Official - Houllier leaves by mutual consent (p.28)

[andyh]

I hope he makes as well a recovery as he can, and settles down to a quiet retirement with his family.

That said, I am not really sorry to see him go.
I warmed to him as a man, but could not warm to him as our manager, for me for every step forward he took 3 steps back.

Farewell Gerard.

[The Situation]

http://astonvilla-views.com/2011/06/01/pat-murphy-hughes-mcclaren-rafa-avfc/

I really do hope the board listen to the fans this time, getting it wrong the first time - fair enough, everyone makes mistakes, getting it wrong twice shows you're inept.

The last group of people they should be listening to is the fans, or it'll end in a Newcastle-esque circus.

So you want McLaren as manager?

This place will go into meltdown if he's our new manager.

If Houllier's health wasn't in question he'd still be manager next season.

If you're manager of Aston Villa how can you even consider McLaren? There is only one option...

[DeKuip]

http://astonvilla-views.com/2011/06/01/pat-murphy-hughes-mcclaren-rafa-avfc/

I really do hope the board listen to the fans this time, getting it wrong the first time - fair enough, everyone makes mistakes, getting it wrong twice shows you're inept.

The last group of people they should be listening to is the fans, or it'll end in a Newcastle-esque circus.

My thoughts exactly - if Man Utd directors had listened to fans Fergie wouldn't have lasted as long as Xmas 1990.
Listen to us when it comes to things like ticket sales and which beer to sell in the ground.

[john e]

http://astonvilla-views.com/2011/06/01/pat-murphy-hughes-mcclaren-rafa-avfc/

I really do hope the board listen to the fans this time, getting it wrong the first time - fair enough, everyone makes mistakes, getting it wrong twice shows you're inept.

The last group of people they should be listening to is the fans, or it'll end in a Newcastle-esque circus.

agreed, if they had listen to the fans 3 months ago we would have got rid of GED and brought in Allardyce

no thanks

[Marlon's Hairy Wood]

Any of Ancelotti, Benitez, Hughes or Moyes would please me greatly

Probably in that order as well

I wonder if the fact that in Hughes' case, him being known to have worked and gotten the best out of Ireland and Warnock would work in his favour for getting the job

Those two back to form would save a fair bit of dough

[Greg N'Ash]

Hughes or McClaren? well there goes the theory there's better choices than last summer.

[Ger Regan]

So you want McLaren as manager?

This place will go into meltdown if he's our new manager.

If Houllier's health wasn't in question he'd still be manager next season.

If you're manager of a football club how can you even consider McLaren? There is only one option...

Where did I say I wanted McClaren? I said that they shouldn't listen to the fans. Newcastle did that and ended up with Shearer. Football fans are the most bi-polar people imaginable, and change their minds all to easily. I'd prefer RL and PF to pick the best man for the job, not who the fans want. (I accept that these may not be different people).

And I agree that Houllier would have been manager next season were it not for the health issues. As I would have liked it.

[wombat]

Can't say i'm sorry to see him go, but I bear him no malice.

Alas the candidate list isn't inspiring.

[Risso]

Hughes or McClaren? well there goes the theory there's better choices than last summer.

Hughes who just finished higher than Houllier you mean?  Great logic there Greg.

[The Situation]

Urgh... I wasn't saying ''let the fans pick our new manager''. That would be chaos.

What i'm saying is the board need to be awared that the likes of McLaren is just a no go.

Someone like Villa Boas, Ancelotti, Hughes and Moyes would fit our club well as manager. All 4 managers have the type of personnel to manage our team.

[john e]

Urgh... I wasn't saying ''let the fans pick our new manager''. That would be chaos.

What i'm saying is the board need to be awared that the likes of McLaren is just a no go.

Someone like Villa Boas, Ancelotti, Hughes and Moyes would fit our club well as manager. All 4 managers have the type of personnel to manage our team.

i'd take McClaren over both Hughes and Moyes,

he's actually done something,
been knocked down got back up had to leave the country to get work, won the league in Holland with a team who had never won it before,
even in this country he won more than Moyes and Hughes put together with smaller clubs,in lessser time.

he's not liked or respected here, so thats the massive problem, and i admit its a massive problem, and theres no getting over that.
  he's certainly no where near my first choice, but he's definitley in front of those other two dullards

[manic-road]

All the best for the future Gerard, and thanks for getting Darren Bent to the club. Err that's about it..

[SteveD]

Reading his comments it's more like he was pushed. Certainly given the last nine months, regardless of his medical prognosis, the argument could be made that the appointment didn't work and purely on results (without going into gaffes) he had taken us backwards. His dubious strategy of trying to get us to play football, as confidence drained away and then sacrificing any organisation in defence, nearly cost us dearly. If the Bent signing is held up as a huge positive, in my view we would never have spent the money if we hadn't been in huge trouble. Maybe that's his legacy - we had to be that bad under him before we'd have a chance of getting someone that good.

[l_mckay]

bit sad to see him go because i think he would of done allright with his own player,aslong as he is replaced with either Moyes,Ancelloti or Hughes ill be happy!

[The Situation]

Urgh... I wasn't saying ''let the fans pick our new manager''. That would be chaos.

What i'm saying is the board need to be awared that the likes of McLaren is just a no go.

Someone like Villa Boas, Ancelotti, Hughes and Moyes would fit our club well as manager. All 4 managers have the type of personnel to manage our team.

i'd take McClaren over both Hughes and Moyes,

he's actually done something,
been knocked down got back up had to leave the country to get work, won the league in Holland with a team who had never won it before,
even in this country he won more than Moyes and Hughes put together with smaller clubs,in lessser time.

he's not liked or respected here, so thats the massive problem, and i admit its a massive problem, and theres no getting over that.
  he's certainly no where near my first choice, but he's definitley in front of those other two dullards

But it's a different league and different country though, he managed a small market team. Look what happened when he went to Germany? Job was too big for him and couldn't handle the pressure of the Bundesliga managing a club who'd just won the league earlier. He showed he couldn't rise to a new level.

He hasn't done it in England. It may have worked for him somewhere else but it hasn't quite happened here.

He doesn't fill me with much confidence and people will dismiss him with how he failed so badly with the England team.

I'm sorry, but he's not the man for the job, he might be the man for another club, but if we really want to progress we need to look at a manager who fits the bill for this club. I just can't see McLaren taking us to that new level we dream of.

I would have more faith in Moyes and Hughes than McLaren.