Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Legion on August 27, 2010, 09:57:45 AM
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From Auntie:
Aston Villa caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald has conceded that the club's Europa League exit could influence his chances of getting the job permanently.
MacDonald could not prevent Villa from slipping to a 3-2 home defeat against Rapid Vienna, 4-3 on aggregate.
Asked if the loss was a major blow to his hopes of securing the post, he was realistic in his appraisal.
"It may have an influence," he replied. "But I must stress it is the media who have put me up as first choice."
Former reserve-team coach MacDonald has been at the helm since Martin O'Neill's abrupt departure on 9 August.
Ex-England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, former Villa star Gareth Southgate and United States coach Bob Bradley are all believed to be in the running as a long-term replacement.
Villa twice led against Vienna on Thursday, opening the scoring with a first-half goal from the returning Gabriel Agbonlahor before Emile Heskey responded to Atdhe Nuhiu's equaliser.
Villa might have led 3-1 by then, but Stiliyan Petrov had a penalty saved by the visitors' goalkeeper Raimund Hedl and Heskey failed to net a simple chance from the rebound.
It was a key moment for Villa, who were subsequently undone by goals from Mario Sonnleitner and substitute Rene Gartler, but MacDonald insists that his sole focus is the weekend's Premier League appointment with Everton.
"I have never been told I was first choice and expect nothing to change until after the game on Sunday," he added.
"It is a big blow for Aston Villa to go out of Europe again. A lot of the lads were disappointed to go out last season.
"It is a major blow for them. They are professional footballers and proud of what they do.
"My own position is not uppermost in my thoughts 10 minutes after a game. It is not about me, but about how the players and the football club react on Sunday."
MacDonald could not, however, conceal his disappointment at the manner of the defeat against opponents who also beat Villa at the same stage of the competition last season.
"I am very disappointed. We were in total control at 1-0 and gave away a silly equaliser," he said.
"We also missed a penalty and gave away a silly third goal. We made three silly mistakes and we are out of the tournament.
"You can't legislate for individual mistakes from international players.
"But as a group we score goals and we will accept responsibility for mistakes as a group as well."
MacDonald's downbeat reflections were in stark contrast to the elation of his opposite number.
"It feels great to beat Villa for the second year running," said Vienna manager Peter Pacult.
"It is the most emotional success I have had as a manager. I was actually disappointed with the draw because it meant we had to beat a Premier League side again.
"But we produced a top-class performance, an international performance, and I am delighted with the results."
A good coach and has done wonders with the reserves but he is not managerial material for our club.
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A good coach and has done wonders with the reserves but he is not managerial material for our club.
Exactly what I've been saying. MacDonald should remain reserve team coach where he has done a fantastic job and we need to bring in a new manager who can take us forward.
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I hope he gets his old job back when we appoint a new manager. Sooner rather than later I hope, obviously.
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Fair play to the bloke, he's had a go, but I don't think he's got what we required at this stage.
I respect his honesty.
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I hope he gets his old job back when we appoint a new manager. Sooner rather than later I hope, obviously.
Don't think he ever lost his old job, remember he is a caretaker manager and will probably resume his normal duties when the new manager is recruited.
UTV
The Doc
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I hope this caretaker manager role does not go against him because l would like him still to be the reserve team manager when we appoint a new manager.
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Reserve team coaches are usually underneath the radar when new managers are appointed and any arrival would be daft to interfere with such a conveyor belt of success.
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All the more reason to get it nipped in the bud and for the management to act decisively (if not already too late). Worst case scenario would be that he returns to his previous job being unfairly deemed a failure with all the implications thath would have for his credibility/confidence etc.
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I think the past two games have demonstrated that he is not yet ready to be our manager. Mistakkes a plenty at Newcastle and he set the team up all wrong yesterday. It may come right in time but the players have had 4 seasons of O'Neill's system and in pre-season they would still have been using O'Neill methodology and tactics - 2 men on the post for corners, wide men etc, and I think the first game showed kev was still using that. He's tried to put his mark on us and it will take time for the players to really get their heads around what he wants tactically, but he hasn't got the time.
but the biggest problem is that he's making baffling tactical decisions that just are plain wrong. The back 4 last night were poor but as much because he put two players in have not only not played 90 minutes this season, but also have not trained much because of injuries. Couple that with davies and Fucking Beye and that suggested what was to come.
Where was our width? At one point we had Albrighton playing through the middle, Young behind him, no right-back to go down the flank and support the right-sided player, and no-one at all down the left apart from Fucking Beye. Then he brings on Delfouneso when we are chasing the game and plays him on the right! Eh? Albrighton then goes to the left, Collins up front, the front man on the wing, Ash - our best and most creative winger, still stuck in traffic behind the front men. Just confused tactics.
Oh, and can someone just stop Ash taking free-kicks around the goal? He's fucking useless.
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I think we would be well placed to expand his role and make him Head Coach - therby giving him some input to first team coaching as well as reserves and youth, but he isn't a manager.
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The thing is, I do think we are showing signs of being more imaginative going fwds. This might simply be the players not playing to instruction in the same way, or it might be KM. But I wonder whether he would serve well in the assistant coach / manager role?
Just keep him away from the defenders, selecting the side, and giving teamtalks!
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A good coach and has done wonders with the reserves but he is not managerial material for our club.
Exactly what I've been saying. MacDonald should remain reserve team coach where he has done a fantastic job and we need to bring in a new manager who can take us forward.
Agreed all round
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I actually think it's a proper shame that things have not turned out the right way these last few weeks. I struggle to get excited about any of the names mentioned and it would be great for a club based 'promotion' to fill the place. It's always the same names and faces that take these jobs and it would be a nice surprise for an 'unknown' to step in for once.
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It's always the same names and faces that take these jobs and it would be a nice surprise for an 'unknown' to step in for once.
Good point. New blood would be nice. In professional sports these days management seems to be a revolving door between franchises. The same managers rotate from club to club.
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Not a manager, but a very good coach. It should be massively clear to the board we need a proper high profile manager, who can sort this mess out.