There were reports at the weekend that Randy Lerner was willing to sell Aston Villa for £200mn and there are reports this morning that he wont be selling, but apparently he's looking for ways to generate new revenue.
I'm not sure where the first report came from but I had a conversation with someone a month or so ago who told me that there was talk that if the right offer came in, Lerner would be willing to sell, so it doesn't surprise me that the paper should end up hearing the same thing.
The story about Lerner not selling but wanting to raise money, that comes from Nursery at The Mirror. He prints what the club want him to print and it's mostly PR, so I'd take whatever he wrote with a pinch of salt.
He also works for the same group that owns the local press. I'm sure I don't need to write any more on this. But it will be everywhere this afternoon, hence this post.
I think it's funny, because there is talk that #AVFC are actually for sale at the moment.
— The Villa Blog (@AVFCBlog) December 22, 2013
Lerner lost interest in Aston Villa a long time ago
The truth is, he wont get the £200mn that he wants and is now no longer actively looking to sell it. He was looking for a buyer but after the mis-management of Aston Villa the club isn't worth anything close to what he wants. He tried though.
I can categorically confirm Aston Villa Football Club has absolutely not been put up for sale and that Randy Lerner is not actively looking to sell the club.
Paul Faulkner
And you have to remember that a football club isn't a normal business. Just because you pump money into a football club doesn't mean the value goes up. You've got to create sustainable growth, not just allow managers to buy whoever they want. You've got to have a plan.
This is just me guessing and I'm sure the title of the post is going to wind a few people up, but if Lerner really was interested in Aston Villa, where is he?
And I don't want Lerner to go, because I think his heart is in the right place. I just think he needs the right people around him, with the right ideas and the actual ability. I'm fairly sure he doesn't have those people at the moment hence where we are right now.
But if someone came along and gave him back his money, I'm fairly sure he'd sell. But this is all just opinion. But isn't that just as good as PR sometimes.