Randy Lerner

Club statement: Randy Lerner
07 Jul 2014 10:03


Message from chairman Randy Lerner.


This statement is intended to provide clarity regarding the status of the sale announcement I made in early May.

Over the last eight weeks we conducted a targeted process during which we explored the sale of the Club.

In advance of this process however, I committed to our Manager to become completely focused on the upcoming season should there be no agreement to sell by the time players and coaches return to training.

Given that no agreement has as of yet been reached, I feel that it is time now to turn my full attention back to Villa matters at hand.

While the sale process has been productive and remains ongoing, my priority at this point in the summer, heading into the upcoming season, is that the Villa organisation's sole focus be football - undistracted by any sales process.

Reverting to common practice, I do not intend to comment further on a potential sale or related rumours unless and until I have reached a definitive agreement to sell, at which time I will be prompt and clear.

Randy Lerner, Aston Villa Chairman

To me this reads as someone playing hardball over the price & Randy saying I won't sell cheap.

I don't know what it means. I hate being a Villa fan cos I'm starting to get excited about the new season already, even though I know we will be in a relegation fight. Damn you Aston Villa why are you in my bones?!!

A satement, stating that there will be no further statements until there is a statement to confirm that he has finally got his Villa monkey off his back.

Waste of paper/electronic space

Villa Youth wrote:A satement, stating that there will be no further statements until there is a statement to confirm that he has finally got his Villa monkey off his back.

Waste of paper/electronic space

Does seem strange that he bothered to make a statement saying virtually nothing.

It says a huge amount to someone.

gdav wrote:It says a huge amount to someone.

Go on

Eastie wrote:

Villa Youth wrote:A satement, stating that there will be no further statements until there is a statement to confirm that he has finally got his Villa monkey off his back.

Waste of paper/electronic space

Does seem strange that he bothered to make  a statement  saying virtually nothing.

Not really. It says he made a commitment to Lambert and being the first day of Pre season that's relive to the timing. Also nearly all fans have been asking for information we now have had a definitive statement until we are sold. Can't complain really I just hope he releases some funds for new contracts and signings.

It kind of tries to appeal to the ST holder who hasn't renewed yet by saying talks to sell are productive. It also gives the impression Lerner is trying to tell someone to cough up some extra £££ and it also seems to be telling the players and manager to not use it as an excuse for any crap start to the season.

Just says to me that things are in the pipeline & that everyone at the club is now focused more on preparation for the coming season than anything else, hoping this night mean a bit more cash for lambert to play with

thegaffer6 wrote:Just says to me that things are in the pipeline & that everyone at the club is now focused more on preparation for the coming season than anything else, hoping this night mean a bit more cash for lambert to play with

agree !

DN1982 wrote:

Eastie wrote:

Villa Youth wrote:A satement, stating that there will be no further statements until there is a statement to confirm that he has finally got his Villa monkey off his back.

Waste of paper/electronic space

Does seem strange that he bothered to make  a statement  saying virtually nothing.

Not really.  It says he made a commitment to Lambert and being the first day of Pre season that's relive to the timing. Also nearly all fans have been asking for information we now have had a definitive statement until we are sold. Can't complain really I just hope he releases some funds for new contracts and signings.

As previously said, it will mean a lot to someone or a few enquirers. I think Randy believed that if the sale went through before pre season training resumed he wasn't going to waste any time and money on what could be expensive acquisitions that didn't meet with the new owners approval. As the sale hasn't happened he won't jeopardise the security of Premier League status by doing nothing. I think it is right that he has had potential buyers but they haven't met his asking price, this may be a signal from Randy that is designed to show the bidders to put up or shut up, buy now or we will acquire further assets that you may or may not approve.

Villa Youth wrote:

gdav wrote:It says a huge amount to someone.

Go on

I think it's says to an interested party that he won't be forced to sell on the cheap & will carry on regardless if an offer he doesn't think acceptable comes in.

gdav wrote:

Villa Youth wrote:

gdav wrote:It says a huge amount to someone.

Go on

I think it's says to an interested party that he won't be forced to sell on the cheap & will carry on regardless if an offer he doesn't think acceptable comes in.

I wonder if he realises that he's hardly speaking from a position of strength though - It's a buyer's market for football clubs at the moment.

His business acument doesn't fill me with confidence and we'll get relagted if his strategy is to just patch up a terrible squad in the hope that someone will acceot his terms.

I reckon

Eastie wrote:

Villa Youth wrote:A satement, stating that there will be no further statements until there is a statement to confirm that he has finally got his Villa monkey off his back.

Waste of paper/electronic space

Does seem strange that he bothered to make  a statement  saying virtually nothing.

Unfortunately, we forget Mr Lerner has no obligation to tell us anything !

Villa Youth wrote:

gdav wrote:

Villa Youth wrote:

gdav wrote:It says a huge amount to someone.

Go on

I think it's says to an interested party that he won't be forced to sell on the cheap & will carry on regardless if an offer he doesn't think acceptable comes in.

I wonder if he realises that he's hardly speaking from a position of strength though - It's a buyer's market for football clubs at the moment.

His business acument doesn't fill me with confidence and we'll get relagted if his strategy is to just patch up a terrible squad in the hope that someone will acceot his terms.

I reckon  

So what that it is a buyers market it's up to him whether he sells or not , and unless he has to sell there's no reason to do so . And yes I know a few of his critics say he does , but is that the truth or just wishfull thinking ?

As for the squad not all would agree that it is as bad as some say it is . Certainly it does need improving & even Lambert has said that & talked @ the last presser of possibly 2 more players coming in !

cgale wrote:
So what that it is a buyers market it's up to him whether he sells or not , and unless he has to sell there's no reason to do so . And yes I know a few of his critics say he does , but is that the truth or just wishfull thinking ?

Lerner's own words from his statement:

"in my heart I feel I can no longer do the job" and "I have come to know well that fates are fickle in the business of English football. And I feel that I have pushed mine well past the limit"

All it sounds like to me is that he was hoping to sell the club before preseason started. Unfortunately, this hasn't happened, so he is just telling everyone that it's just business as usual. Lambert will probably get a small amount of funds released for transfers and contracts, and Lerner will just tack the amount into the asking price and continue looking for a buyer. My guess is that ML/BoA has probably had a few enquiries, but nothing concrete at this point.

Villa_Dan wrote:

cgale wrote:
So what that it is a buyers market it's up to him whether he sells or not , and unless he has to sell there's no reason to do so . And yes I know a few of his critics say he does , but is that the truth or just wishfull thinking ?

Lerner's own words from his statement:

"in my heart I feel I can no longer do the job" and "I have come to know well that fates are fickle in the business of English football. And I feel that I have pushed mine well past the limit"

But that does not say he has to sell, just that he feels he has done all he can for the club ie bankroll the club further

cgale wrote:

Villa_Dan wrote:

cgale wrote:
So what that it is a buyers market it's up to him whether he sells or not , and unless he has to sell there's no reason to do so . And yes I know a few of his critics say he does , but is that the truth or just wishfull thinking ?

Lerner's own words from his statement:

"in my heart I feel I can no longer do the job" and "I have come to know well that fates are fickle in the business of English football. And I feel that I have pushed mine well past the limit"

But that does not say he has to sell, just that he feels he has done all he can for the club ie bankroll the club further

He'd have to be a fucking shite businessman and a borderline retard to come out and say "I absolutely must sell, please someone buy this weight from around my neck"

The statements I quoted are literally the closest you'll get to him admitting it. And that's what it said to me reading it.

Of course it's now a weight around his neck if he has desided to sell, but is not better business to wait untill the market is in his favour !

cgale wrote:Of course it's now a weight around his neck if he has desided to sell, but is not better business to wait untill the market is in his favour !

It would have been had he not showed everyone his cards by announcing his intentions to sell.

And waiting for the market to swing in his favour in order to sell at the optimum price would require him to dig deep and ensure that we don't just stay up next season but that we compete with teams in the top half. I suspect that he thinks this option equates to throwing good money after bad. Afterall, you don't go from being shit to being half decent simply by getting Joe Cole and Senderos in on freebies.

Villa Youth wrote:

cgale wrote:Of course it's now a weight around his neck if he has desided to sell, but is not better business to wait untill the market is in his favour !

It would have been had he not showed everyone his cards by announcing his intentions to sell.

And waiting for the market to swing in his favour in order to sell at the optimum price would require him to dig deep and ensure that we don't just stay up next season but that we compete with teams in the top half.  I suspect that he thinks this option equates to throwing good money after bad. Afterall, you don't go from being shit to being half decent simply by getting Joe Cole and Senderos in on freebies.

But is talking about supporting Lambert , who did say@ last weeks presser that there may be 2 players coming in . So perhaps we should wait & see

Spirit of Bosco Jankovic wrote:I don't know what it means. I hate being a Villa fan cos I'm starting to get excited about the new season already, even though I know we will be in a relegation fight. Damn you Aston Villa why are you in my bones?!!

So bloody true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Theres nothing you can do....its in my blood, my bones.....since i was 10.....i just love Aston Villa come what may!!!!!

cgale wrote:

Villa Youth wrote:

cgale wrote:Of course it's now a weight around his neck if he has desided to sell, but is not better business to wait untill the market is in his favour !

It would have been had he not showed everyone his cards by announcing his intentions to sell.

And waiting for the market to swing in his favour in order to sell at the optimum price would require him to dig deep and ensure that we don't just stay up next season but that we compete with teams in the top half.  I suspect that he thinks this option equates to throwing good money after bad. Afterall, you don't go from being shit to being half decent simply by getting Joe Cole and Senderos in on freebies.

But is talking about supporting Lambert , who did say@ last weeks presser  that there may be 2 players coming in . So perhaps we should wait & see

After Lerner's opaque statement, we've no choice but to wait and see. Although I'm fairly confident that the " 2 players (may be..)" Lambert referred to won't be big money signings

To bastardise the great fella, "do you want to bet against me"?

I think Lerner is shelling out the bare minimum to paper over the cracks whilst trying to flog us off and his statement was simply throwing a bone to supporters who might be wavering over season ticket renewals