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

[not3bad]

But I am glad to find that you accept that there is a prevailing narrative, now.

So how would you answer Peter W's post?

[nick harper]

But I am glad to find that you accept that there is a prevailing narrative, now.

So how would you answer Peter W's post?

There is an arguement that period O'Neill was competing - 2007 - 2010 was arguably a time when the top 4 was particularly strong. Chelsea, Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool were regularly competing in semi finals and finals of the Champions League.

I guess the question is if we had O'Neill's side this season, would we have a better chance of making that top four - I think we probably would.

[not3bad]

I guess the question is if we had O'Neill's side this season, would we have a better chance of making that top four - I think we probably would.

Change that to definitely,  but if we had O'Neill's first 11 this season we'd get so far and then fail, just as we did in 2009 and 2010, because he didn't know how to use a squad.  But nobody's arguing that players like Barry, Milner and Young aren't missed.

[Villadroid]

But I am glad to find that you accept that there is a prevailing narrative, now.

So how would you answer Peter W's post?

His history looks accurate enough but I would not concur with his conclusions.

I would probably suggest that things have changed and that the PL is much less of a level playing-field than it was over the time frame he is talking of.

I would say that the accumulative effects of having access to Champions League income have split the top flight into haves and have-nots, and that this can be measured by the difference between Villa and Man United in the first Premier League and the difference now. And that the same growth in difference between all other clubs who have enjoyed a decade of CL income, could also be accounted for.

I would say that, sadly, the money that O'Neill had, which dependent on the source seems to vary between £65m-£85m, was not enough to bridge the gap created by a decade of CL money and the opportunity offered by the CL to increase a brand's appeal, in attracting sponsors etc.

So that would have been my response.

[Brend'Watkins]

I would say that, sadly, the money that O'Neill had, which dependent on the source seems to vary between £65m-£85m, was not enough to bridge the gap created by a decade of CL money and the opportunity offered by the CL to increase a brand's appeal, in attracting sponsors etc.

So that would have been my response.

That might seem a fair point but then you look at what he spent that money on .

Dross like Harewood and Heskey, when he could have had Santa Cruz.

[Mazrim]

He had enough money. No doubt it in my mind.

[Drummond]

He was a like a kid in a sweet shop on pocket money day.

Bought what he really fancied then instead of saving, he bought some other stuff he didn't really need or want just because he could and felt like he wanted to top up his bag of sweets.

Those extra sweets basically just rotted away at the bottom of the bag until he needed a sweet fix. Then he realised that he should have saved some pocket money for the rainy day rather than spunking it all away and had a strop with his mum and dad when they stopped giving him pocket money as he always wasted so much of it on stuff he didn't eat.

[Mazrim]

Then took his mum and dad to a tribunal and was given a pack of twizzlers.

[Chris Smith]

He had enough money. No doubt it in my mind.

He had enough money to make a challenge, which we did. He had nowhere near enough to mean that it should be judged a failure for just coming up short, for that you need Man City type investment.

[PaulTheVillan]

He was a like a kid in a sweet shop on pocket money day.

Bought what he really fancied then instead of saving, he bought some other stuff he didn't really need or want just because he could and felt like he wanted to top up his bag of sweets.

Those extra sweets basically just rotted away at the bottom of the bag until he needed a sweet fix. Then he realised that he should have saved some pocket money for the rainy day rather than spunking it all away and had a strop with his mum and dad when they stopped giving him pocket money as he always wasted so much of it on stuff he didn't eat.

and it's left a sour taste in our mouths.

[Risso]

He had enough money. No doubt it in my mind.

He had enough money to make a challenge, which we did. He had nowhere near enough to mean that it should be judged a failure for just coming up short, for that you need Man City type investment.

His failure rate on transfers was so high though, that if he hadn't wasted money on the likes of Davies, Harewood, Shorey, Sidwell, NRC and all the others who weren't worth the money paid, we might have cracked it.  He wasn't a bad manager at all, he was just bad at getting value for money from a lot of his signings.  Harry Redknapp did much better with a similar amount of money around the same time.

[hawkeye]

He had enough to get a top 4 place, he failed

[glasses]

He had enough money. No doubt it in my mind.

He had enough money to make a challenge, which we did. He had nowhere near enough to mean that it should be judged a failure for just coming up short, for that you need Man City type investment.

His failure rate on transfers was so high though, that if he hadn't wasted money on the likes of Davies, Harewood, Shorey, Sidwell, NRC and all the others who weren't worth the money paid, we might have cracked it.  He wasn't a bad manager at all, he was just bad at getting value for money from a lot of his signings.  Harry Redknapp did much better with a similar amount of money around the same time.

Why is Reo-Coker considered a failiure? I get that a lot never rated him, but he made 102 appearances in four years and captained the club on several occasions.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

He had enough money. No doubt it in my mind.

He had enough money to make a challenge, which we did. He had nowhere near enough to mean that it should be judged a failure for just coming up short, for that you need Man City type investment.

Spurs did it without Man City type investment.

[bertlambshank]

What is your point Villadroid?
58 posts about an ex manager who is now being found out.