Playing Devil's Advocate...

[Mazrim]

I'm pretty tired of reading that we couldn't attract a manager from a much smaller club simply because we're struggling this season. I think even football managers have more imagination than some of our supporters.

Randy will provide funds this summer, I just hope there is somebody worthy to spend it.
We will still be in this division, we will still be a big club and we will be able to attract the kind of managers we should be going for if the intent is there from the board. There is plenty to work with at Aston Villa for the right man/men.

When you say randy will provide funds maz , just how much do you expect to be made available and do you expect bent to be part of the money raised for transfers?

Id say we would need £25m plus just to compete in mid table.

I wouldn't want to put a figure on it but more than the likes of Norwich or Swansea will have available for instance and it's their managers some of us are advocating. There is a point now where anything less than an overhaul of this busted up squad is negligence and risking his own assets value. So whether he wants to or not, it will have to happen.

However gloomy things are now, a new man with some fresh ideas and impetus and some shrewd transfer dealings would see everybody's mood change. It seems pretty straightforward to me.
Whatever it costs to be rid of the current regime has to happen. If it means not being able to sign a striker or whatever, so be it. It's the most important issue at the club.
McLeish has had a tough task and I do sympathise but the truth is he's not up to it and was never the right man to begin with. There is no point in compounding the error now.

[eastie]

I'm pretty tired of reading that we couldn't attract a manager from a much smaller club simply because we're struggling this season. I think even football managers have more imagination than some of our supporters.

Randy will provide funds this summer, I just hope there is somebody worthy to spend it.
We will still be in this division, we will still be a big club and we will be able to attract the kind of managers we should be going for if the intent is there from the board. There is plenty to work with at Aston Villa for the right man/men.

When you say randy will provide funds maz , just how much do you expect to be made available and do you expect bent to be part of the money raised for transfers?

Id say we would need £25m plus just to compete in mid table.

I wouldn't want to put a figure on it but more than the likes of Norwich or Swansea will have available for instance and it's their managers some of us are advocating. There is a point now where anything less than an overhaul of this busted up squad is negligence and risking his own assets value. So whether he wants to or not, it will have to happen.

However gloomy things are now, a new man with some fresh ideas and impetus and some shrewd transfer dealings would see everybody's mood change. It seems pretty straightforward to me.
Whatever it costs to be rid of the current regime has to happen. If it means not being able to sign a striker or whatever, so be it. It's the most important issue at the club.
McLeish has had a tough task and I do sympathise but the truth is he's not up to it and was never the right man to begin with. There is no point in compounding the error now.

Agreed , if we need to use available cash to pay off mcleish then so be it , he must go!

[Risso]

I'm pretty tired of reading that we couldn't attract a manager from a much smaller club simply because we're struggling this season. I think even football managers have more imagination than some of our supporters.

Randy will provide funds this summer, I just hope there is somebody worthy to spend it.
We will still be in this division, we will still be a big club and we will be able to attract the kind of managers we should be going for if the intent is there from the board. There is plenty to work with at Aston Villa for the right man/men.

There aren't any funds to provide, and any money spent will be a smaller proportion of that incoming from player sales.  I don't think you realise just how bleak our financial state is.  We'll have less money to spend than the likes of Norwich, and if McLeish stays, crowds of a similar level.  How does that make us a "bigger club" than them?

[Merv]

I wouldnt mind seeing Lambert, Rodgers or Martinez but the problem is, they would have to buy their own players and we dont know how much money would be available to them to rebuild.

Thing is, look at the players Lambert and Rodgers (not so much Martinez, I really have my doubts he's going to be as good as people believe, he hasn't managed to lift Wigan above the bottom three in two or three seasons) have signed, and developed into Premier League standard players. Very very few with any particular top-class or top-flight pedigree. Total transfer fees - minimal.

That's quality coaching and management for you. It can be done, with the right coach.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I'm pretty tired of reading that we couldn't attract a manager from a much smaller club simply because we're struggling this season. I think even football managers have more imagination than some of our supporters.

Randy will provide funds this summer, I just hope there is somebody worthy to spend it.
We will still be in this division, we will still be a big club and we will be able to attract the kind of managers we should be going for if the intent is there from the board. There is plenty to work with at Aston Villa for the right man/men.

There aren't any funds to provide, and any money spent will be a smaller proportion of that incoming from player sales.  I don't think you realise just how bleak our financial state is.  We'll have less money to spend than the likes of Norwich, and if McLeish stays, crowds of a similar level.  How does that make us a "bigger club" than them?

£25m is a fantasy.
McLeish has already stated that it will be 'Bosmans and 1 or 2 for £2-£3m'

There will be no decent money spent until we get new owners and that might not be a possibility anyway.

Our financial situation is dire.

[Greg N'Ash]

Nothing will change untill the purse strings are loosened IMO. Everyone was saying similar about Houllier last season - basically anyone was a better bet and look who we got. We all know Mcleish wasn't our 1st choice but was he 2nd? 3rd? 4th? I remember that flim-flam from the board about not wanting Hughes because the way he left Fulham, but its pretty obvious it was more about money and the fact he could, given the funds, attract bigger names, which was certainly not the way the board wanted to go. Mcleish may stay or go, but as for the overall penny pinching strategy - that won't change as the recent free signing has shown. We lost 54m last time. Even given the pay-offs to the managers, and the loss of another 3 players not replaced last summer, i thinks its unlikely we'll be anywhere near on a solid footing next accounts - 20-30m loss i reckon. 

Top managers who'd want to work under those conditions? erm.....

[UK Redsox]

Ozzie Guillen, he could be available soon.

When you're manager of a team in Miami, there's one thing that you don't say and that's how much you "love" and "respect" Fidel Castro

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/10/2739843/miami-marlins-ozzie-guillen-in.html

We might think that Eck says some strange things or that Houllier expressing his fondness for Liverpool was bizarre, but those remarks didn't come close to causing the trouble that Guillen has.

[Mazrim]

I'm pretty tired of reading that we couldn't attract a manager from a much smaller club simply because we're struggling this season. I think even football managers have more imagination than some of our supporters.

Randy will provide funds this summer, I just hope there is somebody worthy to spend it.
We will still be in this division, we will still be a big club and we will be able to attract the kind of managers we should be going for if the intent is there from the board. There is plenty to work with at Aston Villa for the right man/men.

There aren't any funds to provide, and any money spent will be a smaller proportion of that incoming from player sales.  I don't think you realise just how bleak our financial state is.  We'll have less money to spend than the likes of Norwich, and if McLeish stays, crowds of a similar level.  How does that make us a "bigger club" than them?

With respect, you have no idea what Randy is willing to provide this summer or what other plans are in place and I do realise the situation with the finances, more than you think. But the club is owned by Lerner and the Lerner trusts and they can take any action necessary to protect their investment. This isnt a plc.

Not that I'm expecting grand investment or that I have all of a sudden found new faith in a board I think are making a bollocks of things in the main. But I do believe we will spend decent money again this summer and that's also backed up from conversations I've had with somebody who should know. I was very skeptical too but time and only time will tell.

Apart from that, I dont know where you're getting the likelihood we'll spend less than Norwich from and I'm not even going to discuss how or why we're a bigger club than the likes of Norwich no more than I'd discuss why the sun rises. We agree on McLeish, that's why I'm suggesting going after Lambert so McLeish wouldn't be a factor. He'd be gone.

[JJ-AV]

Hodgson, Martinez, Lambert, Rodgers or Hughes.

In that order of preference.

Hodgson has had no contract security since he's been at the Baggies. He's had two short-term contracts I believe. He's got one season left as it stands. We can get him.

[eastie]

Hodgson, Martinez, Lambert, Rodgers or Hughes.

In that order of preference.

Hodgson has had no contract security since he's been at the Baggies. He's had two short-term contracts I believe. He's got one season left as it stands. We can get him.

Id take anyone from  4 out of those 5 but no thanks to martinez.

[Mazrim]

I dont want Woy "Frank Spencer" Hodgson either.

[Irish villain]

Having gone through our squad there, it is so thin. £25m is an optimistic assessment of what needs to be spent. A new centre back, a new left back, a new central midfielder, a new winger and a couple of squad players urgently needed.

Of our youth players, the only ones I'm confident of are Weimann, Baker and Ciaran Clark. Bannan, Gardner, and even Albrighton still need to prove themselves PL quality players in my view. We'd need a manager who could quickly take those players to the next level.

We need a manager to come in and quickly start the rebuilding process. A third season of transition should not be an option.  We also need somebody who can get Albrighton, N'Zogbia, Gabby and Bent all playing tot heir full potential as a lack og goals this season nearly relegated us.

My gut tells me our prestige has taken a big hit since May 2010. Even if Randy had money to spend again, I'm not sure  we could get who has a proven track record at the top. I'd say an up-and-coming manager like Rodgers or Lambert is the best we can hope for. I wouldn't even approach Martinez. Not after this. He inflicted McLeish on us by turning us down last year.

[garyshawsknee]

I bet Jol wouldve jumped at the chance of coming here last summer,he gets his team playing some good stuff,and they actually try and compete against the better sides.

[john e]

Hodgson, Martinez, Lambert, Rodgers or Hughes.

In that order of preference.

Hodgson has had no contract security since he's been at the Baggies. He's had two short-term contracts I believe. He's got one season left as it stands. We can get him.

Id take anyone from  4 out of those 5 but no thanks to martinez.

makes me laugh the disregard of Martinez,
it'l be a miracle if he keeps Wigan in the prem league again,
 it is probably easier to win the league with Man City than keep Wigan in the top division, they are the smallest club by a mile, punching way over there wieght, and trying to play some decent football at the same time, dont always achieve it but at least try, unlike us.

if we havent got much money to spend, and we have to rely on bringing the young players through who have come through the academy with Sid and kMac, i cant think of a much better option than Roberto,
 who will at least harness the footballing principles taught in the academy and get the best out of what he's been given whilst trying to play some decent stuff, its a win win in my book

[Irish villain]

Johne, Martinez had his chance to manage us, let's not humiliate ourselves by asking a second time.