O'Neill talks about Villa

[Clampy]

MON has acted with "gross misconduct". If Sky pulled out of showing all the games allocated for the season five days before it started, they would be legally slaughtered ....

What a ridiculous comparison!

Seconded, what nonsense.

[Clampy]

What's cost us this season clampy is the manager leaving when he did, the long delay in replacing him, the manager who replaced him and the injury crisis- not one thing but a combination of all four.

What's cost us this season clampy is the manager leaving when he did, the long delay in replacing him, the manager who replaced him and the injury crisis- not one thing but a combination of all four.

That would be a fair enough summing up of it.

[SoccerHQ]

Why has MON been specifically asked to attend this football thing going on?

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

I dont think he has a strong case for constructive dismissal.
He became manager  while Doug was running the show, ok everybody knew the change of ownership was on the cards but there is no way MON could or would claim he came to us with a guarantee of new owners. If Doug had stayed he would have had the corner shop budget for transfers and wages to players, and I think we can say more interference or at least `suggestions` about playing matters.
Let us assume the basis of him leaving was a tightening of the budget after his first 3 years with Randy as owner with him claiming this in effect altered the terms of his own employment. Lots of people in lots of jobs are having to alter the way they work because of new financial restraints and cut backs. I doubt we are going to see millions of workers being able to resign their jobs in both the private and public sector then claim constructive dismissal.
As I say he doesnt have a strong case, or he shouldnt have.
Unfortunately the tribunal will probably be a football tribunal, with modern footballs snout in the trough and everybody on the gravy traiin mentality, as opposed to a `real world` tribunal.

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

MON has acted with "gross misconduct". If Sky pulled out of showing all the games allocated for the season five days before it started, they would be legally slaughtered ....

What a ridiculous comparison!

Seconded, what nonsense.

Look at the table and the enormity of MON decision on that day. Ye sky is world wide so the implications are world wide. But this is our club and it could become the single biggest disaster in decades for Aston Villa ..........

[pauliewalnuts]

It's not about people speaking up about his record. It's excusing him for the shit he left us in, it's excusing him for the wages he spunked, it's blaming other people for him leaving. I wish he'd stayed, but then he'd decided he couldn't a shit about us. I find it strange how one or two are seemingly still in love with him.

I guess it might be that some, such as myself, don't see it as 'being left in the shit'.  We had a good squad and are/were capable of much better that what we've seen this season, but the new manager has been a disaster - not his fault.

I don't blame anyone for him leaving other than Martin himself, but I do think the full reasons behind what happened are yet to be disclosed.

Just 1 question, If O'Neil left at the start of the last summer would we have Houiller?

Or would we have been able to get someone better?

His timing made sure that Houllier was the best we could get as no decent honourable person would ditch their club at that part of the season, so in response to your comment of it not being his fault, Yes it is his fault because if he did the right thing we wouldn't have Houllier incharge.

That's a very good point.

Who thinks that, were MON to have left at the start of the summer, Houllier would have featured on any list drawn up by Lerner?

[Rudy Can't Fail]

MON knew exactly what he was doing when he resigned when he did and the confusion it would cause. To think otherwise is just naive.
For all the good he did at our club I'll remember him for what he is, a selfish, egotistical scab.

[pauliewalnuts]

MON knew exactly what he was doing when he resigned when he did and the confusion it would cause. To think otherwise is just naive.
For all the good he did at our club I'll remember him for what he is, a selfish, egotistical scab.

Spot on, Mr Kelly.

[eastie]

I think had mon left last may we would probably have Mark Hughes here as he was available at the time.

Without knowing the exact reasons for mon walking out and what triggered his decision It seems many people have jumped to conclusions and reached a verdict - I prefer to wait for the tribunal and we may find out more details, there are two sides to every story.

[Chris Smith]

MON knew exactly what he was doing when he resigned when he did and the confusion it would cause. To think otherwise is just naive.
For all the good he did at our club I'll remember him for what he is, a selfish, egotistical scab.

Spot on, Mr Kelly.

No, I think you're letting personal feelings and irritation with the timing cloud your judgement.

Why would he want to drop players and coaches in it that he'd worked with for several years just because he'd had a row with Faulkner? We're at the same time supposed to believe that some of them are pissed off with Houllier because they were MON players. Surely, if he'd done that to them they'd be trying to show him that they don't need him.

I think it was just as it appeared at the time, a rash decision taken in a fit of pique.

[jonzy85]

All this "he left us in the shit" is bollocks!

He left us at a terrible time and even if he had been told there were no more signings (until the 30 million at xmas ) he still should have seen the season out. He had, after all, built the squad.

But lets be honest, when he left, how many thought we would be staring relegation in the face with 8 games left?

I think the general consensus was that we could kiss goodbye to a CL challenge and would struggle to maintain our Uefa Cup spot. (This would also have been the case had MON stayed and not signed anyone). Any talk of relegation at the time would have been emotional hyperbole.

A category of cock ups, lack of professionalism, misfortune and incompetence by board, new management and players is why we are in relegation zone.

The theory that MON somehow deviously scanned the managers out of work and thought "you know what, if I leave now, I bet they get Houllier" is completely ridiculous. So is the notion that he was the best option out there. As far as I recall we had a poll of about 15 managers and he didnt even make it on to it.
Anyway, it will be interesting to see what comes out of this tribunal/arbitration (which one is it by the way? 2 very different things)

[SteveD]

MON was always going to leave in a huff or when we least expected it - I never thought he'd ever qualify for a gold watch or a cushioned seat in the directors' box. The selling of Milner a few days later (and surprise, surprise his non replacement, unless you count this season's spectacular piece of transfer business that was Stephen Ireland) and revision of budgets were no coincidence. The timing iss certainly far from evidence of a Machavellian plot on MON's part to bring the club to its knees. Houllier's managed that very well by himself.

[dave.woodhall]

All this "he left us in the shit" is bollocks!

He dropped us in it. It isn't entirely his fault we haven't got out of it.

[Brian Taylor]

Milner went and the defence collapsed. I think there might have been a word or two expressed about mid-field exposure before MON went. Milner seems to be the lynchpin here that many posters return to. He went and so did MON.
Now we are Monless and still moaning.
So offer Mourinho £20m pa and give him £200m to sort it out and be done with it.
Reality says otherwise. MoN will sue and get a resukt and we'll moan and maybe dlame himn for ending up in Championship..I hope not but we'll still moan..
Missed opportunities?

What is AV after and where is football going?
1958/1981 where are you?...lost in mists of future beckoning?
European Cup whereareyou?  Fa cup..League Cup? any effing cup?

If we get back to the heights it will be without Houllier, and probably a couple of more disposable coaches/managers and tech directors... I hope I am still around then but I suspect otherwise.
Roll on 2020 season

[Concrete John]

I don't blame anyone for him leaving other than Martin himself, but I do think the full reasons behind what happened are yet to be disclosed.

So leaving the club with no coaching staff 5 days before the season kicked off after having had several talks and agreements with the management about continuing in the job, is a), not his fault and b) of no detriment to the club or our season ?

Dear me, how sad is that.

Seriously, is it a comprehension issue you have or do you just like to quote people and that make out they've said something different for a laugh?

1.  It was Martin's decision to walk and his alone.  The blame for the damage that then did to our season is his and his alone to shoulder, but I think that damage is largely exagerated by some on here.
2.  The reason WHY he left is still largely unknown, but seems to be what both sides said - a breakdown in the working relationship over the wagebill.  That is likely the fault of both parties, and by that I mean Martin and Faulkner.