerner has had, since he took over and was investing decent amounts City have come in and completely changed the landscape and the amount required to launch any kind of challenge for honours.