Sky now saying phil Thompson will not be assistant!

[kippaxvilla2]

Just before everyone jumps on his back, I think looking at his honours list in football suggests he is a winner and we could do a lot, lot, worse.

Honours
Liverpool
Football League First Division: 7

1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983
UEFA Cup: 2

1973, 1976
FA Cup: 1

1974
Charity Shield: 6

1974, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982
European Super Cup: 1

1977
European Cup: 3

1977, 1978, 1981
Football League Cup: 3

1981, 1982, 1983
Individual
Manager of the Month: 1

2001, 2002

[Muscle-Dolphin]

As much as I get annoyed with Thompson and his silly comments about all clubs other than Liverpool, the guy is every inch a genuine and passionate football fan.

The first wave of anger and confusion having passed, this is exactly how I now see it. He's a football man through and through and likes decent, attractive, winning football at that. And I would defintely welcome that down at Villa. Cuuple that to a potential European scouting network (at last!), a winning, respected and experienced European manager, and I think this is a really good result from the paddle-less boat MOn dropped the club into a few weeks ago. Well done the Board.

Agreed.  Under the circumstances, I think that this is an excellent solution.  In fact, as a Villa fan I can't help but feel gratitude towards Lerner.  Thompson will most likely be our manager in the future. 

[Nev]

Thompsons record as a player has fuck all to do with his coaching ability, see Charlton. B. and Moore. B.

He is a decent coach and Houllier is a decent manager by the looks of things but my initial reaction is that their time has passed.

If they do come to the club I sincerely hope they prove me wrong.

[KevinGage]

Suddenly this move looks far less attractive.

Admire his one-eyed almost feral support for all things Redscouse, but he always gives the impression that anything outside of his comfort zone bores him, particularly if he has to discuss the Villa.

[dave.woodhall]

Not sure how true it is, but...

I was told the other day that Phil Thompson and Dennis Mortimer are the only two people who have played together in the same school football team, and lifted the European Cup as captains.

I think they went to the same school, but as Mortimer is two years older I doubt they played together.

[The Situation]

I won't be too bothered about the possibility of Phil Thompson being Houllier's assistant... I've always quite enjoyed listening to his rants on Soccer Saturday and screaming "GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAL" whenever someone scores against Man Citeh, Spurs, Everton, Chelsea or Arsenal.

His partnership worked well with Houllier, there is no reason it can't work well again. Hopefully he'll motivate a few of the players (Petrov, Downing) who aren't performing at the moment.

[mygardenshed1982]

thompson was far from complimentary about us before the west ham game on soccer saturday. Saying things along the lines of: "They have to remember they are Aston Villa, what do the fans expect". Now whilst I am not saying this makes him a bad coach, it's not the sort of attitude you want the assistant manager having really. as a pundit he is paid to say what he feels and he was certainly on the side of MON and pretty critical of us.

[dave.woodhall]

I expect a Damascene conversion along the lines of "You never realise until you get here just how big this club is and what potential it has."

[Phil from the upper holte]

I won't be too bothered about the possibility of Phil Thompson being Houllier's assistant... I've always quite enjoyed listening to his rants on Soccer Saturday and screaming "GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAL" whenever someone scores against Man Citeh, Spurs, Everton, Chelsea or Arsenal.

His partnership worked well with Houllier, there is no reason it can't work well again. Hopefully he'll motivate a few of the players (Petrov, Downing) who aren't performing at the moment.

Hopefully they'll lay down the law and make it clear that if players are not performing they won't be playing

[paulcomben]

Have you all read Brad Friedel's biography?  Has Mr Lerner? Brad despises Thompson, so it does not seem possible they could work together. "I'm not sure what happened to him when he gave up playing.  He changed from a guy who believed he was destined for great things into a coach who maintained a negative disposition.... Thompson would rant when things went wrong...it had an adverse effect on most of the players." (pages 183-4.)

[pmk1981]

thompson was far from complimentary about us before the west ham game on soccer saturday. Saying things along the lines of: "They have to remember they are Aston Villa, what do the fans expect". Now whilst I am not saying this makes him a bad coach, it's not the sort of attitude you want the assistant manager having really. as a pundit he is paid to say what he feels and he was certainly on the side of MON and pretty critical of us.

EXACTLY,   i will welcome houlliler, but please leave that big nosed scouse prick at sky , PLEASE !!!

[thejoker]

Why is everyone so angry about Thommo possibly coming to Villa???  He's a good coach with an excellent track record of working with our (reported) new manager.  It must say a little about our ambitions that he is willing to give up his cushty job with SKY in order to join.  I'm sure he wouldn't do that if we were not serious about challenging at the top of the table still.

[eastie]

this will be friedals last season here and i would hope and expect he puts his feelings aside about thommo- id expect a new keeper to be coming maybe in jan though as guzan is nowhere near good enough for the premier league.

good job we took andy marshall back .

[mrjae]

This whole sorry debarcle is a nightmare.

Houlier is the wrong choice by a Mile, so annoyed about all of this it's untrue.

Mr Lerner got his wish by not spending any Money in the transfer window - surely he should do the decent thing and pay the compensation for Martin Jol out of the JM money.................

Mj

[Dave Clark Five]

Why is everyone so angry about Thommo possibly coming to Villa??? 

Because they think it is the fashionable thing to do.