0% Villa: Benitez sacked (Confirmed p.6)

[Legion]

Dull? Entertaining? My head is spinning. Thanks for getting this back on-topic.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't think he'll go to Liverpool.

No decent manager with a reputation to protect is going to go there with the current uncertainty.

Agreed. There's not even any signs of a Randy Lerner type on the horizon. Long my it continue.

One will turn up for them sooner or later, though. Liverpool are too big for that not to happen.

Hicks and Gilette will drop their price and make concessions - because they're going to have to - and the club will be sold.

/percy_bait

[Phil from the upper holte]

To be fair there can't have been many people in the game who thought Benitez would be there come next season. If Mon really wanted the job surely he wouldn't have commited himself to the Villa??

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Not the 1st time i've been called a queen Mark K, but personally i don't think MON is as bad as you seem to think., and i don't think the football is as bad as you think earlier, after all are'nt you the one who thought Citeeeh played Man Utd off the park?............no need to say anymore.

There you go again. I think MON has done a very good job stabilising the club, obviously in part thanks to the investment from the board, but it's still an achievement. You only have to look to Anfield to see how a large budget can be wrecklessly wasted.

I'm not a big fan of the football, I think we've a lot better than we pretend to be but MON understands we're in a results business and points on the board are far more important than playing a more adventurous game whereby those points may be put at risk. To his credit, he's openly admitted several times over the last 9 months that he wants us to play better football, so on that score I'm not alone.

After four seasons it's pretty easy to judge a manager in terms of his strengths and weaknesses. The one thing that does confuse me is he claims to be very ambitious but until now has done very little to work on some of those weaknesses. Whilst you and Percy, to name but a few, seem to think he can do no wrong and it's outright treason to question him, I believe differently. That's not to say I don't whole heartedly support the team when on the rare occasion I get to see them. I do. I just don't believe Martin can take us to the next level. Not unless he changes, the coaching being the main issue.

I have no problems with his recent signings, in fact I think last summer was money very well spent. If he can do the same again this summer, I'll be more than happy. We still won't play to our potential but it will be the perfect time to hand over to somebody else, somebody that has a bit of flair and has a greater understanding of the modern game.

As for the Man Citeh game, what I admired about their play was the fact they were willing to have a go at Man Utd. It took courage to risk losing a point, especially when they were looking to break into the top 4. I never said they played them off the park, that's just your hormones kicking in. But as you said yourself, it's not the first time you've been called a queen.

[hilts_coolerking]

I was having a look at Red & White Kop earlier and it seemed to me that the supporters, to a man, were gutted.  They lay the blame squarely at the door of the two American owners.

To be fair they do have a point.  Benitez was appointed in summer 2004 and won the European Cup the following year, and the FA Cup the season after that.  He also got them to another European Cup Final in 2007 three months after Hicks and Gilette had taken over that February.

Since then they've won nothing and I don't think they've got to any finals either.

Benitez isn't blameless of course.  He has made some very poor transfer decisions, both in and out, recently but it has to be said that over the last three seasons that club has been in turmoil.  Prior to the takeover things went much better for him.  And even in the midst of all that he got them runners up in the League in 2008/9.

He won't be out of a job for long; he's got a very good CV.  Liverpool, on the other hand, are going to be a mess at least until the current owners move on.  It would be a brave manager who takes the job on as things stand.  But, at the same time, the club needs to make a big statement with the next appointment to keep the fans onside.

[Greg N'Ash]

Could you imagine this place if he did leave? all those people who've spent the last 4 years on here defending his every move would be faced with the ultimate betrayal. all those hours on here talking about trusting him and how he'd lead us to the promised land rewarded by the manager metaphorically dropping his trousers and mooning them. who was the last manager to walk out on us for another club side?

[Rudy Can't Fail]

You do realise they'd blame you, Greg?

[Greg N'Ash]

heh, yeah

"he left because of the criticism"

[TheSandman]

If he did I'm certain we'll see a thread entitled "Well you've all got what you wanted now" as if Martin is sat in a room in his house reading what we are saying about him with a tear in his eye.

[Dallas Villain]

I live in Dallas, Hicks is in Dire financial need. He is trying to sell the Rangers out here and cant. The banks are calling him in. MON will not like that and will decide that Liverpool is not the right move. Not right now. Given the owners financial situation.

[LeeB]

If he did leave, I'm sure this board would be near silent as posters rush to tie themselves to the wardrobe door in a mass asphyxi-wank.

[dave.woodhall]

Could you imagine this place if he did leave? all those people who've spent the last 4 years on here defending his every move would be faced with the ultimate betrayal. all those hours on here talking about trusting him and how he'd lead us to the promised land rewarded by the manager metaphorically dropping his trousers and mooning them. who was the last manager to walk out on us for another club side?

Nobody ever has, which must be pretty much unique.

[Concrete John]

i'm buoyed by the news dalglish is so involved as he was supposed to be the main driving force behind getting MON according to my source. plus the fact that they made an offer to FSW to leave suggests to me they have the guy lined up. after all they were sounding out other managers 6months ago. downside is the fans don't want him, and if the players had a part in getting FSW sacked then they're highly unlikely to jump from the frying pan into the fire. also my info is a good month or so out of date now. i'd say on balance its still a goer.

Coming from the the bloke that told us last year signing Downing meant that Ashley Young was going to be sold, I'd gladly take that as 100% confirmed proof that our manager is NOT going to Liverpool!

[Greg N'Ash]

have to admit i couldn't think of one, but i assumed there must have been. must be pretty rare.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Could you imagine this place if he did leave? all those people who've spent the last 4 years on here defending his every move would be faced with the ultimate betrayal. all those hours on here talking about trusting him and how he'd lead us to the promised land rewarded by the manager metaphorically dropping his trousers and mooning them. who was the last manager to walk out on us for another club side?

Nobody ever has, which must be pretty much unique.

Ron Saunders?