Who Should be Aston Villa Manager ? Now with new, revised poll

[Villa'Zawg]

People seem open to Roberto Martinez as a possibility with a career highlight of barely avoiding relegation with Wigan twice.

Find it strange how someone who has coached at Man Utd and England as a no.2, and been head coach with Boro, England, FC Twente and Wolfsburg is being ranked lower than him. He could have done a Curbishley or Allardyce and waited around for some job in the UK to fall in his lap but showed guts to head off to Twente and later Wolfsburg. Not a good idea if the fans are overwhelmingly against him but I think he will be a good choice for someone.

Would prefer Benitez. Ancelotti seems to have ruled himself out. Benitez would be a big signing for the football club if we are serious about raising our profile. Should just get the deal done quickly now and be done with it.

I think you are not paying enough attention to the fact that he once had the temerity to use an umbrella during a downpour. The bastard!

[mr woo]

I find it interesting that the archived story at the bottom  of the guardian article  is one from 2009 quoting Ancellotti as saying he has no intention of joining Chelsea for at least another year.


He actually left Milan about a month later.


Got to say I also find the silence from moyes a little odd. He's had a few days now to rule himself out but hasn't. The last quote from him was before  Houllier left I believe.

[Merv]

That's critical though: even when you can lay out McClaren's CV and demonstrate parts of it look good - and they do - he's still not your first choice. Or anyone else's. I feel for the guy in a way, but this is what happens with former England managers. The press are on to them for the rest of their career - look at how Sven, arguably one of the leading coaches in world football once, has been ridiculed since.

We'd get loads of publicity if we hired McClaren - most of it negative. He'd have a mountain to climb before we even played our first league game. Not fair on him, at all. Not fair on us. But that's the way it is, I think.

Like you said, he'd be a good choice... for someone else. And I bet that's what fans at most PL clubs would say.

[Billy Walker]

If Randy is determined enough I'm sure he could get Ancelotti.  It was only a couple of weeks ago Ancelotti was saying he would like to stay in England so (I hope) this is not a door that is closed just yet.  Van Gaal would be another fantastic option.

This is such a big appointment, I'm sure Randy is ready to fight tooth and nail for the right man.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

For all the negativity surrounding McLaren, guiding Twente to the Championship was no mean feat.
His sacking from Wolfsburg was incredibly premature as well.

As i've said, he wouldn't be my choice, but he has a good reputation amongst fellow professionals.

[Mazrim]

If we sign McLaren I'd want the bold lighting taken off the stadium and have "MEH" in big brown lights that are barely visible from the M6.

But we won't sign him.

[Risso]

McClaren wouldn't be my first choice either, but I think he'd do a better job than Houllier.

[TheEgo]

If we sign McLaren I'd want the bold lighting taken off the stadium and have "MEH" in big brown lights that are barely visible from the M6.

But we won't sign him.

That made me smile. I feel irrationally hacked off today, football, who said it's just a game??

[PaulTheVillan]

McClaren wouldn't be my first choice either, but I think he'd do a better job than Houllier.

I guess we'll never know.

[Chris Smith]

McClaren wouldn't be my first choice.

He wouldn't be my 25th choice.

[pauliewalnuts]

McClaren wouldn't be my first choice either, but I think he'd do a better job than Houllier.

The thing is, if we appoint McLaren, it means we've given Houllier 30m (or the major part of) to spend in January, then, when he gets a pretty clean bill of health - and also after a half decent run of results at the end of the season - we've dug our heels in and got shot of him, at considerable expense to the club - and coming a week after another expensive managerial kerfuffle was settled - for what?

To appoint McLaren? Even if you thnk he's better than Houllier, is he worth going to that trouble over?

[midnite]

 I'm Currently crying like gazza from the walkers crips advert at the thought of ancelloti not becoming our manager. I know it was a long shot but those few hours of the not knowing and the excitement of what might be was really getting to me. I was feelin really good about it all.

[TheSandman]

I'd rather give Houllier another season than appoint McClaren.

I hope we can get a decent appointment in like Benitez, Jol or Hughes and not a substandard one like McClaren.

I think we can just about rule out Moyes and Anceloti.

[citizenDJ]

It'd be underwhelming, and no mistake, if we did end up with McClaren but it's worth remembering that he is a much more experienced, and successful, manager now than five years ago. What if he turns up with a clear vision for the Villa, uses his not inconsiderable contacts in Europe to sign some brilliant young players, spends Randy's money wisely, coaches our current crop to make the most of their potential (he still has a reputation as an excellent coach) and persuades Downing to stay?

It's a big 'What if', but I don't think he'd be the disaster that some have already decided.

[not3bad]

Why can't we just swap round the Torygraph rumour?  Jol can then come to Villa and Mclaren to Fulham.