The replacement for MON...?

[PhilGibson]

After a summer of absolute turmoil brought about by Martin O'Neill leaving the club five days before the season (Reasons for this still not clear but have been discussed to death). No signings bar Stephen Ireland entered the club during the summer and we lost one of our star men from last season. So all in all pretty rank summer.

We are now sitting 4th in the league having won 2 and lost one, we are out of the europa league. In the next few days we are going to potentially see the appointment of european manager for the first time since Dr Jo. This could be a disaster after all he has been out of the game for a number of years and had a bad time of it at Liverpool towards the end, he may bring in Phil Thompson who some people do not like. He did make some terrible signings in his time at Liverpool and some of his tactics were negative in the extreme.

But taking all of that into account, we are going to have a manager of pedigree who has won the league in France, finished 2nd in the premier league, won a european trophy, won the FA cup (something which has alluded Villa since 1957) and brought home the league cup in the same season, albeit 9 years ago. So as silver linings go in spite of the circumstances of the long summer of 2010 we are now starting afresh.

As for Martin O'Neill I thank him for what he did but he is gone now, it is the next chapter in the Villa story, for those who praise Martin they must be pleased he built a good squad, for those who disliked Martin's methods, you must be glad there has been a change, so if both sides of the divide can come together and recognise we now must move on.

Lets start again and get behind the team and manager and see what the future holds.

[smudger]

Your 'power of positive thinking', whilst admirable, if having no effect on me.

[Ian.]

I was in the MON camp, right to the end.  He done a good job, then for some unknown reason left us. I'm not happy with the way he left. We have to move on.
I was delighted we got him when we did, his record was good but most important his reputation was immense.

Now though if we do get Gerard, on paper his record is far superior to MON's, its only his reputation (in this country) which isn't. As we have found out, reputations do not count for much.

This to me the more I think about it, and hear what the people in the game, what Liverpool fans have to say is a even bigger coup than when Aston Villa employed MON four years ago.

[Phil from the upper holte]

I don't think it matters who we got in, Some people would complain regardless.

[Reality]

The fact is if he wins a tenth of what he's won in his career he'd be considered a Villa legend.

He's coming out from a cushy and presumably well paid job in his homeland whilst semi-retired to put his reputation on the line to manage us. Give the man a chance.

Spot on mate.

[pauliewalnuts]

Have we ever attracted a manager who has been able to boast of winning so many trophies?

No. Thought not!

That's the thing.

MON. Won two minor trophies with an English club. Won league titles in Scotland.

Houllier. Won major trophies with Liverpool. Won league titles in France.

Houllier offers absolutely everything MON offered when he became our manager, and more. Yes, he's been out of the game (in terms of management) for a while, but then again, so had MON been.

Houllier isn't the most exciting appointment, but in the context of the shitty situation MON's departure left us in, he is about the best appointment we could make.

[bob]

Debatable, but it's far from demoralising.

[SoccerHQ]

End of the day, if O'Runner had done the decent thing and resigned in late May/early June, then Mark Hughes would've been available for appointment and we could've had a decent nibble at either Jol or Moyes.

Does anyone really think Jol would at this moment in time walk away from a champions league group with Real Madrid and AC Milan in it/ Does anyone really think no matter how much we offer Everton Moyes will just decide to walk away from Everton?

The timing of the previous manager leaving always made this a tricky time to appoint a new boss. I would say Houllier's a decent next summer/18 months transitional manager to have, keep us competitive in the top half and in the cups.

Then next summer if Jol or Moyes come onto the market, I'd expect us to thank Gerard for his service, pay him up and go for one of them. If not, then I would be disappointed in Randy, not now.

[villa `cross the mersey]

I agree with PhilGibson - good piece that.

For all those not willing to give the new appointees a chance - who on earth do you think we should be bringing in?
I am really beginning to despair at some of the posters on here and VT - some really have delusions of grandeur.
I have been lucky enough to witness us winning the League, European Cup and a few League cups - but that has been it, spanned over a period of nearly 50 years. Whilst I am extremely glad to boast to all and sundry that I am a Villa fan I am realistic enough to realise we are not the biggest club in the country, our attendances are fairly average considering the size and catchment area of Birmingham, and several more clubs can boast greater recent histories than ourselves.
Of course I would to see us top of the pile, however you don`t always get what you want in this world.

[hilts_coolerking]

That's the thing.

MON. Won two minor trophies with an English club. Won league titles in Scotland.

Houllier. Won major trophies with Liverpool. Won league titles in France.

Houllier offers absolutely everything MON offered when he became our manager, and more. Yes, he's been out of the game (in terms of management) for a while, but then again, so had MON been.

Houllier isn't the most exciting appointment, but in the context of the shitty situation MON's departure left us in, he is about the best appointment we could make.

On that basis, surely Eriksson would be a better appointment. In terms of trophy count he's far beyond O'Neill or Houllier and he has not been out of top flight management for six years. Yes he comes with baggage but Houllier brings with him the health issue.

Houllier isn't the worst appointment we could make, not by a long way, but I don't see it's possible to say he's the best. We're offering him a lucrative ticket out of the 'where are they now' file, and I hope he makes full use of it. But given how long he has been out of English football, and given that his best season was 10 years ago, it is hope, rather than expectation.

[OzVilla]

From what I can see, Sven has a far better reputation, standing and achievements list than Houllier has.

But they certainly have the same footballing attributes, just Sven's are more impressive and relevent for us.  Houllier is a poor mans Eriksson imo.

[Matt Collins]

My liverpool supporting mate emailed me today, said:

be prepared for lots of post-match interviews where Houllier cites all the stats about shots on goals and posession superiority, despite the fact that you have spent the game knocking long balls into Heskey, been clearly outpassed and created a few half chances.

Probably harsh, but I'm not expecting it to be any more entertaining than it was under MON. Which isn't to say he won't get my support.

[pmk1981]

im so upset about this,  gututed,  was so looking forward to a new manager to take us forward, but we end up with a 63 year old manager who hasnt managed a club in the premier league in 6 years ( and who swapped JC for milan baros, lol )

[west sussex villan]

Oneil took us over at a bad time, got given a load of money and got us to 6th in the league with a carling cup final. The new manager whoever it is going to be, Needs to achieve more than that or we're not going in the right direction.

[Arsey]

That's the thing.

MON. Won two minor trophies with an English club. Won league titles in Scotland.

Houllier. Won major trophies with Liverpool. Won league titles in France.

Houllier offers absolutely everything MON offered when he became our manager, and more. Yes, he's been out of the game (in terms of management) for a while, but then again, so had MON been.

Houllier isn't the most exciting appointment, but in the context of the shitty situation MON's departure left us in, he is about the best appointment we could make.

On that basis, surely Eriksson would be a better appointment. In terms of trophy count he's far beyond O'Neill or Houllier and he has not been out of top flight management for six years. Yes he comes with baggage but Houllier brings with him the health issue.

Houllier isn't the worst appointment we could make, not by a long way, but I don't see it's possible to say he's the best. We're offering him a lucrative ticket out of the 'where are they now' file, and I hope he makes full use of it. But given how long he has been out of English football, and given that his best season was 10 years ago, it is hope, rather than expectation.

What has Sven ever achieved while managing an English club, other than a massive pay packet?