O'Neill talks about Villa

[Greg N'Ash]

the guy's an embarrassment frankly, the way he uses the legal system everytime things don't go his way - no better than those ambulance chasers on the telly. no doubt he's using some frivilous argument about constructive dismissal. I wouldn't be surprised if he claims the general was undermining him on here. Let him have his day in the papers - the loser gets to keep Ireland.

[Concrete John]

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?

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

In answer to you both, lets not forget that the board did not 'target' anyone and instead waited to see who would apply.  So what makes you think any of the managers in a job at the time, like Jol, would have applied?  The only free agent in May 2010 that was tied up when he walked was Hughes, who personally I wouldn't have wanted.

I don't like having a pop at Randy as I think he's been great for us, but not only the appointment he made, but also the process they undertook to find him, was a bit of a farce.  That more than the timing was why we got Houllier.

[dave.woodhall]

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?

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

In answer to you both, lets not forget that the board did not 'target' anyone and instead waited to see who would apply.  So what makes you think any of the managers in a job at the time, like Jol, would have applied?  The only free agent in May 2010 that was tied up when he walked was Hughes, who personally I wouldn't have wanted.

I don't like having a pop at Randy as I think he's been great for us, but not only the appointment he made, but also the process they undertook to find him, was a bit of a farce.  That more than the timing was why we got Houllier.

There was a lot of difference between being 'available' in May and available in mid-August. Would you want the kind of man who would leave his club in the same circumstances as O'Neill left us?

[Concrete John]

There was a lot of difference between being 'available' in May and available in mid-August. Would you want the kind of man who would leave his club in the same circumstances as O'Neill left us?

I many respects no, but did what Leicester fans thought of Sir Brian at the time mean he was any less of a manager for us?

Football is a cut throat business and we needed to be ruthless.  I said at the time that despite what happened with Fulham earlier that summer, Jol would have been very tempted by the job and we should have gone for him.  Not waited for him to apply, but hired am agent/head hunter and gone in strong with a compensation package for Ajax and a bumper contract/transfer budget for the man himself.

MON's timing should have cost us money, not potential relegation   

[dave.woodhall]

There was a lot of difference between being 'available' in May and available in mid-August. Would you want the kind of man who would leave his club in the same circumstances as O'Neill left us?

I many respects no, but did what Leicester fans thought of Sir Brian at the time mean he was any less of a manager for us?

Football is a cut throat business and we needed to be ruthless.  I said at the time that despite what happened with Fulham earlier that summer, Jol would have been very tempted by the job and we should have gone for him.  Not waited for him to apply, but hired am agent/head hunter and gone in strong with a compensation package for Ajax and a bumper contract/transfer budget for the man himself.

MON's timing should have cost us money, not potential relegation   

So what job did Martin O'Neill leave us for? There's a difference between walking out at the start of the season and taking a job in November - espcially when every supporter at your current club knows it's your destiny. It's a bit like if, say, Alan Shearer was manager of a mid-ranking Premier League club. He does well, he goes to Newcastle in due course. That would be no great surprise whenever it happened.

Jol said at the time that he wanted to see how things panned out with Ajax.

[Greg N'Ash]

i think his actions stabbing Avran grant in the back and then running off when it was made public, shows him leaving when he did was not coincidence or bad timing.

[Chris Smith]

If it suits a club they'll get rid ofv a manager at the drop of a hat, indeed many on here call for them to be sacked as soon as they have a few bad results. It seems a little unreasonable to not accept that a manger also has the right to go when he wants to.

[dave.woodhall]

If it suits a club they'll get rid ofv a manager at the drop of a hat, indeed many on here call for them to be sacked as soon as they have a few bad results. It seems a little unreasonable to not accept that a manger also has the right to go when he wants to.

Managers who get sacked usually get well compensated. They don't fuck off then try to screw every last penny.

[pauliewalnuts]

i think his actions stabbing Avran grant in the back and then running off when it was made public, shows him leaving when he did was not coincidence or bad timing.

Even I am prepared to admit that that one was a bit far fetched, Greg.

[Greg N'Ash]

thats true chris but then they don't normally then come back and try and sponge some money off you. I mean he had the idea contract anyway if the press are to be believed. 1 year rolling contract means any top job was available to him if they came in for him.

[pauliewalnuts]

In answer to you both, lets not forget that the board did not 'target' anyone and instead waited to see who would apply.  So what makes you think any of the managers in a job at the time, like Jol, would have applied?  The only free agent in May 2010 that was tied up when he walked was Hughes, who personally I wouldn't have wanted.

Totally wide of the mark.

For a start, Houllier said shortly after his appointment that he didn't apply for the job, and that Randy and Faulkner approached him.

Furthermore, surely you can see that, in May or June, if you're looking for a manager, it is much easier than it is in August, because by August, you're not just trying to convince a manager to join you, you're also convincing him to drop his current employer right in the shit.

Whether there were many people at the start of the summer who might have applied who you fancied the look of is neither here nor there.

[Concrete John]

So what job did Martin O'Neill leave us for? There's a difference between walking out at the start of the season and taking a job in November - espcially when every supporter at your current club knows it's your destiny. It's a bit like if, say, Alan Shearer was manager of a mid-ranking Premier League club. He does well, he goes to Newcastle in due course. That would be no great surprise whenever it happened.

Jol said at the time that he wanted to see how things panned out with Ajax.

Yes, there's a difference.  But what greater impact could a manager leaving have, regardless of timing, than getting relegated, as Leicester were at the end of 94/95?

Jol said that when asked the question in a press conference as I recall - usual thing of 'what else could he say'? 

But this isn't about Martin Jol in particular, but rather how we went about finding MON's replacement.  It was a time to take swift and decisive action and we waited for K-Mac to decide what he wanted to do and who else applied.  That is why we have who we do.  I simply do not and never will agree with the argument that because of when MON left the best we could have done was Houllier. 

Imagine that happened to one of our (at the time) competitor clubs, such as Spurs or Man City, would they have had any hang ups about poaching another teams manager?
 

[Greg N'Ash]

i think his actions stabbing Avran grant in the back and then running off when it was made public, shows him leaving when he did was not coincidence or bad timing.

Even I am prepared to admit that that one was a bit far fetched, Greg.

he threw a hissy fit, and this tribunal is just a continuance of that. If he was that upset with the manner of his departure he could have come out and set the record straight at the time. Surely he's not that governed by money that he'd keep stum all this time for the sake of a pay-off?

[Mister E]

thats true chris but then they don't normally then come back and try and sponge some money off you. I mean he had the idea contract anyway if the press are to be believed. 1 year rolling contract means any top job was available to him if they came in for him.

Funny, my understanding of "1 year rolling contract" is: each party has to give each other 1 year's notice if they wish to break the contract. It doesn't mean that either party is able to simply walk away (in theory).
The maximum MON can claim is for 12 months' salary, unless he is claiming for unfair dismissal. My memory is that he walked out on the club so I guess he's trying to make an unfair dismissal stick; not easy unless he has documented evidence that the club were undermining him.

[Concrete John]

Furthermore, surely you can see that, in May or June, if you're looking for a manager, it is much easier than it is in August, because by August, you're not just trying to convince a manager to join you, you're also convincing him to drop his current employer right in the shit.

Of course it's harder, but does that mean that we lower our expectations or that have to work harder and fork out a larger compensation package?

We're in the harsh world of football were loyalty is only shown by the fans and money talks.