Manager suggestions - Now with added poll

[Gareth]

I haven’t changed my view that I’d replace Bruce until the end of the season with Brian Little, wouldn’t be against McLaren being one of his coaches.

Think it’s imperative that the club is ridded of the negativity that is Bruce but getting a long term successor would be easier in the summer when managers currently in jobs aren’t in promotion or relegation battles.

Just can’t see Bruce getting us back on track and see it more likely that we finish 10th-12th than top 6 - for me at the start of season 3rd-6th finish would have been a sackable offence in the summer so this current malaise is just shocking.

[Ivo Stas]

I see Dean Smith is comfortably winning the "who do you want as next manager of Aston Villa poll" (and deservedly so). I actually think he will be appointed manager in the summer (so long as Wyness and Round are making the decision, if left to Xia we could end up with someone like Zico!).

My gut tells me that we'll recover sufficiently to make the playoffs (probably 6th spot) once we loan in a target man striker in the window (probably Ulloa) and Terry returns. (It would also probably help if Bruce did the bleeding obvious and swapped in Doyles-Hayes for Whelan).

We are very unlikely to win the play-offs as we can't beat any off the top teams, so Bruce will leave at the end of the season and we'll be faced with having to try and engineer promotion with little money. Dean Smith is a proven success at building good teams with few funds. Brentford, a bit like Bristol City and Sheff Utd, are basically a team of journey-men who are well-drilled in effective possession and pressing.

The Daily Mirror (link below) are implying that Xia has already run out of money, if true (hmmm) then Dean Smith is even more of an imperative next season.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/aston-villa-chief-admits-december-11763565

[cdbearsfan]

Why "deservedly so"? Besides outwitting Bruce, what has he ever done?

[villan from luton]

James Nursery at the mirror is someone I would never take any notice of.

As for the manager, I would take Dean Smith and think he would give the youth a chance. My major gripe with Bruce is his lack of use of the likes of O'Hare, though he keeps saying he is close to a start. Well if he is that close, put him on the bench at least rather than two right backs.

[b23]

 
I agree, though there is one other small problem...apparently he doesn't speak English, though neither does Gabby, and I'm sure we could help him with a few key phrases like "move your lard arse", etc
[/quote]

[tomd2103]

Rodgers would be the perfect man, but I don't think we have the possibility of attracting him. His next move will be interesting, I would not be surprised to see him back in the prem this summer though.

Agree.  Celtic was a smart move for him at the time, as he couldn't really afford a failure in England at that point.  He might fancy another crack at the Champions League next season, but finishing 3rd in a group is probably their ceiling in that competition and he's achieved that. 

Like you, I wouldn't be surprised to see him in a job South of the border again soon. 

[passitsideways]

Can't help but see Bielsa as more of an ideas man than someone with the practical nous to transform them into consistent success on the field - acknowledging, of course, that he did handy work for a while at Bilbao and Marseille before things went pear-shaped and before that in South America.

[john e]

why did Bielsa leave Bilbao sacked or moved on ?

[Clampy]

Like someone said on here the other day, I've never heard of this Bielsa apart from on here. I'm not that up on European football though but it does sound like he's had a fair few jobs.

[paul_e]

Like someone said on here the other day, I've never heard of this Bielsa apart from on here. I'm not that up on European football though but it does sound like he's had a fair few jobs.

You might well have seen some his teams, Bilbao beat Man Utd in the Europa whilst he was there and the Argentina Olympic team in 2004 was probably the best example of what he does.

[passitsideways]

why did Bielsa leave Bilbao sacked or moved on ?

IIRC, it was a mutual thing because they regressed in his second season there (not helped by selling Javi Martinez to Bayern, mind you). Not sure you can get players to keep running like maniacs the way he does for a sustain period of time, and that'd be even more of a thing in a 46 game season.

[cdbearsfan]

As I recall, they made the finals of the Europa League and Copa del Rey. They would have played a lot more than forty-six games.

[bodkins14]

I know I'm going to get slated for this but here goes. I really wouldn't object to JT getting some sort of assistant / managers post with someone with experience alongside ? Brian Little.
People can say and think what they like as far as being a person is concerned however he has shown he is a professional footballer who has maintained as much as an injury allows been a model professional. I'm not a huge fan of his and did think this was going to be a bit more for his pension pot like Pires but he has been a fantastic addition to the squad and can help the younger players and those around him.
He as a player has played at the highest level and worked under many very good managers both home grown and international so you would hope he had some new and interesting ideas.
Just my point of view we are going nowhere fast under current mangement other than backwards. I will now retreat behind the parapet.

[paul_e]

I know I'm going to get slated for this but here goes. I really wouldn't object to JT getting some sort of assistant / managers post with someone with experience alongside ? Brian Little.
People can say and think what they like as far as being a person is concerned however he has shown he is a professional footballer who has maintained as much as an injury allows been a model professional. I'm not a huge fan of his and did think this was going to be a bit more for his pension pot like Pires but he has been a fantastic addition to the squad and can help the younger players and those around him.
He as a player has played at the highest level and worked under many very good managers both home grown and international so you would hope he had some new and interesting ideas.
Just my point of view we are going nowhere fast under current mangement other than backwards. I will now retreat behind the parapet.

I'd accept him as player-assistant or player-coach.  There's no way that his first non-playing role should be as our manager, even if it is with someone experienced to help him out (oh and no to Little as well, he's been out of the game for far too long).

[ChicagoLion]

JT was effectively the Chelsea manager but that team picked itself.
A choice between Bruce and Terry I would take Terry right now as we need a change.
But agree as player manager until the end of the season.