AVFC Takeover Thread, Rumours, Gossip and Hearsay...all goes here

[danclare82]

I think Hollis has stepped down

Seriously???

[deadbuzzardalive]

Edited out, as not applicable now the news of Agbonlahor has broken.

[DaveAV1]

Are Bernstein and King playing some sort of brinkmanship game? Are their resignations designed to force Lerner's hand. King specifically says that the club needs to be sold asap to make any progress. Perhaps a good reasonable offer has come in from a serious bidder but Lerner has turned it down? The Sun story may be that there has been an offer and Randy said no.

Considering how tight lipped we have been in the Lerner era, this whole affair is being conducted in the full glare of the media. Do Bernstein and King think that this may be the only way to make Lerner sell?

[danclare82]

Are Bernstein and King playing some sort of brinkmanship game? Are their resignations designed to force Lerner's hand. King specifically says that the club needs to be sold asap to make any progress. Perhaps a good reasonable offer has come in from a serious bidder but Lerner has turned it down? The Sun story may be that there has been an offer and Randy said no.

Considering how tight lipped we have been in the Lerner era, this whole affair is being conducted in the full glare of the media. Do Bernstein and King think that this may be the only way to make Lerner sell?

Sun story is gabby on laughing gas sat night

[deadbuzzardalive]

haven't seen it myself but apparently Birmingham Evening Mail are saying that the takeover talk isn't just a smokescreen. Not sure which reporter, possible Kendrick. Hopefully gets sorted one way or the other soon, so we can start planning for next season.

[Villa_Dan]

Here's a scary thought - for all the fans ideas of protests or boycotts, Lerner's hand couldn't be forced by a board he wanted put into place! 2 intelligent and valuable members of that board clearly tried to push changes onto Lerner and ended up walking.

If they couldn't affect change we have no chance. At all. Ever. Lerner isn't just stupid, he's stubborn with it.

Only a sale or the death of Lerner will halt our downward spiral now. And I hope someone cuts that tattoo off his leg as he doesn't deserve to wear the crest.

[South London Villan]

Birmingham Mail are hinting it all centres around Riley !

Deal done in Riley's Snooker Club, Digbeth

probably

[ember]

Directors regularly go as part of takeovers, whole boards resign to get re-elected by shareholders as directors again.

Those letters don't read like outgoing Directors resigning as part of an impending takeover, though. The tone is all wrong. Those letters aren't "My work here is done, I can now exit stage left safe in the knowledge the players for the next scene are about to commence the Act."

No, the tone of those letters is, "You hired me for my expertise. I've told you what is wrong. I've told you what needs to be done. I've told you how to do it. I was here to help it to happen. However, you are taking me for an idiot by discarding my advice".

It's Lerner, Krulak, Hollins or a combination of the three that has caused this, I think. The "Football Board" and the "Board" is disconnected and it was entirely predictable. An utterly stupid structure.

[Trotters]

If Riley is the sort to see fit to walk onto the training grounds of other clubs, handing over his business card and asking for a chat, then him still being at the club that could well be the reason the directors have stood down.

I imagine they'd have been thinking they were in charge of the clubs restructure only to find out Randy has been telling Riley to go do his bidding behind their back.

That'd certainly be enough to prompt a "him or us" response. And we all know what the stupid option would be, and the one Lerner would pick.

I don't see it as being takeover related. If these blokes were in charge during a takeover after our worst season, it would only enhance their reputations - assuming the buyer is someone with more brains than Lerner (which wouldn't be hard). No, I don't see that they'd walk whilst there are negotiations going on, even if they've been bypassed. Their remit was to steady the ship and they'd carry on under the assumption that negotiations could fail.

For me, this is about Randy appointing a board to do a job and then undermining them.

[smetro]

Hollis has said from day one he isn't a football man. The expertise he Brough in looked good, it always looked a bit unwieldy. But now two of his appointments have been displaced - Little I understand is only until the seasons end - and Bevington looks to be no longer involved.

Once the dust settles, I expect Hollis to go very quietly citing personal circumstances. He has no power here now. I doubt he will break sweat over Aston Villa, knowing that at a stroke Lerner can undo all his work.

[smetro]

If Riley is the sort to see fit to walk onto the training grounds of other clubs, handing over his business card and asking for a chat, then him still being at the club that could well be the reason the directors have stood down.

I imagine they'd have been thinking they were in charge of the clubs restructure only to find out Randy has been telling Riley to go do his bidding behind their back.

That'd certainly be enough to prompt a "him or us" response. And we all know what the stupid option would be, and the one Lerner would pick.

I don't see it as being takeover related. If these blokes were in charge during a takeover after our worst season, it would only enhance their reputations - assuming the buyer is someone with more brains than Lerner (which wouldn't be hard). No, I don't see that they'd walk whilst there are negotiations going on, even if they've been bypassed. Their remit was to steady the ship and they'd carry on under the assumption that negotiations could fail.

For me, this is about Randy appointing a board to do a job and then undermining them.

Yep - run the club as you like fellow board members - the decisions are yours........(so long as I agree with them that is)

[ember]

Once the dust settles, I expect Hollis to go very quietly citing personal circumstances. He has no power here now. I doubt he will break sweat over Aston Villa, knowing that at a stroke Lerner can undo all his work.

Good point.

It is questionable how tenable Hollis' position is now, too. Unless he is fully supportive of whatever shit caused MK and DB to walk, surely he'd be considering his position also?

[deadbuzzardalive]

I think Hollis was always here to help sell the club in some way, and I think he'll stay until that happens.

[smetro]

Once the dust settles, I expect Hollis to go very quietly citing personal circumstances. He has no power here now. I doubt he will break sweat over Aston Villa, knowing that at a stroke Lerner can undo all his work.

Good point.

It is questionable how tenable Hollis' position is now, too. Unless he is fully supportive of whatever shit caused MK and DB to walk, surely he'd be considering his position also?

Think he is a friend of Lerners.
But he is a high ranking captain of industry. I think he will go through the motions for a few months - then step aside..new bloke in all done swiftly.

[ember]

I think Hollis was always here to help sell the club in some way, and I think he'll stay until that happens.

In that case they'll probably be taking him out in a box, based on how well the sale process has gone.

[deadbuzzardalive]

Seems that way. 'Squire Patton Boggs' have apparently taken Merril Lynch's place as the firm tasked with find a new buyer.

[Trotters]

If Hollis was brought in to build the team that Fox couldn't (or wouldn't) and that team has been undermined by Lerner wanting to do his own thing regardless, then Hollis will walk. He may well have a good relationship with Lerner but there's not a CEO in the world that would allow this to happen.

How is he supposed to operate now? No one else will come in to replace Bernstein and Merv (although I've no doubt Collymore will throw his hat into the ring). Realistically, who is out there that could replace that kind of experience (football in Bernstein's case, finance and a knowledge of Villa in King's) anyway?

Hollis now has a team of Hollis and Riley; one bloke who knows nothing of football and the other who seems only to understand football from a FIFA16 perspective.

There are two shreds of hope remaining:
1. that the sale of the club is imminent (I doubt it because either financial issues prevented a sale previously or Lerner had demands that were simply unrealistic, neither of which will likely have changed)
2. that Lerner realises that without a decent board the club will freefall through the leagues whilst the fans are in full revolt. His investment will be worth zero. As such, he fires Riley, gives Bernie and Merv his word that he won't interfere and begs them to withdraw their resignation letters.

As I cannot see either of those points happening, we are absolutely, royally up shit creek.

[Dazzle]

The remaining home games this season have to be one of two things; (1) Hostile and full of as many banners directed personally at Lerner, from all sides of Villa Park. (2) As near to empty as is possible.
Villa fans have to use their intelligence over their hearts now, do not put another penny into the club whilst the current ownership remains. To do so will act as further encouragement to the utter penis of an owner. He has to be left in no doubt that all trust has completely gone and he has no way back, in any phoney capacity. He needs to be surrounded by people telling him it's over, that he has to cash out or face being lynched if he is unable to avoid every Villa fan for the rest of his miserable life.
Stay away my friends, please just withdraw all your funds and attendance whilst Lerner remains. I've said it before, it's the only language he understands when money isn't freely given to him. I'd kindly request the season ticket holders who have obviously already paid to kindly place banners around the ground before leaving........and the last one out to please turn the lights off!

[Villa_Dan]

I want burning effigies and threats to Lerner's personal safety. Won't achieve anything but would make me feel better. 

As I mentioned last night - Lerner didn't even listen to the advice of the board he wanted to have in place so clearly he's lost the plot entirely. Protests or boycotts will have as much impact as King and Bernstein did - nothing. The man doesn't care.

[ViewFromT2]

Club announcement at 10am?

[smetro]

Club announcement at 10am?

What - it wasn't gabby in that picture - just someone who looked like him !

[smetro]

I want burning effigies and threats to Lerner's personal safety. Won't achieve anything but would make me feel better. 

As I mentioned last night - Lerner didn't even listen to the advice of the board he wanted to have in place so clearly he's lost the plot entirely. Protests or boycotts will have as much impact as King and Bernstein did - nothing. The man doesn't care.

I think a pitch invasion is well justified !

[ViewFromT2]

Club announcement at 10am?

What - it wasn't gabby in that picture - just someone who looked like him !

Putting all of the rumours together over the last 24 hours, the imminent announcement can only be that Hollis is walking too....or we have been bought. They already released a statement after yesterdays resignations, what c an they possibly be announcing today?

edit:...perhaps they are going to sack Agbonlahor?

[Guest]

and we go again

[Guest]

oooooooooooooooooo lary lary, lary lary lary lary ellison

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