Guardian apologises to ex-manager

[KevinGage]

For the sake of argument, I wonder whether the FA Premier League Managers’ Arbitration Tribunal would find in favour of David Moyes had he walked out on the eve of this season.

Or maybe 'arry-  who probably expected a bit more than Scott Parker and Adebeyor on loan after Tottingham's CL exploits last season.

We'll never know, of course, because they- unlike MON- didn't walk out on their clubs.  Despite the new financial challenges they too had to contend with.


And is it now grounds enough for a manager to walk out if he's told 'no' to one of his transfer requests.   Really?    Has such a contract ever existed -in sport or any other profession- whereby the manager's every whim has to be catered for, regardless of the financial position of the company at the time?

[Brian Taylor]

We all know when he walked out. Given the timing, I fail to see how malice didn't play at least a big part in that decision.

Why is the argument continuing?  I do not see anything better  comtemporaneously. Who will sort it out?
MON is gone..what is the solution?  or who is the solution?
Randy certainly has to make a statement!

[KevinGage]

We all know when he walked out. Given the timing, I fail to see how malice didn't play at least a big part in that decision.

I'm still not entirely convinced by the malice angle.

It's possible, sure.

But I think it's more likely that a few things came to a head all at once:

*Not being able to get McGeady and Keane
*Not being able to shift the deadwood- many of whom he'd fallen out with in some way shape or form and still having to see their ugly mugs in training
*The reaction of the players in pre season/ condition of Dunne et.c
*The realisation that he was unlikely to top 6th due to the competition in the league now, and how that may impact on Brand O'Neill

All this, plus missing out on the Redscouse job earlier in the summer (when he thought he was a shoe in)  might have sapped his enthusiasm and motivation.   Could have been a slow building thing over the summer -maybe even as far back as the Chelsea 7-1 game and subsequent fallout. Yet the realisation might have only hit home early August that he absolutely no longer wanted to continue.

[Pat McMahon]

I am with KevinGage on this one in that I think a few matters had come to a head.  I would love to know what happened in late July / August 2010, but assume the true story will never reach us mere fans.

In addition to KevinGage's points, above, I have always felt that the impending sale of Milner was a key factor, since this was probably (in my memory) the first time that he was not going to get his own way on a football matter. IIRC MON and Randy had a chat around the time of the Valencia friendly and an agreement was reached for them to continue working together and then a few days later MON had gone. Something must have pushed him to change his mind in that short period.

[KevinGage]

It's possible Pat.

But MON gave every impression he was on board with the sale - he was the first one to publicly say Milner wanted out.  Before Jimmy himself, even.

The other part of that deal  -the Ireland part- is also often flagged as a potential cause for MON's walk out. The suggestion being that MON was somehow being 'forced' into accepting Ireland, rather than extra cash.

But at the height of the GH/ Ireland fun and games last year, Ireland himself said he had no axe to grind with Houllier, as it wasn't Houllier who had wanted him at the club.  It was the previous manager.

The only impact I can see the Milner deal having is that MON might have felt that should be sacrifice enough -a sign of goodwill that he was willing to bend with the new financial requirements- and should be allowed more leeway to bring in the players he felt he needed.  Even if he wasn't able to ship out Luke Young, NRC, Beye, Sidwell, Davies and co.

[Zhong Yi]

Anyone think he is a little concerned that no club with a vacancy over the past 12 months has gone anywhere near him?

Curbishley and O'Neill have both struggled to find work since suing for constructive dismissal.

yeah but John Gregory hasn't...

[brian green]

All the points you raise make a lot of sense Kevin and also those of Pat but in my book they only set the impression of malice of his actions towards the club and the chairman in context.

Your wife might leave you for a host of unreasonable actions on your part but she does not have to drop a match through the letter box before she climbs in her car, not I should hasten to add that that has any bearing whatsoever on the departure of Martin O'Neill who clearly must have had excellent reasons and total justification in the actions he took.

[Greg N'Ash]

I wonder if he's got his legal team working on the westham story yet , where he was "alleged" to have stabbed Avram Grant in the back? Seems to be taking a long time to reach court. I mean if you were worried about your reputation being in tatters you'd think he'd be concentrating on that one, not a slight case of "who left who".

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Your wife might leave you for a host of unreasonable actions on your part..

After all the money given to her for housekeeping, the fact that she couldn't cook and had been found out, despite telling her friends how "sintillating" her gourmet meals were, the truth is her home cooking was normally beans on toast with a blob of brown sauce on the side.

To her credit, she always chose well when you went out for dinner.

[damon loves JT]

Maybe I am a terribly shallow person, but I can't remember changing my mind about somebody so completely in such a short space of time.

[Brend'Watkins]

Your wife might leave you for a host of unreasonable actions on your part..

After all the money given to her for housekeeping, the fact that she couldn't cook and had been found out, despite telling her friends how "sintillating" her gourmet meals were, the truth is her home cooking was normally beans on toast with a blob of brown sauce on the side.

To her credit, she always chose well when you went out for dinner.

She had the funds at her disposal to get the finest ingredients that were out there which will make me never forget the day she served up a tough old Hare.  I thought I was getting something really special that week, something with Defoeinoise potatoes.  Then there were here attempts at making a Stu...18 months it took her!

[Greg N'Ash]

MON was a one recipe man. Went to Leceister and made a stunning traditional fish and chips with mushy peas. Then went north, given a bit more money and made scottish salmon new potatoes and broccoli that the locals loved, then came to us with even more money per head, and served up Dover sole, scalloped potatoes  and petit pois. Trouble is you don't win michelan stars with what's basically fish and chips but with slightly more expensive ingrediants.

[eastie]

I'd like to thank mon for the many wins we got in march every year, the glorious flowing football we played and for the many trophies. Oh and that fantastic night out in moscow

I'd like to thank him for letting me walk out of Old Trafford with a smile on my face for the first time after beating them 1-0, seeing us put 5 past Small Heath and the last minute goals at their place. I enjoyed the three top 6 finishes, seeing Ashley Young, Downing and Milner in the side. Even a cup final and semi final in the same season were enjoyable. 

The other side of the coin and all that.....

well said clampy , there were many highs as well as the lows and his reign was far from a disaster although i think he should have achieved more given his spending.

[Concrete John]

I'd like to thank mon for the many wins we got in march every year, the glorious flowing football we played and for the many trophies. Oh and that fantastic night out in moscow

I'd like to thank him for letting me walk out of Old Trafford with a smile on my face for the first time after beating them 1-0, seeing us put 5 past Small Heath and the last minute goals at their place. I enjoyed the three top 6 finishes, seeing Ashley Young, Downing and Milner in the side. Even a cup final and semi final in the same season were enjoyable. 

The other side of the coin and all that.....

well said clampy , there were many highs as well as the lows and his reign was far from a disaster although i think he should have achieved more given his spending.

And that's the crux of an argument the two sides of which will never agree on.

[TheTimVilla]

MON was a one recipe man. Went to Leceister and made a stunning traditional fish and chips with mushy peas. Then went north, given a bit more money and made scottish salmon new potatoes and broccoli that the locals loved, then came to us with even more money per head, and served up Dover sole, scalloped potatoes  and petit pois. Trouble is you don't win michelan stars with what's basically fish and chips but with slightly more expensive ingrediants.

Yes you can: http://www.britishgastropubs.co.uk/businesses/the_hand___flowers/