Gary McAllister on Radio 5 and BBC Sport

[Linus]

Man employed by manager in "players have no problem with manager" claim shock

[eamonn]

Anyone got a ''Listen Again'' link for this or at least what show it was on? That

[olaftab]

The boss tells you what he wants doing and you do it. That's how work normally happens.

In a lot of cases, yes. But if you're a financially independent professional who sees the new boss make error after error and prove themselves totally unsuitable for the role, you quickly become demotivated. You may even go over his head, and that may or may not be effective; if it isn't you start to look for the next possible way out.

Granted, you probably don't in the meantime get pissed and start having a go at the guy in middle management who hired you, for whom you ought to have nothing but respect and admiration.

Fault on both sides?

Football players are not financially independent. They are financially dependent on their club and sponsors. They need that source of income. They would do better to protect that source by plying their trade in the most effective way possible.

[Sexual Ealing]

The boss tells you what he wants doing and you do it. That's how work normally happens.

In a lot of cases, yes. But if you're a financially independent professional who sees the new boss make error after error and prove themselves totally unsuitable for the role, you quickly become demotivated. You may even go over his head, and that may or may not be effective; if it isn't you start to look for the next possible way out.

Granted, you probably don't in the meantime get pissed and start having a go at the guy in middle management who hired you, for whom you ought to have nothing but respect and admiration.

Fault on both sides?

Definitely. But I don't see much hysterical abuse of the players.

I've noticed Dunne, Collins, Downing and A. Young take some stick on here (rightly in the case of the former two, understandably in the case of the latter pair).

The point is, though, their jobs aren't to mollycoddle/bully/encourage each other do X, Y or Z to win matches - although it'd be nice to think they took a bit of interest in those things - that's what the manager is paid handsomly to do.

O'Neill's departure was a massive problem, but not relegation battle-massive.

He's got to go.

[Sexual Ealing]

The boss tells you what he wants doing and you do it. That's how work normally happens.

In a lot of cases, yes. But if you're a financially independent professional who sees the new boss make error after error and prove themselves totally unsuitable for the role, you quickly become demotivated. You may even go over his head, and that may or may not be effective; if it isn't you start to look for the next possible way out.

Granted, you probably don't in the meantime get pissed and start having a go at the guy in middle management who hired you, for whom you ought to have nothing but respect and admiration.

Fault on both sides?

Football players are not financially independent. They are financially dependent on their club and sponsors. They need that source of income. They would do better to protect that source by plying their trade in the most effective way possible.

Who of the if-not-disgruntled-then-certainly-some-way-off-being-completely-gruntled 4,5,6,7 0r 8 wouldn't have been financially independent by the time GH arrived?

Ok, I get it if it's technically the wrong term to use - what I meant is that they don't need Villa's money, they have their own, and there will be plenty of clubs willing to pay them more still, despite their behaviour this season.

[dave.woodhall]

The boss tells you what he wants doing and you do it. That's how work normally happens.

In a lot of cases, yes. But if you're a financially independent professional who sees the new boss make error after error and prove themselves totally unsuitable for the role, you quickly become demotivated. You may even go over his head, and that may or may not be effective; if it isn't you start to look for the next possible way out.

Granted, you probably don't in the meantime get pissed and start having a go at the guy in middle management who hired you, for whom you ought to have nothing but respect and admiration.

Fault on both sides?

Definitely. But I don't see much hysterical abuse of the players.

I've noticed Dunne, Collins, Downing and A. Young take some stick on here (rightly in the case of the former two, understandably in the case of the latter pair).

The point is, though, their jobs aren't to mollycoddle/bully/encourage each other do X, Y or Z to win matches - although it'd be nice to think they took a bit of interest in those things - that's what the manager is paid handsomly to do.

O'Neill's departure was a massive problem, but not relegation battle-massive.

He's got to go.

No he hasn't. If things start to turn round - and I've seen it happen before, from worse positions than this - he'll deserve to stay and get the praise due to him for the stance he's taking. Some of the players have been criticised, but they haven't had the downright and extensive abuse he's endured from the day he was appointed and whatever their job is, precious few have done that to anywhere near the best of their ability either.

[hawkeye]

The boss tells you what he wants doing and you do it. That's how work normally happens.

In a lot of cases, yes. But if you're a financially independent professional who sees the new boss make error after error and prove themselves totally unsuitable for the role, you quickly become demotivated. You may even go over his head, and that may or may not be effective; if it isn't you start to look for the next possible way out.

Granted, you probably don't in the meantime get pissed and start having a go at the guy in middle management who hired you, for whom you ought to have nothing but respect and admiration.

Fault on both sides?

Football players are not financially independent. They are financially dependent on their club and sponsors. They need that source of income. They would do better to protect that source by plying their trade in the most effective way possible.

The players that seem to be causing the problems have been in the game for some time, have amassed earnings in a few years that the rest of us could not expect in several life times, so how many millions in the bank makes you financially independant?

[Louzie0]

No he hasn't. If things start to turn round - and I've seen it happen before, from worse positions than this - he'll deserve to stay and get the praise due to him for the stance he's taking. Some of the players have been criticised, but they haven't had the downright and extensive abuse he's endured from the day he was appointed and whatever their job is, precious few have done that to anywhere near the best of their ability either.
[/quote]

That's the truth...

[Sexual Ealing]

Yes, of course, if he somehow manages to win 5 or 6 of the remaining games and it turns out that we've reached, and moved on from, our nadir then he deserves a full summer to do what he will.

If, though, we carry on in the manner that he's established for us to date (whether we heave to safety or not) we surely shouldn't be made to tolerate any more of him.

[olaftab]

The players that seem to be causing the problems have been in the game for some time, have amassed earnings in a few years that the rest of us could not expect in several life times, so how many millions in the bank makes you financially independant?

Ahhh..that is how we think it would be but I bet you they have wasted most of it away on bad spending habits. Beckham's need to earn circa £20m a year to fund their life style. Remember we can all spend if we have it and the players life  style dictates that they must keep earning. Money lots of it also makes you insecure by the thought of not having it in the future.

[Louzie0]

Would seriously like to earn £20 million quid to support a lifestyle.


and...agree with aftab

[KevinGage]

Lip service,from what i've seen he has shown no interest passion or anything other than a whisper in Houliers ear, not a Villa man not a good number 2 a failed coach/manager in every club he has been involved in, give me a Taylor Townsend or Morley all day long on that bench at least they would show some passion

I don't seem to remember Brian Little jumping up and down, screaming and shouting much when he was Villa manager. Would you question his passion for the Villa?

As for a failed manager at every club he has been involved in, well this is the case with a lot of assistant managers. Peter Taylor of Clough/Taylor fame and Carlos Queiroz to name just two.

He may well be a poor assistant manager, but to suggest that someone should get the job instead just because they played for Villa is ridiculous to my mind, as is suggesting that you can only show passion for a job or club if you were a player there.

Agreed. But that won't stop the calls for Laursen, Townsend or Gary Penrice as some kind of motivational speaker/ touchline gyrator/ player manager.

The boss tells you what he wants doing and you do it. That's how work normally happens.

In a lot of cases, yes. But if you're a financially independent professional who sees the new boss make error after error and prove themselves totally unsuitable for the role, you quickly become demotivated. You may even go over his head, and that may or may not be effective; if it isn't you start to look for the next possible way out.

Granted, you probably don't in the meantime get pissed and start having a go at the guy in middle management who hired you, for whom you ought to have nothing but respect and admiration.

Fault on both sides?

Definitely. But I don't see much hysterical abuse of the players.

May I direct you to the Ashley Young thread.

[dave.woodhall]

May I direct you to about 150 other threads.

[Legion]

Aston Villa assistant manager Gary McAllister has rubbished suggestions there is a mutiny taking place at the struggling Premier League club.

Players were reportedly unhappy at new rules allegedly brought in by manager Gerard Houllier, including the banning of mobile phones.

"I don't think there's any mutiny here," McAllister told BBC Sport.

"There's been little arguments here and there but nothing outside the realms of what happens at most clubs."

Villa have won only six of their past 25 Premier League games, leaving them one point above the bottom three.

Some fans called for Houllier's head after the 1-0 home defeat by Wolves, but he has since received a vote of confidence from chief executive Paul Faulkner, who said the club's best chance of staying up is with the Frenchman in charge.

On Sunday, goalkeeper Brad Friedel also said rumours of a player revolt were "laughable".

Friedel added: "Supporters need to know there is nothing in this story."

Meanwhile, McAllister denied suggestions Houllier had made draconian changes to the club rule book and dismissed rumours that players were unable to speak to chairman Randy Lerner without Houllier's permission.

"The facts are most football clubs have a rule book which is set by the PFA [Professional Footballers' Association] and apart from little tweaks here and there, it's a standard rule book," said McAllister.

"Mobile phones aren't switched on inside the building and Gerard had this rule when I was a player at Liverpool.

"It's to encourage people to speak to each other rather than be texting and phoning. But when they get to the car park, its fine.

"And I've never worked under a chairman who's more accomodating. I've probably spoken to him more than I've spoken to any other chairman."

McAllister added that the staff and players' "passion and feel for the club" will see them avoid relegation, despite many of Villa's players being unfamiliar with relegation battles.

"I've seen some of the players talking about pride, playing for the fans, playing for the jersey - they know we're in a bit of trouble and we need to produce," he said.

"I agree some players in other teams are a little bit more hardened. But I don't think it's going to be a problem because players' pride and quality will lift them above it.

"We've got enough quality and goals in the team and we all believe we'll be good enough to come out the other side."

McAllister also denied suggestions that Houllier, his former boss at Liverpool, was losing his appetite for the task.

"Gerard Houllier is a proven manager - I'm working under somebody who's had to make big decisions, won things," said the Scot.

"I don't think he does anything by half measures. One of the things he said to me when he asked me to join him is that there's an opportunity to get a project going.

"It's a club that's got most things in place - the training ground, the stadium, the fans, a squad that's done well in the past - and he's here to try to take it to the next level, to pick up a trophy."

Villa's next game is a Premier League fixture away against Everton on Saturday.

[WikiVilla]

Why would the players need to speak to Lerner anyway ?