Return of O'Neill - divided opinion

[Clampy]

I stopped caring  a year and a half ago.

For someone who doesn't care, whenever he's mentioned on here, you're always the first to pop up telling us how much you don't care. Its almost like you do care.

It's not me who's got the MON thread alert alarm Greg.

Just an observation clamps. When i don't care about something i rarely comment on it, not go around asking why everyone else cares :0)

I did'nt ask why everyone else cares, i just said that i've stopped caring but you're right, maybe i should stay clear of MON threads.

[pauliewalnuts]

Fair enough, but if its a myth then why did he feel so vindicated at the out come of the hearing and I say again did the Arbitration committee not award MON with a settlement.

Crikey. How many times and on how many threads does this have to be explained?

For starters, they didn't "award" him anything  - the club and MON settled in amicably in the course of arbitration.

[Monty]

Fair enough, but if its a myth then why did he feel so vindicated at the out come of the hearing and I say again did the Arbitration committee not award MON with a settlement.

Crikey. How many times and on how many threads does this have to be explained?

For starters, they didn't "award" him anything  - the club and MON settled in amicably in the course of arbitration.

But why didn't Barry take the penalty?

[littlevillain]

non villa fans seem to put him up there with the best, and they really can't understand hearing villa fans slagging him.Saunders went to blues but I've got a lot more love and respect for him than mon.

[Villanation]

Fair enough, but if its a myth then why did he feel so vindicated at the out come of the hearing and I say again did the Arbitration committee not award MON with a settlement.

Crikey. How many times and on how many threads does this have to be explained?

For starters, they didn't "award" him anything  - the club and MON settled in amicably in the course of arbitration.

FFS, so what was that amicable settlement, you used the word settled that implies that a settlement was reached, this involved a huge legal battle employing very expensive lawyers as part of MON's legal team, this would have cost a fortune, now its pretty obvious that MON felt vindicated, surely that's obvious.

Legal battles don't come for free, and most arbitrary hearings when contested as a final solution because the parties involved can't reach agreement are accompanied by a debenture payment into court to cover any costs awarded.

[pauliewalnuts]

FFS, so what was that amicable settlement, you used the word settled that implies that a settlement was reached, this involved a huge legal battle employing very expensive lawyers as part of MON's legal team, this would have cost a fortune, now its pretty obvious that MON felt vindicated, surely that's obvious.

I'll try again.

The club said "you're due amount x", MON said "I'm due amount y", they couldn't agree, so under the clause in his contract (which all PL managers have) the PL arbitration stepped in to mediate between the two. In the course of this, they reached agreement.

That is why you saying they "awarded" him a figure is incorrect.

I honestly can't describe it any clearer than that.

As for O'Neill being happy with the resolution, I'm sure he was. I'd imagine the club were, too, or they wouldn't have agreed on it. One of the reasons for settling will have been, I imagine, the fact it was going to cost a fortune if it dragged on, as you pointed out yourself

[Greg N'Ash]

MON always feels vindicated. Thats just his personality not reality. I daresay if you sat him down and asked him about his time at Villa he genuinely wouldn't be able to name something he did wrong. His ego wouldn't allow that sort of self-criticism

[richardhubbard]

McLeish, O'leary, Houillier or O'Neill thats a difficult one.

Yep he lost his way in last 3 months but was far better than anyone we had since Little.

Ok he left, fair enough , the way it was done was bad but that happened.

I remember a certain Mr Saunders walked out. which was worse ?

I still have MON back tomorrow, I think his one of best 3 UK Managers after Fergie, with Rednapp and Moyes .

[OzVilla]

Better to just ignore him.  He doesn't deserve either applause or abuse - just nothing.

We've some great memories, Young, Gabby, Petrov, Wembley appearances, Derby drubbings of everyone, pride and a never die attitude.  Then on the other side there's the infamous Moscow surrender, Davies over Cahill was a poor decision that most people could see at the time, Heskey, Beye and lack of imagination in the transfer market so we overpaid constantly.

Maybe he left once he realised too late that Randy and Faulkner were totally clueless - they've hardly done anything since to disprove this.

I also don't think his timing was at all calculated but it's caused much more damage than it ever should have done.  The fact that we are where we are now is not down to MON, it's down to Randy.

[Hookeysmith]

I think people will use a cheer for MON as they walk down the touchline as an insult to AMC - and if nothing else that would be a shame as both managers live on past glories of the northern amatuer league and minimum success with smaller midlands clubs in winning the CC

Would not mind betting that the Holte break into a chorus of "Martin o,Neil" etc or even "martin, martin give us a wave"

Personally i would imagine he will get dogs abuse from some sections and adulation from others

Pity i will have the job of looking after the dug out with him in it 

[Concrete John]

As for O'Neill being happy with the resolution, I'm sure he was. I'd imagine the club were, too, or they wouldn't have agreed on it. One of the reasons for settling will have been, I imagine, the fact it was going to cost a fortune if it dragged on, as you pointed out yourself

I can't escape the feeling that the fact we've heard nothing from either party since about what went on is another reason for them settling.

[damon loves JT]

Whenever I'm forced to think about Pubey, I try to imagine him locking himself out of his car, or stubbing his toe, or putting his pants on inside-out. It helps a great deal.

[pauliewalnuts]

As for O'Neill being happy with the resolution, I'm sure he was. I'd imagine the club were, too, or they wouldn't have agreed on it. One of the reasons for settling will have been, I imagine, the fact it was going to cost a fortune if it dragged on, as you pointed out yourself

I can't escape the feeling that the fact we've heard nothing from either party since about what went on is another reason for them settling.

The settlement will doubtless have had clauses about talking about it in public beyond generalities.

[Small Rodent]

All he has over the likes of Bruce, Dowie and even McLeish is a clearly magnetic personality, which can carry you only so far, and certainly not into the top 4.

Wasn't next stop for O'Neill after Villa supposed to be Old Trafford? Or was that after his victorious stint as the next England manager? I forget which.

[pauliewalnuts]

All he has over the likes of Bruce, Dowie and even McLeish is a clearly magnetic personality, which can carry you only so far, and certainly not into the top 4.

Wasn't next stop for O'Neill after Villa supposed to be Old Trafford? Or was that after his victorious stint as the next England manager? I forget which.

He'll never get over being overlooked as Liverpool manager in favour of Roy Hodgson.

MON is so utterly rooted in the 80s he still sees Liverpool as a colossus of world football.