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

[Iago]

What has become clear to me is that our board are willing to put their money where their mouth is but lack any imagination at all. A pity because you need both to succeed in football now.

I think they wanted trust in the relationship, and everything I have heard about McCleish indicates he is a honest and hardworking individual. This is his biggest job without doubt in management.

I assume the board were also traumatised that a bigger name would bail out on them, I do not blame them after MON's abrupt departure last year.

[David_Nab]

Pointless appointment if you ask me. Doomed from the start.

To have any chance of winning over the support, McLeish is going to have to exceed all expectations but with his track-record and penchant for anti-football, it's extremely unlikely he's got it in him.

Just a repeat of Hodgson with you guys then ?

[pauliewalnuts]

I assume the board were also traumatised that a bigger name would bail out on them, I do not blame them after MON's abrupt departure last year.

Isn't that a bit like settling for an ugly girl, as she'll never leave you?

[Pete Green]

Surely McLeish is like anybody else, in that he has to prove himself at a level before moving up to the next step.

For parts of last season he put out a team that were well organised and difficult to beat, (yes we all know what happened with the last kick of a match on a day when 2 of 5 teams could have gone down, and we weren't placed much more attractively for most of the season either) but certainly going into those Derbys wasn't comfortable as Blues were a threat. Then he pushes the mighty Villa out of the way to achieve cup success against the odds with that same team. Now he's ready for the next rung in his career, a step up to bigger and more successful club. If he can instill some of that grit and tenacity into our team of much better players and a more balanced squad, then we're going to some fuckin team.

I've read on here many times that we don't want a manager who sees Villa as a step down, as a payday, as a last chance at glory, a return to the prem, or to bask in the reflected glory of their previous roles. Or even a manager who is foreign for the sake of it. McL is none of those.

[Marlon's Hairy Wood]

Jim White on sky sports

- mc knows what it will take to move between these clubs, but has met on challenges head on like this all his career
- hes not gonna shirk this
- aware of protests tonight and understands them, but that said hes a man who wants to take on the challenge
- the challenge is too good to turn down
- talks have been good and moving towards happening at a pace

[The Situation]

So we're ignoring Flores about the job yet happy to appoint McLeish as manager tomorrow? God help us.

Atleast I got a mention on TalkSport.

what did they say?

The situation at villa is ridiculous?

Haha
Remember when the small heath fans started to spread lies about the talks with McLeish being broken down on Twitter? Well I went undercover on their site and took a few screenshots informing people on here, Facebook, other Villa forums and Twitter... Ian Danter on TalkSport was saying what I was saying about them spreading lies and that I had evidence and that it was all a hoax.

[Villa'Zawg]

I know it has been linked but I think it's worth posting the article

Aston Villa turned down the chance to install former Valencia, Benfica and Atletico Madrid coach Quique Sanchez Flores as manager.

But the Spaniard remains ready to answer the call if a fan backlash means Villa ditch their move to land Alex McLeish.

Sanchez Flores, who resigned from Atletico at the end of the season following a major fall-out with star striker Diego Forlan, was lined up as a managerial team with Rafa Benitez's former Liverpool assistant, Pako Ayestaran.

The 46-year-old, who took Valencia to the last eight of the Champions League in 2007 and led Atletico to their 2010 Europa League Final victory over Fulham and last season's European Super Cup win over Inter Milan, was approached by intermediaries last week.

Sanchez Flores told the agents involved he would jump at the opportunity, especially if he could lean on Ayestaran's knowledge of the Premier League.

Ayestaran, who also worked alongside Benitez at Valencia, fell out with his long-term friend in 2008 when he went to Benfica, then returned to Valencia as assistant boss two years later.

Sanchez Flores, who has a decent command of English but accepts he would have to go on a crash-course if he got the Villa job, has studied the playing staff he would be inheriting from Gerard Houllier.

Despite the imminent loss of Ashley Young and the likely departure of Stewart Downing, Sanchez Flores believes he would only need to make "two or three changes" to produce a squad that would achieve a top six position in his first season in charge.

A friend said: "Quique was very optimistic about achieving his targets and felt he was extremely confident of attracting top La Liga stars to join him at Villa."

Those players could have included rejuvenated former Arsenal striker Jose Antonio Reyes, who revelled under Sanchez Flores at both Benfica and Atletico.

Despite Sanchez Flores' interest and his reputation as a persuasive and intelligent technical coach, Villa owner Randy Lerner switched targets to McLeish, sparking a hugely negative response among the Villa supporters.

Sanchez Flores is still prepared to listen if fan power forces Villa to come calling again.

The friend added: "Quique wants the job and wants to come to England.

"He feels that he and Pako would make a really good team at a club with great potential and is not fussed about where he will have been on their initial preference list."

The Mirror - Clicky

[caster troy]

Surely McLeish is like anybody else, in that he has to prove himself at a level before moving up to the next step.

For parts of last season he put out a team that were well organised and difficult to beat, (yes we all know what happened with the last kick of a match on a day when 2 of 5 teams could have gone down, and we weren't placed much more attractively for most of the season either) but certainly going into those Derbys wasn't comfortable as Blues were a threat. Then he pushes the mighty Villa out of the way to achieve cup success against the odds with that same team. Now he's ready for the next rung in his career, a step up to bigger and more successful club. If he can instill some of that grit and tenacity into our team of much better players and a more balanced squad, then we're going to some fuckin team.

I've read on here many times that we don't want a manager who sees Villa as a step down, as a payday, as a last chance at glory, a return to the prem, or to bask in the reflected glory of their previous roles. Or even a manager who is foreign for the sake of it. McL is none of those.

I didn't see much grit and tenacity in the Blues team when they had a handful of games to save their season. In the game against Fulham they were abject, totally disorganised and disinterested. I shudder at the thought of his 'tactics' down at Villa Park and the fact they've been relegated twice means they can't be that hard to beat.

[Louzie0]

So we're ignoring Flores about the job yet happy to appoint McLeish as manager tomorrow? God help us.

Atleast I got a mention on TalkSport.

I don't have a problem with ignoring the Quiche.   He was never higher than 27th in the betting, anyway.  I really wanted Maradona.
 
Would just like to say - Go for it, Alex!

Goodness me! - Thrilled with your transient, superficial Warhol-esque fame for 15 minutes, eh...  Well.  I'd say we've found the level. 


Er.... Actually ..you were on TalkSport?  Cor!  Well done!

[Iago]

I assume the board were also traumatised that a bigger name would bail out on them, I do not blame them after MON's abrupt departure last year.

Isn't that a bit like settling for an ugly girl, as she'll never leave you?

That is my assumption of the board's mindset given what they have witnessed over the past 12 months.

[Redman]

Pointless appointment if you ask me. Doomed from the start.

To have any chance of winning over the support, McLeish is going to have to exceed all expectations but with his track-record and penchant for anti-football, it's extremely unlikely he's got it in him.

Just a repeat of Hodgson with you guys then ?

Exactly.

[The Situation]

Pointless appointment if you ask me. Doomed from the start.

To have any chance of winning over the support, McLeish is going to have to exceed all expectations but with his track-record and penchant for anti-football, it's extremely unlikely he's got it in him.

Just a repeat of Hodgson with you guys then ?

Exactly.

Was Hodgson's main problem that the task of managing Liverpool was just simply too big for him?

I'm scared

[Pete Green]

Surely McLeish is like anybody else, in that he has to prove himself at a level before moving up to the next step.

For parts of last season he put out a team that were well organised and difficult to beat, (yes we all know what happened with the last kick of a match on a day when 2 of 5 teams could have gone down, and we weren't placed much more attractively for most of the season either) but certainly going into those Derbys wasn't comfortable as Blues were a threat. Then he pushes the mighty Villa out of the way to achieve cup success against the odds with that same team. Now he's ready for the next rung in his career, a step up to bigger and more successful club. If he can instill some of that grit and tenacity into our team of much better players and a more balanced squad, then we're going to some fuckin team.

I've read on here many times that we don't want a manager who sees Villa as a step down, as a payday, as a last chance at glory, a return to the prem, or to bask in the reflected glory of their previous roles. Or even a manager who is foreign for the sake of it. McL is none of those.

I didn't see much grit and tenacity in the Blues team when they had a handful of games to save their season. In the game against Fulham they were abject, totally disorganised and disinterested. I shudder at the thought of his 'tactics' down at Villa Park and the fact they've been relegated twice means they can't be that hard to beat.

I totally recognise that, and acknowledged it in my post, so why not take the whole point that I'm making.

[JJ-AV]

The most frustrating thing about not appointing Sanchez-Flores was that he'd come with Ayesteran... A man who spent Liverpool's best years under Rafa alongside him.

Which surely would be considered under the requirement of Premier League experience.

[maidstonevillain]

Pointless appointment if you ask me. Doomed from the start.

To have any chance of winning over the support, McLeish is going to have to exceed all expectations but with his track-record and penchant for anti-football, it's extremely unlikely he's got it in him.

Just a repeat of Hodgson with you guys then ?

Exactly.

Was Hodgson's main problem that the task of managing Liverpool was just simply too big for him?

I'm scared

No, I think his problem was that he was not given a chance by the fans.