Martin O'Neill - the press still love him

[Damo70]

Underperformed with the resources he had at his disposal.
The harm that MON did to us was a smaller scale version of what Peter Ridsdale did at Leeds. Both clubs are still suffering the damage that results from gamblers when they are let loose with other peoples money.   

It is interesting that you blame Risdale and not DOL at Leeds but blame MON and not Lerner. Why was Leeds spending down to the chairman and ours down to the manager? Surely the chain of command and final say was with the chairman/owner on both occasions.

[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.

[Stu]

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.

[eamonn]

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.

[SoccerHQ]

I mentioned it after the Wales-ROI game but let's be honest the football he plays isn't much better than Big Sam and Pulis.

You can see how ROI play, defensive style, dangerous at set pieces and even during our peak years here we scored many goals from set pieces and our frequent method of attack was to play a ball over the top for Gabby to chase.

We had brilliant players to execute the gameplan (Gabby, Carew, Laursen etc) but it wasn't sophisticated compared to the teams around us in the league.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Underperformed with the resources he had at his disposal.
The harm that MON did to us was a smaller scale version of what Peter Ridsdale did at Leeds. Both clubs are still suffering the damage that results from gamblers when they are let loose with other peoples money.   

It is interesting that you blame Risdale and not DOL at Leeds but blame MON and not Lerner. Why was Leeds spending down to the chairman and ours down to the manager? Surely the chain of command and final say was with the chairman/owner on both occasions.

Ridsdale borrowed large sums on the basis that the loans would be repaid with regular Champions League income. He seemed intent on sending more good money after bad until the wheels came off. Lerner was out of his depth owning a big football club but MON just kept on going with more bad signings than good unwilling to listen to reasonable demands which came too late to reign things in.
Two owners and two managers, all four of whom have failed in the modern high finance football world. Risdale wreckless, Lerner incompetent, MON overrated, don't even get me started on DOL.

[dave.woodhall]

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?

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

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.

[PeterWithesShin]

Turner and Lambert are the only managers in the last 40 years to have spent 2 full seasons in charge of Villa and not finish top 6.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Turner and Lambert are the only managers in the last 40 years to have spent 2 full seasons in charge of Villa and not finish top 6.

Nice stat!

[dave.woodhall]

You could go back even further if you include top six in division two.

[saunders_heroes]

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

[ciggiesnbeer]

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

Yeah I would take it. Also while MON's dour negative personality drove me nuts, I sure did enjoy it when he snapped at some referee or opponent with a snide little dig

[saunders_heroes]

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

Yeah I would take it. Also while MON's dour negative personality drove me nuts, I sure did enjoy it when he snapped at some referee or opponent with a snide little dig

Yep. It was a great few years to be a Villa fan. Little did we know what was around the corner though.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

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