MacDonald now possibly looking at a move

[supertom]

What a mess. He was thrust into a job he initially didn't seem keen on. Really, no sooner than Martin walked out, we should have been working on getting a new fulltime manager.

Weeks of fannying around to see how KMac did, despite vocally never seeming remotely sure whether he wanted the role, mean were now still weeks away from having the new man up and running.

No sooner than it was apparent Kevin didn't 100% want the job, than we should have shifted into top gear. Right off the bat he was not exactly keen as mustard. And as has been shown, he's not got the credentials for the job. We've looked tactically naive under Mac. Not his fault he's put in a situation out of his comfort level.

And for him to still be doing the job after we've hired someone, is ludicrous. We should have kept the Houllier thing quiet and worked it out behind the scenes, and announced it WHEN he's ready to start. Ludicrous. Again, Randy's background isn't football. He's still learning, but he's handled this naively. I also have serious doubts about Faulkner.

Above all though, Martin has really twatted us leaving when he did. Arsehole! He could have left in May, head held high with some good grace, but his legacy will now be ditching us and leaving the club in a mess.

Wish Mac all the best though, whether he stays or go.

[sfx412]

How on earth have we got to this sorry state of affairs?  O'Neill leaving isn't an excuse for this fiasco, every day seems to bring more bad news at the moment.

Whilst I appreciate the angst and sympathise, it all stems from Mons late exit and not helped by the paucity of squad and tactics he elft behind.
I'm not totally convinced with the decision to announce Ged and then not announce his start date, but is it wrong to have in RL and Houllier 2 men who seem to want to honour contracts and play by the book. I'd prefer that than one who leaves us in the shit to furnace his own ego.
Its far from a satisfactory situation, but even when he takes over its going to be some time before the squad overcomes performances like Newcastle and Stoke. It seems RL has taken a calculated gamble and on last nights showing its not working.
such is life. In a time when most fans wax lyrically about the double standards and false dealing within football, we seem to have 2 men who don't.

[Mark H]

Well not unexpected as he will always think that it will be difficult when you have applied for the top job to stay around.  What I cannot understand is why he will not even consider being the assistant manager as surely thats they next logical step in his career and lets be honest is fair and good recognistion to the job he has done in caretaker role and for long excellent service to the club.  I cannot see him getting a job anytime soon that is better than assistant manager at Aston Villa.

[Captain Trips]

I said this would be the case. I know the board appreciated his efforts and gave him an interview, but he was never going to get the job on the patchy results achieved in his caretaker role. Randy should have given him a bonus and got GH to give him a role in first team coaching. It was always on the cards however that he would want to move on and try his hand at management now.

[Risso]

How on earth have we got to this sorry state of affairs?  O'Neill leaving isn't an excuse for this fiasco, every day seems to bring more bad news at the moment.

I agree totally - lets hope the General hasn`t gone back into his bunker, because right now I think the fans deserve some kind of statement that the CEO should be delivering in respect of Houllier`s date of arrival etc

"Proud History - Tight future" seems more apt at the minute

I think the General is finding that commanding armed forces is a very different ball game to communicating with football fans.

[NeilH]

There is absolutely no doubt that the turmoil that MON created has hit the club for six, but that was a  few weeks ago now and yet still there seem to be confusion and a general lack of effective management of the situation. The club have got to get a handle on this, as this aimless drifting is not good for anyone and this would simply not be tolerated out in the real corporate world.
The club has done so many things right in the last four years and has been very professionally run, but this has really damaged our reputation and the seeming lack of crisis and risk management is all rather worrying.
I do not wish to knock Randy, the General and co who have done an incredible job and were dealt a massive blow by an egotistical pillock who deliberately shafted the club and the fans. However this crisis called for strong decisive management, not just in finding the right replacement, but also in managing those within the storm, namely Kevin Mc, the players and the fans. I just don’t believe they have done this effectively and if just hope that once this is resolved, the damage is not too great and lessons are well and truly learned about managing risk and enduring there is succession management no matter what.

[Ads]

 Not really. The only people who whinge and moan more than football fans are those in the military.

[maidstonevillain]

How on earth have we got to this sorry state of affairs?  O'Neill leaving isn't an excuse for this fiasco, every day seems to bring more bad news at the moment.

How on earth do you not think that O'Neil leaving is the single biggest contributor to all of what has happened over the last 5 weeks.

Manager went
Assistant Manager
Coach
Physio
Scout - that fucker knew exactly what he was doing and the fact that the timing would have had the most devastating effect. He knew that a successor would be so difficult to find and ultimately us punters (not me) would eventually turn on the board as they tried to keep it all together

Some would say he is a very calculated and cunning man (MON)

I would say he is a c*** of the highest order.

As for Kev Mac - west Ham was great, Newcastle a disaster, Rapid an embarrassment, Everton nerve wracking, last night again inexperience and niavety was apparrant. And lets face it he has done enough of the messing about in the press as the board ar perceived to have done "Will i wont I, do i want the joh i am not sure"

THis aint a sweetshop you were asked to look after - it was the mighty Aston Villa - if you have the hump then thanks for the effort of tha past but no fuck off also - we want people here who want to be here

JUst like with MON - its an honour for you to be with us - not the other way round

Whist I might have worded it differently- my thoughts exactly.

[pablopicasso_10]

what a ridiculous farcical fuck up this whole summer has been...

[olaftab]

AV Management have been piss poor on this. Once  the statement was made that  new Manager must have PL experience than why didn't the CEO  talk to KMac  to tell him not to apply and assure him that his job as Reserve Coach is  safe as long as he wants it?  Why raise his expectation by  interviewing  him? The  people management side of our CEO leaves a lot to be desired.
We are the laughing stock of  the media  today. FFS I understand GH has commitments but why not lay out the plan  right at the start last Friday so that everyone understands where they are?
On Saturday we will have a man in  charge who is totally disappointed with the goings on  trying to motivate  the team to win a football match. A complete farce.

[peter w]

To be fair if he wants to go, go. I really couldn't be arsed right now. Well, clearly I can. But if he doesn't want to be here anymore then go at the earliest opportunity. We need to have stability and if that means losing McDonald then so be it.



EDIT: Just seen Hookey's post and I agree with it wholeheartedly.

[pmk1981]

this is stupid,  get houllier in asap

what i dont get is when people like me and u resign from a job we have to work notice ( fair enough ) but if you didnt want to work notice you wouldnt get paid for it...

part of me thinks that houllier "didnt really want this job" but for 8 million quid he thought "why not"

[Dr Butler]

this is stupid,  get houllier in asap

what i dont get is when people like me and u resign from a job we have to work notice ( fair enough ) but if you didnt want to work notice you wouldnt get paid for it...

part of me thinks that houllier "didnt really want this job" but for 8 million quid he thought "why not"

Blimey mate.

[Merv]

I'm really not sure I understand Kevin's stance here. Yes, he might be disappointed at not getting the manager's job but seriously - could we have appointed him? I don't think so, it would have been a big step-up and too much of a risk, in my view. But then he's offered the assistant manager's role, which in itself is a big promotion from reserve team manager in terms of experience and exposure - working with first team players every day, working alongside the manager, dealing far more regularly with the media - and turns it down. Did he not see the potential in being No.2 to a 63-year-old, bearing in mind how highly he's thought of by the bosses at the club? Could he not see the long-term game plan?

I hope it works out for him and he stays here... but I don't want to see him being cast as some kind of victim of the piece.

[Dave Clark Five]

How I miss those AGMs.