It has been a very myopic couple of years. Over the last couple of seasons, Aston Villa has been in turmoil over one thing or another. So much so, that we don’t see the trees for the forest regarding the rest of the Premier League; and, to some degree, the Championship. A few of the regulars on Aston Villa Life have friends or family who have ties to other football clubs, and are aware to the goings on at said clubs. Some of us live in different cities and walk about in secrecy of everything Villa and know what the local team is all about.
To a large degree, many of the clubs have owners who don’t have bottomless pockets, so they do their business on a prudent course. Some clubs are owned by a literal Fort Knox, and financial prudence doesn’t exist. And others are owned by wanna-bes: some with money and some not. Not every owner has a billion kicking around in the creases of the sofa. Several are under 500,000 in net worth.
Here is the problem Villa faces (along with many others). How can we be financially stable and compete with unlimited oil money? This has been the cause of all the turmoil at Villa and lots of others:
- Villa spent and almost made it. Others have, too, and few were successful.
- Sharp cutbacks. Other teams have, but most sold on relegation and made their Premiership return near impossible.
- Buying within financial means. Arsenal have done this for a while.
- Staying the course with a plan. Arsenal are, but are constantly under pressure.
This is what Lerner has done in his six years.
Two weeks ago, I disagreed with Lerner’s plan for 2013, and painted him as nothing more than a tinkerer with big ideas. I still think he is going to miss the boat regarding the Premier League and not stay up. I hope he proves me wrong.
There are several ways of viewing Aston Villa:
A fan looks at the club and wants nice play and a decent spot on the table. Perhaps a couple of players who are club darlings. Few of us are willing to wait a couple of years for the team to turn around; and, so, some want instant gratification. None of us want anything to do with battling relegation, but that’s a given.
An owner looks at it a little differently, and it’s not always to the fans’ best interest. Apart from a few owners, he wants financial stability before competing higher up the table. Remember: Manchester City underwrites every seat in Etihad to the tune of 240 pounds per game. There really is only one way to do this, and that is by growing players – or buying raw talent. Raw talent on some scout’s say-so. Villa has decided that this is the way to go, fans be damned. Lambert was hired and you can’t tell me he didn’t know what the plan was. With success, this will probably put him in the top tier of managers in the world. He has taken a gamble as much as Lerner did with his about face with the money. They are both being exceptionally nervy with Villa’s status in the Premier League.
Fortunately, Villa have struck gold right away with Christian Benteke. Keep him or sell him, Villa comes out ahead of the game. Same for Andreas Weimann; and, just recently, Charles N’Zogbia. Stripped of every adjective, these players are assets: nothing more, nothing less. A piece of the puzzle that will make Villa a better team/investment for the future. Look at the stage players are in when Ferguson gives them the heave-ho. Villa also has a number of players/ potential assets in a more formative level. Good enough to play but not good enough to sell. Maybe next year or the next. As fans, we will have to deal with their development every week, whilst an owner looks at the possible asset. As time goes by, Villa’s level will improve, and the buy-develop-sell cycle with continue, only on a higher level than it is right now.
From what I can see, there are a lot of clubs with the same idea: ones who have been on the fast track doing this, and others that have taken a while to build a solid team. Things are changing in the two leagues, and Villa is in the middle of this mix. The league will be stronger for it; and, just perhaps, it will spread to the monied teams.
Yep, things aren’t rosy right now. I think the change in game plan is too quick; but, in the long term, Villa is putting a model in place that should work well into the future. Fans have to look at the potential of players coming and going for the team’s best interest. As fans, we can’t have an emotional tie to any one player – just what he brings to the table, skill or asset wise. It’s definitely a different way of thinking for me. More team and less individual player. Less emotion more clinical thinking. What a concept.
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