TFT meets...General Charles Krulak

Meet General Charles C. Krulak.

He is a remarkable man, with over 35 years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps.

A Vietnam veteran, General Krulak - from Quantico, Virginia - is highly decorated, much-admired and, frankly, a bit of a legend.

Then, in September 2006, the General introduced himself to Aston Villa fans as a non-executive director on the club’s board.

It was the latest phase in a loyal friendship between Krulak and the Lerner family, and followed Randy Lerner’s takeover of the club.

The General kindly agreed to answer some questions for Two Footed Tackle, and told me about his links with the Lerner family:

“Mr. Lerner and I are very close friends and, in many ways, he is like a son to me. I knew his father well and admired him. Randy is very much like his father in many ways, but is also unique.

“My day-to-day role with Villa is to ‘do windows’. I do whatever Randy wants me to do - and that can’t be put into any set category or job.”

One of the windows looked after by Krulak is part of the club’s remarkable communication with its supporters. After his appointment, the General embarked upon his latest mission: to speak directly to fans on the internet, answer their questions and, to a certain extent, act as the public face of a board more interested in getting things done than getting things said.

“I am on several sites: Heroes & Villains, Vital Football, VillaTalk, the official website. I do it to help the club understand what the fans are thinking and how they are responding to our efforts. I listen to the good, the bad and the ugly, and try to pass on all legitimate comments to those who need to know.”

The supporters’ reaction has been as positive as one might expect. Direct communication with the football club they love has fostered not only near-total pro-Lerner support at Villa Park, but also cult hero status for General Krulak. He walks the stadium before games talking to fans and, in return, is incredibly popular.

“I have learned that Villa fans are passionate, that they love their team and that they have little patience for warm beer and queues. Brummies are special, and you need to understand them. I’ve also learned that transfer windows are not good times to be on a website.”

Aside from having the fans onside, one of the central strengths of the new Villa regime is the mutual respect between Randy Lerner and the club’s manager, Martin O’Neill.

“Randy and Martin get along extremely well. They have mutual respect for each other and like each other as people. They have the same goals for the club and that makes things easy. Randy has complete faith in Martin…and Martin in Randy.”

One comment the General made rings particularly loudly in the current climate. With Manchester City, Newcastle United, Manchester United, Liverpool and Everton all suffering boardroom strife (though Old Trafford is generally peaceful during times of success), my question about foreign owners did not raise in General Krulak the need to comment any further than this: “We are blessed to have Randy.”

The vast majority of Aston Villa fans agree, and most would argue that the Lerner package is helped greatly by the willing, witty, and truthful Krulak doing his thing.

The key, though, is that the words of the board are backed up with actions. I know that General Krulak is proud of the redevelopment of the Holte pub, the Holte End mosaics and the general tarting up of the club’s property, and there’s more to come. The next improvements will, no doubt, match their predecessors by improving the matchday experience aesthetically and in terms of treatment of the fans.

“We are going to have future developments at Villa Park, but it is too early to share them. We are still awaiting the results of a study we commissioned.”

It’s all a far cry from the leadership of Doug Ellis, and the future is as bright as the history is proud.

With all the serious business dealt with, I thought I would be neglecting my duties as a blogger if I didn’t glibly ask the General one or two questions more usually found on the kids’ page of a matchday programme. I went for ‘who is your favourite Villa player?’ and ‘is there another Premier League team which has caught your eye?’

“I really should not state a player, it’s not good for a director to name someone above everyone else. I am very proud of all our lads. I enjoy watching Arsenal play when they are passing crisply and accurately. Very pretty to see.”

And on that note, I think it’s safe to end this post declaring that, thankfully, there are people in football, even right at the top of clubs, who know their stuff and, more importantly, care about it.

General Krulak, thank you for your time. Good luck for the coming season.

(Photo Credit: Birmingham Mail)