Out of the frying pan ? Fat waiter to replace Le Gaffeur !

[Eigentor]

That's the problem with Champions League-winning managers. They're not as good as Owen Coyle or David Moyes, and they'll arrive with a snottier attitude.

[dave.woodhall]

When exactly did we become so good we can reject a Champions League-winning manager out of hand?

I think he's been trading off that for a while now and it's coverign up the fact he's a decent, but not great, manager.  He had the Liverpool job during the period of the enshrined 'top 4' so had regular CL football and a decided financial advantage over 16 other sides in the division, yet the side he produced seemed to get worse as he went on and was only kept in there by Garrard, who he inherited.

Just get the feeling he'd come with an air of "I'm doing you a favour by taking the job" and it simply wouldn't work.  A spanish O'Leary. 
 

So we need a manager who's built a team from nothing to major success and wants desperately to prove himself at a relegation-battling club. Previous Villa support an advantage.

[Concrete John]

So we need a manager who's built a team from nothing to major success and wants desperately to prove himself at a relegation-battling club. Previous Villa support an advantage.

Not what I said at all.

I simply don't think it's an appointment that would work out and the fact that he has won the CL does not change my mind.

[kipeye]

When exactly did we become so good we can reject a Champions League-winning manager out of hand?

Not the issue Dave. I just think he is a ****** for what he continuously says and how he acted over GB.
I would rather have someone I could respect and who showed respect for others.

[Bad English]

Houllier has just tweeted: "Bollocks! Rafa wouldn't be able to see Barry Bannan in a pot of treacle."

[Mooro]

As a matter of interest, has Benitez ever won anything without his former assistant, Pako Ayesteran?

[dave.woodhall]

So we need a manager who's built a team from nothing to major success and wants desperately to prove himself at a relegation-battling club. Previous Villa support an advantage.

Not what I said at all.

I simply don't think it's an appointment that would work out and the fact that he has won the CL does not change my mind.

I wasn't saying you were, but there seems to be a very high credential-threshold at work here.

[JJ-AV]

As a matter of interest, has Benitez ever won anything without his former assistant, Pako Ayesteran?

Club world cup at Inter (although the hard work was done for him). But I don't think so at Liverpool, although he did come very close to winning the league without him in 2008/09 I believe.

Not sure if he was there for the entirity during his success at Valencia?

Either way Benitez's ability is unquestionable. He took four world class players to Liverpool (Reina, Mascherano, Alonso, Torres), four very good ones (Agger, Kuyt, Benayoun and Garcia) and got the best form of their careers out of Gerrard and Carragher.

He did sign a few duds, and a few players that didn't work out, but the finances and backing he was given wasn't enough and it resulted in players wanting out. He was given money and it does all add up to a big fee, but there were loads of £5-8m pound players he had to buy because he needed someone and the money wasn't there to get the extra quality, which ultimately doesn't win you leagues.

[Concrete John]

So we need a manager who's built a team from nothing to major success and wants desperately to prove himself at a relegation-battling club. Previous Villa support an advantage.

Not what I said at all.

I simply don't think it's an appointment that would work out and the fact that he has won the CL does not change my mind.

I wasn't saying you were, but there seems to be a very high credential-threshold at work here.

I think it's about more than credentials - at least for me anyway - and Gezza himself is a good example of why that should be the case.

Some may down play what he's done in the game as they simply don't like him.  I don't like him either, but my objection is not because of that.

[pauliewalnuts]

Two things I used to like about Benitez.

1. The way he says "clooob" instead of club.
2. The way he used to try to take on Ferguson in mind games, but always come out looking like an idiot after Fergie took him to the cleaners without even getting out of first gear.

Two on-the-pitch things I liked about Benitez.

1. He won the CL.
2. He almost won the League. Well, nearly.

One thing I wouldn't like about him being our manager.

1. If you thought the love-in between Houllier and Liverpool was bad, it would be ten times as bad with Benitez. If Houllier tapped the Anfield sign and clapped their fans whilst ignoring ours, Benitez would probably snog each of their fans individually up the face, and set about ours with a flamethrower.

[oodman]

HOULLIER OUT or shall i say FOOLIER OUT !!

[Phil from the upper holte]

I think he is a world class manager and better than Houllier. First and foremostly he is a better tactician and better at getting the best out of what he has got (that, as well as luck, is the reason he won the CL with Liverpool).

I'm not sure he would be right for us, though. His Liverpool connections, seemingly bizarre tactics and cold, analytical approach would probably lead many fans to view him as another Houllier.

His transfer record is mixed. He bought some shite, but he also signed Torres, Reina, Mascherano and Alonso who all have been or could have been sold on at a massive profit.

He also tried to get rid of Alonso to sign Barry, Big mistake in my opinion

[Phil from the upper holte]

HOULLIER OUT or shall i say FOOLIER OUT !!

I think you've already said it once

[cheltenhamlion]

He says it in every fucking post.

[Salsa Party Animal]

Rafa as manager and MON as No 2 LOL.