The replacement for MON...?

[john e]

This is a very good point.  Any of us who are calling Martin disloyal for the timing of his departure must also think the same of any manager who leaves their current post to join us now.

No, it's completely different. It just is.

Yeah, it's miles different. MON walked out on us, presumably because he threw his toys and had a tantrum. If someone left another club for us, their club would be given compensation and it'd be for the managers career aspirations and job hopes. As opposed to MON's bruised ego and arrogance.

i think daves tongue was jammed in his cheek when he said that

[Clampy]

Dawg and john e - let me state I am delighted o neill has gone , but now let's move on with Sven, bilic, klinsmann or jol!

As far as mon is concerned good riddance - as far as Bradley is concerned I don't think randy is stupid enough to appoint a man with no European experience!If he does it will be a blow but at least it's not o neill!

i'm glad MON gone, would still take BB over him, and realise thats a risk.

have more respect for Chris Smith and John M who stuck by MON till the end, they have every right to feel gutted about whoever we might get,

but the likes of me and you Risso Paulie etc, well we got our wish, if it ends up being Bob the Builder so be it. we wanted a change and got it

doesnt mean we cant have an oppinion on who we get, but the posts about relegation, uproar, the club falling appart, are rediculous for those who wanted MON out and knew the risks that went with it

This is a  good point. I'm sure there are those who wanted MON out, that are not impressed with the list of candidates the bookies have lined up.

[Ads]

 The posts about relegation really only emphasise the cult of personality O’Neill was able to develop and that exists amongst the media.   

[Concrete John]

This is a very good point.  Any of us who are calling Martin disloyal for the timing of his departure must also think the same of any manager who leaves their current post to join us now.

No, it's completely different. It just is.

Yeah, it's miles different. MON walked out on us, presumably because he threw his toys and had a tantrum. If someone left another club for us, their club would be given compensation and it'd be for the managers career aspirations and job hopes. As opposed to MON's bruised ego and arrogance.

Yes, I could just picture us now wishing Martin a cheery 'farewell and thank you' if he left us to go manage Liverpool within a week of the season starting.

[Clampy]

Arsene wenger had managed in France! Sven is out of work , let's get him in pronto, koeman is an interesting one though too.

I don't recall Sven pulling up any trees at his last two jobs (Mexico and Ivory Coast). Sven to me is just taking
any job that comes along.

[Concrete John]

The posts about relegation really only emphasise the cult of personality O’Neill was able to develop and that exists amongst the media.   

I think we have too many good players to be in any serious relegation trouble, but I do think Bradley is the wrong man for the job and would get less out of our players than MON did.   

[TheEgo]

Odds on with all bookies now on oddschecker (Bradley that is) im sure this means very little, but all this gossip and rumours makes the day go a little quicker

[Whiney MacWhineface]

This is a  good point. I'm sure there are those who wanted MON out, that are not impressed with the list of candidates the bookies have lined up.

Though that list could have been a lot stronger if his holiness hadn't dumped us at this late stage.

[Patricksp]

Talksport is saying that Bob Bradley is the new Manager
http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/2010-08-13/exclusive-bradley-quits-usa

[Leighton]

Very good read here by the boy Moxley.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1302785/Aston-Villa-fresher-Martin-ONeill.html

O'Neill's timing was poor but his departure can help freshen up life at Aston Villa

The ‘Martin O’Neill quits Villa Park’ story wasn’t a surprise.
The timing of it most certainly was.
Before the dust settles on the two-minute walkout at Bodymoor Heath this week,  it’s perhaps important to nail exactly what the issues were that drove the Irishman to the exit door. Let’s study the evidence. As ever in football, money plays its’ part. And it  did so here.
O’Neill has gone on record confirming that he had influence over every aspect  of life at Villa Park. As such, he had the final say on transfers and the money being spent.
   
It would be wrong to label Randy Lerner as ‘naïve.’ But it could be said that he was new to the English game. He bought into O’Neill. He was, at least initially, prepared to try and bridge  the financial gap that existed four years ago between the big boys and the rest. So, the Ulsterman was afforded free reign in that respect.
He was allowed to bring in whosoever he chose. Subsequently, it follows that because he was so ‘hands-on’ he also agreed wages. Now, Lerner and his colleagues perhaps can be accused of placing too much faith  in a football manager. They won’t be the first to make that mistake.
But what do you do while you learn the ropes? (No prizes for anyone saying that  allowing Steve Stride to leave possibly wasn’t the smartest move.) And for all the dreadful timing - whether it pre-planned I suspect we will  never know - O’Neill has not left behind a squad bereft of talent.
Villa finished sixth last season. And, okay, James Milner will move on next week but not one single person I’ve spoken to during the course of the past few days does not think that receiving £17m and Stephen Ireland in return from Manchester City is anything but good business.
So, on the pitch, O’Neill did a good job. He had £120m to spend over four years, finished sixth in the last three seasons, qualified for European football’s second most-important club  competition and blasted the wage structure to pieces. Oh, and he also reached a Wembley final. Not bad at all.

On the flipside, Harry Redknapp inherited a better squad, spent not even half that money and lifted Spurs into the top four. Inside 18 months.
Off the pitch, O’Neill got it badly wrong. Paying Habib Beye over £40,000-a-week? Do me a favour. Luke Young over £40,000-a-week? That’s £80k every seven days on two full-backs who almost never played.
On occasion, I reckoned last season there were times when O’Neill’s bench was  tying up over £250,000 per week in wages. That’s £12-13m a year for people to warm their backsides, given the lack of rotation. No wonder Randy Lerner wanted cut-backs.
O’Neill was a manager who played hardball with his players, Villa’s office staff, Villa’s punters, the media and his owner. But if nothing had been done to address the financial situation, then there was always likely to be a parting of the ways.

However, as we all sit here, 24 hours before the dawn of a new season, I cannot help but think there will be a renewed freshness about life in B6. No more rows over the Milner transfer money, no more ‘will they, won’t they,’ spending plans, no more paranoia that seeped into every nook and cranny about players/staff/punters speaking out of turn fearing they would incur O'Neill' wrath.
Ooh, let’s wear happy faces. Kevin MacDonald is a Villa man. He has been responsible for bridging that gap  between the highly-successful Academy and the first-team. Bad habits have been eradicated. Good habits have been picked up.
The players regard him highly. He is quiet and won’t go shouting about his own  abilities from the rooftops. There are no obvious other candidates, either, which should help MacDonald’s cause.
It is my understanding that Villa are prepared to push the boat out too. Ashley Young’s new contract should prove that.
Personally, I just think Randy Lerner lost faith in Martin O’Neill’s ability to  spend his money wisely.
It doesn’t mean that the American won’t back the next manager. Doug Ellis always managed to find a few quid to back his new man too.
Will that be Kevin MacDonald? I hope so. It would be heartening to see a highly-regarded British coach promoted from within a club to make a success of the Villa job

[cheltenhamlion]

I would be very fucking angry if Bob Bradley got the job. But he won't, so there is no need to worry.

I get the impression that Randy wants a name with a bit of sparkle to it.

[midnite]

First post so all very exciting though I've been lurking in the shadows for a few years now!

Re. Brad III - wouldn't surprise me if Randy was considering this as a way into the American market. Though small at the moment there is a lot potential support (and money) there and it would no doubt be quite big news in the 'soccer' world and raise our profile. From a business perspective it may make some sense but it is a big risk in my opinion.

I think you have a really strong point there. It would be a shame to appoint a manager based on a decission to make the club more attractive to American investment. We all know how patriotic the yanks are.
Surely making the decision based on what is good for the club and moving it forward is the number one priority, in turn a bigger more successful club will then attract foreign investment. But maybe randy doesn't see us being able to get that. So appointing an American manager, with an American owner would help break the American Market.

[eastie]

Sure many of us wanted mon out but that's because we want a decent proven manager, bradley lacks experience at this level.

Still if worst happens I would still prefer him to o neill.

[deanl123]

I am one of the 21 posters who chose BB in the Poll above. It's not that I think he's the man for the job, it's just that the rest of the list was so incredibly poor, that I thought an unknown is worth a shot.

Apart from Moyes, and maybe Billic, I would take a drunk from the Witton Arms over the other contenders on that list!

Welcome to Birmingham Bob and Good Luck!

[Desi]

Ronald Koeman?