Open Letter to Randy Lerner
By Alan Clark, Tuesday October 17th, 2006.
Today I wrote an email and tried sending it to every possible variation of an email address that someone at Aston Villa might have! (using emails found on their website as a guide)
All but one came back (and that was a general info email) so I guess no luck, unless someone happens to pass it along. Anyways....I thought I'd post it here as an open letter...
Dear Randy
I appreciated the remarks made recently about your ownership in Villa being 'for the right reasons', I also understand your ties to the UK. The start of your tenure could not have been better, so congrats there and commendations on the appointment of Martin O'Neil, one of the best managers of our generation.
What I am wondering is why you aren't involved in MLS?
As a successful sports owner, with an apparent passion for football/soccer, surely helping the game out at home should be an option you consider?
Your experience and financial muscle would be an asset to the league and especially now you are invested in AVFC, the option to include North American sister team just plain makes sense. The ability share resources and staff, as well as providing a year round calendar for your players where required is also priceless. It's essentially a way to have two teams for the price of one! It would also be a great way to promote the Villa brand in the US where it concedes considerable ground on the 'larger' EPL/European clubs.
It's disappointing that Malcolm Glazer and yourself would choose to invest so heavily in the sport abroad, yet not at home where the costs are much smaller and the influence of your benevolence could be much greater.
MLS is a league on the brink - I say this as both a fan and an observer. The influx of new ownership, soccer-specific-stadia, expansion and a plethora of recent tv/commercial agreements, shows that MLS is on the rise. I think that other owners have noticed this and that now is the time to step in to be involved in the league as it prepares to take the proverbial 'next step'.
I appreciate single-entity is not for all, but it's clear that the league is moving away from this as it diversifies it's ownership and moves to a more conventional franchise model. The league is ripe, and I for one would love your experience and leadership to join the league.
I wish you well in all your ventures Mr Lerner, and I hope that one day [soon] that might include a foray into MLS - there's plenty of markets available and fans, like myself, willing and waiting to pick up a new team in our region. The US is a big place, big enough for the World's Game.
Best Regards
Alan Clark
aljarov@hotmail.com
Probably totally pointless, but it made me feel better.....
Dear Randy
I appreciated the remarks made recently about your ownership in Villa being 'for the right reasons', I also understand your ties to the UK. The start of your tenure could not have been better, so congrats there and commendations on the appointment of Martin O'Neil, one of the best managers of our generation.
What I am wondering is why you aren't involved in MLS?
As a successful sports owner, with an apparent passion for football/soccer, surely helping the game out at home should be an option you consider?
Your experience and financial muscle would be an asset to the league and especially now you are invested in AVFC, the option to include North American sister team just plain makes sense. The ability share resources and staff, as well as providing a year round calendar for your players where required is also priceless. It's essentially a way to have two teams for the price of one! It would also be a great way to promote the Villa brand in the US where it concedes considerable ground on the 'larger' EPL/European clubs.
It's disappointing that Malcolm Glazer and yourself would choose to invest so heavily in the sport abroad, yet not at home where the costs are much smaller and the influence of your benevolence could be much greater.
MLS is a league on the brink - I say this as both a fan and an observer. The influx of new ownership, soccer-specific-stadia, expansion and a plethora of recent tv/commercial agreements, shows that MLS is on the rise. I think that other owners have noticed this and that now is the time to step in to be involved in the league as it prepares to take the proverbial 'next step'.
I appreciate single-entity is not for all, but it's clear that the league is moving away from this as it diversifies it's ownership and moves to a more conventional franchise model. The league is ripe, and I for one would love your experience and leadership to join the league.
I wish you well in all your ventures Mr Lerner, and I hope that one day [soon] that might include a foray into MLS - there's plenty of markets available and fans, like myself, willing and waiting to pick up a new team in our region. The US is a big place, big enough for the World's Game.
Best Regards
Alan Clark
aljarov@hotmail.com
Probably totally pointless, but it made me feel better.....
posted by Aljarov a.k.a Al Clark at
2:12 PM
1 Comments:
because the MLS is a joke and Lerner is an astute businessman with good taste. Good taste is English football over the MLS. You obviously don't understand the prestige involved in running a successful Premiership club. I know this is almost 2 years old but I just found it
By
Anonymous, at 12:46 PM
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