The replacement for MON...?

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Just taking a look at the various things happening while Houllier was at Liverpool.
 Amongst others he signed.......Emile Heskey. Amongst others he got rid of.....Brad Friedl.
In 2001 he took them to a 2nd placed finish, thats as good as anybody has done for them in 20 years.
If he is working alongside someone, the definition of roles must be sorted out. Remember when he first arrived at Liverpool, he was working alongside Roy Evans in an unusual joint management role which frankly was never going to last.
Keep in mind he is 63, and he did suffer soem heart problems back in 2001.
None of the above are reasons in themselves to appoint him or not, but do provide food for thought.

[TimTheVillain]

I'm bracing myself for a real disappointment in who is eventually appointed.

[villa for life]

The names on this poll are now a bit out of date - time for a new one with only the serious contenders on it, together with a "none of the above" option??

[Irish villain]

His age or health aren't any issue for me E I Adio. I think he could be a good manager for us. I think there are better managers out there and that there are worse. I would be somewhat underwhelmed by his appointment for the simple reason I never was impressed by him at 'pool in spite of his trophies. I guess Rafa's early success with them was thanks to Houllier's squad too?

[Monty]

But the Trainer chooses the tactics and formation and team etc.  Were KMac to be Trainer in this context, I would worry.

Agreed. I'm very unimpressed by KMacD's tactics and team selection.

Yep.

I can't understand how anyone thinks a central two of Ireland and Petrov is not going to get walked through at will, for starters, and I think that's what he wanted to play against Everton, too.

Agreed. We would have been totally and thoroughly slaughtered by Everton had Ireland not been unlucky in the warm-up.

Donadoni?

Stan's brother has put him in for the job.

Don't know enough about him, but he doesn't meet the criteria if they're sticking to it.

I like Donadoni, a certain amount of steel lies beneath the slightly flimsy-seeming appearance (remember, this is a guy who nearly died in a latter-stages European Cup game, only to come back and play, and score, in the final). He won't get it, though, because our board values Premier League experience over quality of applicant.

[alan_clarke]

So we're still no clearer who the 5th candidate is? Where exactly did it say there are 5 people being interviewed anyway?

[alan_clarke]

But the Trainer chooses the tactics and formation and team etc.  Were KMac to be Trainer in this context, I would worry.

Agreed. I'm very unimpressed by KMacD's tactics and team selection.

Yep.

I can't understand how anyone thinks a central two of Ireland and Petrov is not going to get walked through at will, for starters, and I think that's what he wanted to play against Everton, too.

Agreed. We would have been totally and thoroughly slaughtered by Everton had Ireland not been unlucky in the warm-up.

Donadoni?

Stan's brother has put him in for the job.

Don't know enough about him, but he doesn't meet the criteria if they're sticking to it.

I like Donadoni, a certain amount of steel lies beneath the slightly flimsy-seeming appearance (remember, this is a guy who nearly died in a latter-stages European Cup game, only to come back and play, and score, in the final). He won't get it, though, because our board values Premier League experience over quality of applicant.

plus he's done pretty much feck all as a coach. he is in the koeman category for me.

[Monty]

Donadoni is a man who impresses many with his grasp of tactics, psychology and fitness training. Almost what you might call a leading theorist on the matter. It's true he has limited experience, though.

[john e]

Donadoni is a man who impresses many with his grasp of tactics, psychology and fitness training. Almost what you might call a leading theorist on the matter. It's true he has limited experience, though.

just think monty,
an Italian coach at Villa,
must be your dream ticket, all those defensive midfielders to pack out the midfield, never again will you see two strikers up front trying to win a game, when theres the more important task of not losing it.

bet your beside yourself with excitment



[only joshing mate]

[Monty]

Pleased you're joshing, John, because I don't like two up front because it's actually defensive! If you have two up front you have to make up for the huge short fall in midfield, so you are forced to sit deep and counter-attack. It can work, but me no like. I also don't really like specialist defensive midfielders, because if you just pack the place with defensive specialists then your ball retention will be poor.

Besides, Donadoni is attack-minded. His mentor was Arrigo Sacchi, one of the greatest attacking tacticians of all time in any sport.

[Small Rodent]

Won more silverware than any Villa manager in probably everyone living memory on here.

So when there was grumblings about MON last season and we wondered who we could get that was better than him, was the first name that popped into your head, Gerard Houllier, I bet it wouldn't have made the top 20.

No, because I liked MOn.

[john e]

Pleased you're joshing, John, because I don't like two up front because it's actually defensive! If you have two up front you have to make up for the huge short fall in midfield, so you are forced to sit deep and counter-attack. It can work, but me no like. I also don't really like specialist defensive midfielders, because if you just pack the place with defensive specialists then your ball retention will be poor.

Besides, Donadoni is attack-minded. His mentor was Arrigo Sacchi, one of the greatest attacking tacticians of all time in any sport.

like i said mate, only joshing, got to have a bit of a laugh or we'd all be crying

funny thing is with Italian coaches, England have got the only one who only seems  to know just one formation

we will always differ on this formation lark. for me its still more about the players and there abilities rather than where they play,
for instance take Barca, they may only play with one up front, but when you have Iniesta, Messi,Xabi etc, it doesnt really matter because they will always cause massive problems going forward,
its a bit different when you have Petrov, NRC etc

[eastie]

Lots or reports that only houllier and curbs made the final stage interview so Sven musnt have impressed- not my choice but I'd take houllier ahead of o neill- hopefully we can move on and go forward.

[Small Rodent]

No, Ferguson is a manager. He does the transfers, sorts out contracts, speaks to (some of) the press and everything else - but most importantly he picks the team. He throws the tea cups and turns the hairdryer on full blast at half time when things turn to shit. He's the manager.

The coaching staff, or assistant manager and his team, is what it's always been. There is no director of football at Old Trafford. Or at Chelsea. And I'm struggling to see how it would work here.

I made my point badly. I would expect a DoF to do the Manager stuff ferguson does, and the Coach to coach. It's just words to me.

[Monty]

like i said mate, only joshing, got to have a bit of a laugh or we'd all be crying

funny thing is with Italian coaches, England have got the only one who only seems  to know just one formation

we will always differ on this formation lark. for me its still more about the players and there abilities rather than where they play,
for instance take Barca, they may only play with one up front, but when you have Iniesta, Messi,Xabi etc, it doesnt really matter because they will always cause massive problems going forward,
its a bit different when you have Petrov, NRC etc

There's a bit of a myth about Capello that he only knows the one formation. Fact is that England are meant to play 4-2-3-1, but the players drift into 4-4-2. Besides, Capello invented 3-4-1-2, won the Champions' League with 4-4-1-1, won La Liga with a type of 4-3-2-1 with the full backs providing most of the width, and so on. A truly great tactician.

You're absolutely right, though, it's about the players you have first and foremost, but how you use them is crucial. Look at Sunderland. Their best chance of scoring ever is to get Darren Bent space in front of goal. How do they do it? By playing two defensive midfielders and giving Bent a target man partner in attack to deflect attention on the counter-attack. It wouldn't work at the very highest level, where you have to control games to win them, but it's fine for Sunderland.

For me, our best current formation is a 4-2-3-1 with Petrov and NRC holding, but it must be improved upon. We'll never be Barca, who have that amazing fluidity from a combination of amazing talent, brilliant tactical intelligence great coaching and just playing together for ages, but we can be more fluid than we are. The key player to be improved upon there is NRC, as his lack of ability on the ball constantly loses momentum in attacks. A more well-rounded player is needed.