Are Aston Villa for sale and another pre-season

Another pre-season friendly yesterday and much like every other pre-season game, the result means very little, it's seeing the players play that is important for the new manager. And I'm not just writing that because of the result, pre-season matches haven't really been covered on the site.

However, I suspect Forest fans are happy this morning and good for them, it could be the highlight of their season.

Sorry, that was a cheap shot. I've got soft spot for Forest. There was a Forest fan at school and I always liked him for his staunch support, even though we were 8 years old and it would have been easy for him to change and the club certainly have a history to be proud of.

Some speculation

So now, we move to what is going to be the story of the day and that is that Lerner is apparently willing to listen to offers for Aston Villa.

Daily & Sunday Express
Despite denials by Villa Park’s chief executive Paul Faulkner that the NFL transaction won’t impact on his Premier League holding, Sunday Express Sport has been told by a reliable source that feelers have been put out for potential buyers of the Midlands club.

For what it's worth, Lerner gave it a go and for that he should be applauded and thanked, but with the sell to buy policy we have been operating for a while and for appointing the previous manager, he showed that it isn't going to happen with him.

There was also a huge amount of speculation last year that Lerner was looking to sell and I know it was just speculation, but remember when the stories came out in March that O'Neill would be leaving at the end of the season, it was denied but it happened, there is no smoke without fire.

Simply put, Lerner is another Doug Ellis. Nothing will be won with him (maybe the odd League Cup) but he shouldn't be blamed for it. Like I said above, he gave it a go. But there is a worry. Ellis wanted to know that the person he was selling to wouldn't bankrupt the club, Lerner has no such concern, he could sell to chicken farmers or a hairdresser.

Look, I'm not writing this to start an argument, but Lerner has lost interest and if someone came along and offered him what he had invested and maybe a little bit more, maybe not, you've got to fancy, after he just sold the legacy left to him by his father, that he'd sell up here too.

But if you want to use what the club have told us about this, remember, it is the same person that said the target was Europe and the same person that pushed through the appointment of the last manager.