4 years ago - O'Leary's out!!!!

[Chico Hamilton III]

A few classic O'Leary-isms here.

What a twat he was. And Curbishley was the fans' favourite to replace him...

Birmingham Evening Mail

July 20, 2006, Thursday


In his own words;
THE O'LEARY YEARS David O'Leary was never slow to pass comment on a variety of subjects. Here Bill Howell, our man at Villa, recalls some of those words of wisdom.

BYLINE: Bill Howell

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 76

LENGTH: 1196 words


May 2003 (on his arrival): "I want to put the club back where it belongs - at the very top, get the crowds in and play good football and I'm looking forward to giving it my best shot.

"There's a wonderful stadium and I want to get the crowd buzzing.

"Hopefully, I'll put out a good team for them. I'll try to make them proud.

"Over the next couple of seasons the aim is to get Villa back into the top six where it belongs."

Wednesday, September 21 2005: O'Leary hits out at 'fickle' fans after they booed him at half-time with Villa trailing 3-1. Final score: Wycombe 3-8 Aston Villa

"There is a genuine bunch of fans and then there is a fickle mob who get on your back."

Friday March 31 2006 (about Bill Howell): O'Leary said: "We've got a local paper that has an agenda against myself. The journalist involved - who has been banned by the two previous managers of the club - is a West Brom fan. He's had a vendetta against me. He is trying to undermine me and the football club."

O'Leary then repeated the remarks on Saturday's Five Live following the 5-0 away defeat to Arsenal the next day.

Mid-way through last season about playing at Villa Park: "I think there is an element at Villa Park, the players seem to be saying, that jump on their backs very quickly and they get a bit nervous,"

Last season about expectations: "I get a lot of people quoting 'we've got a fine stadium and we won the European Cup' but I really don't know what that has got to do with 2006.''

Last season on letters: "I try to reply to the constructive and sensible letters from fans who would be able to maybe take in what you are trying to say when you reply.

"With some, because they are so biased in terms of saying what Aston Villa are and what Aston Villa should be doing, it's pointless writing back.

"The brave ones are the people who put their phone numbers in their letters. The ones that really give you the stick don't put numbers in."

More on supporter letters: "I got letters saying 'congratulations on getting the job, we are Aston Villa, we expect to be in the top four by the end of the season'. I got loads of letters when we finished sixth - and I thought I did a great job - saying 'we've missed out on the Champions League'.

Prior to facing Charlton at The Valley last February 2006:

"Leave the Aston Villa name out of it, both of us are handling the same budgets money-wise," said O'Leary. "They may not have the great name or tradition of Aston Villa but in general terms we're in the same boat. Alan Curbishley has probably had more chance to shape the squad because he's had longer in the job."

Doug Ellis on the 3-0 defeat at Doncaster, Villa's darkest day November 2005: "I felt humiliated, disgusted and embarrassed by our inept performance."

O'Leary after the 0-0 draw at home to Fulham, March 25, 2006, when the infamous: "We are not fickle" banner first appeared: "I have been told about the banners. That comes with football now. It can happen to any of us at any time. If there is one banner out of 32,000 people, I'm big enough to take it."

On fan abuse: "You have to let it go right over your head. Fans want you out one minute and to get a new contract the next."

More on Villa fans: "They moaned after my second game - I'm told they moaned after Villa won the European Cup because they didn't win it in style!

"You have to let it go right over your head."

On his defence: "I've a good bunch of lads who let themselves down today ... we gave a lot of easy goals away."

On the takeover: "I do not have a clue what is happening and no-one has spoken to me about it. You can only hope something either does happen or it doesn't, then we can get on and start concentrating on the football side because it gives people a chance to look for excuses very easily."

More on the takeover: "If new people do come in you never know what might happen. They might want their own manager. But it's no good worrying about that. It's out of my control."

And even more on the takeover: "It's a very unsettling time with all the rumours, as people can look for excuses on the back of it very easily.

"All the time I've been here there's been rumours. You just hope something either happens or it doesn't so you can concentrate on the football."

On the Sunday national newspaper stitch-up of Sven-Goran Eriksson in the Fake Sheikh saga: "It is not acceptable that the national coach speaks publicly about replacing another manager whilst he is in the post. I will co-operate with Sven as I always have, but I want recorded my dissatisfaction and my disappointment."

On Villa's highly successful Academy in March 2006: "You hear academy people promoting themselves, but not too many promoting the managers who were brave enough to put those players in. I never hear the academies talking about all the players they've made mistakes on."

Earlier this summer on James Milner wanting to sign for Villa. Milner has now agreed to stay at Newcastle: "Milner wants to stay with me here. That is definite. He wants to sign here without a doubt."

In July 2004 when his new contract had still not been signed after lengthy negotiations, denying rumours suggesting he was set to walk out: "I don't know where this story has come from and I certainly never threatened to quit. Discussions are ongoing. All I've said is that if we can't agree then we'll carry on as we are and I can concentrate on running the team."

On signing a three-and-a-half year contract extension, securing his future at the club until summer 2008: "It was important to me, Roy Aitken and Steve MacGregor, an integral part of my team, should stay for the same time. "Someone has to try and put Aston Villa back where they should belong and I'm up for the challenge."

Friday April 15, 2005: O'Leary rejects Ellis rift claims. Ellis hit out after O'Leary said there would be "substantial investment."

O'Leary attempted to clear up the confusion, insisting: "I can state categorically that there is no rift between myself and the chairman.

"I never disclosed the figure to the media what I will have available to spend and I can't stop them speculating about figures."

In December 2003, playing down expectations: "This year it is about survival. We finished 16th last year and it is all about turning this club around. "Somebody has to get Villa back where they belong. I'll be proud if it's me. I'm determined to be here as long as I can. I won't be lacking in effort."

Towards the end of his first season in charge: "There is going to have to be a big rebuilding job for the club," he said.

"How long will it take? That will depend on the players we are able to bring in. We've got to make it a bigger squad."

In November 2003 he attempted to rubbish tabloid links with a return to Leeds:

"I'm here at Aston Villa and I'm happy at Aston Villa. "I have a three-year deal and I hope I'm here for a lot longer than that."

Also in November 2003. O'Leary, speaking from Dubai after Villa played a friendly, maintained he has a healthy relationship with the chairman: "I want to make it clear that David O'Leary is not a man to throw his dummy out of the pram over money. "I have a great relationship with the chairman and nothing has changed from my arrival in May."

[ADVILLAFAN]

Oh what a glorious day

[*shellac*]

I cried tears of happiness on that glorious day.

[TaxDodger]

I think I was the only Villa fan in the entire world who was little bit disappointed when he left. I mainly blamed our problems on Ellis and hoped O'Leary would be given a chance under any possible wealthy new owners that might come along. His comments since, and the fact we got O'Neill, have of corse proved that I was an idiot.

[Dr Butler]

I think I was the only Villa fan in the entire world who was little bit disappointed when he left. I mainly blamed our problems on Ellis and hoped O'Leary would be given a chance under any possible wealthy new owners that might come along. His comments since, and the fact we got O'Neill, have of corse proved that I was an idiot.

Happens to us all....

[LeeB]

I think I was the only Villa fan in the entire world who was little bit disappointed when he left. I mainly blamed our problems on Ellis and hoped O'Leary would be given a chance under any possible wealthy new owners that might come along. His comments since, and the fact we got O'Neill, have of corse proved that I was an idiot.

Happens to us all....

I backed him for a long time, I think the breaking point was probably the Man City cup games, by that point the team had no heart or desire and that's when you have to look at the manager.

The fact he'd time and again run down the club to try and amplify his own struggle didn't help his cause. He had a tough job but he made a pigs ear of it. Twat.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

I remember when I said to  Mr O`Leary on a car park at Doncaster that I had just witnessed one of the worst displays by an Aston Villa team in 40 years. I politely asked him what the excuse was this time and he chose to ignore me not uttering a word and walk away.

I have never forgiven such gross ignorance bearing in mind I was most careful to ask my question in a polite and non confrontational manner.
At least if I had said something to the likes of say Ron Atkinson I am sure he would have argued back and given me a piece of his mind. If I said something like that to Ron Saunders he would probably have hit me. Both more preferable responses to being ignored.

[The Man With A Stick]

Reading all that reminds me of what an utter prick he was.  Shame we'll probably never get the chance to show him how we feel.

[mcgrath_85]

I remember feeling a great burden lifted from my shoulders on this day. This was mostly down to the fact that inwould no longer have piss ripped out of me from my mates because of o'dreary.
He has to be the most unlikeable manager in the history of the Villa, definitely in my life time.

[Nev]

I tuned in to the constant updates on Malcolm Boyden's show on WM. It was an agonising evening and once it was confirmed it was out with the Jimmy's.

I poured an extraordinarily large measure and relished every drop.

Thatcher and O'Leary, the hatred never wains.

[Ads]

For some reason this quote strikes me as one of his most arrogant statements;

“On Villa's highly successful Academy in March 2006: "You hear academy people promoting themselves, but not too many promoting the managers who were brave enough to put those players in. I never hear the academies talking about all the players they've made mistakes on."”

[dave.woodhall]

If I said something like that to Ron Saunders he would probably have hit me.

I doubt it. He would probably have been too busy kicking the players arses across the car park one by one.

[eric woolban woolban]

'Good riddance'

The best-ever line quoted when O'Leary left Villa Park for the final time.

Captured in all it's glory on sky sports news.

Whoever shouted that. I salute you!

[Chris Harte]

The only time I ever wrote to a Villa chairman was to Ellis about this prick, asking him to get rid.

As it happened, the mystery player statement happened later that summer and the waste of space was gone.

Thank fuck.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

The only time I ever wrote to a Villa chairman was to Ellis about this prick, asking him to get rid.

Did you get a letter back from Deadly? I wrote to him three times over the years and always got the courtesy of a reply.

The first time was to express my disagreement that Ron Atkinson had gone. The second time was to say i thought Savo Milosovic should go (after the spitting incident ). The third time was to say I thought he should go.

Not surprisingly his response to the third request was the most detailed and interesting. Vehement disagreement would probably be the best description, but as I say he was decent enough to reply and argued his corner.