The replacement for MON...?

[ianburnip]

I have no idea who we're going to get, i've a horrible feeling it'll be Curbishley/Davies/Di Matteo but i'd rather get Hiddink/Loew/Jol/Hitzfeld/Klinsmann.

Gabriel Marcotti's been suggesting O'Driscoll all day, but again, I'm not convinced.

All I know is, I want us to think it through, carefully.

[The Man With A Stick]

Ian Taylor or Sid Cowens

With the greatest of respect, don't talk daft.  I hope the days of basing decisions on someone being a "Villa man" are long gone.  We have to look forward, not back.

Besides, after Taylor's involvement in the Barry saga he can go fuck himself.

[pauliewalnuts]

Bob Bradley is an interesting one. No idea what his club career has been like but he's very highly thought of in football circles. I thought he'd end up at Fulham to be honest.

A manager who has never dipped his toe in a transfer market before?

Nothing like the sort of manager we should be after.

[Countryside Villain]

As good a job as he's done with the USA, surely Bradley is only being tipped because he's an American.

I think Jol and Rijkaard would be top runners for me, fancy a bit of that sexy dutch football at Villa Park (not the studs to the chest kind they now serve up though)

[Arsey]

Nice of MON to wait until just before the season starts. 

I would make Moyes an offer he can not refuse.  Failing that Jol isn't a bad shout.  Whoever it is I hope they are given money to spend but I just don't think the money is there anymore.

We cannot make Moyes an offer unless Everton allow us to. They'd be unwilling at the best of times but 5 days before the start of the season there is not a chance they'd agree.

Of course! that is how football works.

[Toronto Villa]

Personally, I think Martin Jol should be at the lower end of the range of managers we should be considering.

Even though I was vocal in my criticism of O'Neill, I always said that if the alternative was someone like Curbishley then we should stick by O'Neill.  If we can appoint a genuinely top class manager then O'Neill's work over the last four years can be built on to achieve real success.  If we appoint someone of Curbishley's calibre then it's back to the doldrums, I'm afraid.

I think it all hinges on how much money there is for the new manager.  Pretty much everything else is in place.

And how many 'genuinely top class' managers are currently looking for work? Of those how many are looking for work at a club about to sell their best player and where all the signs point to a club looking to cut back not push on?

Chris, playing devil's advocate here, but were all of the signs design to help make up MON's mind? Milner aside which is a case of getting stupid money for a player, then was every other development really just a systematic way of dismantling the control MON had at the club.

If then the club go hire someone with new rules established, then they could theoretically loosen purse strings while continuing to strive towards their own objectives of expansion coupled with wage reduction of unused players.

[Cheadlevilla82]

I would put my £10 birthday money on Bob Bradley
our transfer window marquee signing would then be his son
Creative midfield problem sorted!!!!!!

[ozzjim]

To keep Young and Gabby (who are the only ones that would agitate for a move I think, they are the only star quality ala M Jol 2007) that we have beyond Milner, and quite honestly if either go they would fetch a lot of money for a new manager to spend on his own replacements, so 25 for young may be a reason for MON going, but be a carrot for a new man that thinks he can get better.

The new man has to have knowledge of the european and wider transfer market as we need to spend less on wages and fees, and the english based signings are demanding silly money when they come.

Deadwood has to be cleared.

The love in for Heskey should end.

Ireland should still be signed in the deal for Milner.

Brave new dawn. Big day and week or so ahead for the club, but get it right and the shackles of MON could be off, and football might actually be enjoyable at Villa Park.

[Chris Smith]

Personally, I think Martin Jol should be at the lower end of the range of managers we should be considering.

Even though I was vocal in my criticism of O'Neill, I always said that if the alternative was someone like Curbishley then we should stick by O'Neill.  If we can appoint a genuinely top class manager then O'Neill's work over the last four years can be built on to achieve real success.  If we appoint someone of Curbishley's calibre then it's back to the doldrums, I'm afraid.

I think it all hinges on how much money there is for the new manager.  Pretty much everything else is in place.

And how many 'genuinely top class' managers are currently looking for work? Of those how many are looking for work at a club about to sell their best player and where all the signs point to a club looking to cut back not push on?

Chris, playing devil's advocate here, but were all of the signs design to help make up MON's mind? Milner aside which is a case of getting stupid money for a player, then was every other development really just a systematic way of dismantling the control MON had at the club.

If then the club go hire someone with new rules established, then they could theoretically loosen purse strings while continuing to strive towards their own objectives of expansion coupled with wage reduction of unused players.

If they wanted rid why not just sack him? Why cause a rift that leaved them 5 days before the season starts to find a replacement?

[JUAN PABLO]

stuart Pearce

[pauliewalnuts]

Personally, I think Martin Jol should be at the lower end of the range of managers we should be considering.

Even though I was vocal in my criticism of O'Neill, I always said that if the alternative was someone like Curbishley then we should stick by O'Neill.  If we can appoint a genuinely top class manager then O'Neill's work over the last four years can be built on to achieve real success.  If we appoint someone of Curbishley's calibre then it's back to the doldrums, I'm afraid.

I think it all hinges on how much money there is for the new manager.  Pretty much everything else is in place.

And how many 'genuinely top class' managers are currently looking for work? Of those how many are looking for work at a club about to sell their best player and where all the signs point to a club looking to cut back not push on?

Chris, playing devil's advocate here, but were all of the signs design to help make up MON's mind? Milner aside which is a case of getting stupid money for a player, then was every other development really just a systematic way of dismantling the control MON had at the club.

If then the club go hire someone with new rules established, then they could theoretically loosen purse strings while continuing to strive towards their own objectives of expansion coupled with wage reduction of unused players.

I think I agree you have a point there.

If I'm understanding you - and I think I am - you're wondering whether the the sell to buy / get rid of Milner thing was done to force MON out? It wouldn't surprise me.

[regular_john]

Lets face it, it's five days before the start of the new season, there's very little time left to organise transfers and (apparently) no money to do it with anyway, at least one of our better players is leaving, the club is in turmoil, we don't have champions league football, huge money or star players to tempt a top manager with. We are not going to get a world class manager, we will end up with someone of Curbishley's standard, if not the man himself. It is very much back to the doldrums for the forseeable future ladies and gents. Suddenly our 'bright' future seems a little dimmer.

[Chris Harte]

As I said on the other thread, I've a feeling (and would quite like) Martin Jol will be our next manager.

Might put a fiver on it in a bit.

[Risso]

Well, we'll certainly see what the board is made of now.  This is obviously the most serious setback they've faced, be interesting to see what plays out over the next few days and weeks.

[Toronto Villa]

Personally, I think Martin Jol should be at the lower end of the range of managers we should be considering.

Even though I was vocal in my criticism of O'Neill, I always said that if the alternative was someone like Curbishley then we should stick by O'Neill.  If we can appoint a genuinely top class manager then O'Neill's work over the last four years can be built on to achieve real success.  If we appoint someone of Curbishley's calibre then it's back to the doldrums, I'm afraid.

I think it all hinges on how much money there is for the new manager.  Pretty much everything else is in place.

And how many 'genuinely top class' managers are currently looking for work? Of those how many are looking for work at a club about to sell their best player and where all the signs point to a club looking to cut back not push on?

Chris, playing devil's advocate here, but were all of the signs design to help make up MON's mind? Milner aside which is a case of getting stupid money for a player, then was every other development really just a systematic way of dismantling the control MON had at the club.

If then the club go hire someone with new rules established, then they could theoretically loosen purse strings while continuing to strive towards their own objectives of expansion coupled with wage reduction of unused players.

If they wanted rid why not just sack him? Why cause a rift that leaved them 5 days before the season starts to find a replacement?

I don't know that they wanted to, but they wanted to change things over time, and it wasn't happening. Maybe they wanted to work with him and they gave it as much time as possible. I take your point off course, and it will be interesting what transpires in the next few days. A lot will become obvious about the direction of the club, the finances, and the desire of the owner between now and the end of the window.