I must have felt a bit like the white-suited Ricardo Montalban on Fantasy Island yesterday.
The star of the late 1970s TV blockbuster: "Fantasy Island" used to get up close and personal to his 'Tattoo' as his character Mr Roarke, the wise-old fox of an overseer of a mysterious island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.
Tattoo, played by the diminutive Herve Villechaize, would bound up and down a tree having caught sight of the week's guests.
Anyway....I'm losing my point. I saw the Tattoo yesterday...there at the Holte Hotel.
Not a small Mexican-looking chap (sorry to continue the metaphor if you are below 35 years of age), but a real tattoo.
You know the one....the one 'supposedly' sported by Villa's American Chairman Randy Lerner.
The story went like this...
I'd been invited, along with 20 or so other journalists, to the refurbished building as Lerner met the written press for the first time in eight months. Not since a snowbound Bodymoor Heath in February had we had the pleasure.
And well worthwhile it was too.
Lerner was late getting from his private plane. Villa's media officer Phil Mepham had performed the duties of taxi driver to bring him to Villa Park (I'd wondered if he did this sort of thing 9am-5pm).
If I'm honest, my hopes weren't high. My immediate suspicions were that Mr Lerner wasn't comfortable. He'd just jumped off a long flight and looked weary. But I was wrong...very wrong.
Lerner spoke for 35 minutes to the daily papers - everything from money for players, Martin O'Neill and the England job, his admiration and friendship with his manager - which is boundless - to his love of Banks' and Tetley bitter.
He was eloquent, thoughtful, witty, sometimes devilish, sometimes curt, but mostly excellent value.
The Sunday papers got another 20 minutes...then I got lucky with an extra 30 minutes.
Lerner even bought the beer. Mepham, yes him again, delivered the pints on a gleaming silver tray.
I turned my tape off. We chatted some more. I asked about the supposed tattoo.
He thought a moment, smiled, then plonked his right leg on the table and rolled up his trouser just above the ankle. There it was...in all its glory... (It would be quite wrong of me to say any more).
All I will say is that Lerner has a genuine passion for Villa, he holds a genuine love for the club and is focused on delivering 'a bright future' - a motto my mate Geoff Coleman gave to the club last year.
I hope he has surrounded himself with the right people. Times are good right now - even if they fall to United tomorrow.
The test will be in 18 months when the gloss has worn off a little. Then Lerner's advisors will need to earn their keep. Momentum is crucial.
Until that moment though, Lerner deserves to bask in the glory of a giant that is slowly awkening. Bring on tomorrow!
Comments (2)
He should have had 'sucker' tattoed instead.
Posted by Beau the Brummie | October 23, 2007 12:01 PM
Posted on October 23, 2007 12:01
What does the tattoo say then?
'Mug' or 'I love Harewood'?
Did the rest of your mate Geoff Coleman's catchphrase go 'bright future . . . but still living in the past?'
Posted by David D'Oh!Leary | October 29, 2007 5:02 PM
Posted on October 29, 2007 17:02