Villa fans call for investment
Aston Villa fans want the funds promised to manager David O’Leary to “turn into reality” and give him the spending power for major signings after the departure of Darius Vassell.
O’Leary had been given assurances by chairman Doug Ellis – and the now departed chief executive Bruce Langham – of the financial backing to transform the fortunes of the midlands club.
But he has barely spent £3m (€4.3m) on signing Patrik Berger, Aaron Hughes, Stuart Taylor and Kevin Phillips – with a slice of that sum to be repaid already if Vassell’s £2.5m (€3.6m) switch to Manchester City is completed.
Supporters are prepared to trust O’Leary’s judgement in deciding to allow Vassell to leave even though they now currently have three strikers in Phillips, Juan Pablo Angel and rookie Luke Moore.
But they are hoping O’Leary will have the financial clout to bring in the big-name signings associated with the club in the past and Liverpool’s Milan Baros remains top of his list of possible replacements for Vassell.
Villa Fans Combined spokesman Jonathan Fear said: “I think people are surprised at the Vassell sale. To be fair he has never fulfilled his potential at Villa and his strike rate has always been poor for us.
“However the ’surprise’ is to do with the fact we were promised significant funds this summer for new arrivals but at the moment we have had more leaving than coming in.
“Not only that, but David O’Leary has obviously been forced to target the lower-priced end of the market.
“As for Vassell, I would have thought with a squad the size that we have got, and the fact the purchase price looks extremely low, on the surface it may have been better to keep him.
“However, as he only had one year left on his contract – something the board have a bad habit of allowing to happen – and with constant links to Milan Baros, maybe the sale was made to clear the way for a big arrival?
“I don’t think the Villa fans are exactly holding their breath in anticipation of these ‘significant funds’ transpiring but I’m sure everyone would be thrilled if – for once – the promises turn into reality.
“David O’Leary has stated that he felt Vassell had gone ‘stale’ at Villa and you have to trust the managers’ instinct on these things.
“However, if Vassell was ‘stale’ and had got ‘set in his ways’ after his time at Villa, then maybe we should all look a little bit higher and see what effect time has had on our chairman as he is the one that has truly allowed the whole club to grow stale.
“I think Villa fans are praying for some big name signings but more importantly the news from the chairman that he will finally relent and give power to people slightly less ‘stale’ and ‘set in their ways'.
"I’m not totally confident that either prayer will be answered.”
