The Increasing Power of Internet Warriors.

[kippaxvilla2]

A theory: Murphy was saying it would be McClaren from very early on, when it turned out to be bollocks he had to have a way of covering his arse so came out with the club bowing to fan pressure story.

It's a theory.  Not one I subscribe to, it's not as if he is Oliver Holt, he has at least some more credence I think.

[King of the Nørth]

Murphy is a sad, bitter man with an axe to grind as the club don't speak to him like they used to under the previous regime.

I thought the criticism of McClaren was over the top, but it's nothing that wouldn't have been said by fans of just about every other top half Premier League team in a similar position.

 Exactly! Same journo's are prob the same one's who keep using the line of why didnt Randy give the money he spent on Bent to MON blah blah didnt match his ambition blah blah. In the end its the media that picked up on MacLaren using a brolley not us. Why should we be the ones who are reduced to a laughing stock by appointing a man who speaks in fake dutch accents.

[AV82EC]

A theory: Murphy was saying it would be McClaren from very early on, when it turned out to be bollocks he had to have a way of covering his arse so came out with the club bowing to fan pressure story.

It's a theory.  Not one I subscribe to, it's not as if he is Oliver Holt, he has at least some more credence I think.

ha ha ha  Oliver Holt and credence in the same sentence.  Ha ha Ha ha

[Risso]

The media have savaged just about every England manager there's ever been.  Just look at the disgraceful way they treated decent, honorable men like Graham Taylor and Bobby Robson when they were managing England.  Quite frankly, while Murphy may at least be a more decent reporter thans some of the tabloid hacks, he needs to look at his colleague in the sports journalism industry before blaming the fans.

[Greg N'Ash]

you only have to look at the managers thread. Since Houllier left we've been linked with 10 or more managers at least, all of whom we've turned down, or have turned us down. the only thing they have in common is Journo's came up with the stories. So either Lerner has some sort of serious mental problem and changes his target every few hours or 99% of it is bullshit. I know what i think's more likely.

[Mark H]

Although on one hand you could say its only 300-600 people like any survey in that sense your getting a snap shot of what is considred to be the wider opinion held.  The flaw to that is that you have not taken a cross section of the fan base as those of us who sit on here all day every day are not maybe "normal".  You could also consider that the people who spend all their time commenting and taking in a interest in your "product" are the best informed to comment.

I can tell you stories in business where 1 blog has changed the companies position - and I can also point to governments that have been bought to their knees recently by the internet generation/users being able to express views that could not be stopped.

So its the world we now live in and the immediacy of that world that views can be gathered instantly - its what you do with them thats the key 

[Outcast2006]

To be fair on this decision the fans were right.

[kippaxvilla2]

A theory: Murphy was saying it would be McClaren from very early on, when it turned out to be bollocks he had to have a way of covering his arse so came out with the club bowing to fan pressure story.

It's a theory.  Not one I subscribe to, it's not as if he is Oliver Holt, he has at least some more credence I think.

ha ha ha  Oliver Holt and credence in the same sentence.  Ha ha Ha ha

I do hope you understand that I was not associating Oliver Holt with any credence whatsoever.

[AV82EC]

A theory: Murphy was saying it would be McClaren from very early on, when it turned out to be bollocks he had to have a way of covering his arse so came out with the club bowing to fan pressure story.

It's a theory.  Not one I subscribe to, it's not as if he is Oliver Holt, he has at least some more credence I think.

ha ha ha  Oliver Holt and credence in the same sentence.  Ha ha Ha ha

I do hope you understand that I was not associating Oliver Holt with any credence whatsoever.

Sorry Kippax, just reread your post and get what you were saying.  Fair comment.

[Lee]

Just check out the top 5 stories on Newsnow and see the "Blog" that seems to be taking over the whole of Villa related Internet traffic.

The Internet can indeed be a dangerous thing.

[kippaxvilla2]

Having just heard Murphy again on five live, it appears he is now clueless!  Saying that Martinez was always the only one in the frame.

[Outcast2006]

Just check out the top 5 stories on Newsnow and see the "Blog" that seems to be taking over the whole of Villa related Internet traffic.

The Internet can indeed be a dangerous thing.

It's not the internet that is dangerous,  more those that post on it.

[TRO]

In any other reasonably sized commercial business what owner of that reasonably sized commercial business cancels an interview with a prospective managerial candidate based on the backlash of a rolling 800 people logged onto one of two main unofficial internet forums.  I am all for listening to fans, but this is unprecedented and weak leadership isn't it - whatever we think of the potential incumbent.  I really do miss Steve Stride and I never thought I would say that.

NB - I am sure it was my wally with the brolly comment that finally put it to bed :-)

Customer is ALWAYS King ............ Ignore that at your peril.

[Bad English]

Internet Warrior power? We have power?

Right, I would like to see Monica Bellucci in the dugout, with Alizée as fluffer for the subs' warm-ups (keeping both fans and players happy).

[robbo1874]

Murphy is a sad, bitter man with an axe to grind as the club don't speak to him like they used to under the previous regime.

I thought the criticism of McClaren was over the top, but it's nothing that wouldn't have been said by fans of just about every other top half Premier League team in a similar position.

Whilst I agree with your first point, see my above comment.  Don't miss my point re McLaren - I didnt want him as my first choice either, however, mine was more about leadership at the club, if the cancellation of the interview was as a result of the 'backlash'.  Let's put this into context.  There are circa 400-800 people posting (in relative secrecy) on internet message boards at any one time.  There are around 33,000 people who haven't had a say on the face of it.

400-800 people posting is a pretty sizeable representative sample of ''33,000" though. doesn't take a genius to work out that if a large section of your sample posters are going into meltdown over the prospect of mclaren being appointed, then even if you did a conservatively based estimate on the likely support of that candidate, then it probably wasn't worth pursuing.

I see both sides of it. The club want to get someone who they think, or are advised would be the best man for the job. But at the same time, they can't afford to get someone in who would be perceived as a liability (regardless of his previous track record with Boro) and risk losing the supporters. My own view is that McLaren probably aint the man for the job anyway, so I wouldn't be worrying about that too much anyway.

Re: Murphy being "sad" "Bitter" and "with an axe to grind" - genuinely don't understand these comments. I've been away from UK for 4 years now, but always remember Pat Murphy being pretty well respected in Vila circles, even since Lerner came in. Have I missed something in the mean time Risso??