Ugo wants Villa job...

[Irish villain]

As defenders, I thought Ugo was the under-rated one. I was more disappointed in the manner in which he left.

I think Southgate will make a better manager than Ugo though.

[Zhong Yi]

Ugo Ehiogu made a comment about the dream team him and Southgate in charge...

not quite a Dream Team. Laursen and Mellberg possibly. Southgate I'd take as boss despite his acrimonious transfer request - largely down to JG - but self confessed Villa hater Ugo? no thanks.

[KevinGage]

Both very good defenders for us.  Unfortunately, both were also early examples of the modern breed of footballer-  the type to play the system and scweam and scweam until they got the moves (and perhaps more accurately £ )  they believed they were entitled to. 

Ugo was giving interviews to national magazines as far back as 1998 about 'going stale.'   He had only became a first team regular from about 1995 onwards!   At the height of our first major wobble under Sir Brian in 1997, club captain Southgate -rather than any talk along the lines of 'we're all in this together,' instead made it clear that he wouldn't be averse to a move either "A number of players are considering their future at the club.  And I'm one of them."    Fantastic loyalty to Sir Brian, that.  The manager who signed him from yoyo outfit Palarse and turned an average midfielder into an international CB.

That neither was able to force a move earlier than 2000 and 2001 respectively is neither here nor there.  The intention was clear.

So it's a no to both, for me.

[Pete3206]

Life as a Villa fan gets more bizarre by the day.

[tomd2103]

The back three of Ugo, Southgate and McGrath, with Bosnich behind them in goal was a bit special though. 

[LeeB]

The back three of Ugo, Southgate and McGrath, with Bosnich behind them in goal was a bit special though. 

Indeed.

[Chinchilla Bathhouse]

You should all read Southgate's book "Woody and Nord", in which he talks extensively about his time at Villa.  For those who criticise him, you'll find that he was desperate for success with us, and was consistently frustrated by the lack of ambition at the club - something he had in common with most of us.  He wanted what we wanted.  I find it hard to criticise the guy. 

I don't recall him angling for a move from as early as 97, in fact I recall him being extremely professional and dedicated the whole time he was with us.  Compare his conduct to some of the current squad; we could do with his like now. After he requested a transfer (after the FA Cup final) we priced him out of a move and he knuckled down and gave us arguably his best season.  Then he went to Boro.  You can scoff all you like about him going there for the money and success (haha), but the fact he saw Boro as giving him a better shot at winning something than staying at Villa says more about the moribund state our club was in than it does about his judgment.  (And we were going nowhere, and we all know it.  Doug was too tight for us to ever go that extra step).  He could see Boro had ambition, he couldn't say the same for us.  He knew we were never going to win any of the major trophies, and he was right.  We haven't.   

Wouldn't want him as manager though, he's shit at that.  And Ugo did go to Boro purely for the money (I reckon he'd have gone to the Dark Side if they'd been able to afford him), so he can bugger right off.

[LeeB]

You should all read Southgate's book "Woody and Nord", in which he talks extensively about his time at Villa.  For those who criticise him, you'll find that he was desperate for success with us, and was consistently frustrated by the lack of ambition at the club - something he had in common with most of us.  He wanted what we wanted.  I find it hard to criticise the guy. 

I don't recall him angling for a move from as early as 97, in fact I recall him being extremely professional and dedicated the whole time he was with us.  Compare his conduct to some of the current squad; we could do with his like now. After he requested a transfer (after the FA Cup final) we priced him out of a move and he knuckled down and gave us arguably his best season.  Then he went to Boro.  You can scoff all you like about him going there for the money and success (haha), but the fact he saw Boro as giving him a better shot at winning something than staying at Villa says more about the moribund state our club was in than it does about his judgment.  And we were, and we all know it.  Doug was too tight for us to ever go that extra step.  He could see Boro had ambition, he couldn't say the same for us.  He knew we were never going to win any of the major trophies, and he was right.  We haven't.   

Wouldn't want him as manager though, he's shit at that.  And Ugo did go to Boro purely for the money (I reckon he'd have gone to the Dark Side if they'd been able to afford him), so he can bugger right off.

I'd give him the gig tomorrow. And I'm not even fucking about.

[luke25]

Its easy to criticise Southgate and Ugo for leaving us for Boro but they both went on to lift the Carling Cup and play in a Uefa Cup final so were proved right to leave us. As for them coming back as manager, Southgate was a shit manager and Ugo needs to start at a lower league club.

[The Left Side]

Southgate would not be the worst shout ever, better than the clown we have in right now.

[luke25]

Southgate would not be the worst shout ever, better than the clown we have in right now.

My only problem with that is its almost as if we'd take anybody aslong as McLeish has gone, we had this attitude last season with Houllier and ended up in this mess, when he's gone we need the best man possible to take us forward.

[Dante Lavelli]

In an interview when appointed with the FA, Southgate said he saw himself as working in development rather than management, admittedly this was without an actual offer on the table.

I think he’d be a great guy to have as the head of development at Villa - coaching the coaches and learning new pioneering techniques etc.  I also think he’d be a reasonable guy to have in the ear of the board and speaking to the media. 

A great appointment.

[Hillbilly]

If we're after ex-defenders, take a punt on Martin Laursen from that there Danish Second Division.  Especially if he could bring Michael Laudrup's boy with him

[Matt C]

Southgate has always struck me as a thoroughly decent guy and probably too nice to be a top flight manager.

[Chris Harte]

The back three of Ugo, Southgate and McGrath, with Bosnich behind them in goal was a bit special though. 

Indeed.

And also a bit short lived if it ever (my memory isn't what it once was) actually happened.

Southgate joined in 1995, I think. Close to the end of McGrath's time at the club.

Edit, a quick check shows Southgate and McGrath overlapped by a year. The year we won the League Cup, were semifinalist in the FA Cup and finished 4th before it became the be-all-and-end-all. So yes, it was a bit special.