The Martin O'Neill thread (with added sacking #2188)

[LeeB]

If they think it's bad now,  just wait until he runs out of steam in March.  ha ha ha.

Like.

[rob_bridge]

I saw that, you missed out the headline 'O'Neill needs to look beyond first-choice XI'.
Can you imagine how angry he is after spending years building up his media reputation as the Son of Clough, just to see it go down the pan in days. He even tried to rekindle the Clough link the other day in a press conference but the journo's weren't buying it. He'll obviously be in denial and stubbornly refuse to play any of the above mentioned players.

I can't see him lasting the season.

It's one of the traits he seems to have certainly picked up from Clough - kidology.  OBE didn't just overlook those not in his starting XI - he positively ignored them.  At the games, at the training ground, wherever.  The lesson being:  a first team place was everything. You didn't make the first XI = you didn't exist.

The modern game just doesn't operate that way though, subs are as important (maybe sometimes more important) than those starting the match.  And keeping a whole squad of players motivated, involved and keen is not optional, it's a necessity.

It's always bugged me that he picked up on some of the weird and contrary ways of his mentor and not some of his more worthy beliefs, like football being played on the deck and not in the clouds.

This is just spot on, completely agree with this.

Seconded - well said Gagey.

At Leicester I suppose he had to cut his cloth accordingly in terms of personnel but he could have played with more style - much more style - with the resources at his disposal at B6.

[SoccerHQ]

He's a 90s football man in the 21st century.

[eastie]

MON will soon be one of yesterdays men. He will either finish up unemployable ( like O'Leary, which I am glad about) or slowly sliding down the league structure managing non league in front of a few hundred (like Brian Little, which I am not glad about).
What all managers should realise when they get the Villa job, it will more likely than not be the biggest and best job they will ever have.

Is that because they invariably fail and none of the "bigger and better clubs" see them as a potential manager?

It has been to a large extent because for much of Villas history there have been fewer , even no, bigger jobs.

Perhaps only Arsenal up until the 60's.
Then, Man United after the mid 60's, and then Liverpool from the 70's.
Only recently have we fallen well down the pecking order. as we have been overtaken by Spurs, Chelsea, and then Man City.

Lets not get carried away , yes we are a big club but there have been bigger jobs down the years than you have mentioned- we have won the league once in the last 100 years and fa cup once in the last 90 years .

[maidstonevillain]

MON will soon be one of yesterdays men. He will either finish up unemployable ( like O'Leary, which I am glad about) or slowly sliding down the league structure managing non league in front of a few hundred (like Brian Little, which I am not glad about).
What all managers should realise when they get the Villa job, it will more likely than not be the biggest and best job they will ever have.

Is that because they invariably fail and none of the "bigger and better clubs" see them as a potential manager?

It has been to a large extent because for much of Villas history there have been fewer , even no, bigger jobs.

Perhaps only Arsenal up until the 60's.
Then, Man United after the mid 60's, and then Liverpool from the 70's.
Only recently have we fallen well down the pecking order. as we have been overtaken by Spurs, Chelsea, and then Man City.

Lets not get carried away , yes we are a big club but there have been bigger jobs down the years than you have mentioned- we have won the league once in the last 100 years and fa cup once in the last 90 years .

Other clubs have come and gone, Wolves for example, but Villa, with the exception of a few blips, have always been there, or thereabouts, and always had the potential to return to the top.

[eastie]

MON will soon be one of yesterdays men. He will either finish up unemployable ( like O'Leary, which I am glad about) or slowly sliding down the league structure managing non league in front of a few hundred (like Brian Little, which I am not glad about).
What all managers should realise when they get the Villa job, it will more likely than not be the biggest and best job they will ever have.

Is that because they invariably fail and none of the "bigger and better clubs" see them as a potential manager?

It has been to a large extent because for much of Villas history there have been fewer , even no, bigger jobs.

Perhaps only Arsenal up until the 60's.
Then, Man United after the mid 60's, and then Liverpool from the 70's.
Only recently have we fallen well down the pecking order. as we have been overtaken by Spurs, Chelsea, and then Man City.

Lets not get carried away , yes we are a big club but there have been bigger jobs down the years than you have mentioned- we have won the league once in the last 100 years and fa cup once in the last 90 years .

Other clubs have come and gone, Wolves for example, but Villa, with the exception of a few blips, have always been there, or thereabouts, and always had the potential to return to the top.

Aston villa is a huge job but lets be honest-

There were far bigger jobs in the 60s , Liverpool, man utd, man city, Everton , spurs ,etc
There were bigger jobs in the 70s - Liverpool, arsenal, man utd, Leeds.
There were bigger jobs on the 80s - Man U, Everton, Liverpool, arsenal

[Mister E]

MON will soon be one of yesterdays men. He will either finish up unemployable ( like O'Leary, which I am glad about) or slowly sliding down the league structure managing non league in front of a few hundred (like Brian Little, which I am not glad about).
What all managers should realise when they get the Villa job, it will more likely than not be the biggest and best job they will ever have.

Is that because they invariably fail and none of the "bigger and better clubs" see them as a potential manager?

It has been to a large extent because for much of Villas history there have been fewer , even no, bigger jobs.

Perhaps only Arsenal up until the 60's.
Then, Man United after the mid 60's, and then Liverpool from the 70's.
Only recently have we fallen well down the pecking order. as we have been overtaken by Spurs, Chelsea, and then Man City.

Lets not get carried away , yes we are a big club but there have been bigger jobs down the years than you have mentioned- we have won the league once in the last 100 years and fa cup once in the last 90 years .

Other clubs have come and gone, Wolves for example, but Villa, with the exception of a few blips, have always been there, or thereabouts, and always had the potential to return to the top.

Aston villa is a huge job but lets be honest-

There were far bigger jobs in the 60s , Liverpool, man utd, man city, Everton , spurs ,etc
There were bigger jobs in the 70s - Liverpool, arsenal, man utd, Leeds.
There were bigger jobs on the 80s - Man U, Everton, Liverpool, arsenal

Eastie - stop being so f***ing sensible, please!

[LeeB]

He's a 90s football man in the 21st century.

Yesterday's man, today, but at tomorrow's prices.

[andrew08]

Sunderland we're a little unlucky I thought today...........chortle  !
The other Gardner played quite well and was unlucky with a couple of shots as well......chortle !

He's going to spend even more money in Jan as well apparently.Downing ? 6 year contract for Rio ?

[ozzjim]

Very few Villa managers every go upwards on the ladder in fairness.

Thing is get it really right at Villa and you would be top 4-6, and the top 3-4 rarely look inside these shores for a new boss.

[pauliewalnuts]

MON will soon be one of yesterdays men. He will either finish up unemployable ( like O'Leary, which I am glad about) or slowly sliding down the league structure managing non league in front of a few hundred (like Brian Little, which I am not glad about).
What all managers should realise when they get the Villa job, it will more likely than not be the biggest and best job they will ever have.

Is that because they invariably fail and none of the "bigger and better clubs" see them as a potential manager?

It has been to a large extent because for much of Villas history there have been fewer , even no, bigger jobs.

Perhaps only Arsenal up until the 60's.
Then, Man United after the mid 60's, and then Liverpool from the 70's.
Only recently have we fallen well down the pecking order. as we have been overtaken by Spurs, Chelsea, and then Man City.

Lets not get carried away , yes we are a big club but there have been bigger jobs down the years than you have mentioned- we have won the league once in the last 100 years and fa cup once in the last 90 years .

Other clubs have come and gone, Wolves for example, but Villa, with the exception of a few blips, have always been there, or thereabouts, and always had the potential to return to the top.

We weren't there or thereabouts when we found ourselves in the third division.

[Rigadon]

MON will soon be one of yesterdays men. He will either finish up unemployable ( like O'Leary, which I am glad about) or slowly sliding down the league structure managing non league in front of a few hundred (like Brian Little, which I am not glad about).
What all managers should realise when they get the Villa job, it will more likely than not be the biggest and best job they will ever have.

Is that because they invariably fail and none of the "bigger and better clubs" see them as a potential manager?

It has been to a large extent because for much of Villas history there have been fewer , even no, bigger jobs.

Perhaps only Arsenal up until the 60's.
Then, Man United after the mid 60's, and then Liverpool from the 70's.
Only recently have we fallen well down the pecking order. as we have been overtaken by Spurs, Chelsea, and then Man City.

Lets not get carried away , yes we are a big club but there have been bigger jobs down the years than you have mentioned- we have won the league once in the last 100 years and fa cup once in the last 90 years .

Other clubs have come and gone, Wolves for example, but Villa, with the exception of a few blips, have always been there, or thereabouts, and always had the potential to return to the top.

We weren't there or thereabouts when we found ourselves in the third division.

True, but you could say the same for most of the big clubs people have mentioned.   Villa are a big club and managers leaving it have almost all found that out.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

MON will soon be one of yesterdays men. He will either finish up unemployable ( like O'Leary, which I am glad about) or slowly sliding down the league structure managing non league in front of a few hundred (like Brian Little, which I am not glad about).
What all managers should realise when they get the Villa job, it will more likely than not be the biggest and best job they will ever have.

Is that because they invariably fail and none of the "bigger and better clubs" see them as a potential manager?

It has been to a large extent because for much of Villas history there have been fewer , even no, bigger jobs.

Perhaps only Arsenal up until the 60's.
Then, Man United after the mid 60's, and then Liverpool from the 70's.
Only recently have we fallen well down the pecking order. as we have been overtaken by Spurs, Chelsea, and then Man City.

Lets not get carried away , yes we are a big club but there have been bigger jobs down the years than you have mentioned- we have won the league once in the last 100 years and fa cup once in the last 90 years .

Other clubs have come and gone, Wolves for example, but Villa, with the exception of a few blips, have always been there, or thereabouts, and always had the potential to return to the top.

We weren't there or thereabouts when we found ourselves in the third division.

I agree. After Joe Mercer was disposed of by the club, our managers were Dick Taylor, Tommy Cummings, Tommy Docherty and Vic Crowe. With all due respect to the other three, only The Doc would have been considered a `big name` appointment,

[maidstonevillain]

MON will soon be one of yesterdays men. He will either finish up unemployable ( like O'Leary, which I am glad about) or slowly sliding down the league structure managing non league in front of a few hundred (like Brian Little, which I am not glad about).
What all managers should realise when they get the Villa job, it will more likely than not be the biggest and best job they will ever have.

Is that because they invariably fail and none of the "bigger and better clubs" see them as a potential manager?

It has been to a large extent because for much of Villas history there have been fewer , even no, bigger jobs.

Perhaps only Arsenal up until the 60's.
Then, Man United after the mid 60's, and then Liverpool from the 70's.
Only recently have we fallen well down the pecking order. as we have been overtaken by Spurs, Chelsea, and then Man City.

Lets not get carried away , yes we are a big club but there have been bigger jobs down the years than you have mentioned- we have won the league once in the last 100 years and fa cup once in the last 90 years .

Other clubs have come and gone, Wolves for example, but Villa, with the exception of a few blips, have always been there, or thereabouts, and always had the potential to return to the top.

We weren't there or thereabouts when we found ourselves in the third division.

For one season, and with 49000 attendances, not to mention beating a Man United team with Best, Law , and Charlton.

[villan1975]

MON will soon be one of yesterdays men. He will either finish up unemployable ( like O'Leary, which I am glad about) or slowly sliding down the league structure managing non league in front of a few hundred (like Brian Little, which I am not glad about).
What all managers should realise when they get the Villa job, it will more likely than not be the biggest and best job they will ever have.

Is that because they invariably fail and none of the "bigger and better clubs" see them as a potential manager?

It has been to a large extent because for much of Villas history there have been fewer , even no, bigger jobs.

Perhaps only Arsenal up until the 60's.
Then, Man United after the mid 60's, and then Liverpool from the 70's.
Only recently have we fallen well down the pecking order. as we have been overtaken by Spurs, Chelsea, and then Man City.

Lets not get carried away , yes we are a big club but there have been bigger jobs down the years than you have mentioned- we have won the league once in the last 100 years and fa cup once in the last 90 years .

Other clubs have come and gone, Wolves for example, but Villa, with the exception of a few blips, have always been there, or thereabouts, and always had the potential to return to the top.

We weren't there or thereabouts when we found ourselves in the third division.

I agree. After Joe Mercer was disposed of by the club, our managers were Dick Taylor, Tommy Cummings, Tommy Docherty and Vic Crowe. With all due respect to the other three, only The Doc would have been considered a `big name` appointment,

I hope Mr.Woodhall is okay? This is the type of discussion he his built for.