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

[Chico Hamilton III]

 

Remember Arsenal a couple of years ago outside Finsbury Park tube? As you said at the time, that wouldn't have happened 5 years before.

Not sure what would have happened first if we'd found ourselves in that situation 5 years previously  - us chucking bricks through the window of his roller or him ordering the chauffer to run us over...

[Stu]

Sounds like a straw man to me.

I take it back, we ARE in 2005.

[WarszaVillan]

I was at the game on 17th February 1982 (Villa 1 Spurs 1) and in the words of one of the lads who ran on the pitch with a pro-Saunders banner the previous week, "I'd fucking strangle him with it now."

So it seems that the fans were okay with his resignation but not with his destination.

That's exactly how it was. At the Southampton game all the chants were for Bendal to go, then at the Blues game just before he was apponited manager (as I remember) the chant was 'you must be fucking mad, saunders, saunders'

[john e]

Really don't think he will be there next season,
 and has finally been shown up for what he is, no imagination, no style, functional dreary old fashioned stuck in the 1970' type football

He was great at Villa for the first 18 months, then the predictable football started, had some great days out on the back of MON, but it all ended in tears for me, glad he's gone and won't be sad when he himself gets his cumupance, which is not far away

Even the press are beginning to catch on now, and he is being seeing as an old dinosaur in football management nowadays,

Your times up mr O'neil, just a matter of time

[Billy Walker]

Would we have blamed MON so much if Deadly was in charge when he walked out?

According to Doug the club were in financial trouble when he took over, which was due to the spending of the Saunders years.

So in one case Saunders is exonerated and the board is blamed for the financial problems, but MON is blamed for Villa's present financial problems and the owner is exonerated.

Isn't that a double-standard?

I thought Villa's financial problems in the late seventies/early eighties dated back to the North Stand build?

[Diablo]

Can anyone offer any insight into why Mon's resignation is seen as a betrayal and yet Ron Saunders' resignation over money, during the run up to Villa's finest hour, is not?

Saunders even went to the Birmingham City but no one blamed him, they blamed the board.

The consequences for Villa as a result of the resignation were significant to say the least.

So why the double-standard?

Because nobody knows why Saunders really left and his legacy was a bit more than huge debt.

Dave I'm not sure I'm really any the wiser as to why MON really left yet? As far as I'm aware MON hasn't told his side of the story (is it true that he has he got to wait for a certain period of time before he can actually give his side of the story following the court case? Which he was compensated for).

[Villadroid]

Would we have blamed MON so much if Deadly was in charge when he walked out?

According to Doug the club were in financial trouble when he took over, which was due to the spending of the Saunders years.

So in one case Saunders is exonerated and the board is blamed for the financial problems, but MON is blamed for Villa's present financial problems and the owner is exonerated.

Isn't that a double-standard?

I thought Villa's financial problems in the late seventies/early eighties dated back to the North Stand build?

A horrendously managed project if ever there was one.

I do seem to remember that Doug said the pay-structure for the players was unsustainable, and a bit like now, a clear out of those on the better contracts was initiated.

But obviously, the poor financial management can't be blamed on the manager.

[not3bad]

But obviously, the poor financial management can't be blamed on the manager.

So the decision to gazump the Marlon Harewood to Wigan deal by offering him twice the wages was nothing to do with Martin O'Neill?

[dave.woodhall]

And Doug would never lie...

[Villadroid]

And Doug would never lie...

I'd say the chances of Doug telling a lie are about the same as any other owner.

[villa `cross the mersey]

B6 should be renamed "The Conspiracy Theory Stadium"

Why did Saunders leave, why did MON walk, why did we appoint McLeish, why isn`t Bent playing,why didn`t Barry take the penalty

So many questions - so few credible answers

[villa `cross the mersey]

And Doug would never lie...

I'd say the chances of Doug telling a lie are about the same as any other owner.

He is just more adept than others   

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Would we have blamed MON so much if Deadly was in charge when he walked out?

According to Doug the club were in financial trouble when he took over, which was due to the spending of the Saunders years.

So in one case Saunders is exonerated and the board is blamed for the financial problems, but MON is blamed for Villa's present financial problems and the owner is exonerated.

Isn't that a double-standard?

I thought Villa's financial problems in the late seventies/early eighties dated back to the North Stand build?

A horrendously managed project if ever there was one.

I do seem to remember that Doug said the pay-structure for the players was unsustainable, and a bit like now, a clear out of those on the better contracts was initiated.

But obviously, the poor financial management can't be blamed on the manager.

One of the less famous quotes from Brian Moore on that night it Rotterdam - "The goal from Peter Withe is going to be worth a fortune to them."

[MarkM]

Would we have blamed MON so much if Deadly was in charge when he walked out?

According to Doug the club were in financial trouble when he took over, which was due to the spending of the Saunders years.

So in one case Saunders is exonerated and the board is blamed for the financial problems, but MON is blamed for Villa's present financial problems and the owner is exonerated.

Isn't that a double-standard?

I thought Villa's financial problems in the late seventies/early eighties dated back to the North Stand build?

A horrendously managed project if ever there was one.

I do seem to remember that Doug said the pay-structure for the players was unsustainable, and a bit like now, a clear out of those on the better contracts was initiated.

But obviously, the poor financial management can't be blamed on the manager.

One of the less famous quotes from Brian Moore on that night it Rotterdam - "The goal from Peter Withe is going to be worth a fortune to them."

He went on to say during the game that "Tony Barton had said that if Villa won the European Cup it would be like winning the pools, as we would play in the World Club Championship in Tokyo, get to play in exhibition matches as well as going back into the European cup next season, all of which is worth a lot of money."

[villa `cross the mersey]

Would we have blamed MON so much if Deadly was in charge when he walked out?

According to Doug the club were in financial trouble when he took over, which was due to the spending of the Saunders years.

So in one case Saunders is exonerated and the board is blamed for the financial problems, but MON is blamed for Villa's present financial problems and the owner is exonerated.

Isn't that a double-standard?

I thought Villa's financial problems in the late seventies/early eighties dated back to the North Stand build?

A horrendously managed project if ever there was one.

I do seem to remember that Doug said the pay-structure for the players was unsustainable, and a bit like now, a clear out of those on the better contracts was initiated.

But obviously, the poor financial management can't be blamed on the manager.

One of the less famous quotes from Brian Moore on that night it Rotterdam - "The goal from Peter Withe is going to be worth a fortune to them."

He went on to say during the game that "Tony Barton had said that if Villa won the European Cup it would be like winning the pools, as we would play in the World Club Championship in Tokyo, get to play in exhibition matches as well as going back into the European cup next season, all of which is worth a lot of money."

Until Juventus spoiled the party?