Club Statement

[MoetVillan]

Or...someone who wanted the job?  Surely that is a big key driver and something overlooked.  Some of the guys they contacted may have said no, or ok, until I find something better.  McCleish must have Really Wanted this, and yet he gets little praise from our side for this.  Its like an equivalent of Downing vs Agbonlahor.  Downing is (apparently) using us to get what he deems is the best team to play for, Agbonlahor wants to play for us (apparently) regardless.  I want to follow Villa.  I want the team and manager to want to work for Villa.  Anything else is not good enough, regardless of talent.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

  McCleish must have Really Wanted this, and yet he gets little praise from our side for this.

He's doubled his wages with us and will be managing a team infinitely better than the Blues.
I don't see what praise he should have.

[Risso]

Or...someone who wanted the job?  Surely that is a big key driver and something overlooked.  Some of the guys they contacted may have said no, or ok, until I find something better.  McCleish must have Really Wanted this, and yet he gets little praise from our side for this.  Its like an equivalent of Downing vs Agbonlahor.  Downing is (apparently) using us to get what he deems is the best team to play for, Agbonlahor wants to play for us (apparently) regardless.  I want to follow Villa.  I want the team and manager to want to work for Villa.  Anything else is not good enough, regardless of talent.

You could ask almost any Championship quality manager or player if they'd like to move to Villa, and they'd jump at the chance.  I'd like to be FD of Natwest and earn millions of quid and have a tidy pension, but I don't think they'd factor my keenness for the job into whether or not to offer it to me.

[hilts_coolerking]

Or...someone who wanted the job?  Surely that is a big key driver and something overlooked.  Some of the guys they contacted may have said no, or ok, until I find something better.  McCleish must have Really Wanted this, and yet he gets little praise from our side for this.  Its like an equivalent of Downing vs Agbonlahor.  Downing is (apparently) using us to get what he deems is the best team to play for, Agbonlahor wants to play for us (apparently) regardless.  I want to follow Villa.  I want the team and manager to want to work for Villa.  Anything else is not good enough, regardless of talent.

If you're suggesting that McLeish wants to work for Villa and only Villa then I think that's a bit naive.  He was offered an immediate return to the Premier League, which must he must have found as astonishing as we did.  I doubt he would have got a similar offer from any other Premier League club.  Let's face it, he was in the right place at the right time (or wrong place at the wrong time, depending on your point of view).

I would say 99.9% of players and managers will move clubs when they get a better offer elsewhere, and if we're going to limit ourselves to managers and players who profess undying love for and commitment to Villa then we're only going to go one way. 

[pauliewalnuts]

Or...someone who wanted the job?  Surely that is a big key driver and something overlooked.  Some of the guys they contacted may have said no, or ok, until I find something better.  McCleish must have Really Wanted this, and yet he gets little praise from our side for this.  Its like an equivalent of Downing vs Agbonlahor.  Downing is (apparently) using us to get what he deems is the best team to play for, Agbonlahor wants to play for us (apparently) regardless.  I want to follow Villa.  I want the team and manager to want to work for Villa.  Anything else is not good enough, regardless of talent.

I want the manager to want to manage Villa and be good enough to do so. Wanting the job alone is not enough.

I'm sure other managers turned us down, but it makes you wonder what kind of job we were selling when, five years on from Randy's arrival, we got turned down by enough managers (one of whom was the manager of Wigan Athletic)  to send up poaching the bloke who got Blues relegated twice.

Five years ago, we could attract Martin O'Neill. In 2011, we can't attract Roberto Martinez.

[Eigentor]

Or...someone who wanted the job?  Surely that is a big key driver and something overlooked.  Some of the guys they contacted may have said no, or ok, until I find something better.  McCleish must have Really Wanted this, and yet he gets little praise from our side for this.  Its like an equivalent of Downing vs Agbonlahor.  Downing is (apparently) using us to get what he deems is the best team to play for, Agbonlahor wants to play for us (apparently) regardless.  I want to follow Villa.  I want the team and manager to want to work for Villa.  Anything else is not good enough, regardless of talent.

Following this logic we shouldn't have signed Bent as he might want to move on if a big club make a serious offer for him.

[Compass]

The people who still insist of defending the board need to take a look at the mirror and wonder if if they like getting pissed on. If so, piss away.

Seriously, the board are shambolic. They need to resign now. This latest news and still no new purchases despite losing ALOT of players is unacceptable. The protest would be NOTHING. The chants directed at Houllier would be NOTHING. The chaos towards the board though would make them crumble big time if we don't see any first three games won. Yes, it's only gonna take THREE games thanks to how awful this appointment was and why we won't wait around accepting rubbish day in, day out.

[Olneythelonely]

What a load of complete and utter horse shit.

[supertom]

Sadly though we should indeed be getting behind the new manager, we cannot escape the fact that he's quite clearly 5th choice (I'm probably being generous there). For all the talk about McLeish being a great choice for the club, by those at the club. If he was so great, we'd have gone for him in the first place, as opposed to chasing, quite publically, several other candidates. Notably getting the upturned nose by Ancellotti, and more embarrassingly, Martinez.

The fact that we've had to stump up a load of cash for the privilege of getting someone half way down our wanted list, from our nearest, undearest and recently relegated rivals is highly embarrassing.

That's not to say I'm not willing to get behind Eck. And I have also been impressed by his handling of things thus far, since signing (the manner of him orchestrating his move here wasn't great, but probably aided by some bright spark at our club). I hope he proves most of us wrong, but with the state of the squad and his track record, I'm not confident.

[pauliewalnuts]

Seriously, the board are shambolic. They need to resign now. This latest news and still no new purchases despite losing ALOT of players is unacceptable. The protest would be NOTHING. The chants directed at Houllier would be NOTHING. The chaos towards the board though would make them crumble big time if we don't see any first three games won. Yes, it's only gonna take THREE games thanks to how awful this appointment was and why we won't wait around accepting rubbish day in, day out.

So, the board all resign en masse, and then what? How does that change anything at all?

[Chris Smith]

The people who still insist of defending the board need to take a look at the mirror and wonder if if they like getting pissed on. If so, piss away.

Seriously, the board are shambolic. They need to resign now. This latest news and still no new purchases despite losing ALOT of players is unacceptable. The protest would be NOTHING. The chants directed at Houllier would be NOTHING. The chaos towards the board though would make them crumble big time if we don't see any first three games won. Yes, it's only gonna take THREE games thanks to how awful this appointment was and why we won't wait around accepting rubbish day in, day out.

Everyone is a drama queen these days. You've watched Newcastle and Liverpool fans on Sky Sports News and instead of laughing at them like normal people you've decided that you what to be like them.

Anyway, Let me get this right, you're asking for the man who owns the club to resign from the board along with the rest of them. Then what happens, you and your mates will take over I suppose.

[Gazza1982]

Have to agrre with the drama queen bit. Saying 'sack the board' is a popular thing to say but in reality it means zilch unless there is a generous benefactor waiting in the wings which there isn't. Pointing out problems is always easy, its the solutions that are the difficult part.
Saying that, you have to wonder at the current atmosphere pervading at the club. I dont think it would be an over-statement to say that a lot of fans aren't exactly feeling optimistic for the coming season. Three years ago we were all wondering how to break into the top four, now we are hoping we don't get into a relegation dogfight which half of me is expecting. The lack of signings is worrying but IF we can get the likes of N'Zogbia, Parker and a decent goalie I would be feeling a lot more optimistc than I am right now. Mid-table is the best i am personally expecting.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Everyone is a drama queen these days.

Speak for yourself, Smithers.

Are we ignoring that it's been widely reported that Randy Lerner has been a long time admirer of McLeish and maybe he was top of the list?

[Legion]

If I remember correctly, he was quietly respectful of us after the 5-1.

[Risso]

Everyone is a drama queen these days.

Speak for yourself, Smithers.

Are we ignoring that it's been widely reported that Randy Lerner has been a long time admirer of McLeish and maybe he was top of the list?

You believe that Mark?  If so, would you like to buy some of my magic beans?