General Krulak Returning To Vital Villa

A message from General Krulak

‘After a lengthy spell away from the web site over the holidays, I am returning to take your questions. I recognize, up front, that some might question my return now after our recent signings based on my absence during the rough spell over the past 6 weeks. I have read the word ‘coward’ more than once…and my return will probably only serve to exacerbate that point. The reality is quite different…and involves a personal issue that some of you know I have been wrestling with for some time now. Whatever one feels, I am back just as I promised I would be…before the holidays.

It has been a very tough fall for our Club. The results have not been what any of us would have wanted them to be. We are not out of the woods yet…we have a long, tough, road to negotiate but we are dedicated to doing just that. There is not a single person from GH, to Randy, to Paul, to the Board, to the Players, to the Staff at Villa Park who is not totally focused on moving the Club forward. We do not expect this to be an easy process but we are totally committed to being successful in our efforts.

This total commitment became most visible during the past week or so…but the transfer window should not obscure the fact that YOUR Club has always been committed to creating a Club that everyone can be proud of and willing to support. What has taken place in the past week or so can be directly attributable to three people…our Manager, our CEO and our Chairman. GH cast his net wide…looked at players that were possibly available…started his efforts in a timely manner…and worked hard to bring the deals to fruition. He was a driving factor behind the entire effort.

Our CEO and the Staff at Bodymoor Heath and Villa Park provided support to the Manager as he did his work…there are, as you know, many steps that must be taken to make such deals a reality. PF and others did yeoman work to help everything move forward. At the end of the day, it was Randy who had the final say. There are some who have questioned Randy’s commitment over the past months…I think he has answered those questions. Simply put, I have continually said that Randy is committed to Aston Villa Football Club. He has shown this in so many, many, ways. The Holte Pub, the Holte Suite, the upgrade of the entire Villa Park, the new training facility, and the willingness to help build the squad are but examples of this commitment. When things are not going exactly how we would like them to be going, there is a natural tendency to start pointing fingers.

I think we all recognize that as a fact of life. I think what is important is that we try to look beyond the immediate circumstances and have faith that everyone at the Club wants the same thing as you do…consistent, successful, exciting, football on the Pitch and a welcoming environment at Villa Park. That is the goal…that has always been the goal.

I would be remiss is I didn’t say something about our players…new and old. We have a fine squad. They are good people….they care about the Villa….they want to win as much as any of us want to win. They work very hard during the week. They share in the happiness of a victory and share in the frustration of a defeat. Each and every game they go out on the Pitch and play their socks off. No one is a quitter…not one of them feels good after a tough loss. Each of them represents the Villa…and are proud to wear our colors. As new players put on the claret and blue for the first time and run out of the tunnel and onto the Pitch, they become part of our ‘Family’ and we need to welcome them aboard as loudly as we can.

This brings me to the Fans. At the end of the day, you all are the Club. Without your support, we will never be able to achieve the success that we all seek. I know that these are tough economic times and I believe that the Club has recognized that fact and tried hard to keep the cost to the fan at a low price. Your attendance at the games is critical. Your voices at the games make a HUGE difference to the players on the Pitch. Obviously, your attendance at the games also helps the Club economically. I would simply ask that in the following days and weeks, if you can make it to a game, please come. Semper Fidelis, General Krulak’

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