Villa compensation bill reaches £7m

[N'ZMAV]

Villa compensation bill reaches £7m

The compensation bill at Villa will hit £7million with the club forced to splash the cash on three managers in the last month.

And the claret and blues could have to pay more to fill the gap left by assistant boss Gary McAllister after his exit over the weekend.

Alex McLeish will be unveiled as the club’s new manager today, with Villa still locked in a cash row with Birmingham over how much the Scot will cost.

The former Glasgow Rangers chief made the controversial switch to Villa Park on Friday and Blues are still demanding the £5.4million they believe they are owed because of McLeish’s exit clause.

It’s likely they will settle for nearer £3million, but Villa will still be forced to shell out on managerial compensation for a third time.

Former manager Gerard Houllier left with a £2.5million pay-out following his departure with health problems three weeks ago, while Villa coughed up £1.5million to Martin O’Neill following a tribunal in May.

Villa will be keen to ensure costs over McLeish’s appointment don’t spiral out of control but they could pay Blues more should the Scot bring his backroom staff with him.

Coach Peter Grant and goalkeeping coach Dave Watson could follow McLeish to Villa Park after McAllister’s departure.

The former Liverpool and Leeds midfielder was drafted in by Houllier – who he played under at Anfield – but has followed the Frenchman out of the club after less than a year.

French conditioning coach Robert Duverne has handed in his resignation but first-team coach Gordon Cowans and goalkeeping coach Rafa Gonzalez are staying.

Cowans will remain in his role but Gonzalez could return to the academy should Watson join.

And Cowans, who won the European Cup with Villa in 1982, is keen to work with McLeish.

He said: “I’ve spoken to Alex. That was one of the first things he did when he came to the training ground on his first day at the club and I’m looking forward to working with him.

“He’s a good man, a good manager and the players will all be looking forward to working with him, as I know he is about working with them.

“I know everyone at the club will give him their full support because he’s a man who commands that level of respect.”



Read more: http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/aston-villa-fc/2011/06/20/villa-compensation-bill-reaches-7m/#ixzz1PoZPfFOs

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I'd heard that we had to pay O'Neill much more than £1.5m.

[Dave P]

And Cowans, who won the European Cup with Villa in 1982, is keen to work with McLeish.

He said: “I’ve spoken to Alex. That was one of the first things he did when he came to the training ground on his first day at the club and I’m looking forward to working with him.

“He’s a good man, a good manager and the players will all be looking forward to working with him, as I know he is about working with them.

“I know everyone at the club will give him their full support because he’s a man who commands that level of respect.”

This is interesting.  I get the feeling McLeish would be a good motivator with the pompus bollocks that O'Neill had.

[Risso]

What a huge amount of money to pay out, to end up with such a poor choice of manager.

[Trinitymiddle]

I'd heard that we had to pay O'Neill much more than £1.5m.

I heard that too, along with his backroom staff it was well over £5m.

So if Blues get £5m for Mcleish, its basically all the Ashley Young money gone.

[Brend'Watkins]

Are the club not looking for an insurance pay out on GH? He's not fit for work so why not try for it?

[UsualSuspect]

What a huge amount of money to pay out, to end up with such a poor choice of manager.

I like RL but to say he is meant to be this fantastic businessman  he doesn't half spunk away his money.

Add to this compensation:

NRC - Bought 8 Million got rid of for nothing

Salifou - 4 years at say 10k per week = 2 million

Habib Beye - Cost of transfer and wages = 8 million

[Risso]

Are the club not looking for an insurance pay out on GH? He's not fit for work so why not try for it?

Didn't he get a clean bill of health?  Isn't that why we've had to pay him off, as we've effectively got rid of him without a good reason.

[ROBBO]

Lerners dad was the great business man.

[Summers]

What a huge amount of money to pay out, to end up with such a poor choice of manager.

I like RL but to say he is meant to be this fantastic businessman  he doesn't half spunk away his money.

Add to this compensation:

NRC - Bought 8 Million got rid of for nothing

Salifou - 4 years at say 10k per week = 2 million

Habib Beye - Cost of transfer and wages = 8 million

Think you'll find O'Neill spunked that money away.

[Risso]

What a huge amount of money to pay out, to end up with such a poor choice of manager.

I like RL but to say he is meant to be this fantastic businessman  he doesn't half spunk away his money.

Add to this compensation:

NRC - Bought 8 Million got rid of for nothing

Salifou - 4 years at say 10k per week = 2 million

Habib Beye - Cost of transfer and wages = 8 million

Think you'll find O'Neill spunked that money away.

He could only do so if Lerner allowed him to.

[Summers]

O'Neill had pretty much total control over who he bought and the wages he dished out at the time. Ridiculously foolish of Lerner - and a clear example of why we need a football brain on the board to oversee these things, but it was O'Neill doing the spunking.

[Concrete John]

Isn't this all speculation though?

The MON settlement has been kept very quiet, which is more likely due to the circumstances than the money involved.  And unlees we are proven to have tapped up Mcleish, which I sincerely doubt happened, we've just employed an unemployed manager nd that case is further strengthened by his case against them for constructive dismissal.

Gezza will have been paid a tidy penny, though. 

[Risso]

We should be able to see in the next set of accounts what the O'Neill and Houllier payouts were.

[Chris Smith]

Are the club not looking for an insurance pay out on GH? He's not fit for work so why not try for it?

Didn't he get a clean bill of health?  Isn't that why we've had to pay him off, as we've effectively got rid of him without a good reason.

He was given the go ahead to start work from September which, if we were so inclined, I'm sure we could use to argue the toss.