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

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I am really in quandary about who I would prefer. But if it came to Ancelotti-v-Benitez, it has to be Rafa everytime.

1. Has far more Premiership experience.
2. Managed and constructed his own Premiership team, and taken them to two CL finals. Not simply inherited a Premiership team.
3. Seems to really love the Premiership, and UK generally, and really wants to manage again in the Premiership.
4.Just get the impression that he is would relish and value the opportunity more than Ancelotti, and be more respectful of the tradition and history of Villa. Get the feeling Ancelotti would treat the position more as simply a well paid job if nothing better comes along.
5.More experience of dealing with the buying and selling of players in the Premiership.
6.Gut feeling.

Hard to disagree with that, Maidstone. I get the feeling Benitez would be really out to prove a point at Villa. I could see him here for 5 years but can't imagine Ancelotti being here for more than two. After the last 12 months we really need some managerial stability.

[charlie]

I think Carlo would present a very positive statement and attract great players, hopefully not Chelski retirees though, but looking at last season I really hope we get the full package, Wilkins, as well!!

[Mazrim]

How could you prefer somebody who has dnoe ok in this league rather than somebody who was won it?
The players will see that. They wont care how many years hes done and neither do I.

[Michel Sibble]

Are we appointing a manager or making a statement?

Whoever it turns out to be, he has to be the most suitable manager to the Villa cause. At the moment I think FSW fits the bill, but CA could also turn out well for us. But we shouldn't be trying to please the fans, the press or the media (who generally disregard us anyway). This time it needs to be perfect.

[maidstonevillain]

How could you prefer somebody who has dnoe ok in this league rather than somebody who was won it?
The players will see that. They wont care how many years hes done and neither do I.

Or will they see a manager who was parachuted in to manage any already PL winning team, constructed by someone else at a cost of several hundred million,  and who got the sack once that team started to age together and fade.

[Eigentor]

The reason Liverpool fell apart in Benitez' final season there was that Rafa got too occupied with figthing with the owners. In the end he lost support from some of the players too, as they saw him as part of the problem (the in-fighting). Personally, I think that is Benitez' biggest weakness -- his tendency to take his eye off the ball and cause trouble when he's unhappy instead of simply getting on with his job the best he can.

One plus regarding Benitez as Villa manager is that we will be doing him a favour giving him the job. His reputation is falling after his failure in the final season at Liverpool and at Inter. For the sake of his career, he knows that he needs to do well in his next job. So he will be under pressure to perform. At the same time, Villa will give him the time and support to prove that he really is the excellent manager he has shown himself to be in his finest moments.

[The Situation]

How on earth can people say they think hiring Bentiez as manager would be better than Ancelotti? It's madness.

"Are we appointing a manager or making a statement"... child please. We want to hire the best candidate. Would you still want Benitez over Guardiola?

Everything was going fine for Big Carlo at Chelsea until Rotten Roman started to interfere.

[Mazrim]

How could you prefer somebody who has dnoe ok in this league rather than somebody who was won it?
The players will see that. They wont care how many years hes done and neither do I.

Or will they see a manager who was parachuted in to manage any already PL winning team, constructed by someone else at a cost of several hundred million,  and who got the sack once that team started to age together and fade.

It wasnt a PL winning team though. And that's doing him a massive disservice to say the least. He's one of the best managers in the world. His record says so.

[Toronto Villa]

How could you prefer somebody who has dnoe ok in this league rather than somebody who was won it?
The players will see that. They wont care how many years hes done and neither do I.

Or will they see a manager who was parachuted in to manage any already PL winning team, constructed by someone else at a cost of several hundred million,  and who got the sack once that team started to age together and fade.

It wasnt a PL winning team though. And that's doing him a massive disservice to say the least. He's one of the best managers in the world. His record says so.

also, he got the sack without being given the opportunity to rebuild it. He got the sack having been completely undermined by his owner, first by removing his assistant, then by having players purchased for him. We don't know whether Ancelotti could build or rebuild a team in the PL because Chelsea didn't give him the chance.

Benitez comes with a lot of plus points, but to dismiss Ancelotti on things he wasn't allowed to do, and to simply state he was given a championship team (which he wasn't) is doing him a huge disservice. Oh, and he won the FA Cup that year. Nothing to be sniffed at.

[mallo]

My sensible radar says Ancelotti would be just too good to be true - this would seriously be the best managerial appointment (of an already qualified manager) - we've had. I'd love it but I see no sense in it. Having said that the alternatives aren't too shabby either, so I'll be happy either way as long as McClaren is a complete jsshoke.

[ozzjim]

I am really in quandary about who I would prefer. But if it came to Ancelotti-v-Benitez, it has to be Rafa everytime.

1. Has far more Premiership experience.
2. Managed and constructed his own Premiership team, and taken them to two CL finals. Not simply inherited a Premiership team.
3. Seems to really love the Premiership, and UK generally, and really wants to manage again in the Premiership.
4.Just get the impression that he is would relish and value the opportunity more than Ancelotti, and be more respectful of the tradition and history of Villa. Get the feeling Ancelotti would treat the position more as simply a well paid job if nothing better comes along.
5.More experience of dealing with the buying and selling of players in the Premiership.
6.Gut feeling.

Hard to disagree with that, Maidstone. I get the feeling Benitez would be really out to prove a point at Villa. I could see him here for 5 years but can't imagine Ancelotti being here for more than two. After the last 12 months we really need some managerial stability.

Mark, I agree, but I also think Lerner et al will be thinking the same. An interview is a 2 way thing and I would imagine they would be sussing out whether Ancelotti is in it for the long term. If he is, then jobs a good un.

[Toronto Villa]

But why are people so sure Benitez would want this for any longer than Ancelotti? If Benitez did well with us, and in a year or two Real Madrid have had enough of Mourinho and came calling, wouldn't Benitez be all over that? A chance to return to his homeland Spain with one of its greatest sides.

[pauliewalnuts]

How on earth can people say they think hiring Bentiez as manager would be better than Ancelotti? It's madness.

"Are we appointing a manager or making a statement"... child please. We want to hire the best candidate. Would you still want Benitez over Guardiola?

I know what you mean, and I think (think) I'd prefer Ancelotti, but it's not as simple as you make it sound.

Hire the best candidate, yes, but what are the criteria on which you judge the best candidate?

On the surface, Ancelotti's CV outstrips Rafa's. That's pretty clear. However, although I want CA to get the job, I will admit I have a nagging doubt about how committed he'd be. Benitez, on the other hand, has taken a couple of kicks to the bollocks, and definitely has something to prove. I also suspect this would be reflected in the fact that Benitez would snap our collective arm off to get the job, whereas Ancelotti would take some persuading.

I want us to appoint the best manager we can, and I want him to do well for us, but I also want him to do well over a considerable period of time, to build something. To do that, you have to look deeper at the candidates than a look at their list of trophies.

[maidstonevillain]

How could you prefer somebody who has dnoe ok in this league rather than somebody who was won it?
The players will see that. They wont care how many years hes done and neither do I.

Or will they see a manager who was parachuted in to manage any already PL winning team, constructed by someone else at a cost of several hundred million,  and who got the sack once that team started to age together and fade.

It wasnt a PL winning team though. And that's doing him a massive disservice to say the least. He's one of the best managers in the world. His record says so.

also, he got the sack without being given the opportunity to rebuild it. He got the sack having been completely undermined by his owner, first by removing his assistant, then by having players purchased for him. We don't know whether Ancelotti could build or rebuild a team in the PL because Chelsea didn't give him the chance.

he wasn't) is doing him a huge disservice. Oh, and he won the FA Cup that year. Nothing to be sniffed at.Benitez comes with a lot of plus points, but to dismiss Ancelotti on things he wasn't allowed to do, and to simply state he was given a championship team (which

How could you prefer somebody who has dnoe ok in this league rather than somebody who was won it?
The players will see that. They wont care how many years hes done and neither do I.

Or will they see a manager who was parachuted in to manage any already PL winning team, constructed by someone else at a cost of several hundred million,  and who got the sack once that team started to age together and fade.

It wasnt a PL winning team though. And that's doing him a massive disservice to say the least. He's one of the best managers in the world. His record says so.

also, he got the sack without being given the opportunity to rebuild it. He got the sack having been completely undermined by his owner, first by removing his assistant, then by having players purchased for him. We don't know whether Ancelotti could build or rebuild a team in the PL because Chelsea didn't give him the chance.

Couldn't agree more. Bot that is the problem, we do not know what sort of job he could do in the Premiership under "normal" circumstances. Rafa is more of a known quantity.Warts and all.

[pauliewalnuts]

But why are people so sure Benitez would want this for any longer than Ancelotti? If Benitez did well with us, and in a year or two Real Madrid have had enough of Mourinho and came calling, wouldn't Benitez be all over that? A chance to return to his homeland Spain with one of its greatest sides.

Benitez has made it pretty clear the wants the job. That statement the other week sounded like he was describing us. I've also heard it said by journos that he's not really making a secret of the fact he wants the job.

Yeah, he might go off to manage Real Madrid, or whoever, but that's the case with pretty much any manager we hire.