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

[olaftab]

Have any of you considered the possibility of MON  and Randy making up and the "Messiah" returning to Villa Park? It could happen don't count it out just yet!

You and that mentallist Holtepaul.  I don't know about Randy, but I wouldn't be in a hurry to work with a bloke who'd dropped me in it from a great height and then took me to court over it.

Yes but consider the scene. They walk out of the court together glance at each other across the room. Randy stops and asks MON if he has time for a coffee to which  MON replies "I was about to suggest that myself Randolph". They walk round the corner in to the Square Peg settle down over a Latte and conversation flows. They both realise that it was a terrible mistake and  how this court case have made them understand each other so much better ...next thing you hear is Randy terminating Houllier's  contract and ...(i really do have too much time this morning...may be I will go out and cut the grass)

[Chris Smith]

I've resigned myself to McClaren.

Why?  I think he's a real outsider for the job.

Think Ancelotti is a fantasy, seems they might have cooled on Hughes, Jol is going to Fulham, Moyes doesn't want to leave, Martinez would be a joke so....

I'm thinking the worst so I can be pleasantly surprised if it's not him.

[Concrete John]

Think Ancelotti is a fantasy, seems they might have cooled on Hughes, Jol is going to Fulham, Moyes doesn't want to leave, Martinez would be a joke so....

I'm thinking the worst so I can be pleasantly surprised if it's not him.

Well, the way I'm viewing it is that there are three premiership jobs availabale - Chelsea, us and Fulham.  So as he's just left Chelsea and we're a better bet for him than Fulham, then he either takes the job, if it's right Randy wants him, waits for a better option nest season or gives up on his wish to stay in England.  I agree with Jol to Fulham, but wouldn't rule out Hughes yet. 

[Risso]

If some Villa fans are disappointed by the thought of Mark Hughes, imagine being a Chelsea fan.

[olaftab]

If you remove the last 10 years from history Hughes would be an excellent fit for Chelsea of pre Abramovic era. A mid table slightly better than Fulham  club. Where as ASTON VILLA is different.

[maidstonevillain]

Think Ancelotti is a fantasy, seems they might have cooled on Hughes, Jol is going to Fulham, Moyes doesn't want to leave, Martinez would be a joke so....

I'm thinking the worst so I can be pleasantly surprised if it's not him.

Well, the way I'm viewing it is that there are three premiership jobs availabale - Chelsea, us and Fulham. 

Until the merry-go round starts.

Redknapp goes to Chelsea...
Wenger throws his toys out and walks.....
Moyes goes to.......       etc. etc. 

[Villa'Zawg]

The situation last summer appeared to be that as a club we needed to reduce wages, even though our wages were at the bottom end of the scale for a top-six club. There was a suggestion that we were actively engaged in a sell-to-buy strategy, which is somewhat supported by the fact we've more or less balanced the in and out transfer costs since summer 2009 and are likely to sell at least one big priced player this summer. Those policies have been supported by many Villa fans on the basis that to do otherwise risks bankrupting the club.

What policies will we be putting in place to attract someone like Ancelotti? Are we going to allow him to have a squad that costs as much in wages as the Liverpool or Arsenal squad? Are we going to increase the £100m(ish) of debt that the club currently has in order to give him additional transfer funds over and above what cn be raised from selling players?

Are we going to rely on the youth players coming through and the new manager's innate ability to improve the players he inherits as the options for bridging the gap between where we are now and the top 4?

[The Situation]

lol @ Chris Smith saying Ancelotti is a fantasy then going onto say that Martinez would be a joke.

[Chris Smith]

If you remove the last 10 years from history Hughes would be an excellent fit for Chelsea of pre Abramovic era. A mid table slightly better than Fulham  club. Where as ASTON VILLA is different.

How do you know that is all that Hughes is capable of?

If clubs only ever appoint managers who have already won trophies how does anyone else break into the top level?

I'm not saying that Hughes is the right man but there has to be opportunity for career progression for those that have done well with smaller clubs.

[Chris Smith]

So, Situation, do you think it would be a great coup for us to prize away a manager who only avoided relegation by 2 places? If we miss out do you want us to go for the next best, Mick McCarthy?

I don't think Ancelotti would be interested in a club in our current position but it doesn't mean we have to go to the opposite extreme.

[Concrete John]

The situation last summer appeared to be that as a club we needed to reduce wages, even though our wages were at the bottom end of the scale for a top-six club. There was a suggestion that we were actively engaged in a sell-to-buy strategy, which is somewhat supported by the fact we've more or less balanced the in and out transfer costs since summer 2009 and are likely to sell at least one big priced player this summer. Those policies have been supported by many Villa fans on the basis that to do otherwise risks bankrupting the club.

What policies will we be putting in place to attract someone like Ancelotti? Are we going to allow him to have a squad that costs as much in wages as the Liverpool or Arsenal squad? Are we going to increase the £100m(ish) of debt that the club currently has in order to give him additional transfer funds over and above what cn be raised from selling players?

Are we going to rely on the youth players coming through and the new manager's innate ability to improve the players he inherits as the options for bridging the gap between where we are now and the top 4?

Thing is though, none of the better players we've sold have gone because we WANT them to.  They've gone against our wishes, as Ash also will this summer.  So does that mean we wouldn't have been spending what we did if they hadn't left?  So would we have signd Bent if Milner hadn't gone?

The way I see it is that should the side need a player, Randy will give it the OK.  In many respects the actual transfer fee becomes an asset to the club's balance sheet by benefit of increasing the value of the playing squad.  So although this might increase the debt, that is balanced out by the value of his asset increasing.  So say Villa is worth £100m, with the playing squad valued at £50m.  Add another £10m player to that and it's £110m and even if the debt increaes you leave yourself in a more or less neutral position.  That's excluding the idea that the player might increase some revenue by things like shirt sales and league placing.

What doesn't get counted this way is the wages, which go out of the club and not balanced anywhere else on the books.  So Randy rightly wants this part controlled as huge wages detract from the value of his asset (the club) even if the transfer fees for the same players doesn't.

So in answer to the question, the new manager will have money to spend, but he'll need to do this with one eye on the wages/turnover ratio.  However, get someone like Ancelotti in and you can see the profile of the club improving and things like ST sales and sponsorship getting a lift, so this should be reflected in turnover and give him more room to increase wages.         

[villa `cross the mersey]

Irrespective of who Randy appoints, 50 % of us will be disappointed, 25% will say "meh", 20% will accept and give the guy a chance, 4% happy and 1% ecstatic...................folks I give you, Bob Bradley

[Damo70]

The Mail reckon we've approached Ancelotti and he will give an answer next week. Next on the list would be Jol. It also says RL is aware of the negativity from fans regarding McLaren.

[hilts_coolerking]

So, Situation, do you think it would be a great coup for us to prize away a manager who only avoided relegation by 2 places?

Agree with that.  Let someone else take a punt on him; if he turns out to be a gem then good luck to them.

[Nirog72]

Gus Poyet