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

[TonyD]

When and where is the interview?

[Greg N'Ash]

thing that got me last night in the pub, apart from my blose mate sniggering all evening was in the mail there was a poll with MON in 2nd place for the blose job. Thing his, he's such a spiteful git i can see him taking it, and he'll get them up from the championship no problem

[mazrimsbruv]

The thing is I was looking forward to this fiasco being over and even a half decent appointment would have seen me cracking open the Champagne out of pure relief.

Not now though! Now that Randy has loaded the shotgun, pointed it firmly at his foot and is seemingly about to pull the trigger, I know that the nightmare is only just beginning.

At the moment we're merely a laughing stock, a source of mild amusement and the butt of a few jokes, but when this Shitstorm really get's going we will be demonised and reviled by football fans everywhere. What do you think Hanson & Shearer will make of a manager being booed by the home fans before a ball is kicked? Will they sympathise with Villa fans? Will they fuck. McLeish will be portrayed as the victim, a lamb to the slaughter, and in that they will be right.

The message from the board is clear. It is a slapdown. "Get back in your box. We're in charge and we appoint the manager, not you. And to prove it..." 

[eastie]

thing that got me last night in the pub, apart from my blose mate sniggering all evening was in the mail there was a poll with MON in 2nd place for the blose job. Thing his, he's such a spiteful git i can see him taking it, and he'll get them up from the championship no problem

He would not drop down greg , dont worry.

[Mr Diggles]

fook he bought Curtis Davis as well

So did MON. And Bryan Robson.

I wouldnt have either of those managers neither

No, nor me. But that's the type of company he keeps. And McLeish made worse signings than Davies too!

[Michel Sibble]

Let's step back a bit. The FACTS are as they stand:

• McLeish resigns at Small Heath, citing 'constructive dismissal'.
  Small Heath Chairman Peter Pan(nu) rejects resignation, says he's still under contract.
  Villa intend to interview McLeish.
  Pan(nu) accuses Villa of 'tapping up' McLeish, threatens legal action.

At the moment, McLeish is being interviewed, he hasn't got the job.
Yet.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

The message from the board is clear. It is a slapdown. "Get back in your box. We're in charge and we appoint the manager, not you. And to prove it..." 

That's how i'm starting to see it, a flexing of the muscles.

[Mazrim]

All I know is that, if they appoint him, they'd better be planning some serious financial backing to protect him.
In which case why not give a more credible manager the funds?

I'd actually have complete admiration for him if he took the job. He must have some Buster Gonad-sized stones.
But that doesnt change the fact he'd get very small leeway before he got dog's abuse.

[pauliewalnuts]

Let's step back a bit. The FACTS are as they stand:

• McLeish resigns at Small Heath, citing 'constructive dismissal'.
  Small Heath Chairman Peter Pan(nu) rejects resignation, says he's still under contract.
  Villa intend to interview McLeish.
  Pan(nu) accuses Villa of 'tapping up' McLeish, threatens legal action.

At the moment, McLeish is being interviewed, he hasn't got the job.
Yet.

Why go out of their way to issue that daft statement yesterday about "we don't care if he was Blues manager" if they weren't confident of appointing him?

They've spent two weeks flailing around hopelessly and arrived at a point where, having been turned down by the Wigan manager, we're staring at a shortlist that reads "McLeish, A"

[Concrete John]

The message from the board is clear. It is a slapdown. "Get back in your box. We're in charge and we appoint the manager, not you. And to prove it..." 

That's how i'm starting to see it, a flexing of the muscles.

Couldn't disagree more if I tried.

What they are doing is appointing what they think is the best manager they can get.  Now, there are two problems with that; 1) he isn't and 2) their inability to attract anyone better.  But it's not a tactic to try and excert some form of draconian authority over the fans. 

[pauliewalnuts]

The message from the board is clear. It is a slapdown. "Get back in your box. We're in charge and we appoint the manager, not you. And to prove it..." 

That's how i'm starting to see it, a flexing of the muscles.

It's a pretty daft way to flex the muscles.

I'm also convinced they're going to focus on the fact that he used to manage Blues as the reason people don't want him, as that provides a convenient smoke screen for the real main reason, which is that he's got a proven record of relegation and dire football, to which they have no answer.

[Claret trim]

I'll bet they gone and asked Ferguson for advice - naively, as if another manager is going to give you impartial advice - and he has bigged up his former captain. The board have then gone all swoony and swallowed it, hook, line and sinker.

I wouldn't be surprised if you are right, Paulie.

Reminds me of when we asked Wenger's advice on whether to sign Pires.

Ferguson is a good friend of McLeish, obviously he'll say he's a good choice.
As above, our board take it at face value.

This was directly referred to in the General's "facebook comment" - "ask Sir Aex what he thinks of him..." or similar.

It's fair enough canvassing opinion... provided you have formed your own in the first place. Our failure to do so reaffrms the fact that we are woefully under qualified at board level. Whether you wanted him to go or not, MON's departure without us having a plan B in place was the first major sign of this. We have not learned our lesson.

Whoever is appointed, I really do think it is time for a Board reshuffle, with Faulkner the man to make way.

[maidstonevillain]

What worries me, after Martinez turned it down, if AM turns it down, on present selection criteria, the next two interviewees will be Holloway and Grant.

[achilles]

Personally I am appalled at this appointment for two reasons. Firstly the style football that McLeish favours and his poor record in England, however my real sickness about it is what it says about Randy Lerner and his plans for Aston Villa.

Mazrim hit on it earlier in that I truly believe that Randy wants out and I predict we will see a fire sale of all f the best players at the club. Young, Bent, Downing, Gabby, Delph, Albrighton & Clarke will all be sold over the next 12 months allowing Lerner to trouser the best part of £100m to recoup money he has spent since he came here. He will then put the club up for sale. I think it is case of damage limitation for him now and with the appointment of MCLeish he has a manager who will work under those conditions. I honestly think Lerner has given up.

Why else would he be showing such ignorance and contempt for the fanbase?

I am rapidly coming to the same conclusion!

[Outcast2006]

Let's step back a bit. The FACTS are as they stand:

• McLeish resigns at Small Heath, citing 'constructive dismissal'.
  Small Heath Chairman Peter Pan(nu) rejects resignation, says he's still under contract.
  Villa intend to interview McLeish.
  Pan(nu) accuses Villa of 'tapping up' McLeish, threatens legal action.

At the moment, McLeish is being interviewed, he hasn't got the job.
Yet.

Denial