VTID – Heckanomics, Old Boys and Young Boys
By Jonathan Northall
Thank goodness those pesky international games are over, and we can get back to proper football. Villa’s season starts in earnest at 5:30pm on Saturday and the fixtures come thick and fast over the next few weeks. Here’s a few thoughts for this week and next:
Heckanomics
This isn’t my phrase, but one coined by the New York Red Bulls fanbase for Chris Heck’s time at the club as President of Business Operations. Heck’s price changes, and general attitude to the club and fans, managed to quick alienate their fanbase. Demonstrations at games ensued and Heck was gone in just over 12 months. Sound like a familiar story so far?
This week, Heck finally addressed the ticket prices – conveniently after the Bayern Munich game was sold out. Citing revenue generation as the driver for the Champions League pricing strategy, most fans took umbrage to the tone of the social media post. It seems that PSR is being cast as the bad guy in this story, and not Heck. Some fans think that Heck is just doing his job – generating revenue to afford better players, but does that extra Champions League ticket money make much of a contribution in that respect?
The ‘Heckanomics’ algorithm seems to include higher revenues to afford better players to generate better results to allow Villa to drive even higher revenues to afford even better players, and so on. But think about that one when the next gas bill arrives or Birmingham City Council’s 21% increases in council tax kick in. Sustainability rules in football are not about the consumer and clubs have to respond. It is how they respond that matters. It must be within the context of the club’s fans and its culture. Bayern Munich was always going to sell out. I just wonder to what cost for the average fan?
Spectre of Injuries
International breaks will be a massive concern for Villa fans this season. Not just in what the business operations team will do next, but for the possibility of injuries. When Ezri Konsa left the pitch on Tuesday night at Wembley, Villa fans would have felt a sick feeling. Unai Emery’s press conference on Friday has allayed fears of major concerns.
I did not think it was going to be middle of September when the squad depth was going to be tested. Luckily, that is not the case. We know that Matty Cash is out and the comebacks of Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara are still some time away. Unai Emery and Monchi have worked hard to plan for occasions like this with the summer’s transfer strategy. Fixtures are going to come thick and fast over the next few weeks, and it would be nice to think that phrases such as ‘load management’ and ‘rotation policy’ are used to describe team selections.
Old Boys and Young Boys
Coming back from the international break, Villa have two ideal fixtures on paper. Firstly, it is the visit of Everton on Saturday, before a visit to Switzerland to face BSC Young Boys in our first Champions League game. Everton cannot defend and have conceded ten goals in three Premier League fixtures. Young Boys are the reigning Swiss League champions but are at the bottom of the table after being winless in six games. However, Villa fans know that it does not always work out that way.
Everton will come to Villa Park with a game plan to stifle creativity and look to break away. They will not come to fight it out toe-to-two – that’s not Sean Dyche’s way. One can only imagine the dressing room after the unbelievable capitulation in Everton’s last game against Bournemouth. Villa fans should be prepared for a more attritional match; an early Villa goal, however, could signal another hammering for the beleaguered Toffees.
Tuesday evening in Switzerland will be a tougher encounter. Young Boys beat Galatasaray home and away to qualify for the Champions League. They are also unbeaten in the last five games. Also, they have plenty of Champions League experience. Last year, they were drawing at home to both RB Leipzig and Manchester City before conceding goals in the last 25 minutes of both games to lose 3-1. Patience will be the watchword at the Stadion Wankdorf; ideal opportunity perhaps for another Duran off-the-bench-then-score scenario.
Finally, a thought for Gary Shaw after his recent accident. Best wishes to him and his family and I am hoping for a swift recovery.
Until next time…UTV!
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