The Fear is next for the Vital Villa interview.
The Fear is next for the Vital Villa interview.
1) When did you become a Villa fan and why?
Born and bred, generations of Villa fans, it is the one thing I`d not buck the trend on … What a glorious thing to be born into, the claret and blue faith.
2) What is your favourite Villa moment of all time/most treasured memory?
There are many, but most treasured (and it is name dropping I`m afraid) is when Dennis Mortimer brought THE Cup over to me at Villa Park to say hi (Sheff Utd game few years back). Brought a tear to my eye (in a totally manly way obviously!)
I was also proud how the Club looked after me last year after I got a flair up of my brain aches to make sure I was able to get to games safely. They are very very kind behind the scenes for all sorts of fans.
3) If you could bring back a former Villa player into this team (at his peak) who would it be and why?
Wouldn`t mind McGrath, Laursen and Mellberg, maybe throw in Steve Staunton for good measure. I`d also love Gareth Barry and/or Dennis Mortimer at their peaks to help our young players through!
4) Paul Lambert? Your opinion please?
He could be a great manager for us. I thought he (and/or the board) pushed through the youth policy far too quickly last season and the gamble didn`t pay off, a season long relegation fight IS NOT the way to treat Aston Villa. BUT over time, and he has to have at least 3 seasons to see what he is doing take shape, he could be a great asset for the Club. I really hope so, after the last two choices we need a manager the fans have faith in and who can build a team and bring back the spirit to the field.
I have everything crossed but I do get fed up that we seem to be not able to question a thing he does without people thinking you are anti the boss! It is ok to question these people, they have thick skins and swollen wallets to compensate for the odd doubt here and there.
I like the direction, I like the youth coming through (that said, not sure how many of ‘our` youth will come through and how many will be the purchased ones. However, I do not believe without the right balance, we`ll get anywhere. I am therefore hoping that the blend is better when the 2013/14 season kicks off. Villa must learn from their mistakes.
5) Best and worst moments of last season?
The 19th minute each game was special. The win v Sunderland where you just ‘knew` safety was just about there was a great relief. Also nice to be able to ask Di Canio why he wasn`t taking the St Michael out of us once they had gone 3-1 down (and onward)
A few, Bradford to me was amateurish, I hope not to see such ridiculous tactics ever again. The thrashings were what I feared and I despised the humiliation the young players were being put through. Utmost respect to the youngsters that they didn`t totally crumble after those shock matches.
6) Some say last season was a success, others not so much. What is your opinion?
What a stupid question, who came up with that? {Note to self, YOU did}
It wasn`t a success. I find it totally disheartening when I read people say it was. I don`t care whose fault it was, it was a lousy season where we risked (AGAIN) our proud Premiership status. Sorry, we are a top ten Club, historically 5th and Prem wise now 6th (Spurs have just gone above us) No one should forget that, no one should accept less than top ten. Not the fans, not the board, not the manager and not the players.
The players needed help, they needed a bit of experience, it was obvious from the get go. Hope this coming season they have that AND obviously they are now more experienced themselves. And sorry, losing to a (in old terms) 4th division team over two legs… not good enough!
With that said, if they have learnt from the mistakes, if they can build on the promise of the young players, then we could be in for a good bit of entertainment in the coming seasons. But no, it wasn`t a success, the stats were amongst our worst ever, no one should deem that to be successful.
7) Your opinion of Randy Lerner and the board?
I`ve always liked him, done a lot of good, training facilities are spot on, made to suit the best players in the World then we seem to have sold all our ‘star` players and have a new policy bringing through youth and pretty much nothing but youth.
The change in policy was needed following the wage spirally under O`Neill but they should never have got that badly out of control in the first place. Worst thing to happen to Randy was MON in my opinion. MON would have done better under Ellis with a bit of wheeling and dealing required, but when he got big money he just couldn`t spend it and what he did spend was largely (not totally) wasted.
Ultimately Randy is the boss, when MON left he made two very very poor decisions, one a sick elderly (or older) gent (who might have actually done better as Director of Football with someone like McAllister below him) and then poor old Alex.
That left me scratching my head. As did a few sales where the money didn`t go back directly into team re-building.
He can`t dine out on the great facilities and refurbs forever and the next season or two are critical for him. Three relegation battles in a row is not what Villa fans want or expect and to finish below Midlands rivals doesn`t go down well.
In his defence, it is his money he has put in (ok, some from his Trust etc I realise). So he has put his money where his mouth is, where previous owners/chairmen have taken a lot of money out. Is Randy now fed up because of the mad money being spent by Man City? Has he realised what a bottomless pit it is?
Not sure. Still think there are far worse owners out there, but he cannot make any more silly managerial choices, it does appear to have shaken a lot of fans faith in what they are doing. Hopefully he and Lambert can repair that.
8) Which player/s should Villa sign this summer?
No good me saying, I don`t have an army of scouts. I would have thought it obvious we need experience. We have six players for what looks like under £12 (ish) million. Are we really that short of funds that this can`t now be supplemented with a couple of £10million purchases to shake things up and add quality to help our young prospects?
9) Which player/s should Villa get rid of this summer?
Same as others have said, Dunne gone, Ireland is no use to Villa as Lambert obviously isn`t interested and we are no use to him so hope he gets a new club. I like Bent but if he isn`t going to be played. Bannan. I hope we keep Herd. Oh and Given needs first team football.
10) Favourite current player?
Andreas Weimann. Plays with his heart on his sleeve. Has a lovely shot, his positional play is superb and I just like his attitude.
11) Who was your first footballing hero and who are your favourite all time player/s?
How long have we got? Can`t name them all!
I can`t list them all. If I say Ian Taylor he MIGHT buy me a pint one of the days. Also, Sir Dennis Of Mortimer who I have been lucky enough to get to know. Top quality guy, should be central to things at Villa in my ever so humble opinion, would love to see more club ambassadors like Tayls and think OUR captain, Dennis, should be top of the tree.
Loved the Yorke years, Morley, Sid, (oh god, now I`m off) all the 82 squad… Laursen, Mellberg.. Bosnich, Spinks was great… Peter Withe and his shin… Also met Ken McNaught not long back for the Lions and Legends website and he`s a top guy, truly nice character. I could go on and on (as most of you will no doubt have noticed)… Also … no, I`ll stop there.
12) What do you expect us to do/finish this season?
Premier: 12th, if we buy just a wee bit of experience, top 10
FA Cup: Win, easy…
Capital One: Win, if you don`t believe, what is the point!
13) You can ask yourself any question you want to about Villa and what is your answer?
No thanks, I don`t want to!
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? Cheryl Cole. Not at all creepy but in Eminem ‘Stan stylee` we should be together…..!!!!!!!!!! I`d love to meet the Rolling Stones simply to say thank you, Ian Gillan to talk about his career and Tony Blair to call him a war criminal to his face.
I wouldn`t say no to an afternoon spent in New York with David Bowie either.
b) Age 44.5
c) Location: Walking where angels fear to tread.
d) Favourite alcoholic drink: I do like that Japanese beer Ashahi and also Molson Dry doo dah.
e) Favourite non-alcoholic drink: Water via my Bebo water filter! Herbal teas.
f) Favourite Film/s: So many, Goodfellas, Reservoir Dogs, Devils Advocate, Pulp Fiction, Shawshank… I could go on and on.
g) Favourite TV Show/s: The Wire, The Sopranos, love nature programmes, like a lot of the American stuff, the Good Wife has been decent and a new one on TCM called Hell on Wheels, (old fashioned western type) is promising. House was great as well. Oh and Game of Thrones and the Fast Show… Not forgetting one of the best ever, Breaking Bad.
h) Music?: Very wide choice, got over 1400 cds, I adore the Rolling Stones, just soooo good. Also U2, Bruce Springsteen, Zep, the old metal like Motorhead, Gillan, Deep Purple, Sabbath, Zepp, Guns n Roses, the older Whitesnake stuff etc. Music is like oxygen to me basically, feeds the old soul and keeps me company (as I don`t allow anyone else in Fear Towers, they might dirty the place up) Also like The Prodigy/Chase & Status etc for their anger ! LOL
i) Best ever moment in your life: any time spent with my nephew and niece, surviving 11 ops, winning the lottery (still to come!) I`m also pretty fond of looking in the mirror, I tell you, it is the gift that just keeps giving! I was very proud to win that Footballs Biggest Fan comp a year ago and the resulting prize was brilliant (an all expenses paid trip to South Africa… Deanovilla got attacked by a spider which made it all the better a trip!)
j) Ambitions: I`m much like the Stone Roses, I wanna be adored!
k) Wise words: If at first you don`t succeed, sky diving is not for you.
Now your turn, how to submit an interview: click here
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