Mons tribunal hearing?

[Mellin]

There have been 37 league football matches since then

And there were 152, on an excessive and poorly spent budget, preceding that.

[Villa'Zawg]

O'Neill dispute delays decision on Houllier's Aston Villa future
• Houllier's position could remain unclear into June
• Tribunal looking at termination of O'Neill's employment

Aston Villa will delay making a decision on Gérard Houllier's future until the club's dispute with its former manager, Martin O'Neill, has been resolved.

A Premier League managers' arbitration tribunal was due to get under way on Thursday to look into the circumstances surrounding the termination of O'Neill's employment with the club, which ended in August last year when he resigned from his post as manager, five days before the start of the season.

There is no deadline for when the ruling of the arbitration tribunal will be announced and it could go on for at least a week, raising the prospect that Houllier's position will remain unclear at the start of June.

The Frenchman is recuperating at home, after he spent eight days in hospital last month with chest pain that was diagnosed as a dissection of the descending aorta. Although his future is a pressing matter, it is understood that Villa have decided that any significant decisions at the club should be put on hold until there is a ruling in the O'Neill dispute.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/20/oneill-dispute-houllier-aston-villa

Why? I can't think of any reason why that should be so. Why would this prevent other significant decisions being made?

[Chris Smith]

There have been 37 league football matches since then

And there were 152, on an excessive and poorly spent budget, preceding that.

He must have been some sort of genius to get a squad from "an excessive and poorly spent budget" to sixth place three times.

[Greg N'Ash]

anyone can be a chequebook manager

[Chris Smith]

anyone can be a chequebook manager

Not if it is "poorly spent" they can't.

[Greg N'Ash]

Poorly spent in relation to what we achieved

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

I predict at least three pages of club spend versus success coming up.
Marvellous.

[Chris Smith]

Poorly spent in relation to what we achieved

Right, I see, so although all of the teams that finished above us had more spent on their squads w underachieved. No arguing with that kind of "logic" but, as he suggests, this has been done to death so let's leave it there.

[Greg N'Ash]

not all of them and the ones that did could afford to - we couldn't. But as you say you don't get it. I don't think you ever will

[Chris Smith]

not all of them and the ones that did could afford to - we couldn't. But as you say you don't get it. I don't think you ever will

Where did I say "I don't get it"? Surely you're not inventing things just to help an argument along?

[Concrete John]

My own theory is that MON did indeed waste all the money Randy gave him and spent it on rubbish, but managed 6th for three years by hacking into the Premier League's server and doctoring the table.

I mean - how else could he have done it?

[Greg N'Ash]

Sorry Chris. I was referring to your reply to Mellin's post where you cannot understand how anyone would claim finishing 6th 3 times was poor use of the millions chucked at the squad.

[Chris Smith]

Sorry Chris. I was referring to your reply to Mellin's post where you cannot understand how anyone would claim finishing 6th 3 times was poor use of the millions chucked at the squad.

As I said, the sides that finished above us had more expensive squads so the money argument is a total red herring. It's not transfer fees that were the issue it was wages and we failed to increase revenue to keep pace with our improvement on the pitch. Perhaps if a few more fans who could afford it backed the club it might have been different.

[Greg N'Ash]

yeah, maybe some more money added to the wage bill would have helped. Maybe an extra 20-30m would have got us a point nearer 5th? It certainly was the sort of level of progress in his 3 years of finishing 6th. Makes you wonder how DOL managed 6th with a fraction of the budget and the same teams with the big money....... The DOL was a genius campaign starts here.......

[CJ]

O'Neill dispute delays decision on Houllier's Aston Villa future
• Houllier's position could remain unclear into June
• Tribunal looking at termination of O'Neill's employment

Aston Villa will delay making a decision on Gérard Houllier's future until the club's dispute with its former manager, Martin O'Neill, has been resolved.

A Premier League managers' arbitration tribunal was due to get under way on Thursday to look into the circumstances surrounding the termination of O'Neill's employment with the club, which ended in August last year when he resigned from his post as manager, five days before the start of the season.

There is no deadline for when the ruling of the arbitration tribunal will be announced and it could go on for at least a week, raising the prospect that Houllier's position will remain unclear at the start of June.

The Frenchman is recuperating at home, after he spent eight days in hospital last month with chest pain that was diagnosed as a dissection of the descending aorta. Although his future is a pressing matter, it is understood that Villa have decided that any significant decisions at the club should be put on hold until there is a ruling in the O'Neill dispute.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/20/oneill-dispute-houllier-aston-villa

Why? I can't think of any reason why that should be so. Why would this prevent other significant decisions being made?

Clearly they think there's a chance that they'll say it was all a misunderstanding, kiss and make up (in a get-back-together-with-your-ex stylee) and re-appoint O'Neill. Martin will gracefully accept the offer on condition that we sell Bent and replace him with Robbie Keane.