How the astute approach of Paul Lambert has saved Villa from further embarrassment

Alex McLeish

Furthermore, at the end of McLeish’s 2011 / 2012 season, Aston Villa had only made small indentations on the wage bill, reducing the overall figure from 90% to around 87.5%. In terms of annual losses, Villa had managed to slash losses by £36m under McLeish to £17m, mainly due to the sales of Ashley Young and Stewart Downing. In previous seasons Villa had accrued £54m, £38m and £47m losses under Gerard Houllier and Martin O’Neill.

The reduction of losses was a positive start for Aston Villa, but under Alex McLeish the club suffered a large drop in revenue of £11.7m. This was mainly due to the low attendances, as gates under Gerard Houllier had averaged 37,000, compared to 34,000 under McLeish.

When McLeish lost both Downing and Young, he replaced the star wingers with less effective players who were rewarded with contracts similar to those enjoyed by Young and Downing. Jermaine Jenas, for example, was loaned on big wages from Tottenham by McLeish despite being injury prone. Inevitably, Jenas broke down shortly after he arrived, and Villa were left with the bill and a big gap in central midfield.

Paul Lambert’s arrival at the club, however, has heralded a dramatic shift in the policy of the club. Rather than buying players from other Premier League clubs who were already on big wages like Hutton, Given and N’Zogbia, Lambert has recruited from the lower divisions and across Europe, where wages do not equal the excessive amounts paid by Premier League clubs.

In a sporting sense, as well as a financial sense, the future of Aston Villa appears to be in good health under Paul Lambert. Lambert has introduced a more meritocratic wage system, where good performances are rewarded with improved contracts. Players who play well have been rewarded with new deals such as Ashley Westwood and Christian Benteke, whereas others who have not played quite so well have remained on their current deals.

At the end of the 2011 / 2012 season Queens Park Rangers, net debt had crept up to £89m, closely behind Arsenal on £98m and Villa on £122m. Since these figures were recorded, Villa have continued to slash their losses, particularly in terms of wages. In contrast, Q.P.R have spent large figures on transfer fees whilst also giving lucrative contracts to players such as Jose Bosingwa and Junior Hoilett.

In the world of star struck football journalism, some football managers are venerated and mythologised by a chorus of toadies in the press, who seem to forget that they are there to represent their readers, the fans. Following the fate of clubs such as Portsmouth, you might expect members of the football press to scrutinise and hold to account managers who routinely place their clubs in financial danger for short-term gain.

Luckily for Villa fans, Randy Lerner has appointed a manager in Paul Lambert whose project aims to develop the long-term financial and football interests of the club. Lambert has enabled Villa fans to hope that the club can now fully recover from the financial and sporting mistakes made under previous managers and build on Aston Villa’s history of success.