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

[Jimbo]

I think Ancelotti and Wilkins would be a great, if unlikely, management team. But I think Hughes will be perfect as far as the board are concerned: a steady hand, and the next step in managing our expectations. The Champions League is out of our reach, but top six finishes and the odd cup run - hell, who knows, maybe even a cup win - are what we'll be scrapping for.

This being the board who have said more than once that their ambitions haven't changed since they arrived.

I hardly think they're going to come out and say it, because that wouldn't do our season ticket sales any good. But I do think we'll gradually be adjusting to the realities of our place in the pecking order. I hope I'm wrong, but we'll see.

[Rodders]

I am taking all of this with a pinch of salt. Have the club said *anything* at all yet?

To paraphrase a well-known H&V acronym: ITDWTH

(In The Dugout Waving to The Holte)

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

This situation is like knowing two girls you want to ask out. One is average looking, presentable but you could potential have a good time with her (Hughes). The other one has class, humour and whatever happens you know you will have a great time with her (Ancellotti). Mr Lerner Aston Villa fans want a really good time ..........

[TheSandman]

The appointment and subsequent transfer window will tell us all we need to know about their ambitions.

[Michel Sibble]

This situation is like knowing two girls you want to ask out. One is average looking, presentable but you could potential have a good time with her (Hughes). The other one has class, humour and whatever happens you know you will have a great time with her (Ancellotti). Mr Lerner Aston Villa fans want a really good time ..........

Just pick the one with the biggest tits...

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I think Ancelotti and Wilkins would be a great, if unlikely, management team. But I think Hughes will be perfect as far as the board are concerned: a steady hand, and the next step in managing our expectations. The Champions League is out of our reach, but top six finishes and the odd cup run - hell, who knows, maybe even a cup win - are what we'll be scrapping for.

This being the board who have said more than once that their ambitions haven't changed since they arrived.

But who must have realised that Champions League football is further away than ever.  We needed to take advantage of the odd year when the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool had a wobble.  Now we have Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City, Spurs and Liverpool to get ahead of, all of whom look a lot stronger than us at present.

That's why I don't think an O'Neill-lite manager like Hughes or Moyes will be chosen. They said that last August they wanted someone who bought into their vision. I doubt that's changed. 

Well we now have a massive opportunity to get the right man in the job. Let's hope they don't disappoint. I'm still clutching at Faulkner's comment about "doing it the Ajax way". Jol, Van Gaal, Van Basten and Frank Rijkaard are all available and know plenty about the 'Ajax way'.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

This situation is like knowing two girls you want to ask out. One is average looking, presentable but you could potential have a good time with her (Hughes). The other one has class, humour and whatever happens you know you will have a great time with her (Ancellotti). Mr Lerner Aston Villa fans want a really good time ..........

Just pick the one with the biggest tits...

That will be Benitez then.

[Toronto Villa]

I think Ancelotti and Wilkins would be a great, if unlikely, management team. But I think Hughes will be perfect as far as the board are concerned: a steady hand, and the next step in managing our expectations. The Champions League is out of our reach, but top six finishes and the odd cup run - hell, who knows, maybe even a cup win - are what we'll be scrapping for.

This being the board who have said more than once that their ambitions haven't changed since they arrived.

But who must have realised that Champions League football is further away than ever.  We needed to take advantage of the odd year when the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool had a wobble.  Now we have Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City, Spurs and Liverpool to get ahead of, all of whom look a lot stronger than us at present.

That's why I don't think an O'Neill-lite manager like Hughes or Moyes will be chosen. They said that last August they wanted someone who bought into their vision. I doubt that's changed. 

Well we now have a massive opportunity to get the right man in the job. Let's hope they don't disappoint. I'm still clutching at Faulkner's comment about "doing it the Ajax way". Jol, Van Gaal, Van Basten and Frank Rijkaard are all available and know plenty about the 'Ajax way'.

It's the Ajax way but having to do it in England that in my opinion rules those blokes out in my opinion Mark. I'd liek Ancelotti, butI  still think it will be Moyes.

He understands the league, knows how to bring through players, finds good players and hidden gems in Europe or lower down the divisions, is a good age for a manager, buys into a boards views as he'd have to at Villa but will be given more cash than at Everton, is still very motivated and will be determined to prove himself with the appropriate resources.

I think he ticks every box for Randy, and even if it isn't spectacular it provides massive stability and a manager who can take the club forward.

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

This situation is like knowing two girls you want to ask out. One is average looking, presentable but you could potential have a good time with her (Hughes). The other one has class, humour and whatever happens you know you will have a great time with her (Ancellotti). Mr Lerner Aston Villa fans want a really good time ..........

Just pick the one with the biggest tits...

That will be Benitez then.

I like a girl that can make laugh. That will be Dutch/English/German speaking voiced Mclaren then ............

[Irish villain]

This situation is like knowing two girls you want to ask out. One is average looking, presentable but you could potential have a good time with her (Hughes). The other one has class, humour and whatever happens you know you will have a great time with her (Ancellotti). Mr Lerner Aston Villa fans want a really good time ..........

I hope we don't take the easy option just because we've had to wait so long for a good time.....
Get Carlo!

[adrenachrome]

Daily Heil

Aston Villa in the hunt for Fulham boss Hughes as Houllier chases £5m pay-off

By Neil Moxley

Last updated at 10:45 PM on 31st May 2011


Fulham boss Mark Hughes is the man Aston Villa want to replace Gerard Houllier, heading a five-man short list drawn up by the Midlands club's owner Randy Lerner.

Fulham chief executive Alistair Mackintosh tried to head off the move by issuing a stern 'hands-off' warning to Villa but if Hughes fails to activate his rolling contract at Fulham in the next 24 hours, he will become a free agent and make himself the clear favourite to succeed Houllier.

Should Hughes decide to stay at Fulham, Lerner will turn to others he has identified to take Villa forward. Everton's David Moyes and Wigan's Roberto Martinez are in the frame, while Steve McClaren and Martin Jol have also been mentioned.

Senior figures at Villa were tied up with more pressing matters as Houllier hampered the club's search for a replacement with legal wrangling over the size of his pay-off. As reported in Sportsmail, Houllier has medical reports that state he is fit to return. Villa contest those.

Clauses in the manager's contract protect the club from a pay-out in excess of £5million if the Frenchman is forced out by ill-health.

What is in dispute is whether his employment is being terminated because of that or if he is being sacked.

Lerner wants to avoid a repeat of the Martin O'Neill affair. The American billionaire had to face a Premier League arbitration panel last week after O'Neill contested the terms of his exit.

When Houllier's departure is finally confirmed, 'mutual consent' will be listed as the reason but there can be no doubt that from Villa's viewpoint this is a divorce of convenience. The marriage has always been an uneasy one and even Houllier's unveiling ended in little more than a public-relations disaster when he was unable to confirm his release from his job with the France Football Federation.

Since then the club have been troubled by on-field problems, off-field squabbles and fights. The French manager has battled with his players, including Stephen Ireland, John Carew, Richard Dunne and Stephen Warnock, as Villa lurched through their league campaign.

[ROBBO]

I've gone for Ancellotti for his ability to attract players but think it may be Moyes as apparantly he and Houllier are good mates which could lead to Both being at the club next season.

[mcgrath_85]

Neil Moxley from the daily mail (spits) just tweeted these,


#avfc top brass been trying to sort GH compo all day. It is turning nasty.

Incredible sums being talked about. £5m+. Add that to his wages since Sept...”

And for what? Replacement shortlist in DM tomorrow. No Ancelotti!

And one PL club in particular not v keen on losing its' manager to

Take them as you will.

[pauliewalnuts]

Oh dear. Another manager money squabble.

[DeKuip]

We need a manager who is hungry and whose best years are ahead of him, not behind him. It takes a special character to reach the top and still retain the hunger and desire to stay there or keep getting back there - for many once they've peaked it's all about earning as much money as they possibly can on the way back down.
I may be being unkind to Ancelotti and Benitez, but for me they fall into the category of "on the way down - any job that pays well will do from now on." (as with El Tel & Sven after England)
Two very good young managers with PL experience are Moyes and Hughes and they would top my list of realistic targets. Both possibly still have their best managerial years ahead of them, both will command respect with players, and I think both still have that drive and desire that we need right now.