How do you get a job done that you don’t know how to do?
You either hire a professional to do it or you train someone to become the professional to do it.
Villa board did neither of the two, they just tried to do the job by themselves. The problem with DIY jobs however, is that even though your initial objective is to save money, you end up one or several of the following: a very expensive lesson, a terribly bad job, a fairly okay job, a hospital trip, a waste time, a waste of money or in extremely bad cases, all of the above.
I think it’s fair to say Aston Villa have ended up with almost all of the above.
When Mr Lerner took over majority share holdings from Doug Ellis after 23 years and pledged to pump money into the club, there was optimism among the supporters.
But when managers started quitting while others were sacked, the signs became ominous and it became apparent that running any football club is just not about money, but of objective-strategy-tactics.
Lerner tried to run the club as a franchise: with profits, royalties and control.
From Martin O’Neill, Gerard Houllier, Alex Mcleish, Paul Lambert, Tim Sherwood and Remi Garde, the song was the same; don’t buy me the materials and ask me to build it with what you have given me, let me have a say in the materials you bring in.
Each time one of the managers complained too much, they either got sacked or left the club in mysterious circumstances.
Inevitably, the price is now being paid and Villa are down a league: the idea of profits and money and franchise has eventually failed and I hope this is a lesson to all those billionaires who bring money into Premier League clubs and try to satisfy their egos and turn the clubs into money printing machines: it’s not just about profits and money, the Premiership is about passion in the stands, passion in the dressing room and passion for the game.
I think it’s high time supporters say no to these billionaires who have no clue or who repeatedly err in judgement as they pursue self gratification and selfish interests.
CHELSEA LOOK ORDINARY
If eight months ago, someone had predicted that Chelsea would be out of the top eight and lose 0-3 at home to Manchester City a few games to the end of the season, the person would have been put in a mental institution. Well, it is happening! And don’t say the players don’t have anything to play for, when they did have something to play for earlier in the season the score line was still the same. And yes they’re playing for pride, ego and name! Really?
I have said it months ago that the problem was not the manager but this bunch of mercenaries who refuse to wear their hearts on their sleeves.
It was another lethargic display at the weekend and to be honest, it was as if some of the players had their stunt doubles playing for them.
I said that the previous manager’s biggest mistake was end of season abstinence from the transfer market and that is still the biggest problem in this team. The substitutes are either too young, still learning or simply not just good enough yet for this level, so I wonder what the scouting team are doing buying some of the players that they bring in so often!
Is it another case of billionaire having too much money and too much say in who comes and who goes?
Or is it a case of too many YES MEN just nodding their heads in the board room and just happy to buy the toys that the owner wants?
Or is it the case of a team of scouts who have absolutely no clue about what they’re doing but keep their jobs because they continue to please the billionaire?
I remember the famous lines ‘This club is in trouble. There is a palpable discord between the players and the manager’ Well, there is a palpable discord between players and reality at this moment in time and if you ask me, this club is in serious trouble now.
The top four places would be much tougher next season and I begin to sense that what happened years ago where we descended into the Thursday League is suddenly appearing once again on the horizons.
From defence to midfield and to attack, would these players respond to Conte’s demands? Where are the leaders? The champions and the Warriors?
Can this team play under pressure? Or would we have another palpable discord this September as they look for another pampering when they decide to throw the toys out of the prism again?
Time would tell, but there is serious trouble at the bridge in my opinion.
ARSENAL & BARCA NEED A SECOND TRICK
Just as I said last week, the problem with Barca is not the talent but the philosophy
My problem is not with how Barca play, I love their style of football but in life if it’s not working, it has to change and if it can be better, it should be modified.
At the moment, both Barca and Arsenal suffer from the same syndrome; a stubborn culture & a stubborn manager respectively.
1-1 against Palace in the title run-in and 1-2 against Valencia at home, to surrender their 10 point lead at the top of the Laliga are not exactly what you would expect from these two teams.
I think we can fairly say it’s lights out for Mr Wenger in the title race and Barcelona are as well toying with finishing the season with an empty cabinet, even though they started in pole position on all fronts.
Luis Enrique needs to come either come up with a plan B to see him over the line or use serious persuasive skills to manage the crisis and get the stars to play again with confidence and start winning matches.
Wenger? Maybe it’s time for change if he can’t change.