The replacement for MON...?

[Karl Bridges]

I'm starting to think Houllier may be the one that gets picked. After all he ticks all the boxes. Out of work, Prem experience, big name (worked at a high level), good with young players, good network for scouting, is a respectable figure in the game.

[KevinGage]

Curbishley is an average man and an average manager, with an average outlook and an average tone, with an average media persona and an average manner. He would be played by William H Macy in a film, and come across as a bit wimpy, and continue to be average.


That is what is wrong with him.

I think a fair few -certainly outside of B6- would say he's ideal for us then.

Not me though.

Look at our appointments in recent years; DOL (twat that he is) secured CL football for Leeds. MON: CL football and trophies at Celtic and even trophies at Leicester. We can pour scorn on those achievements as much as we like, but it's undeniable that he was one of the most popular managers in Britain at the time we appointed him, linked with the very best jobs.

It's no guarantee -as we have seen- that a manager enjoying a fair degree of success at other clubs will automatically take it with him.

But Curbishley and the like pretty much guarantee mediocrity.

[kippaxvilla2]

I would take Houllier, Zola or Bradley over Curbishley.  And obviously Klinsmann.  It has been said previously but he has no affinity with us really.  We bought him at the back end of his career and he only played for us 36 times.  He is Mr Monotone, average, mid table at best, fine if that is the criteria we are now seeking, then he is perfect.  But look forward to years of dullness.

[Cheadlevilla82]

I think Houllier would piss Randy's cash away on poor but cheap French imports.... His record at redscouse suggests that a fair amount of pain would follow. No thanks

[Irish villain]

I think the idea if BFR in combination with Kmac and the present coaching staff would work... At least we would have some entertainment rather than the fairly sterile stuff played out last season. 

I hope you're being sarcastic?

[Shrek]

Curbs would be better than Southgate, MacDonald, Zola or Bradley, on a par with Houllier and Klinsmann, worse than Koeman, Erikkson or Jol and miles behind Hinnink or Moyes. Thats about how i see it.

That is spot on, just how I see them!

[KevinGage]

Houllier also made some quite disparaging remarks about us at the time that both ourselves and his side Lyon were going for Milan Baros in 2005.

Along the lines of he couldn't understand why any top player or any player with ambition would go to Aston Villa.

An elephant never forgets, and neither does Kevin.

[smudger]

I would take Houllier, Zola or Bradley over Curbishley.  And obviously Klinsmann.  It has been said previously but he has no affinity with us really.  We bought him at the back end of his career and he only played for us 36 times.  He is Mr Monotone, average, mid table at best, fine if that is the criteria we are now seeking, then he is perfect.  But look forward to years of dullness.

You would really take an American 'soccer' coach or Zola whose only management experience was almost getting West Ham relegated and appearing on match of the day each week like some grinning imbecile who looked even more of a tourist than Cristian Gross at Tottenham over an ex Villa bloke who has had a reasonable amount of success in the past? I don't want Curbs myself ideally, but those 2 would be far worse IMO.

[DaveK]

I'm of the opinion that people are reading way too much into the interview process and the candidates that are being reported as being interviewed. Especially as so much of the reported stuff has proven to be bollox in the last couple of weeks.

If people like Alan Curbishley and Gareth Southgate as ex-players have applied to be our manager, then it seems obvious to me that somebody who has repeatedly shown as much integrity as Randy Lerner has, will give them an interview purely as a courtesy. I think he would pay Kevin MacDonald that courtesy too, because he's a decent bloke.

A decision on which (if any) of the interviewed candidates is offered the job would be made after all of that, so why not pay Curbs some respect and talk to him? He's always struck me as a pleasant bloke, so where's the harm?

If we appoint Curbishley, then I'll be disappointed, but I support Aston Villa FC, not individual managers or players, so I shall go along every week and support them like I've always done.

[Shrek]

Houllier also made some quite disparaging remarks about us at the time that both ourselves and his side Lyon were going for Milan Baros in 2005.

Along the lines of he couldn't understand why any top player or any player with ambition would go to Aston Villa.

An elephant never forgets, and neither does Kevin.

Lets make sure the general hears this!

[garyshawsknee]

Houllier also made some quite disparaging remarks about us at the time that both ourselves and his side Lyon were going for Milan Baros in 2005.

Along the lines of he couldn't understand why any top player or any player with ambition would go to Aston Villa.

An elephant never forgets, and neither does Kevin.

 Well done sir,now do you have any dodgy quotes from Curbishley!!

[alan_clarke]

Curbs would be better than Southgate, MacDonald, Zola or Bradley, on a par with Houllier and Klinsmann, worse than Koeman, Erikkson or Jol and miles behind Hinnink or Moyes. Thats about how i see it.

Ive still not heard anyone make a convincing argument for Koeman...

[KevinGage]

He also had a right go at Sander Westerveld soon after he signed a replacement keeper (Dudek, I think) saying publicly he wasn't up to it anymore and generally ridiculing him.

The guy had dropped a few clangers early into the campaign but had been a good, solid keeper prior to that.

When Westerveld responded, saying that he believed himself to be hard done by, and better than the replacement Houllier said something along the lines of "Sander knows that's not true and if he continues I'll sue."

Recall it as I just thought at the time it was a really unnecessary OTT thing to say and marked him out to be a bit of a cant.

[eastie]

I would imagine now the decision is probably made and hopefully tomorrow we
may finally be put out of our long wait- here's hoping it's the right man .

[pauliewalnuts]

Houllier also made some quite disparaging remarks about us at the time that both ourselves and his side Lyon were going for Milan Baros in 2005.

Along the lines of he couldn't understand why any top player or any player with ambition would go to Aston Villa.

An elephant never forgets, and neither does Kevin.

Weren't we saying the same thing at the time, though?