Guardian apologises to ex-manager

[Lee]

"Constructive dismissal is when an employee is forced to quit their job against their will because of their employer's conduct." - Directgov website.


*cheery whistling emoticon*

Six weeks away and look what brings you back....

I spotted Legion's tweet and was hoping to read your mea culpa on having been mistaken about O'Neill's constructive dismissal.

And yet nothing else has happened that you consider worthy of comment. It's also interesting that you seem to be pleased a former employee apparently 'won' a case which cost the club you support a large sum. 

A very, very large sum ...  you ain't seen me roite!

[Lee]

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.

Gnasher, it was by far more funnier the first time round, but indeed a good analogy.

[ktvillan]

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.

I can honestly say I didn't have to change my mind because I'd long been of the opinion that he was arrogant, obnoxious, and massively overrated when he was still here.  I haven't seen anything since to persuade me otherwise.

[Percy McCarthy]

Is that some strange attempt at a poem?

Maybe a result of sniffing too much carbon monoxide?
We are not going anywhere with the present set-up.
Randy wants his investment back. Simple as that.
He, as are many others, is in a bad financial state and we are getting the stick for it.
MoN is no more. We have to look to the future and my crystal ball is well clouded right now.

Much better. Are you Benjamin Zephania?

[Percy McCarthy]

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.

Gnasher, it was by far more funnier the first time round, but indeed a good analogy.

Yes. I wonder who thought it up.

[Vanilla]

It would be interesting to know on what grounds MON won his case of constructive dismissal. It was probably the untenable situation regarding the withdrawal of transfer funds.

I suppose though we will find this out at the same time we find out why we paid dablues compensation for 'not' tapping up the current manager i.e when we win the Champions league.

[TimTheVillain]

In my opinion he also takes criticism well, isn't overly litigious and looks nothing like Woody Allen.

No way to all of these , and he's got fantastic football acumen too - he knows how to create a team playing good, passing football.

We will never replace Martin O'Neill - he's just Clough reincarnated with similar successes too.

[Brend'Watkins]

There's a plaque to MON's opening abilities of a CT scanner unit at little Aston Hospital.  I've seen it today.

[brian green]

Got to be careful with those plaques.   News today says 97.6% of them get stolen and melted down for scrap.   The remaining 2.4% get painted over.

[Brian Taylor]

Is that some strange attempt at a poem?

Maybe a result of sniffing too much carbon monoxide?
We are not going anywhere with the present set-up.
Randy wants his investment back. Simple as that.
He, as are many others, is in a bad financial state and we are getting the stick for it.
MoN is no more. We have to look to the future and my crystal ball is well clouded right now.

Much better. Are you Benjamin Zephania?

Benjaaaman?  No sadly, but I do remember Wrentham St Baths!

[Dante Lavelli]

It would be interesting to know on what grounds MON won his case of constructive dismissal. It was probably the untenable situation regarding the withdrawal of transfer funds.

Apologies for picking hairs but I don't think MON did win a case for constructive dismissal.  A settlement was definitely paid out but there was no verdict in the case.  Apparently if you speak to Villa and specifically Faulkner they are also happy with the conclusion of the case, it's just that the media have been less inclined to print that side of the story. 

[Ross]

Martin, top tip for you.  If you are so sensitive about an incorrect 'net spend' figure in an article from March, then don't force a correction to be published six months later which reminds everyone how much cash was lavished on you for a 6th place finish.

The man lacks class, and isn't a patch on Sir Graham, Sir Brian or Big Ron in terms of character or results.

MON isn't a patch on Ron Atkinson, a racist, in terms of character?

What utter shite.

In your opinion.  For what its worth.  Which isn't much.

[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.

Gnasher, it was by far more funnier the first time round, but indeed a good analogy.

Yes. I wonder who thought it up.

well i think we can safely say it wasn't you.

[Summers]

Martin O'Neill, you're a twat. Sue me.

[Eigentor]

One sentence in defence of MON: it wasn't all bad. His record was decent; I wish it was better. Many of his signings were good; but too many were overpaid donkeys. And his football isn't as Joe Kinnear-ish as sometimes portrayed.

I was fooled. I thought that he was a very good manager. Towards the end it was obvious that he had run out of ideas, and that he was overrated. He was merely a decent manager, good at his thing, and stuck to his ideas. But he had clear limitations, and some of his ideas were very out-dated.

But what really stains his reputation, is his behaviour before, during and after his resignation. Its lack of decency, elegance and grace showed that he after five years at the club still only thought about himself, and never cared for us. For a Villa fan that's hard to take.