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

[PaulMc]

WBA get Hodgson, fulham Martin Jol. Aston Villa Alex Mcleish? F**k off.

It must be a prank of bliblical proportions to be announced tomorrow when we unveil (insert non mcleish name here) as manager.

[django]

A few things keep going round my head. Still no answers forthcoming but some serious questions about the way our club is being run and who is responsible.

1. If we were going to interview Mclaren and Martinez, at what stage did Mcleish enter the frame?

If it is a last minute appointment (as it seems) it's an embarrassingly inept one.

If he was actually the main target, the last couple of weeks of hopeless dithering and amateurish, damaging anti-PR is again embarrassingly inept.

2. That is a shockingly bad shortlist, one you would expect from Bolton if they were looking for a manager (except their last appointment was better) Blues have drawn up a better list than we did. This shows a stunning lack of knowledge of the Market they are operating in.

3. Why didn't/haven't they just get on with it. Had they PF and RL not discussed possible replacements for GH in the months when his health became an issue?
This apparent lack of a contingency strategy would be alarming if they were running a fruit and veg stall let alone a multi-million pound business and significant cultural institution.

4. This appointment relies on a huge gamble paying off. 'he's never managed with the support of his board/money/good players before but he
might be good now he has access to them' 'he's played bad football before and heen relegated but he might be able to play a totally new way and be successful at that'

Is this the way that the Board wants to achieve stability? By taking a massive leap of faith , keeping our fingers crossed, and hoping things work out ok? I can't think of another club of our stature who would act so rashly. Or any business of a similar stature.

5. The club statement from a couple of days ago mentioned the word 'sustainable'. If the money has dried up, and we are going to live within our means, spending only what we earn, we need to massively increase our profile and, as a result, our commercial revenues, sponserships etc.

The last few weeks have done incredible damage to our reputation and image within the game and, I imagine, in the wider commmercial world. (I wouldn't want a business I represented to be associated with the unpleasantness at Villa when there are other less risky investments.)

This is without the effect of alienating your biggest customers, us the fans.

Or is the plan for villa going to be all cuts and no growth?

6. The hostile reaction to Mcleish was entirely predictable. Some of it, relating to his (at best) patchy CV completely justified. Some of it has also been accompanied by a tribal element that has gone beyond the purely rational.

This has created such a toxic atmosphere that Mcleishs position is almost untenable before he has even taken it up. Did RL or PF nor realise that football was a tribal culture?

Again this smacks of a lack of awareness of the market they are operating in and an offensive Ratner-esque view of the opinions of the fans.


In many ways I applaud those fans who are trying to rally support for Mcleish and Randy, but for me it's still way to early to criticise people for moaning. Like many people I am still in total shock and disbelief that this is happening (as are all my non Villa supporting friends and colleagues)

More than simply the disappointment regarding the football side of things, the new lack of faith in the people running our club has come as a huge shock and is possibly irreparable.

And all so we can appoint a manager with such an average record.

[ROBBO]

SAFshould keep his nose out of Villas business, yes we do have some good players, the best of them you are just about to take of us you old prick. He says look at his CV well we have and its shit. He has patronised us a few times over the years.

[KRS]

Really got to question the comments being made that this has been a cheap managerial appointment...£2m compensation and a £6m 3year deal doesnt sound cheap to me. I dont know how that compares to the contracts for the likes of Ancelotti, Hughes and Jol?

Also dont forget we've just settled with MON in the region of £2m and GH for £5m...so 9th August 2010 when MON quit has turned out to be a very expensive day totalling approx £10m in settlement payments alone.

This really is an appointment of an owner who has lost the plot...or didnt know what the plot was in the first place.

edit: more than happy for them both to prove all the doubters wrong...and there is the ever so slightest conceivable theory that it could actually be a good appointment based on the fact that he has an opportunity to work with a better squad, infrastructure and non-interfering board.

[Legion]

I'm beginning to think that the Cleveland Browns fans may have had a point.

[Nev]

It's going to be a long cold, wet, miserable, depressing day. It's the middle of summer, it's usually one of the most exciting mornings of the season given the announcement of the fixture list, but despite the admirable positive outlook of some, I see no light.

The discussion on which 'Nose players we will buy, being patronised by that whiskey faced old c**t, universal derision and utter disbelief from almost everyone in Football and to put the icing on the cake we are paying a considerable amount of money for the privilege.

These are indeed, exceptional times.

[steamer]

At the risk of repeating myself, I am not a serial poster.

All that django and other incisive posters have written makes sense.
Why on earth such a crap divisive appointment ?
From the days in Division 3 we have always followed a dream, Highs along the way, back down to earth at times.

Maybe it is the ability now for everyone to communicate quicker and to a wider audience but I can not remember an appointment of anyone that feels as much of a kick in the balls as this.
The O,Drearys of the world grew to be disliked.

This unimaginative,small tme appointment is unsurpassed, in my view by the negative emotion it has created.
Who, apart from journeymen hasbeens or unknowns would want to risk their reputation by joining us knowing that they are teaming up with the most unwanted appointment in the premier league.

I cringe at the thought of some cocksucking twats like bowyer , carr or Fergusun soiling the Claret and Blue.I understand he is bringing is support muppets with him too, heaven help us.

Randy, if this is the best your support team can come up with then they should all be sacked.
And General, Fuck off with your homespun stories. You do not feel what we do.

This is going to end in tears, it just means another chapter in my Villa supporting life passes by.

Let us enjoy the last Mcwank free hours of Aston Villa.

Last, We guess that our incompetent management team read the boards, does anyone have direct email addresses  for Randy, Faulkener or "Pelty"?
We should let them know directly what 85% of this board feels.

[nodge]

It's Fuckin' Eck Friday!

[Klaus Katt]

I am not afraid of long ball tactics, lots of throw-ins etc. I was a bit worried when GH introduced new tactics, but began to like it and thought it was part of a strategy. Now I am confused. Can anyone see the continuity? 

[eastie]

The choice has been made so it's time to stop whinging and give the guy a chance- I think he will do a good job here and look forward to a productive transfer Market - he is our manager, this is our club so lets unite and get behind the club and manager.

If it all goes wrong you will all then get your chance to say 'I told you so'., but I really believe eck will do a very good job for us.

[pauliewalnuts]

Superbly put, django

[Clampy]

The choice has been made so it's time to stop whinging and give the guy a chance- I think he will do a good job here and look forward to a productive transfer Market - he is our manager, this is our club so lets unite and get behind the club and manager.

If it all goes wrong you will all then get your chance to say 'I told you so'., but I really believe eck will do a very good job for us.

Whilst i agree with you now he's here, how many times are you going to post the same thing over and over again?

[eastie]

Let's get dann , foster and nzogbia for starters and thst might cheer a few of the doubters up.

[Mr Diggles]

I'm beginning to think that the Cleveland Browns fans may have had a point.

What happened between Lerner and the Browns?

[eastie]

I'm beginning to think that the Cleveland Browns fans may have had a point.

What happened between Lerner and the Browns?

I think they got very pissed off with his choice of coaches who failed.