Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: CorkVilla on January 09, 2011, 04:54:31 PM

Title: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: CorkVilla on January 09, 2011, 04:54:31 PM
Did anybody else read Rod Little's article in the Times today? This guy pisses me off most of the time but he really annoyed me today. His article is basically about the false pretensions of modern footballers, chairmen and supporters. For some reason he sees fit to include Villa in the list of clubs with an 'absurd sense of expectation.'

The Villa excerpt:

'It seemed to me a matter of great wonder that Aston Villa finished as high as they did last season, even more so the season before. If you want an example of a manager making the most of terribly scant resources, then once you have named Ian Holloway, Martin O'Neill is next on the list. Villa prospered under O'Neill because they ground out results against the bottom 14 teams with great consistancy, despite not - to my mind - having very much in the way of flair to distinguish themselves from the also-rans.

This is, after all. why O'Neill left. Truth be told, Gabriel Aghbonlahor and Ashley Young are not quite possessed of the quixotic brilliance O'Neill forever insisted they had at their disposal; they are okay, nothing much more. Villa, for the past few years, have been a case of mind over matter.'

He then goes on further about the 'sense of entitlement' and 'human right to be challenging for Europe' that afflicts Premier League clubs. Apparently, according to Little in any case, Aston Villa are now a perfect example of this misguided arrogance. We are the new Newcastle. Good god.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: berneboy on January 09, 2011, 04:59:40 PM
I'm not normally in favour of capital punishment but it is perhaps appropriate for Rod Little in this case.

Blooming cheek!
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: PeterWithe on January 09, 2011, 05:00:52 PM
£120 million quid is 'scant resources', does anyone involved with football have any grip on reality?
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Rip Van We Go Again on January 09, 2011, 05:01:42 PM
O'Neill made the most of 'scant resources'

What utter bollocks.

He was allowed to sign whatever player he wanted, seemingly on whatever overpriced wages he wanted to dole out as well.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Bad English on January 09, 2011, 05:02:38 PM
Just remember: when they are critical of the Villa it is "lazy, incompetent journalism written by an alcoholic twat who has supported variously ManYoo, the dippers, The Arse or those blue c***s in Lahndan". If they praise the Villa it is a "great article, that".
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Rip Van We Go Again on January 09, 2011, 05:04:49 PM
Just remember: when they are critical of the Villa it is "lazy, incompetent journalism written by an alcoholic twat who has supported variously ManYoo, the dippers, The Arse or those blue c***s in Lahndan". if they praise the Villa it is a "great article, that".
Maybe so, but is Rod Littlecock correct in saying that MON had 'scant resources' ?

No
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Chris Harte on January 09, 2011, 05:08:00 PM
Villa prospered under O'Neill because they ground out results against the bottom 14 teams with great consistancy, despite not - to my mind - having very much in the way of flair to distinguish themselves from the also-rans.
I seem to remember Villa taking 4pts off Manyoo last season, 3pts off Chelsea and Liverpool, and a couple off Spurz.

This guy isn't very knowledgeable about Villa, is he?
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Holy Trinity on January 09, 2011, 05:08:11 PM
we are very humble, mon never really punched above his weight for us. he over spent on cack and never worked on tactics by his own admission. this article is aimed at us this year and i feel that we were in titled to expect a european challenge as thats what we have done 4 years in a row.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Bad English on January 09, 2011, 05:09:27 PM
I think you might argue that, in the make-it-up-as-you-go-along world of football finance, he did have 'scant' resources.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Holtenderinthesky on January 09, 2011, 05:10:15 PM
Is he related to Rod LIDDLE?


He is wrong about MON though.  Scant resources.  Really?  Hmmm.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: PaulWinch again on January 09, 2011, 05:13:12 PM
The 'scant resources' bit is absolute bollocks.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Villa'Zawg on January 09, 2011, 05:22:53 PM
Just remember: when they are critical of the Villa it is "lazy, incompetent journalism written by an alcoholic twat who has supported variously ManYoo, the dippers, The Arse or those blue c***s in Lahndan". if they praise the Villa it is a "great article, that".
Maybe so, but is Rod Littlecock correct in saying that MON had 'scant resources' ?

No

Compared to the rest of the top 6? Yes.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: garyshawsknee on January 09, 2011, 05:23:26 PM
Villa prospered under O'Neill because they ground out results against the bottom 14 teams with great consistancy, despite not - to my mind - having very much in the way of flair to distinguish themselves from the also-rans.
I seem to remember Villa taking 4pts off Manyoo last season, 3pts off Chelsea and Liverpool, and a couple off Spurz.

This guy isn't very knowledgeable about Villa, is he?

Youre right mate,we did better against the bigger teams,but we struggled at home against the lower teams,which is why we never went higher than sixth. The guy is a complete tool,and im not just saying that as he's had a go at us..the Geldoff lookalike tosser.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: dave.woodhall on January 09, 2011, 05:27:17 PM
Just remember: when they are critical of the Villa it is "lazy, incompetent journalism written by an alcoholic twat who has supported variously ManYoo, the dippers, The Arse or those blue c***s in Lahndan". if they praise the Villa it is a "great article, that".
Maybe so, but is Rod Littlecock correct in saying that MON had 'scant resources' ?

No

Compared to the rest of the top 6? Yes.

Say it often enough and you might start to believe it yourself.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Billy Walker on January 09, 2011, 05:30:12 PM
Yesterday's Times, in assessment of the four managers under pressure, stated that Villa had "overachieved" under Martin O'Neill's leadership.   I wonder what planet they live on. 
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Villa'Zawg on January 09, 2011, 05:39:58 PM
Just remember: when they are critical of the Villa it is "lazy, incompetent journalism written by an alcoholic twat who has supported variously ManYoo, the dippers, The Arse or those blue c***s in Lahndan". if they praise the Villa it is a "great article, that".
Maybe so, but is Rod Littlecock correct in saying that MON had 'scant resources' ?

No

Compared to the rest of the top 6? Yes.

Say it often enough and you might start to believe it yourself.


It helps that it's also true.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Matt C on January 09, 2011, 05:49:38 PM
'Scant resources' aaaaaaaaggggggghhhhh.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: dave.woodhall on January 09, 2011, 05:50:13 PM
It helps that it's also true.

I'm sure you'll be able to consult your vast array of spreadsheets to provide the evidence.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: PaulWinch again on January 09, 2011, 05:51:33 PM
In the time O'Neill was at the club, we spent more than the majority of the clubs in the league. He did not suffer from 'scant resources'.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: ozzjim on January 09, 2011, 06:04:53 PM
In his 3 summers and Jan windows of spending he had more than Liverpool, Arsenal and I would wager Spurs in net spend. United - close too, and Everton (top 6 with us 3 of those years) significantly more than. Leaving erm... Man City. The others remember made a lot more than us from sales, and you can't count Milner in terms of the money coming back as it was after he left.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Rip Van We Go Again on January 09, 2011, 06:06:22 PM
It helps that it's also true.

I'm sure you'll be able to consult your vast array of spreadsheets to provide the evidence.

Please God, no.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: PeterWithe on January 09, 2011, 06:06:54 PM
Please dont mention Spurs net spend, I dont think I can take it.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: TheSandman on January 09, 2011, 06:10:10 PM
Just remember: when they are critical of the Villa it is "lazy, incompetent journalism written by an alcoholic twat who has supported variously ManYoo, the dippers, The Arse or those blue c***s in Lahndan". if they praise the Villa it is a "great article, that".
Maybe so, but is Rod Littlecock correct in saying that MON had 'scant resources' ?

No

Compared to the rest of the top 6? Yes.

Maybe. Compared to the rest of the premier league he was rolling in it. Compared to teams in seventh, eighth etc...

Between charging for the website and some of the ill-informed bullshit that passes for journalism in it (and I'm not on about this kind of thing as it's an opinion piece) I've stopped taking the Times.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Rip Van We Go Again on January 09, 2011, 06:11:33 PM
Surely if our wage bill was stretched to 85% of turnover, that shows that he never had 'scant' resources.

I'm sure Habib Beye would agree with me as he wipes his arse on £50 notes.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: TimTheVillain on January 09, 2011, 06:27:34 PM
I think he's talking players at his disposal.

In this area, MON did do well with 'scant resources'.

That said, it was MON himself who ensured that the resources were scant.

Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: olaftab on January 09, 2011, 06:29:36 PM
It helps that it's also true.

I don't believe you?
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Mister E on January 09, 2011, 06:30:13 PM
[quote author=CorkVilla link=topic=41788.msg1670601#msg1670601 date=1294592071
Truth be told, Gabriel Aghbonlahor and Ashley Young are not quite possessed of the quixotic brilliance O'Neill forever insisted they had at their disposal; they are okay, nothing much more. Villa, for the past few years, have been a case of mind over matter.'
He then goes on further about the 'sense of entitlement' and 'human right to be challenging for Europe' that afflicts Premier League clubs.
[/quote]

Rod Liddle generally writes in a seemingly-uninformed manner about many things; apparently the right of those who write in the press. However, his opinons expressed in the quotes above are not far off the mark (although harsh re Gabby; but remember that he saw him on loan at Millwall, when he was described as having the "touch of a rapist") and particularly regarding the impression that many Preeeemiership clubs somehow have God-given rights.
I don't like Liddle or his sneering journalistic style ... doesn't mean he's always wrong.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Concrete John on January 09, 2011, 06:46:58 PM
Villa prospered under O'Neill because they ground out results against the bottom 14 teams with great consistancy, despite not - to my mind - having very much in the way of flair to distinguish themselves from the also-rans.
I seem to remember Villa taking 4pts off Manyoo last season, 3pts off Chelsea and Liverpool, and a couple off Spurz.

This guy isn't very knowledgeable about Villa, is he?

Also, it was home results against those bottom 4 teams that cost us 4th place.

You can forgive not being knowledgeable about every team, but at least do some basic research.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Villa'Zawg on January 09, 2011, 06:58:38 PM
"When he bought the club, you knew you were going to have to pay the price to buy it and then spend on players initially over a number of years.

"We've spent £140m on players and - net - it's still nearly £100m. 22/12/10 Paul Faulkner

Even if you allow him to stretch the boundaries of acceptable use of the word "nearly" in that way, our entire squad was built on that amount plus Agbonlahor.

 I'd be delighted to hear an objective and sensible argument for how one of the other top 6 squads having been built on less resources but I don't think there is one.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: olaftab on January 09, 2011, 07:08:32 PM
Spurs if you include the wage bill as well.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Chris Smith on January 09, 2011, 07:19:12 PM
Spurs if you include the wage bill as well.

Their squad cost about twice as much as ours.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Clark W Griswold on January 09, 2011, 07:47:07 PM
"When he bought the club, you knew you were going to have to pay the price to buy it and then spend on players initially over a number of years.

"We've spent £140m on players and - net - it's still nearly £100m. 22/12/10 Paul Faulkner

Even if you allow him to stretch the boundaries of acceptable use of the word "nearly" in that way, our entire squad was built on that amount plus Agbonlahor.

 I'd be delighted to hear an objective and sensible argument for how one of the other top 6 squads having been built on less resources but I don't think there is one.

It's actually about £70m. And it's been over 4 years. And we had a small squad of mediocre/poor players to start with, and were relegation fodder. Not scant by any means, but not a major fortune either. We could have done slightly better, we could have done quite a bit worse, and we definately could have played better football. MON bought some shit along the way, the club overall have agreed to pay stupid wages. Overall, everyone in important positions in the club must be held part responsible for us acheiving nothing to date and now being in the position we are in. I'm sure they all did their bedt but it hasn't been quite good enough so far to fulfill the dreams we all had when Randy took over. Whether those dreams can be realised are now down to Randy's will and bankbook. I reckon he's got the will but not the bankbook.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Dribbler on January 09, 2011, 08:03:06 PM
The guy is a complete and utter twat, used to quite like him when he was on Call My Bluff, but then read some of his articles and saw him on some anti Dawkins program sticking up for the invisible man upstairs, which is surely the absurdist 'sense of expectation' there is, and realised what a completely illogical and annoying fool he is.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Rudy Can't Fail on January 09, 2011, 08:03:38 PM
Quote
'It seemed to me a matter of great wonder that Aston Villa finished as high as they did last season, even more so the season before.  Villa prospered under O'Neill because they ground out results with great consistancy, despite not - to my mind - having very much in the way of flair to distinguish themselves from the also-rans.'

Can't argue with that.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: lordmcgrath5 on January 09, 2011, 08:35:09 PM
Don't agree with what Rod Liddle says about the Villa in this article, but he's right on the whole about apportioning blame to players and their sense of entitlement. We deserved to finish sixth last season - final league positions tend not to lie. You can have a good cup run and still play very poorly but a 38 game season is a different matter.

On the other hand, I'm not going to get too upset because Rod Liddle's great and I really enjoy his columns. He can write, he's got a brain and a wicked sense of humour and has little respect for those who don't deserve it. Almost always worth reading.

(EDITED: I'd put "A good man" in before but - having read a couple of articles about his extra-curricular activities - I'm not sure his ex-wife for one would agree with that statement).
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Macho Man Randy Savage on January 09, 2011, 08:51:46 PM
Regardless of whether we spent more than the rest of the top 6, we did spend more than the teams below us, and therefore it is nonsense to talk of MON finishing 6th on scant resources. 6th place is what you would expect to achieve if you are the 6th highest spenders.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Chris Smith on January 09, 2011, 08:55:20 PM
Regardless of whether we spent more than the rest of the top 6, we did spend more than the teams below us, and therefore it is nonsense to talk of MON finishing 6th on scant resources. 6th place is what you would expect to achieve if you are the 6th highest spenders.

Sixth was about right for the investment but to push on from that would have taken more than it appeared we were willing to spend.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Macho Man Randy Savage on January 09, 2011, 08:59:19 PM
Regardless of whether we spent more than the rest of the top 6, we did spend more than the teams below us, and therefore it is nonsense to talk of MON finishing 6th on scant resources. 6th place is what you would expect to achieve if you are the 6th highest spenders.

Sixth was about right for the investment but to push on from that would have taken more than it appeared we were willing to spend.

I would agree with that yes.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: eamonn on January 09, 2011, 09:13:24 PM
"When he bought the club, you knew you were going to have to pay the price to buy it and then spend on players initially over a number of years.

"We've spent £140m on players and - net - it's still nearly £100m. 22/12/10 Paul Faulkner

Even if you allow him to stretch the boundaries of acceptable use of the word "nearly" in that way, our entire squad was built on that amount plus Agbonlahor.

 I'd be delighted to hear an objective and sensible argument for how one of the other top 6 squads having been built on less resources but I don't think there is one.

When he took over he had better players than most remember. The main reason for us being so bad in 05/06 was Doolally's failure to get the best of a squad containing Thomas Sorensen, Martin Laursen, Olof Mellberg, Wild Willy Bouma, Gareth Barry, Steve Davis, Milan Baros and Juan Pablo Angel. A talented spine.

Allied to talented players who had fallen away - Samuel, Hendrie, (who MON apparently had a knack of getting the best from), some very talented youngsters - Cahill, Moore, Agbonlahor, solid and steady players - McCann, Hughes and a bit of experienced flair on the bench - Berger and Phillips...to be honest not too far off the quality Houllier arrived to find. O'Neill had a bit more time at the start and the signing of Petrov to hit the ground running.

The argument that he had to rebuild from scratch doesn't ring true to me - he had a good mixture of experience and talent to work with. 
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: SoccerHQ on January 09, 2011, 09:19:51 PM
Last season we drew at Burnley and didn't even beat West Ham or Wolves.

So much for demolishing the relegation teams.

I do sort of agree on his football comment.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Clark W Griswold on January 09, 2011, 09:35:24 PM
"When he bought the club, you knew you were going to have to pay the price to buy it and then spend on players initially over a number of years.

"We've spent £140m on players and - net - it's still nearly £100m. 22/12/10 Paul Faulkner

Even if you allow him to stretch the boundaries of acceptable use of the word "nearly" in that way, our entire squad was built on that amount plus Agbonlahor.

 I'd be delighted to hear an objective and sensible argument for how one of the other top 6 squads having been built on less resources but I don't think there is one.

When he took over he had better players than most remember. The main reason for us being so bad in 05/06 was Doolally's failure to get the best of a squad containing Thomas Sorensen, Martin Laursen, Olof Mellberg, Wild Willy Bouma, Gareth Barry, Steve Davis, Milan Baros and Juan Pablo Angel. A talented spine.

Allied to talented players who had fallen away - Samuel, Hendrie, (who MON apparently had a knack of getting the best from), some very talented youngsters - Cahill, Moore, Agbonlahor, solid and steady players - McCann, Hughes and a bit of experienced flair on the bench - Berger and Phillips...to be honest not too far off the quality Houllier arrived to find. O'Neill had a bit more time at the start and the signing of Petrov to hit the ground running.

The argument that he had to rebuild from scratch doesn't ring true to me - he had a good mixture of experience and talent to work with.

I agree that we had a better side than 16th place suggested, but Laursen had been injured much of the time, Bouma, Mellberg and Angel had been under performing and Barry wanted out. What Mon and his team did well when they first came was persuade Barry to stay, and get much better out of Mellberg, Bouma, Laursen and a few others. This was always going to push us up the league in itself, but the signings he made helped push us further up still. I think if you take his record overall in the transfer market, he was mixed, although bought players that fitted his style. Thats part of the problem now. They are too workmanlike to play good football. I also agree with Chris that we havn't really spent enough overall to have given a really good chance of achieving something, i.e. Winning a couple of trophies and/or getting in the champions league.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Holtenderinthesky on January 09, 2011, 09:48:13 PM
Isn't he a Millwall fan?  With the exception of Danny Baker I am surprised there is someone that frequents that hell hole of a club that can even read never mind write for The Times.  I have always found him quite interesting to read but that article is off target to say the least.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Villa'Zawg on January 09, 2011, 09:58:48 PM
Regardless of whether we spent more than the rest of the top 6, we did spend more than the teams below us, and therefore it is nonsense to talk of MON finishing 6th on scant resources. 6th place is what you would expect to achieve if you are the 6th highest spenders.

Sixth was about right for the investment but to push on from that would have taken more than it appeared we were willing to spend.

That's about the gist of it.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Mac on January 09, 2011, 10:22:54 PM
Isn't he a Millwall fan?  With the exception of Danny Baker I am surprised there is someone that frequents that hell hole of a club that can even read never mind write for The Times.  I have always found him quite interesting to read but that article is off target to say the least.

We discuss him every 6 months when he produces an ill-informed article.  I'm getting fed up.  It's like MOTD and TalkSport.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: The Walshmeister on January 09, 2011, 10:39:30 PM


Can someone stick this twats email address on here and we can ask him why he is so utterly fkin wrong!
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Billy Walker on January 09, 2011, 10:47:17 PM
Between charging for the website and some of the ill-informed bullshit that passes for journalism in it (and I'm not on about this kind of thing as it's an opinion piece) I've stopped taking the Times.

Same here Sandman.  The input of Tony Evans and Tony Barrett makes its football section come across as something resembling the lovechild of a Liverpool fanzine and a Spirit of Shankly press release.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: CorkVilla on January 09, 2011, 10:53:17 PM


Can someone stick this twats email address on here and we can ask him why he is so utterly fkin wrong!

I'll second that! :)

Sorry for spelling his name wrong in the original post. I read his articles quite a bit. I agree with alot of what he comes out with but most of the time I think he is just pretending to be knowledgeable and trying to controversial. In this article he makes some complimentary remarks about Roy Keane, the same Roy Keane that he called a 'thug' amongst other things when he retired a few years ago.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: damon loves JT on January 09, 2011, 10:58:33 PM
Rod Liddle seems to write that article once every twelve months and just changes the names of the clubs.

It was Newcastle last time, if I remember correctly.

He `supports'  Millwall because it offers a kind of irreproachable outsider status, and makes him look edgy and interesting to the kind of bland middle-class Oxbridge chaff he mixes with. There are a few like that.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Archie on January 09, 2011, 11:00:18 PM
Rod who?
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: PeterWithe on January 09, 2011, 11:01:49 PM
Didn't he have to apologise for racially abusing a Millwall player on one of their message boards a year or so ago?
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: damon loves JT on January 09, 2011, 11:04:01 PM
Didn't he have to apologise for racially abusing a Millwall player on one of their board a year or so ago?

Oh, casual racism, you have to do that if you support Millwall. Otherwise you have nothing to talk about at halftime
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: PeterWithe on January 09, 2011, 11:05:02 PM
I wasn't far off.

http://tinyurl.com/ygxguxf
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: damon loves JT on January 09, 2011, 11:06:59 PM
He is fat, ugly and has bad breath. Annoyingly his wife is clever, funny and very fit
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Concrete John on January 09, 2011, 11:25:34 PM
When he took over he had better players than most remember. The main reason for us being so bad in 05/06 was Doolally's failure to get the best of a squad containing Thomas Sorensen, Martin Laursen, Olof Mellberg, Wild Willy Bouma, Gareth Barry, Steve Davis, Milan Baros and Juan Pablo Angel. A talented spine.

Allied to talented players who had fallen away - Samuel, Hendrie, (who MON apparently had a knack of getting the best from), some very talented youngsters - Cahill, Moore, Agbonlahor, solid and steady players - McCann, Hughes and a bit of experienced flair on the bench - Berger and Phillips...to be honest not too far off the quality Houllier arrived to find. O'Neill had a bit more time at the start and the signing of Petrov to hit the ground running.

The argument that he had to rebuild from scratch doesn't ring true to me - he had a good mixture of experience and talent to work with. 

I think you just have to look at where those players went when they left us to see how good they were.  Laursen, Mellberg and Barry I give you, but the rest went to retirement in America, bottom half PL clubs and Scotland.  It was a poor squad that needed the overhaul it got thanks to Randy's cash. 
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Macho Man Randy Savage on January 10, 2011, 12:50:59 AM
"When he bought the club, you knew you were going to have to pay the price to buy it and then spend on players initially over a number of years.

"We've spent £140m on players and - net - it's still nearly £100m. 22/12/10 Paul Faulkner

Even if you allow him to stretch the boundaries of acceptable use of the word "nearly" in that way, our entire squad was built on that amount plus Agbonlahor.

 I'd be delighted to hear an objective and sensible argument for how one of the other top 6 squads having been built on less resources but I don't think there is one.

When he took over he had better players than most remember. The main reason for us being so bad in 05/06 was Doolally's failure to get the best of a squad containing Thomas Sorensen, Martin Laursen, Olof Mellberg, Wild Willy Bouma, Gareth Barry, Steve Davis, Milan Baros and Juan Pablo Angel. A talented spine.

Allied to talented players who had fallen away - Samuel, Hendrie, (who MON apparently had a knack of getting the best from), some very talented youngsters - Cahill, Moore, Agbonlahor, solid and steady players - McCann, Hughes and a bit of experienced flair on the bench - Berger and Phillips...to be honest not too far off the quality Houllier arrived to find. O'Neill had a bit more time at the start and the signing of Petrov to hit the ground running.

The argument that he had to rebuild from scratch doesn't ring true to me - he had a good mixture of experience and talent to work with. 

In all honesty some of those players you mentioned were of a poor standard when MON arrived, including Samuel, Hendrie, McCann, Hughes and Phillips.

I do think the two best players to play under MON though during his time at Villa were Barry and Laursen who were already at the club when he started.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Monty on January 10, 2011, 12:53:40 AM
There are no adequate words for how much of a c**t Rod Little is.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Concrete John on January 10, 2011, 09:35:46 AM
I do think the two best players to play under MON though during his time at Villa were Barry and Laursen who were already at the club when he started.

I think Milner deserves to be in with those two, but I get your point.

The issue is the 'scant resources' comment and that is a mixture of the finances Randy released and the existing squads ability/transfer value.  A lot of the better players we had when DOL left went for nothing, which made the need for resources that much greater.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: VillaZogmariner on January 10, 2011, 10:08:07 AM
He is fat, ugly and has bad breath. Annoyingly his wife is clever, funny and very fit

Photo evidence required.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: TimTheVillain on January 10, 2011, 10:29:16 AM
Rod Liddle, just as Damon described - he looks like he has bad breath...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/6749156/Rod-Liddle-accused-of-racism-for-blog.html

Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: pablopicasso_10 on January 10, 2011, 10:35:29 AM
and the martin o'neill media mates reputation protector machine goes into overdrive...

whenever he leaves a club in the shit is about the only time he ever properly thinks out his "tactics", and about the only time, his "tactics" actually work...

as fr the media in this country, they are far too stupid to actually investigate the truth, and unfortunately, they dont have to, as the general public are simply spoonfed zombie sheep...

so crap like this will continue to be spouted, and then regurgitated as the gospel truth...
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: VillaZogmariner on January 10, 2011, 10:36:12 AM
Rod Liddle, just as Damon described - he looks like he has bad breath...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/6749156/Rod-Liddle-accused-of-racism-for-blog.html

That's Steve Coogan!
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: damon loves JT on January 10, 2011, 11:01:45 AM
Also, whenever I see him he calls me `mate' because he can't remember my name. We all like people who do that.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Ger Regan on January 10, 2011, 11:03:30 AM
Also, whenever I see him he calls me `mate' because he can't remember my name. We all like people who do that.
I'm so bad with names and faces that I never refer to anyone by their name (regardless of whether I know their name or not). It avoids any unpleasantness in the long run.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: RogerS on January 10, 2011, 07:05:38 PM
Villa prospered under O'Neill because they ground out results against the bottom 14 teams with great consistancy, despite not - to my mind - having very much in the way of flair to distinguish themselves from the also-rans.
I seem to remember Villa taking 4pts off Manyoo last season, 3pts off Chelsea and Liverpool, and a couple off Spurz.

This guy isn't very knowledgeable about Villa, is he?

Was thinking the same thing as I read that article as well. Man's a buffoon IMO.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: RogerS on January 10, 2011, 07:08:45 PM
He is fat, ugly and has bad breath. Annoyingly his wife is clever, funny and very fit

In that case you have to feel for her (metaphorically speaking).
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: olaftab on January 10, 2011, 09:50:32 PM
He is fat, ugly and has bad breath. Annoyingly his wife is clever, funny and very fit

Photo evidence required.
Rod Liddle, just as Damon described - he looks like he has bad breath...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/6749156/Rod-Liddle-accused-of-racism-for-blog.html



So OK that proves one part of Damon's  input just waiting for the picture as VSM  requested to prove the other part!
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: Percy McCarthy on January 10, 2011, 10:18:43 PM
He is fat, ugly and has bad breath. Annoyingly his wife is clever, funny and very fit

I'm starting to like him.
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: eamonn on January 11, 2011, 02:32:53 AM
When he took over he had better players than most remember. The main reason for us being so bad in 05/06 was Doolally's failure to get the best of a squad containing Thomas Sorensen, Martin Laursen, Olof Mellberg, Wild Willy Bouma, Gareth Barry, Steve Davis, Milan Baros and Juan Pablo Angel. A talented spine.

Allied to talented players who had fallen away - Samuel, Hendrie, (who MON apparently had a knack of getting the best from), some very talented youngsters - Cahill, Moore, Agbonlahor, solid and steady players - McCann, Hughes and a bit of experienced flair on the bench - Berger and Phillips...to be honest not too far off the quality Houllier arrived to find. O'Neill had a bit more time at the start and the signing of Petrov to hit the ground running.

The argument that he had to rebuild from scratch doesn't ring true to me - he had a good mixture of experience and talent to work with. 

I think you just have to look at where those players went when they left us to see how good they were.  Laursen, Mellberg and Barry I give you, but the rest went to retirement in America, bottom half PL clubs and Scotland.  It was a poor squad that needed the overhaul it got thanks to Randy's cash. 

I'm not saying it was stellar but it was far better than poor. After finishing 10th in 2005 and DOL buying Bouma, Baros and getting Milner in that summer, we had a squad set-up to challenge for Europe rather than one that flirted with relegation.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle the worlds most ill informed tosser of a `journalist`
Post by: Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air on January 10, 2021, 01:10:55 PM
Apart from being a racist shitbag, he has just shown himself up to be a complete and utter ignorant lazy misinformed hack.

Could somebody please reproduce here in full the drivel that he has just spouted.

https://twitter.com/BenTrenchard/status/1348225603862994944/photo/1
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: UK Redsox on January 10, 2021, 01:16:23 PM
"Rod Liddle...in the Sunday Times. With...like a sort of mackerel fish kind of...like a paste that's on the... bits gone on his jacket...and some is on his leg as well"
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: CT on January 10, 2021, 01:20:45 PM
Staggeringly lazy journalism.

What a humongous bellend.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: PaulWinch again on January 10, 2021, 01:26:34 PM
Kid of embarrassing really. Do your job.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air on January 10, 2021, 01:27:09 PM
Quote
... given the utter disdain with which the top clubs regard the worlds oldest and most venerable football tounament. ( A suggestion for Aston Villa:you're not going to win the league. Why not have a stab at a perfectly decent consolation prize ? )
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: SoccerHQ on January 10, 2021, 01:48:50 PM
Millwall fan and covid denier.

Says it all. Not worth using oxygen over.

Bit mad this thread is bumped up 10 years and 1 day after it started!

Hopefully he'll be long pensioned off from "journalism" by January 11th 2031.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: eamonn on January 10, 2021, 02:42:15 PM
The African Car Reverser thread is 8 this month. That will long outlive little Liddle and his dumb thoughts.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Stu on January 10, 2021, 02:44:17 PM
Liddle wrote an article in the spectator some time ago saying he couldn't have been a teacher because he wouldn't have been able to stop himself noncing the kids.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: TopDeck113 on January 10, 2021, 02:48:13 PM
Liddle wrote an article in the spectator some time ago saying he couldn't have been a teacher because he wouldn't have been able to stop himself noncing the kids.

Those Spectator readers who are themselves products of the English Public School system of four or five decades ago, probably imagine that was a prerequisite for the masters at their alma mata.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: thick_mike on January 10, 2021, 02:49:32 PM
Shame he’s fallen so far from grace, I used to really like him in The Royle Family.

Same as Toby Young from Detectorists. Fame must go to their heads.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: PeterWithe on January 10, 2021, 03:07:13 PM
Um I might be missing a joke here but it’s Toby Jones in The Detectorists.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Ads on January 10, 2021, 03:33:42 PM
He admitted he'd be a nonce if he was a teacher too. Have a search on Twitter. Did an article saying he'd fuck one of his students, but they'd be year 10 at least. ******.

I should learn to read before I type! Sorry Stu.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Risso on January 10, 2021, 03:38:22 PM
Um I might be missing a joke here but it’s Toby Jones in The Detectorists.

You are missing a joke. One of our number had a rant about Toby Jones saying he was great in The Detectorists but it's a shame he's such a ******.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Rory on January 10, 2021, 03:54:56 PM
Known ****** shows himself to be a ******.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle on January 10, 2021, 04:12:13 PM
You could point out to him that he's incorrect but he's one of those ****** who will never admit he's wrong. I would happily dispatch the nonce with a Spear & Jackson spade across the face.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: thick_mike on January 10, 2021, 04:42:32 PM
He proper riled me with his piece about lazy teachers >:(
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: jwarry on January 10, 2021, 05:12:44 PM
I usually quite like his rants but he did rile me this morning with this as he clearly hadn’t done his research.  More annoyingly The Times usually enable you to make comments on articles but in this case you couldn’t which suggests they are worried about his articles too
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Monty on January 10, 2021, 05:17:54 PM
Liddle wrote an article in the spectator some time ago saying he couldn't have been a teacher because he wouldn't have been able to stop himself noncing the kids.

Well if he got them pregnant then he could always do what he always does and throw them down the stairs. Lovely man.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Three Spires Villa on January 10, 2021, 05:34:02 PM
I have sent an email to the sports letters in The Times today re his stupid article about Villa having a go in the cup. I don’t think it will get published. I honestly can’t stand him
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Risso on January 10, 2021, 06:01:25 PM
He's a twat (and a nonce who should be chemically castrated), whose one goal is to cause controversy. Best not to give him the oxygen of publicity.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Three Spires Villa on January 10, 2021, 06:02:53 PM
He's a twat (and a nonce who should be chemically castrated), whose one goal is to cause controversy. Best not to give him the oxygen of publicity.

Yes that’s probably true.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Sexual Ealing on January 10, 2021, 06:23:15 PM
He's a twat (and a nonce who should be chemically castrated), whose one goal is to cause controversy. Best not to give him the oxygen of publicity.

Haven't read the rest of the thread but this is the correct answer.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: johnc on January 10, 2021, 07:02:33 PM
He's a twat (and a nonce who should be chemically castrated), whose one goal is to cause controversy. Best not to give him the oxygen of publicity.

Haven't read the rest of the thread but this is the correct answer.
One of my favourite ever pieces of football punditry https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EqjQSk1PQ4o
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Brazilian Villain on January 10, 2021, 07:50:07 PM
Known ****** shows himself to be a ******.

He's always indulged in polemic and had a punchable face, used to work for the Labour Party as well.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: robbo1874 on January 11, 2021, 10:03:43 AM
I always thought he was some right wing, loony Millwall brexiteer. The bit about him having a punchable face is right though?
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: LeeB on January 11, 2021, 10:18:04 AM
I always thought he was some right wing, loony Millwall brexiteer. The bit about him having a punchable face is right though?

He's got a face like a leper's cock.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: tomd2103 on January 11, 2021, 12:31:59 PM
Never really followed his career too closely, but can't remember reading or hearing him comment on football before.  Whatever you think of him, that's just a really poor and ill informed take on us and O'Neill's tenure in particular though. 

Might be me, but I do sense more hostility aimed at us in recent years from outside the usual local suspects. 
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: cdbearsfan on January 11, 2021, 01:25:14 PM
Maybe worth merging this with the Meaning Evil/Talkshite threads as a generic media talking bollocks thread, rather than starting a new one every time someone comes out with bollocks like this?
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Dave on January 11, 2021, 01:41:42 PM
Maybe worth merging this with the Meaning Evil/Talkshite threads as a generic media talking bollocks thread, rather than starting a new one every time someone comes out with bollocks like this?

This thread was started ten years ago.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: darren woolley on January 11, 2021, 02:12:05 PM
I don't read his stuff but what I've read on here I don't like him.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: cdbearsfan on January 11, 2021, 02:26:56 PM
Maybe worth merging this with the Meaning Evil/Talkshite threads as a generic media talking bollocks thread, rather than starting a new one every time someone comes out with bollocks like this?

This thread was started ten years ago.

Fuck, I didn't notice that, sorry.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Somniloquism on January 11, 2021, 03:28:03 PM
I've got to admit that if I had noticed that article, I wouldn't have searched for an older thread (or even remembered there was one).
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Dave on January 11, 2021, 03:39:54 PM
I've got to admit that if I had noticed that article, I wouldn't have searched for an older thread (or even remembered there was one).

Nor me.

Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air, a real forum administration hero.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: tomd2103 on January 11, 2021, 04:52:47 PM
Maybe worth merging this with the Meaning Evil/Talkshite threads as a generic media talking bollocks thread, rather than starting a new one every time someone comes out with bollocks like this?

This thread was started ten years ago.

Fuck, I didn't notice that, sorry.

Neither did I, but his more recent musings that  prompted someone to dig up this thread are more ill informed than the ones that brought it into existence a decade or so ago.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Ads on January 11, 2021, 04:54:50 PM
Villadawg is in one of the first pages. If you click his name you can see his last posts.

Guess what he was arguing with Risso about!!!
Title: Re: Rod Little in The Times
Post by: cdbearsfan on January 11, 2021, 05:16:01 PM
Spurs if you include the wage bill as well.

Oh, Olaftab. Some people just want to see the world burn.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: adrenachrome on January 13, 2021, 05:38:34 PM
Villadawg is in one of the first pages. If you click his name you can see his last posts.

Guess what he was arguing with Risso about!!!

Mark Fletcher is on there as well. I thought I was in a time warp before the penny dropped.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: Tokyo Sexwhale on January 14, 2021, 01:18:43 AM
Does Liddle decide to have a pop at us once every 10 years?
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: KevinGage on January 14, 2021, 01:33:26 AM
Heinous times we live in.

But I draw comfort every time I see Tokyo Sexwhale post on H&V.
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: robbo1874 on January 14, 2021, 08:16:27 AM
As I recall, the evening standard (London evening paper) used to pay him to watch TV and write about it in their shitty newspaper. ******.

No- he’s definitely a xxxx
Title: Re: Rod Liddle in The Times
Post by: stubbsyandy on January 17, 2021, 03:32:19 PM
Letter in the sports pages of Sunday Times addresses this!
SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal