The legacy of Martin O'Neill

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

   A bit like BFRs reign for me.

   An exciting appointment, lifted the club, lifted the crowd, attracted good players who would not normally have come to us.
 
 

What players came to the club that wouldn't have if he wasn't in charge?

[TheSandman]

   A bit like BFRs reign for me.

   An exciting appointment, lifted the club, lifted the crowd, attracted good players who would not normally have come to us.
 
 

What players came to the club that wouldn't have if he wasn't in charge?

Heskey.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

   A bit like BFRs reign for me.

   An exciting appointment, lifted the club, lifted the crowd, attracted good players who would not normally have come to us.
 
 

What players came to the club that wouldn't have if he wasn't in charge?

Heskey.

Smart arse! As you know I was looking for good positive signings that wouldn't have usually come to us.

[KevinGage]

I started haveing doubts during his second season, having been excited by his appointment and the changes that he made, it felt like we were a force again.

For me it was the third season, West Ham at home to be exact.

Forget the earlier stuff, the Moscow fiasco, Stoke, Heskey et.c. I could reason all that away. I disagreed with Moscow, but understood the reasons. Stoke was karma, the footballing Gods saying 'Oh no you don't.' And I think -deep down- we all knew we weren't going to get fourth anyway. We enjoyed some incredible luck between Nov -Jan.

But West Ham at our place brought it all home to me. Soft opponents, we started well but they upped the tempo and we didn't respond. You could see an equalizer coming long before it actually did. And MON did nowt, just stood on the touchline looking confused. You don't need to wait until you actually concede before making changes, the flow of the game should tell you that something needs to be done. But nothing, nada.

I'd probably seen similar in other games, so I'm not sure why that was the tipping point for me. But that's when my major doubts started and they never fully went away. I tried to be balanced though, and in the following season the defence did improve for one thing. We made some very solid signings in 09/10 too, and of course the final and FA Cup semi.

But at the back of it all I thought his limitations would prohibit us from making that final leap. I wanted so much to be wrong though, to say to mates of mine with whom I'd had many an argument on the subject "fair play, you never doubted him and he's come through."  But he didn't.

Nearly man is right.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

The luckiest Villa manager I've even known.

[Chris Smith]

From a club that had just finished 16th he's built an established top 6 side on a net spend over 4 years of £80m. For the amount spent that is all that could be reasonably expected. However, I fear that the board have now thrown in the towel and that's as good as it is going to get.

[hawkeye]

Chris i guess you are counting the Milner money? He sold our 2 best players and left us with a wage bill 85% of revenue. His job was to get us a cL place, he failed.
Yet if he had only been a bit more cany in the transfer market, had used the players he had better and not been so pig headed he could have done it. Nearly man is right.

[Chris Smith]

Chris i guess you are counting the Milner money? He sold our 2 best players and left us with a wage bill 85% of revenue. His job was to get us a cL place, he failed.
Yet if he had only been a bit more cany in the transfer market, had used the players he had better and not been so pig headed he could have done it. Nearly man is right.

No, about a month ago I saw published figure of a net spend of £80m. That's nowhere near enough to guarantee a CL place. Spurs have been spending at that level for twice as long and have only just managed it, Man City have spent 5 times as much and haven't got there.

[eamonn]

Came in to what some would say a mess though you could argue it was a perfect scenario for him. Modern football's intelligent, minor miracle-worker. At a big club, though for long a sleeping giant, who had grossly under-achieved the previous season but were now under new ownership who were only too happy to support O'Neill in every way they could.

''I am the custodian of this club and my rules apply'' he said a year ago, with just a hint of self-importance. He will never have as good working conditions with a big club. Three 6th positions were solid, in line with minimum expectations I felt given the fawning over his appointment and the reputation that precedes him. The often turgid football at home, the reliance on pace, power, counter-attacks and set-pieces became all too frustrating (though admittedly more often than not worked to great effect away from home) and in the end maybe a parting of the ways was best. Good enough for what we're traditionally used to, not good enough to make us better.

[barrysleftfoot]

   Probably Carew, Dunne, AYoung, Friedel.

  Players who probably would'nt come for a Bob Bradley if you like.

  You don't like MON/rate him, thats fine, under him we continually finished in the top 6, beat those above us on a more regular basis than previously, look at JG and BLs reign, and looked like winning a cup on one or two occasions.More than anything else he gave us hope and expectations, hope to finish in the top 4, owr win a cup, he did'nt, i'm not sure there are many who could tbh.

  I hope you are all right, that he was shit, and the next incumbent will get us into the top4, i'm not convinced we are in a better position now because of his departure.

[KevinGage]

Came in to what some would say a mess though you could argue it was a perfect scenario for him. Modern football's intelligent, minor miracle-worker. At a big club, though for long a sleeping giant, who had grossly under-achieved the previous season but were now under new ownership who were only too happy to support O'Neill in every way they could.

''I am the custodian of this club and my rules apply'' he said a year ago, with just a hint of self-importance. He will never have as good working conditions with a big club. Three 6th positions were solid, in line with minimum expectations I felt given the fawning over his appointment and the reputation that precedes him. The often turgid football at home, the reliance on pace, power, counter-attacks and set-pieces became all too frustrating (though admittedly more often than not worked to great effect away from home) and in the end maybe a parting of the ways was best. Good enough for what we're traditionally used to, not good enough to make us better.

I think that's spot on Eamonn.

If I was being really unkind I could say that his legacy is a shortfall in the striking department. In four years he only spent money on two -Harewood and Heskey.

That is not behaviour consistent with a guy looking to secure Champions League football -particularly with the finance and level of backing he received.

Kevin Mac took stick for bringing Heskey on on Sunday, but what depth of options did he have in that department? That too is part of a legacy that will live on for a while after MON has gone - and will probably take a fair bit of spending to rectify.

[Ads]

However, I fear that the board have now thrown in the towel and that's as good as it is going to get.

One thing is for sure, O’Neill certainly threw in the towel and that will ultimately be his legacy here at B6, a quitter and a bottler.

[hilts_coolerking]

From a club that had just finished 16th he's built an established top 6 side on a net spend over 4 years of £80m. For the amount spent that is all that could be reasonably expected.

It wasn't a lack of money that prevented us from getting into the top 4 in the last two seasons.  It was one-dimensional and inflexible tactics, predictable substitutions, and a baffling refusal to utilise the squad. As much as Martin's approach was responsible for getting us into the top 6, ultimately it was also responsible for us getting no higher. The bottom line is that he wasn't quite good enough.

[dave.woodhall]

However, I fear that the board have now thrown in the towel and that's as good as it is going to get.

Okay, so what more would you want them to do? Another £120 million?

[nechells]

However, I fear that the board have now thrown in the towel and that's as good as it is going to get.

Okay, so what more would you want them to do? Another £120 million?

The quotes they are coming out with of late are neither as bold or aggressive as they used to be.

Randy has thrown £120mil in but is he getting intrest on this?

If he were to sell up tomorrow,he would walk away with a big profit as the debt owed to him would have to be re-paid.

The only clubs with ambition are the ones who are throwing the odd £120mil in here & there-OK we are not in that league but then lets cut all this "5 year plan" crap.Lets be honest,we are just making the numbers up so that the real players can get on with challenging for honours.