Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: wozwebs on August 15, 2010, 12:06:13 AM
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1303226/Randy-Lerner-attacks-Manchester-City-breaking-rules-James-Milner.html
Randy Lerner attacks 'big, bad Manchester City' for breaking rules on James Milner
Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner last night launched an extraordinary verbal attack on Manchester City over the James Milner transfer saga.
Lerner accused City of ‘violating the rules’ through the persistent pressure they have brought to bear in order to take the England midfielder to Eastlands.
And in an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday, Lerner also indicated that caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald is a serious contender to succeed Martin O’Neill on a permanent basis.
Lerner said last night: ‘Big, bad Manchester City came along and asked for Milner and we said, “No, he is not for sale”. And under the rules you have to respect that. And Manchester City respected that for two whole days. And then they violated the rules and came in for him again.’
Lerner made it clear that he does not intend to make a formal complaint to the Football Association about City’s alleged conduct. Neither is he particularly keen to smooth the path for the £25million deal to be finalised.
He added: ‘Who knows if Milner is going to go? Kevin [MacDonald] just came up to me and said, “Ask for more money”.’
It was not obvious last night whether Lerner was simply joking or intended to do just that. City midfielder Stephen Ireland is supposed to be heading to Villa Park as part of that transfer deal.
Yesterday, Milner starred in Villa’s 3-0 demolition of West Ham and scored a spectacular final goal. He received a standing ovation from the Villa faithful for the way he had applied himself.
Indeed, the entire Villa team showed an extraordinary energy and desire to take control of the match from the start, as if previous manager O’Neill’s era was already history.
On that issue, Lerner said: ‘We saw the answer with the players, the way they went out today and played for each other, for Kevin and the supporters.
‘There are those managers who like the show and the attention — and then there are those such as Kevin.’
Lerner rejected suggestions that Villa are becoming a ‘selling club’ and that O’Neill’s departure was a result of the club’s perceived lack of ambition.
Lerner said: ‘We are not a selling club. A selling club is when you let it be known that you want to sell a player, through an agent or whatever.
That didn’t happen with Gareth Barry and it didn’t happen with James Milner either. As for Ashley Young, he was never going.’
Young gave another commanding performance that will have the likes of Tottenham interested yet again.
But Lerner said: ‘Look at the way Stiliyan Petrov played as well and Richard Dunne — in fact, everyone.’
Asked if the day’s events had given him food for thought with regard to MacDonald and the theory that he perhaps no longer needed to look outside
Villa Park for his new manager, Lerner said: ‘No, it wasn’t what happened today, I already had that “food”, it was already in my mind that Kevin might have it in him.
‘I’m not going to say it is in Kevin’s hands now and I would be disappointed if it was reported like that. But much will depend on how Kevin feels, whether he thinks this might be right for him, if he is comfortable with the idea of being Villa’s manager.
‘He is such a cool guy, he is popular with the players — who really played for him today — and with the fans and the press. We will see how he feels when he wakes up from this and then we will look at the situation from there.’
But Lerner ended with what might prove to be a telling observation. He said: ‘A so-called caretaker manager won Villa the European Cup — Tony Barton.’
Got to love that last comment.
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I've never heard Randy sound so...what's the word, spiky? Might be a turn-on if if I was that way inclined.
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1303226/Randy-Lerner-attacks-Manchester-City-breaking-rules-James-Milner.html
‘There are those managers who like the show and the attention — and then there are those such as Kevin.’
Spiky's the word.
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Well said, Randy, and food for thought for those who have turned so totally against the chairman in the last week.
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Does anyone else get the feeling he might be deliberately antagonising Man City in an attempt to derail the Milner transfer.
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Does anyone else get the feeling he might be deliberately antagonising Man City in an attempt to derail the Milner transfer.
I hope he does.
Mainly because I'm sick to the tits of hearing people in the media defending O'Neill, by referring to how we've "become a selling club" - strange when we've sold, err, Nicky Shorey. I also don't remember them labelling Spurs a selling club for flogging Berbatov, or Arsenal for selling Adebayour to Man City.
It really fucks me off, and it makes me realise just how much we have come to be seen as Martin O'Neill's club rather than Aston Villa for the last couple of years.
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First it was some of the players, and then it was the General, now it’s the turn of Randy. It appears they are all lining up to have a dig at Mon. Excellent stuff.
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always had faith in Randy..
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Great interview!
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Not too sure why they are allegedly protrayed as Big Bad Manchester City. Is their behaviour not the way most clubs try to attract a player that they want - Don't be put off by the first knock back, go back with an improved offer. Did we not do exactly the same when Milner was at Newcastle, we did not take the first knock back. By the way, Kevin MacDonald may be many things, but he is never Tony Barton Mark 2 - In my opinion, we won the European Cup despite Tony Barton being the manager, Ron Saunders built and fashioned the team. Kevin MacDonald has overseen ther development of the young players and had the opportunity to have senior players in his reserve team. Tony Barton never had that experience.
Much as I support Randy, I have not been happy at the partial character assassination of MON by the General and Randy's public pronouncements during this week. I am a great believer that there are always at least 2 sides to every story. I await hearing MON's side of events once his deal with the club is sorted out. I am not defending MON because I too was disillusioned with the brand of footbal played, certain players being untouchable and lack of substitutions / change of tactics when things were not going well. I just believe that we need to hear both sides and make our own minds up. Also let's see whether money is released for a top class striker as and when the Milner deal goes through.
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Big Kev mc is right "ask for more money"
Milner was ace today-also why would anyone not want to play in this beautiful flowing talented team?
Manc Citie were disjointed cobblers today
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That is a brilliant interview and tells you everything you want to know about Randy, what a top bloke. Brilliant Chairman.
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"There are those managers who like the show and the attention — and then there are those such as Kevin.’
oof!!
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Aside from the Man City issue, is this Randy trying to draw MON out into the open and nail what went on once and for all. It may not have gone unnoticed by Randy that some supporters still have doubts about what happened and he wants them to make up their own minds and bring everybody back onside.
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Not too sure why they are allegedly protrayed as Big Bad Manchester City. Is their behaviour not the way most clubs try to attract a player that they want - Don't be put off by the first knock back, go back with an improved offer.
There is I believe an unwritten code of conduct between clubs. There is a difference between "No, that bid is not enough" and "No, the player isnt for sale, please do not ask again under any circumstances". When you say the latter, as I believe we did, you should not expect to hear from them again. Apparently Man City dont really care about codes of conduct and will just try and bully you into doing business with them and tapping up your players.
I hope Randy tells them to fuck off.
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Not too sure why they are allegedly protrayed as Big Bad Manchester City. Is their behaviour not the way most clubs try to attract a player that they want - Don't be put off by the first knock back, go back with an improved offer.
There is I believe an unwritten code of conduct between clubs. There is a difference between "No, that bid is not enough" and "No, the player isnt for sale, please do not ask again under any circumstances". When you say the latter, as I believe we did, you should not expect to hear from them again. Apparently Man City dont really care about codes of conduct and will just try and bully you into doing business with them and tapping up your players.
I hope Randy tells them to fuck off.
Well said, as usual.
Watching Milner last night (well, it was night for me), I was expecting to feel some kind of loathing for him. But I didn't. I love the bloke. I love seeing him running about destoying teams. I love seeing him being the engine room of our team. I love seeing him in a Villa top.
I HATE the idea that Man City feel that they can just look at leagues around the world and choose players like they're picking them off the shelf at a supermarket.
I can't understand why Randy isn't going to make a complaint though. Yes, it's got to the stage where we've had to conceded that he's off and so we've been essentially forced to negotiate with these clasless ******, but that doens't change the fact that we've been bullied into having to negotiate. It's so anti-football.
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Does anyone else get the feeling he might be deliberately antagonising Man City in an attempt to derail the Milner transfer.
I hope he does.
Mainly because I'm sick to the tits of hearing people in the media defending O'Neill, by referring to how we've "become a selling club" - strange when we've sold, err, Nicky Shorey. I also don't remember them labelling Spurs a selling club for flogging Berbatov, or Arsenal for selling Adebayour to Man City.
It really fucks me off, and it makes me realise just how much we have come to be seen as Martin O'Neill's club rather than Aston Villa for the last couple of years.
Spot on Senór Walnuts.
The Pissed Vampire was at it again tonight on MOTD, interpreting RL's statement this week as confirmation that we refused to match MON's ambitions. The fcuking cheek of it. If it's unambitious to not want Aiden McDoughnut at close to £10 million I'm in the vanguard of that particular movement.
The guy had eroded a fair amount of goodwill with some seriously shit transfers.
If by the end of this transfer window we still have Davies, L.Young and NRC on board, have acquired Ireland, missed out on McGeebag and lost MON- on balance- I would say we've come out ahead.
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I can't help but feel we're really very lucky to have Lerner in charge of Aston Villa.
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I can't help but feel we're really very lucky to have Lerner in charge of Aston Villa.
Yes and to have the General posting on here.
I love that interview and think Milner would be stupid to join city, they looked clueless against Spurs.
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I'm reading this when pissed but Randy's last comment made me feel euphoric!!!!. Come on Sper Kev!!!!!
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That from Randy is as close to us ever seeing him animated and it feels really good doesn't it? Right now, with these comments, the performance of the team, the body language of all the players, it is a massive rallying call to all Villa everywhere. I said that it would be rash if KM was appointed based on this. That he's a top reserve coach with no experience at managing and it's a very different ball game to just coaching. But that if he wants it, that he may be a very good choice and I'd be thrilled for him. It's obviously in Randy's thoughts that Kevin may just be the galvanizing force to glue us back together. I appreciate what MON did for us, but it is now abundantly clear that he was tearing us apart by the end.
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As walnuts and Gage have mentioned, the constant ''MON wanted to take Villa further but Lerner is content for Villa to be an also-ran but financially sound'' mantra from practically every pundit/football reporter this week has been really dispiriting. ''He wasn't going to get the Milner money'' - Er, yeah, not when he was planning on blowing his wad on McGready after showing plenty of form for cocking-up the purchases of players. ''There was talk of Ashley Young going to Spurs ergo Villa are happy to be financially sound but uncompetitive'' - he's a top player who will always be linked to moves, just like Torres, Fabregas et al.
The way they've twisted Lerner's statement about there being no change in his vision of the club to read that we're unambitious and mediocre while ''energetic'' O'Neill, who is ''full of ambition'' had done all he could for Villa is complete codswallop. But for some reason, MON is revered as this weird and wonderful Woody Allen of association football. In Ireland its worse - every fucker who has an opinion on football seems to think the deity of Derry has been terribly wronged.
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went to the park wanting to hate milner but the class act he is he was world class today.trully sad to see him leave under the cloud that is man shitty.not only from a selfish villa point of view he needs to stay for himself and his own career.
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Well said, Randy, and food for thought for those who have turned so totally against the chairman in the last week.
Who has turned totally against him? I must have missed that.
I think he's come out of it pretty well by not following the General's example and entering into a point scoring game.
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Good stuff from Randy Lerner. Being the quiet man can sometimes mean when you do have something to say, people will sit up and notice more.
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So can Terry venables please fuck off the twat, How stupid does he feel now after his piece in the sun yesterday!
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Great interview and insight into Randy 'getting mad'.
However, as good as yesterday was, I would not rush into giving KM the job.
Its a massive ask, and the manager of top Premiership clubs needs experience.
Keep KM as part of the backroom, give him a payrise, but please bring in a top man, the club needs and deserves it.
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Well said, Randy, and food for thought for those who have turned so totally against the chairman in the last week.
Who has turned totally against him? I must have missed that.
You, for starters.
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i wasnt at the match yesterday,
what was the level of support for Randy amongst the fans during the match ?
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Well said, Randy, and food for thought for those who have turned so totally against the chairman in the last week.
Who has turned totally against him? I must have missed that.
You, for starters.
No I haven't, that's pure Walnut bulshit.
I wasn't happy with what the General said but I posted this about Randy "Very pleased with Lerner's statement, nothing to be gained by raking over the coals" seems an odd way for me to express how I've "turned so totally against the chiarman".
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The Man City twats on Blue Moon really don't like Lerner.
And nothing could make me any happier!
http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=175975&start=3890
Examples:
Lerner is dicking us around if his interview in tomorrows mail is anything to go by.
Calling us "big bad city" for daring to offer them more money at a second attempt.
I would like Milner at City but the cock of a chairman can swivel if he carries on this way. We dealt with them so well last season for Barry and are offering them a double their money deal for Milner. Hate piss takers.
Not exactly violating the rules is it Lerner,
We have every right to bid on any player we see fit regardless or wether we are told he is or isn't for sale.
And how is that breaking the rules? Yank twat! City should release a statement saying that if Villa think we have broken the rules PLEASE complain to the FA. And then just watch the prick crawl back under his rock! He's upset because he arrived in the Prem as a rich owner and like many others his ego took a knock when the Sheik turned up! Well fuck em! Keep spending Your Majesty!
just watched most of the Villa/West Ham match. Milner was immense. Total commitment all over the pitch and his offensive instincts are quality too. I think the Gerrard comparison was spot on. Oh a hair bellow of course but he is still so young. Get this done!
i think they will ask for even more money after his performance yesterday. sigh
I've never been a 100% happy about signing Milner but yesterday has finally convinced me that he is the young hungry midfielder we are lacking (unfortunately due to MJ continued absence as IMO he is a better player) hope the deal is done today.
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Is there any hope that we can completely rob these c**nts and stop the Milner deal but so steal Ireland from them seeing as they want him too go? I think it's too late for Milner but after yesterday we have a better chance, proving all the pundits wrong ft great, yes I know I turned on the chairman and will admit it, but after today seeing him cheer and reading that statement has proved me thankfully wrong so I'm happy as hell to be a villian waking up after stuffing Avram rat and west ham :D
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Way to go randy let's keep milner and tell them manc twat's to f**k off.
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One Randy Lerner.
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When he said that Kevin McDonald came up to him re: Milner and just said 'Ask for more money,' that was the kind of thing my mum would say.
Top read. Glad he got a round of chants from the ground yesterday.
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Sunday supplement are arse licking MON. They really haven't got a clue what there on about!
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Sunday supplement are arse licking MON. They really haven't got a clue what there on about!
I'm watching that, too. Dismal, dismal 'reporting'.
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"Colonel Tom"
Apparently we are now the worse club to manage after MON has left. We have massively overachieved under him and MON adhered to a rigid wage structure. They mention that we are paying alot more then Spurs and Everton and then say you need to pay those wages to be top six totally ignoring the fact that one of other two clubs mentioned have finished above the last three seasons.
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I like the way the Money City fans are saying 'we have every right to bid on a player if blah blah blah...' No, you don't. You have every right to enquire privately if a player might be available for sale, but you do not have the right to have said player's agent leak to the press how much you are prepared to offer as an opening bid before you actually do that. You can do it, but it doesn't mean it's 'right'.
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"Colonel Tom"
Apparently we are now the worse club to manage after MON has left. We have massively overachieved under him and MON adhered to a rigid wage structure. They mention that we are paying alot more then Spurs and Everton and then say you need to pay those wages to be top six totally ignoring the fact that one of other two clubs mentioned have finished above the last three seasons.
Watching this has made me realise how much agenda driven nonsense is put in the media, Martin O'Neill is obviously one of the media darlings and we as a club have not pandered to his every whim, therefore by default he was our best asset so now we are a load of crap and on the slide. Journalists are not worth the paper they write on, Oliver Holt certainly wants Martin's babies.
Bah annoying idiots! Onwards and upwards.
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Sunday supplement are arse licking MON. They really haven't got a clue what there on about!
I'm watching that, too. Dismal, dismal 'reporting'.
Pretty jaw-dropping stuff from Oliver Holt, Paul Hayward and John Richardson.
On the one hand they were dismissive of the General's remark that O'Neill thought he was bigger than the club, and then on the other hand ramming home their opinion that O'Neill was the club's biggest asset, that he did a fantastic job, that there is no way we'll finish 6th without him and that following him is now the worst job in football.
The fact that Milner and Young are now worth more than we paid for them was offered as a justification for the £120M spend. No mention of the millions wanked away on highly paid players whom he never selected.
Richardson also trotted out the line that O'Neill has the touch of Clough about him, citing Clough as a manager who upset players but won trophies, without mentioning the fact that O'Neill won nothing for us.
Having previously lauded Lerner to the heavens for being an enlightened owner, he was strongly criticised for having lost his nerve, tightened the purse strings too far, and in doing so lost the best thing Villa had going for them.
A load of old bollocks from the pro-O'Neill lobbyists (i.e. the press).
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They said all MON players are worth more than he paid.
By my reckoning Milner n Ash have gone up in price.
The apparent surplus 6 are all worth half what Martin paid for them.
Total ignorance who bleat on about foreign owners not running clubs properly, then when ours is they slaughter us and bum off Oneil!
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They also said that what Randy is wants in our next manager is a 'yes man'.
I did agree with them in the respect that they said our ambitions have gone down. The club would never admit to that of course but given that breaking the top four is now harder than it was two years ago, and given that it's clear we won't be spending in the same way that we were two years ago, it's difficult to see how we're intending to catch and overtake Spurs and Man City.
It's easy to state that the club's ambitions remain the same as they have always been, but how serious are we about doing everything we possibly can to achieve them?
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Richardson seemed to think it was a disaster that Villa will not now be able to replace Milner with McGeady. How the fuck would that have improved us? I was interested to hear what they'd say about O'Neill, I wish I hadn't bothered - it was completely ill-informed crap. One of them had the nerve to say it was 'disrespectful' of the club to criticize O'Neill in public.
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They were breathtaking in their ignorance. But then what would you expect from Oliver Holt, whose paper The Mirror is to football reporting what Gold and Sullivan are to running a football club.
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What I found most annoying about it was the refusal to acknowledge the possibility that Martin might actually have done a few things wrong. Only John Richardson so much as hinted that leaving us in the lurch might have been a little bit off.
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They also said that what Randy is wants in our next manager is a 'yes man'.
I did agree with them in the respect that they said our ambitions have gone down. The club would never admit to that of course but given that breaking the top four is now harder than it was two years ago, and given that it's clear we won't be spending in the same way that we were two years ago, it's difficult to see how we're intending to catch and overtake Spurs and Man City.
It's easy to state that the club's ambitions remain the same as they have always been, but how serious are we about doing everything we possibly can to achieve them?
The thing is we have a very good squad of players. it was just very underused. The only thing Spurs have better then us are their strikers. Yesterday was probably just a one off against poor opposition but more performances like that at home would have clinched us 4th last year. I suppose it depends who becomes our manager and what happens in the next few weeks in the transfer market but if the players can now express themselves more we could still be thereabouts come the end of the season.
Don't forget that Spurs have a European campaign they have to look out for with almost the same players at the moment which will add to the pressure on them now.
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It really does defy belief that these ill informed morons are "professional" "journalists". They seem to think O'Neill is Clough mk II, yet he's almost 60 and has hardly set the managerial world on fire. Sure he shares some of Cloughie's qualities - cantankerousness, egotism, arrogance and the ability to fall out with anyone on a whim - but he's nowhere near as good a football manager, as his record shows.
I think the fact that many journos still refer to O'Neill as a Law graduate shows just how ill informed, badly researched and downright lazy much of their guff is. Oliver Holt is saying we will still regret losing O'Neill and won't finish anywhere near 6th. How can he say that before he even nows who we will get in? Grade A twat.
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That really annoyed me more than I should have let it. I cant stand Oliver Holt and his shitty rag of a paper at the best of times but this morning I wanted to reach through the screen and snap his fucking neck. How can these morons earn money for this drivel? General Krulak isnt an irrelevance you scrawny ugly little twat, you are.
You're not even capable at what you do, never mind reaching the very top.
I was fond of MON although his conduct this summer and things coming to light have made me re-evaluate that, but what I have heard from those imbeciles this morning beggars belief. To insult us to such a level with this garbage, as if we've never acheived a thing or ever will without Martin O'Neill. Absolute bollocks.
I am never watching this shite again and I'm considering whether to cancel my Sky subscription completely. I've had it up to my morks with them.
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Richardson also trotted out the line that O'Neill has the touch of Clough about him, citing Clough as a manager who upset players but won trophies, without mentioning the fact that O'Neill won nothing for us.
And there lies MON's downfall....Cloughie himself if he had still been around and managing at his pomp wouldnt have been able to control todays all powerfull footballers and mega rich chairman.
Far to set in their ways and far too principaled for todays game ..... looking at the bigger picture you have to give Suralex massive credit for acheiving what he has with United year after year after year, reinventing himself and his teams football over and over again.
Cloughie and MON could not acheive this.
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Don't forget that Spurs have a European campaign they have to look out for with almost the same players at the moment which will add to the pressure on them now.
We're in Europe too, we haven't added anyone yet and are about to lose our Player of the Season. Spurs are better placed than we are.
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Awww, they sound a bit upset don't they? They're still probably a bit worried after watching their team of 'superstars' kept in the game by Joe Hart yesterday.
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Don't forget that Spurs have a European campaign they have to look out for with almost the same players at the moment which will add to the pressure on them now.
We're in Europe too, we haven't added anyone yet and are about to lose our Player of the Season. Spurs are better placed than we are.
Agreed, they're also in a position to sign players in this window as it stands we are not.
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Don't forget that Spurs have a European campaign they have to look out for with almost the same players at the moment which will add to the pressure on them now.
We're in Europe too, we haven't added anyone yet and are about to lose our Player of the Season. Spurs are better placed than we are.
And from all reports when we lose Milner we might gain Ireland who could be good for us (or not) plus £18mil. It is possible we have now gained a squad of players again.
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Don't forget that Spurs have a European campaign they have to look out for with almost the same players at the moment which will add to the pressure on them now.
We're in Europe too, we haven't added anyone yet and are about to lose our Player of the Season. Spurs are better placed than we are.
And from all reports when we lose Milner we might gain Ireland who could be good for us (or not) plus £18mil. It is possible we have now gained a squad of players again.
I still can't forget that a week ago we needed to trim the wage budget and we had a squad that struggles to score goals. Has anything changed?
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sunday suppliment this morning summed up the ill informed, agenda filled media cretin in this country....
disgraceful that they get paid to come up with such bollocks views...
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A few people asked in midweek if the wage turnover would be an issue if the players on the bench might have a part to play. We will see in the next few weeks won't we.
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A few people asked in midweek if the wage turnover would be an issue if the players on the bench might have a part to play. We will see in the next few weeks won't we.
It's a double edged sword. If you start using the squad more, the more comfortable they get with playing, the better your team is likely to play as they're playing with confidence and togetherness and collectively they aren't as shagged out, and the more success you will get which will drive up gates and get you more exposure on television etc. You're also likely to become attractive to potential signings and sponsors (this won't happen in a week, you understand).
On the other hand, a more-used squad, whether they're successful or not, brings with it a whole raft of bonuses, clauses and dickhead agents that want paying. So you lose out there financially. Plus then if they are a success (just look at someone like Bale at Spuds), to keep them you have to whack up their weekly wage, or bring in someone else, which starts the whole process again, not to mention signing on clauses etc.
On balance you'd go for the former - better to be successful etc, but it's a minute balance. Look at the way Pompey went about it. Not that I'm suggesting we could be the next Pompey. Although we could.
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Pat Murphy (who I usually respect) was acting like MON's official spokesman on Radio 5 yesterday. As well as being a big pal of O'Neill, he also gave an airing to his grievance that Randy Lerner won't speak to him.
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I still can't forget that a week ago we needed to trim the wage budget and we had a squad that struggles to score goals. Has anything changed?
Miss the West Ham game did you, Chris? We scored 3 and it was a very bad day in front of goal!
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Pat Murphy (who I usually respect) was acting like MON's official spokesman on Radio 5 yesterday. As well as being a big pal of O'Neill, he also gave an airing to his grievance that Randy Lerner won't speak to him.
People like Dave Woodhall have argued for some time that Randy's reluctance to talk to the press might come back to haunt him.
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I still can't forget that a week ago we needed to trim the wage budget and we had a squad that struggles to score goals. Has anything changed?
Of course I didn't miss it but do you really think it will be that easy ever week? We had games like that last season (Burnley, Bolton, Hull) and it would be complacent in the extreme to think that we don't still have an issue based on one win against a very poor side.
Miss the West Ham game did you, Chris? We scored 3 and it was a very bad day in front of goal!
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Right, so we don't struggle to score goals.
We may struggle to do it consistantly but that's an unknown at this time, too.
New manager, newly invigorated players, new faces.....same old pesimism from Chris Smith.
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Right, so we don't struggle to score goals.
We may struggle to do it consistantly but that's an unknown at this time, too.
New manager, newly invigorated players, new faces.....same old pesimism from Chris Smith.
One game, Troy, one bloody game and against a shit team who didn't know how to defend it was encotaging but you'd be barmy to draw any firm conclusions from it particularly as we're unlilely to ever see that 11 play together again.
I'm not at all pessimistic but I'm not willing to give up on this season and for us to try to challenge for a CL place I think we need to strengthen.
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Yes it was just one game and nobody is getting carried away, but people are impressed with quality of football on offer. Particularly as more often than not it was the sides of quality like West Ham, Sunderland, Wolves etc who we struggled to break down and played attrition style football against at Villa Park in recent campaigns.
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Randy has gone up in my estimation again.
I think he does need to be more 'vocal' even if not in dialogue mode live ...... I don't think he's comfortable being quizzed by the meeja.
Well said Randy.
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We haven't played that style of attacking football at home in absolutely ages. Certainly not the confident, crisp passing game we saw yesterday. And the players looked happy as well. It was like a breath of fresh air.
More of it please!
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Well said Randy. I am proud to have him as chairman but he does have to dip in his pocket again if we wish to compete again this year.
Im was also pleased listening to two spammers on the train who were saying they were getting screwed by the David's. That brought a smile to my face
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Does anyone else get the feeling he might be deliberately antagonising Man City in an attempt to derail the Milner transfer.
I really hope so. If we could follow through not selling Milner, it'd make me feel a whole lot better about football in general, not just Villa keeping a great player.
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i wasnt at the match yesterday,
what was the level of support for Randy amongst the fans during the match ?
Plenty of 'One Randy Lerner' chants, mixed in with 'Martin, Martin whooooo?' and 'Kev MacDonald's Claret & Blue Army'.
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Does anyone else get the feeling he might be deliberately antagonising Man City in an attempt to derail the Milner transfer.
I really hope so. If we could follow through not selling Milner, it'd make me feel a whole lot better about football in general, not just Villa keeping a great player.
No, becasue I think he wants the money.
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They were breathtaking in their ignorance. But then what would you expect from Oliver Holt, whose paper The Mirror is to football reporting what Gold and Sullivan are to running a football club.
did you not read brian read column yesterday, very critical of MON and in praise of Randy and also in the Mirror
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They were breathtaking in their ignorance. But then what would you expect from Oliver Holt, whose paper The Mirror is to football reporting what Gold and Sullivan are to running a football club.
did you not read brian read column yesterday, very critical of MON and in praise of Randy and also in the Mirror
Reade has a different agenda though, he's very anti-MON, and has been for a number of years so not overtly pro-Randy.
Though on this occasion he's right.
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Pat Murphy (who I usually respect) was acting like MON's official spokesman on Radio 5 yesterday. As well as being a big pal of O'Neill, he also gave an airing to his grievance that Randy Lerner won't speak to him.
People like Dave Woodhall have argued for some time that Randy's reluctance to talk to the press might come back to haunt him.
I've said all along that he should be more open to the press and that one day he would have to talk to them. Maybe if he'd courted them from the off we would have had a more sympathetic hearing from the nationals and in particular from Pat Murphy, who I respect as a fine journalist but whose comments about Randy's silence were in danger of becoming a crusade.
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I like Randy's tone, but I don't think accusing Citeh of breaking the 'rules' helps anyone. Any neutral will see that claim for what it is - bollocks.
Football is no longer a gentleman's game (was it ever?), and Citeh are not guilty of tapping up, so everything else is fair game, no matter how unfair we deem it to be. Randy can accuse them all he likes, but Milner would not be joining them if he'd kept saying "No" - the fact that he is going north shows that Citeh were right to keep asking.
Also, isn't this pretty much what we did to get Milner in the first place? The Geordies said no, and we kept going back until they said yes and we ended up paying what was seen at the time seen as a significant premium for his services.
I'd have been quite happy if Lerner had criticised Citeh for the way they do business (they are financial bullies, no doubt about it), but I think calls of rule breaking makes us look a little silly.
EDIT: Just noticed this interview was in the Mail - so it's quite possible he criticised the way they behaved without accusing them of breaking any rules, such is that paper's general adherence to maintaining the fidelity of the quotes it uses.
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Right, so we don't struggle to score goals.
We may struggle to do it consistantly but that's an unknown at this time, too.
New manager, newly invigorated players, new faces.....same old pesimism from Chris Smith.
i think thats unfair on Chris, he's the one of the few on here who have been positive about the former manager and his team, when the rest of us were moaning.
i think you'l find he was in the 'happy clapper' camp as people rediculously called it, so how you can say 'same old pessimism' is just not correct.
a bet the majority of your posts before the end of MON were very pesimistic,
so you got what you wanted, same as me,
but it doesnt mean that everybody is happy about the new situation.
we still dont know how it will all play out, you might find we all end up more pessimistic when the new manager is unfolded
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They were breathtaking in their ignorance. But then what would you expect from Oliver Holt, whose paper The Mirror is to football reporting what Gold and Sullivan are to running a football club.
did you not read brian read column yesterday, very critical of MON and in praise of Randy and also in the Mirror
Reade has a different agenda though, he's very anti-MON, and has been for a number of years so not overtly pro-Randy.
Though on this occasion he's right.
he's right because you agree with him, same as me.
not all journalists agree with us, they will god forbid right things we dont like.
its called a free press
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I'd be very interested to hear what our approach to Newcastle constituted. Who was it who publicly praised the Villa recently for our transfer dealings as we'd done it 'the right way'?
To ask, be told no and go back with another offer is fine and Man City can do this until the cows come home. I don't belive Man City operate like this, though. It's all a bit scummy.
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Comments like the ones made by the journalists on sunday supplement will hopefully give us a galvanising effect, us against the world. If we can perform to the high standards we set yesterday for the next few games then who knows what can happen this season. One swallow does not make a summer, however the signs were positive.
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More Man City cuntishness:
http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=186122
Sorry about the spelling of the lads name [Albrighton] im not to sure, Did anybody see his performance for villa he looked absolutley fantastic very confident twisting and turning players inside out, good delivery and end product 90% of the time. Deserved the man of the match.
I think we should sign him up.
I wonder if he'll be next years summer transfer saga with Villa...?
I agree make him (Albrighton) our annual Villa purchase next year.
I watched him play for England U-21's the other night and he was quite good, much better for Villa yesterday though. I've got a feeling he isn't going to get much better than he is now. Will probably be a regular for Villa over the next few years but not of the standard we need.
Very good young talent good on the ball , cuts inside and outside , great winger . Sign him up now before he becomes really good and his price rockets
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I'd be very interested to hear what our approach to Newcastle constituted. Who was it who publicly praised the Villa recently for our transfer dealings as we'd done it 'the right way'?
To ask, be told no and go back with another offer is fine and Man City can do this until the cows come home. I don't belive Man City operate like this, though. It's all a bit scummy.
Leeds and specifically Santa praised us over the Delph deal. There was talk that City was the other club interested in him at the time. As for Milner, doesn't a written transfer request whilst at Newcastle change the rules when a club is asked?
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Mystery Man (VT) is in the Milner thread over there, too:
http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=175975&start=3950
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That really annoyed me more than I should have let it. I cant stand Oliver Holt and his shitty rag of a paper at the best of times but this morning I wanted to reach through the screen and snap his fucking neck. How can these morons earn money for this drivel? General Krulak isnt an irrelevance you scrawny ugly little twat, you are.
You're not even capable at what you do, never mind reaching the very top.
I only saw a minute of it but if that's what they said then we should ban them from the ground, the pack of ******. Paul Hayward from the Guardian was slating us earlier in the week saying we'd go downhill now that Mr Aston Villa has left, we'll see shall we.
Colin Murray was slagging off the Villa fans for singing "there's only one Randy Lerner" on R5 earlier too, we've been doing that for the last 4 years you ignorant, gloryhunting, absolute fucking anus.
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Paul Hayward from the Guardian was slating us earlier in the week saying we'd go downhill now that Mr Aston Villa has left, we'll see shall we.
That's just an opinion, one that might (or might not) be shown to be correct and he's perfectly entitled to say it. It's not the same as the shite Holt came out with.
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Paul Hayward from the Guardian was slating us earlier in the week saying we'd go downhill now that Mr Aston Villa has left, we'll see shall we.
That's just an opinion, one that might (or might not) be shown to be correct and he's perfectly entitled to say it. It's not the same as the shite Holt came out with.
The problem is that it is based on a) an overestimation of O'Neill's abilities as a manager, b) an underestimation of the players we have, and c) an assumption that whoever we appoint cannot possibly be as good as O'Neill.
As you say, he's entitled to his opinion but I don't see that it is based on sound reasoning.
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i'm sure when MON left/walked out he thought there would be uproar at the club, and mutiny in the ranks,
so when he sees the players playing like that, the fans singing the chairmans name,
he must think he's played the losing card
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i'm sure when MON left/walked out he thought there would be uproar at the club, and mutiny in the ranks, so when he sees the players playing like that, the fans singing the chairmans name, he must think he's played the losing card.
I certainly hope so although I have serious doubts. He's not one to question is own ability, he's probably waiting by the phone for a call from Fergie inviting him to shadow him in his last season before taking over next season at OT.
Either that or the England job.
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I really, really hope he gets the England job.
The backtracking Holt et all would have to do when they clock JT at rightback and all his other idiosyncrasies would be quite something.
I can only assume most of those doughnuts haven't watched us at home over the past four years (that I can actually believe TBH) If It needs a national/ international audience to dispel some of these myths then so be it.
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I really, really hope he gets the England job.
As does the rest of Ireland, I'd imagine. (winky)
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Any chance O'Neill ever had of taking over from Taggart evaporated long before last Monday.
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Listened to Pat Murphy and Gobby Cabbage on 5L yesterday: they are both in mourning about MON's departure and think the club have been foolish in the extreme.
Let's be clear: MON did a brilliant job for us when we needed a messiah to follow; no question. However, the team's performances of the last quarter of last season, the dodgy team selections he made, the body language and the increasingly morose interviews that he has done in the last few weeks convinced me that the time to change was coming. Basically, I think he was mentally spent!
So, we've got to move on ... let's hope the journos do too, but in the meantime who cares what they think?!
And as for the Citeh fans, I suspect they'll lose a manager within the next 6-8 months.
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If I was Randy I would send MON a video of the game yesterday and a note attached quoting Jim Bowen -
" and here`s what you could have won"!
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Was nice for a change to hear sense on Sky yesterday with Geoff and the Boys. After Merse and Thompson talked garbage, Le Tiss and Nicholas were pretty damning of MON, especially Nicholas. Something along the lines of he left Celtic with a big wage bill with players that were never in with a shout yet that he signed and that he threw his toys out the pram when he didn't get his own way....as he said, what does that say about MON after the way he has been back by Randy...
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Listened to Pat Murphy and Gobby Cabbage on 5L yesterday: they are both in mourning about MON's departure and think the club have been foolish in the extreme.
Lily is one of his old players and Murphy (who was virtually calling Lerner a liar on R5 yesterday morning) always seemed very pally with O'Neill, so I wouldn't lose too much sleep over what they think.
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As I see it,the clueless press are playing into our hands-Let them write us off & then anything we achieve will be a bonus.
No pressure on Villa-We're just a selling club who want a "yes" man as manager.
Just nod & politely smile-The longer they have this perception,the better.
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The press are frustrated because they haven't a clue who the new gaffer's going to be, and probably won't until the press conference starts. I've got a hunch that we're going to pull someone out of the bag that will take them all by surprise.
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Listened to Pat Murphy and Gobby Cabbage on 5L yesterday: they are both in mourning about MON's departure and think the club have been foolish in the extreme.
Lily is one of his old players and Murphy (who was virtually calling Lerner a liar on R5 yesterday morning) always seemed very pally with O'Neill, so I wouldn't lose too much sleep over what they think.
Yeah I know the heritage of both. Ain't losing sleep over anything. Just thought I'd provide some perspective on the commentary we're getting from journo-land.
Calm down, old timer!
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Listened to Pat Murphy and Gobby Cabbage on 5L yesterday: they are both in mourning about MON's departure and think the club have been foolish in the extreme.
Lily is one of his old players and Murphy (who was virtually calling Lerner a liar on R5 yesterday morning) always seemed very pally with O'Neill, so I wouldn't lose too much sleep over what they think.
A lot of the media can't get close to RL, so it causes them to create stories based on what they perceive him to be and of the situation at the club. It might have helped Randy to have been more open over the past 4 years, but it's not his style. However, this overriding feeling of MON's Aston Villa is something that will take time to get rid of, and his loyal followers won't believe a word against him in that time. I appreciate a lot of what MON did in the 4 years he was here, but WE got our club back yesterday.
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Listened to Pat Murphy and Gobby Cabbage on 5L yesterday: they are both in mourning about MON's departure and think the club have been foolish in the extreme.
Lily is one of his old players and Murphy (who was virtually calling Lerner a liar on R5 yesterday morning) always seemed very pally with O'Neill, so I wouldn't lose too much sleep over what they think.
A lot of the media can't get close to RL, so it causes them to create stories based on what they perceive him to be and of the situation at the club. It might have helped Randy to have been more open over the past 4 years, but it's not his style. However, this overriding feeling of MON's Aston Villa is something that will take time to get rid of, and his loyal followers won't believe a word against him in that time. I appreciate a lot of what MON did in the 4 years he was here, but WE got our club back yesterday.
Interesting point, t_v.
Pat Murphy has said - and, in fairness, I think he had a point - several times in the past that Randy should speak more to the media, that he has a duty as the custodian of the club to do so.
I think he's too professional to let his opinion of the club be entirely guided by his annoyance at Lerner's reticence, but I do wonder if it may be playing a part.
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However, this overriding feeling of MON's Aston Villa is something that will take time to get rid of, and his loyal followers won't believe a word against him in that time. I appreciate a lot of what MON did in the 4 years he was here, but WE got our club back yesterday.
You were one of those loyal followers TV. When you did you realise he wasn't the right man for us?
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In fairness I was one of the people who defended him right up until he left, my reason being that we were improving as a team and a squad in terms of results and football is a results business. That said as soon as I heard he'd left my mind start going on who to replace him with and what effect it would have on the team. It was only a few hours later that I realised I wasn't particularly bothered by him leaving, only the timing of it. I also wouldn't have been upset if he'd stayed. As many have said, he was the right appointment when he joined and whilst he might have been the wrong man for villa in 2010 the finishing positions for the previous 3 years earned him the right to give it a go, within the restrictions set by the chairman (which I personally back 100%, having a rich guy running the club is ok, but being in the position where his money is irrelevant to the club is better, then it's a case of 'xxx is available so here's £x million to buy him and pay his wages for 4 years').
I'd guess there's a fair few people on here in the same boat, most of whom would've been termed monette's or happy clappers by various anti-mon members of the site.
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In fairness I was one of the people who defended him right up until he left, my reason being that we were improving as a team and a squad in terms of results and football is a results business. That said as soon as I heard he'd left my mind start going on who to replace him with and what effect it would have on the team. It was only a few hours later that I realised I wasn't particularly bothered by him leaving, only the timing of it. I also wouldn't have been upset if he'd stayed. As many have said, he was the right appointment when he joined and whilst he might have been the wrong man for villa in 2010 the finishing positions for the previous 3 years earned him the right to give it a go, within the restrictions set by the chairman (which I personally back 100%, having a rich guy running the club is ok, but being in the position where his money is irrelevant to the club is better, then it's a case of 'xxx is available so here's £x million to buy him and pay his wages for 4 years').
I'd guess there's a fair few people on here in the same boat, most of whom would've been termed monette's or happy clappers by various anti-mon members of the site.
The odd thing is, I've never been termed a happy clapper or a monette (unsurprisingly), but bar the first sentence, your post actually describes my standpoint entirely.
I hated the football, but there was no way you could say at any point that he should have been sacked.
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They were breathtaking in their ignorance. But then what would you expect from Oliver Holt, whose paper The Mirror is to football reporting what Gold and Sullivan are to running a football club.
There again, Brian Reade's coloumn in Saturday's Mirror was very anti-MON and saying that he wasmore of a Keegan figure than a Clough mark 2 and was pro the board's stance.
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In fairness I was one of the people who defended him right up until he left, my reason being that we were improving as a team and a squad in terms of results and football is a results business. That said as soon as I heard he'd left my mind start going on who to replace him with and what effect it would have on the team. It was only a few hours later that I realised I wasn't particularly bothered by him leaving, only the timing of it. I also wouldn't have been upset if he'd stayed. As many have said, he was the right appointment when he joined and whilst he might have been the wrong man for villa in 2010 the finishing positions for the previous 3 years earned him the right to give it a go, within the restrictions set by the chairman (which I personally back 100%, having a rich guy running the club is ok, but being in the position where his money is irrelevant to the club is better, then it's a case of 'xxx is available so here's £x million to buy him and pay his wages for 4 years').
I'd guess there's a fair few people on here in the same boat, most of whom would've been termed monette's or happy clappers by various anti-mon members of the site.
MON's tactical masterplan hit the ceiling 2 years ago. For the last 2 years ago we've been repeatedly banging our heads against an invisible ceiling, at great cost to. 4 years in and the style of play was just as rudimentary and one dimensional as when he first arrived. I said quite a while ago that i hoped he got the Liverpool job because there would be no hiding place for him then from the media spotlight.
If this stuff about him apparently ignoring the calls to cut the wage bill etc is true then what can you say other than he should of been sacked. But then i suspect there would of been outrage which i'm sure he would of been very aware of. Anyway very glad he's gone.
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However, this overriding feeling of MON's Aston Villa is something that will take time to get rid of, and his loyal followers won't believe a word against him in that time. I appreciate a lot of what MON did in the 4 years he was here, but WE got our club back yesterday.
You were one of those loyal followers TV. When you did you realise he wasn't the right man for us?
When every body else said so
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Listened to Pat Murphy and Gobby Cabbage on 5L yesterday: they are both in mourning about MON's departure and think the club have been foolish in the extreme.
Lily is one of his old players and Murphy (who was virtually calling Lerner a liar on R5 yesterday morning) always seemed very pally with O'Neill, so I wouldn't lose too much sleep over what they think.
Yeah I know the heritage of both. Ain't losing sleep over anything. Just thought I'd provide some perspective on the commentary we're getting from journo-land.
Calm down, old timer!
Oi! I'm only 32! Old timer indeed...
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However, this overriding feeling of MON's Aston Villa is something that will take time to get rid of, and his loyal followers won't believe a word against him in that time. I appreciate a lot of what MON did in the 4 years he was here, but WE got our club back yesterday.
You were one of those loyal followers TV. When you did you realise he wasn't the right man for us?
I was a supporter not a loyal follower. There's a big difference because I never defended him blindly. But I certainly didn't think he was worthy of the barage of criticism he received from some in his first three years. There were times he was being criticised or ridiculed for just about everything and I didn't agree with that. The last year of his charge things did change. He became more stubborn, and his overall demeanour changed. I've said in that time that he was the right person to get us to this point, but I didn't think he was the man for the next step forward. My opinion of his tenure evolved as opposed to changing dramatically.
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However, this overriding feeling of MON's Aston Villa is something that will take time to get rid of, and his loyal followers won't believe a word against him in that time. I appreciate a lot of what MON did in the 4 years he was here, but WE got our club back yesterday.
You were one of those loyal followers TV. When you did you realise he wasn't the right man for us?
When every body else said so
Honestly you don't half talk bollocks. When was the last time you actually contributed to this site as opposed to trying to simply score points off someone? Your posts are such useless drivel and once again you've got involved in another thread with the specific intent of bringing it down. If you've got nothing constructive to add, go and play somewhere else. Don't comment on anything else I have to say because every time you do its quite pathetic.
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Tonto There you go.
Some of us have been pointing out that your man is not the mesiah and all your ilk has done for the last couple of years is to acuse us of being negative for the sake of it, you have even had the audacity to sugest that because we have pointed out that he is not the real deal is to insinuate that we are not real supporters. So now your hero thows his toys out the pram and proves that what we have been saying in terms of selections, tactics, transfers, management and personality you try and make out you have been with the programme all the time. But will you hold your hands up and admit you were wrong? no, will you for one second apologise to those that you have tried to ridicule? no and why because you are not big enough.
Some of us carried the belief that MON was not Aston Villa and that our club deserved better and where were you Tonto, nowhere so dont come on here trying to play the big man, you have been shown up for what you are.
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Listened to Pat Murphy and Gobby Cabbage on 5L yesterday: they are both in mourning about MON's departure and think the club have been foolish in the extreme.
Let's be clear: MON did a brilliant job for us when we needed a messiah to follow; no question. However, the team's performances of the last quarter of last season, the dodgy team selections he made, the body language and the increasingly morose interviews that he has done in the last few weeks convinced me that the time to change was coming. Basically, I think he was mentally spent!
So, we've got to move on ... let's hope the journos do too, but in the meantime who cares what they think?!
And as for the Citeh fans, I suspect they'll lose a manager within the next 6-8 months.
The next 3 or 4 years will determine that. Unfortunately for O'Neill.
Hopefully the messiah never comes any where near Villa again. But please have your messiah fan clubs away from Villa park.
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Tonto There you go.
Some of us have been pointing out that your man is not the mesiah and all your ilk has done for the last couple of years is to acuse us of being negative for the sake of it, you have even had the audacity to sugest that because we have pointed out that he is not the real deal is to insinuate that we are not real supporters. So now your hero thows his toys out the pram and proves that what we have been saying in terms of selections, tactics, transfers, management and personality you try and make out you have been with the programme all the time. But will you hold your hands up and admit you were wrong? no, will you for one second apologise to those that you have tried to ridicule? no and why because you are not big enough.
Some of us carried the belief that MON was not Aston Villa and that our club deserved better and where were you Tonto, nowhere so dont come on here trying to play the big man, you have been shown up for what you are.
Pack it in both of you. Final warning.
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One of my main bug bears about Doh'Neill is the way he became synonamous with the club in the same way as Ellis used to be.
Totally wrong, big club managed by a little man.
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I just hope Randy pulls the deal with Milner and we tell them to "&&^( off"
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One of my main bug bears about Doh'Neill is the way he became synonamous with the club in the same way as Ellis used to be.
Totally wrong, big club managed by a little man.
You know, I never felt as though we were "O'Neill's Villa" in the way some talk about it. Yes, we had a high profile manager and our club was previously largely ignored by the media, but that's the view from those outside the club/fans, which is one I do not tend to be overly concerned about.