Martin O'Neill - the press still love him

[Mossie Hennebry]

Oh for the days of finishing top 6 in the Premier League!

Haha - brilliant! All credit to hindsight.......

[Pat McMahon]

MON was a cock in many ways, a conversation we have had at great length and especially in the manner in which it all ended. But it was on the surface at least a much, much better time. I’d take challenging for a top six spot in the PL versus what we do with our time now.

Of course. I think what gets up my nose is the narrative that getting Villa to finish 6th was a remarkable achievement. It wasn't.

7 out of the 10 previous managers to MON achieved 6th or better. In those terms, his "achievement" places him ahead of only Turner, McNeill, and Venglos.

Where I give him credit is in the consistency - finishing top 6 in 3 consecutive years is something I cannot previously recall us doing. The obvious problem was that we just couldn't build on that and move upwards. When he left 6th place felt like failure and we should have had a plan to replace him and move on.

[dcdavecollett]

It's interesting to consider the narrative had Bale and Allen been able to play a full part for Wales, which could well have turned the result.

Ireland fail to qualify, MO'N comes under the same scrutiny as Strachan & Coleman; time for a change, maybe?; no apparent interest in MO'N for top club jobs; is it time for him to retire?

Of course, a 1-0 win changes all that, for some.

Incidentally, I never blame MO'N for spending all that cash, some of which, we might care to remember, was very well spent. Rather I would blame the prat who allowed him to spend what he wanted with no oversight. Be thankful. If it had been Redknapp in charge instead, the club might have folded!!

[Chris Jameson]

I like Daniel Taylor but as he’s a Forest fan I think he’s allowed his memories of him on a Forest shirt to Colour his judgement.

[Toronto Villa]

MON was a cock in many ways, a conversation we have had at great length and especially in the manner in which it all ended. But it was on the surface at least a much, much better time. I’d take challenging for a top six spot in the PL versus what we do with our time now.

Of course. I think what gets up my nose is the narrative that getting Villa to finish 6th was a remarkable achievement. It wasn't.

7 out of the 10 previous managers to MON achieved 6th or better. In those terms, his "achievement" places him ahead of only Turner, McNeill, and Venglos.

Where I give him credit is in the consistency - finishing top 6 in 3 consecutive years is something I cannot previously recall us doing. The obvious problem was that we just couldn't build on that and move upwards. When he left 6th place felt like failure and we should have had a plan to replace him and move on.

It did. We flirted with an echelon now occupied by Spurs. That’s what is most disappointing. It’s the classic “it could/should be us” when I watch them now. Battering then only to draw 4-4 means so much more in hindsight than the score itself.

[ColinMac]

I like Daniel Taylor but as he’s a Forest fan I think he’s allowed his memories of him on a Forest shirt to Colour his judgement.

Is he old enough to remember O'Neill in a Forest shirt?

[cheltenhamlion]

Never knew of his post-football career in insurance. I wonder if Chelts would hire him.

Robertson remembers what his mate was like in the world of insurance. “By his own admission, Martin’s knowledge of the financial services we were trying to sell was not the best. But he came across as though he knew the business inside out.”

Fake it til you make it, Bullshitter O'Neill.

Would I bollocks.

[SoccerHQ]

It's interesting to consider the narrative had Bale and Allen been able to play a full part for Wales, which could well have turned the result.

Ireland fail to qualify, MO'N comes under the same scrutiny as Strachan & Coleman; time for a change, maybe?; no apparent interest in MO'N for top club jobs; is it time for him to retire?

Of course, a 1-0 win changes all that, for some.

Incidentally, I never blame MO'N for spending all that cash, some of which, we might care to remember, was very well spent. Rather I would blame the prat who allowed him to spend what he wanted with no oversight. Be thankful. If it had been Redknapp in charge instead, the club might have folded!!

He agreed a new two year deal with ROI before the game so a defeat/draw wouldn't have put him out of a job.

[Damo70]

I think Ireland will be his last job. I don't think he was ever first in and last out of the office or training ground like Ferguson used to be.  More like a Clough turning up when he chose to. I think the schedule of an international manager suits him. I can't see that the kind of clubs who would hire him these days would interest him.

[Gareth]

Everyone who backs O'Neill seems to regard him as a managerial genius who walked out because Lerner stopped throwing money at him. Isn't that precisely the time where good managers prove their ability?

Nail on head Dave

For me O’Neill proved himself to be nothing but a gutless quitter whose act of desertion showed the utter contempt that he held us in.  Hope whoever they get in the play offs comprehensively beat them, preferably controversially so I can smugly reciprocate that contempt.

[tomd2103]

I think Ireland will be his last job. I don't think he was ever first in and last out of the office or training ground like Ferguson used to be.  More like a Clough turning up when he chose to. I think the schedule of an international manager suits him. I can't see that the kind of clubs who would hire him these days would interest him.

He reached the end of his shelf life as a club manager with us.  You could see that the spark and enthusiasm he had at Leicester and Celtic had gone.  The fact that he could not maintain a decent start at Sunderland just confirmed that and in the end he was finished as a club manager.  I always thought international football would be a good move for him as it eradicates some of his main weaknesses and to be fair to him, he's done a decent job with Ireland with limited resources. 

[brontebilly]

Everyone who backs O'Neill seems to regard him as a managerial genius who walked out because Lerner stopped throwing money at him. Isn't that precisely the time where good managers prove their ability?

More than likely Lerner pulled the plug on signings MON had lined up with the planned Milner sale. Most managers would walk in that scenario particularly a control freak like MON. Lerner's biggest error was letting MON buy badly in a panic the summer before e.g. Beye in areas we didn't need strengthening. Steve Bruce unfortunately has made the same mistakes again.