Vital Villa Interviews 2013 – bigdave78

bigdave78 is next for the Vital Villa interview.

bigdave78 is next for the Vital Villa interview.

1) When did you become a Villa fan and why?

All my life. Both sides of the family are claret and blue through and through.

2) What is your favourite Villa moment of all time/most treasured memory?

The 1994 league cup win. That side produced some of the best attacking football ever seen from the Villa. Other notable mentions are the 96 league cup and beating Inter Milan 2-0 at Villa Park 1990/91. I have a vague recollection of 82 as well. I was 4 and the old man was rather happy to say the least!


3) If you could bring back a former Villa player into this team (at his peak) who would it be and why?

Paul McGrath would be the obvious choice given our defensive record last season. I believe that a lot of our back 4 problems have been down to the midfield however so I would probably say Dennis Mortimer. Would add a bit of steel and creativity at the same time.

4) Paul Lambert? Your opinion please?

Very pleased. Other than a 2 week period over Christmas were my support wavered for him slightly I have been very impressed. I can see what he is trying to do and fully buy into it.

5) Best and worst moments of last season?

The 6-1 win against Sunderland. We had been threatening to turn someone over like that for a while. The 8-0. All I can say about that is we were lucky it wasn’t a lot worse. The only game of football I have ever witnessed were the team that got battered had the goalkeeper as far and away there best player.

6) Some say last season was a success, others not so much. What is your opinion?

I viewed it as a necessary evil to be honest. I knew we would struggle as not only did we have a lot of new faces to gel, there was also a lack of premiership experience. Finished the season with a bang though. I have said it before and I will say it again, something happened in that dressing room at halftime during the Newcastle game at Villa Park. After one of the worst halves of football I have witnessed at VP, they came out in the second half with there heads up, smiling and were unlucky not to win and more than deserved a point. From that point they didn’t look back.

7) Your opinion of Randy Lerner and the board?

Plan A was champ league within 5 years, didn’t work but he backed O’Neil fully and if we had got there, the extra revenue would have covered O’Neil’s transfer mistakes. It was worth a punt but it could only go on for so long without reaching the goal. Listen, I would love to go and sign Iniesta, Messi, Ronaldo etc but not if it risks the future of Aston Villa Football Club. Lerner needed to and is still reigning things in to make the club we all love sustainable. Football is about opinions and I am not always right but I back Lerner, can see what he is doing and more importantly why he is doing it. The board have made mistakes and by taking on, ‘he who should not be named’, put unneeded pressure on themselves, but hey, we all make mistakes and they are proving that they are learning from the mistakes they make.

8) Which player/s should Villa sign this summer?

McCarthy and McManaman from Wigan, Tom Ince from Blackpool and I like the look of the 2 players we have been linked with in Belhanda (fantastic but unlikely I feel) and Okore. I also like Okore’s international team mate Kjaer as well. Never seemed to reach his potential. Only 24, experienced and Lambert could get the best out of him. We also need a left back. Give Bennett the benefit of the doubt here he may well improve but at the moment we need someone who has better positional sense in that area with the way we play.

9) Which player/s should Villa get rid of this summer?

Hutton (worst full back I have ever seen at Villa), Ireland, Holman ( unbelievable work rate but lacks an end product), Albrighton ( Championship player for me) and with the exception of Lichaj, the ones who have already departed. Given and Bent would free up wages but in an ideal world you would keep them as back up.

10) Favourite current player?

I like a few at the moment, Weimann, Benteke, Westwood, Lowton, Sylla could be a great player and Delph is finally living up to his potential. For me though and this may surprise a few, its Nathan Baker. Heart on his sleeve, local lad and throws himself in front of everything. The great centre halves, Moore, Beckenbaur, McGrath, Baresi etc always seemed to have a second or two extra time. That’s what sets them apart from very good centre halves. I can see this in Baker. The occasional mistakes are becoming fewer and they are highlighted more when they happen as he plays in a critical area. This season will have done him the power of good and I can see him becoming a Holte End hero.

11) Who was your first footballing hero and who are your favourite all time player/s?

Tony Daley was my hero as a kid. Fastest footballer I have ever seen. You could feel the excitement in the Holte every time he got the ball. His crossing was questionable however, ran too fast to be accurate. My all time favorites are McGrath, Teale, Taylor, Cowans, Merson, Petrov, Angel, Platt, Spink, Deano…. there are more but I will back anyone who plays for the shirt and values the meaning and importance of Aston Villa Football Club.

12) What do you expect us to do/finish this season?

Premier 8th (I think we will be the surprise package this year)
FA Cup: Semi
Carling: Winners (why the hell not)!

13) You can ask yourself any question you want to about Villa and what is your answer?

Q: Dave, why did you never play for Villa?
A: Because I am fat, unfit and not very good at football

14) Just to change the theme slightly, a snap shot of you outside of football, answer or ignore at your leisure:
(based on our WHO ARE YOU thread!!!)

a) Which celebrity/s would you most like to meet and why? Jonathan Fear, club legend. Enough said.
b) Age 35
c) Location: Hicksville in Worcestershire
d) Favourite alcoholic drink: Jack Daniels
e) Favourite non-alcoholic drink: Orangeade
f) Favourite Film/s: The Godfather, Goodfellas, Sleepers, Shawshank Redemption and just watched a great film called St Georges Day.
g) Favourite TV Show/s: Aircraft Investigation, Two and a half men and Soccer AM.
h) Music?: The Doors, Guns and Roses, Bon Jovi, Sinatra, Katie Perry, (though just the video’s). Very wide and varied.
i) Best ever moment in your life: The birth of my children.
j) Ambitions: To make a ridiculous amount of money, buy the Villa and bring back the glory days.
k) Wise words: May the best of your past be the worst of your future. I pinched that from St Georges Day. Couldn’t think of anything else.

Now your turn, how to submit an interview: click here

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