Who do you want as the next manager? New poll option.

[Holte L2]

Two of the managers on my wish list for B6 are in the studio for the Chelsea v QPR game.

Would they come though? Not in the championship for sure.

Hoddle's ego wouldnt get through the trinity gates. He's a massive prick. And really, what has he ever done as a manager...his world cup diary book sealed his managerial fate.

I'm with you Porky, dream team of Hoddle and Wilkins, unfortunately I can see Hoddle being with England again soon.

[The Laughing Policeman]

Does anyone think Sir GT would come back as DoF? He seems to be freely quoted in the press on our plight recently?

I read Sir Graham's piece in yesterdays Times.

"I think there are foreign owners who still haven't grasped what English football's about" Taylor says. "I'm surrounded by Villa fans where I live and, because of the secrecy that seems to surround the club these days, they don't know what's happening, partly because Randy, like a lot of overseas owners, doesn't do interviews."

He then goes on to say..............

"Before Gerard Houllier was appointed, I was asked by Paul Faulkner to meet with him and Randy Lerner after the Everton game. I went, was quite happy to offer any advice that was required, but then Randy was engaged with other guests, sent his apologies and I spoke with Paul instead.
I wasn't asked about the managerial situation, but I did say I thought if Villa were going to push on from the Martin O'Neill era, they were going to have to cover the foreign [transfer] market better.
I was put out, having gone to meet the chairman and chief executive, to hear the owner was unable to see me," he says. "I'm not so certain where the football knowledge is on the Villa board. Steve Stride was a great football secretary in my day and I do believe you need a football man on the inside. Don't worry, I'm not offering my services, but football knowledge is essential to a board."

[Mister E]

Does anyone think Sir GT would come back as DoF? He seems to be freely quoted in the press on our plight recently?

I read Sir Graham's piece in yesterdays Times.

"I think there are foreign owners who still haven't grasped what English football's about" Taylor says. "I'm surrounded by Villa fans where I live and, because of the secrecy that seems to surround the club these days, they don't know what's happening, partly because Randy, like a lot of overseas owners, doesn't do interviews."

He then goes on to say..............

"Before Gerard Houllier was appointed, I was asked by Paul Faulkner to meet with him and Randy Lerner after the Everton game. I went, was quite happy to offer any advice that was required, but then Randy was engaged with other guests, sent his apologies and I spoke with Paul instead.
I wasn't asked about the managerial situation, but I did say I thought if Villa were going to push on from the Martin O'Neill era, they were going to have to cover the foreign [transfer] market better.
I was put out, having gone to meet the chairman and chief executive, to hear the owner was unable to see me," he says. "I'm not so certain where the football knowledge is on the Villa board. Steve Stride was a great football secretary in my day and I do believe you need a football man on the inside. Don't worry, I'm not offering my services, but football knowledge is essential to a board."

Thanks for sharing LP; confirms all of our suspicions.

[Monty]

Does anyone think Sir GT would come back as DoF? He seems to be freely quoted in the press on our plight recently?

I read Sir Graham's piece in yesterdays Times.

"I think there are foreign owners who still haven't grasped what English football's about" Taylor says. "I'm surrounded by Villa fans where I live and, because of the secrecy that seems to surround the club these days, they don't know what's happening, partly because Randy, like a lot of overseas owners, doesn't do interviews."

He then goes on to say..............

"Before Gerard Houllier was appointed, I was asked by Paul Faulkner to meet with him and Randy Lerner after the Everton game. I went, was quite happy to offer any advice that was required, but then Randy was engaged with other guests, sent his apologies and I spoke with Paul instead.
I wasn't asked about the managerial situation, but I did say I thought if Villa were going to push on from the Martin O'Neill era, they were going to have to cover the foreign [transfer] market better.
I was put out, having gone to meet the chairman and chief executive, to hear the owner was unable to see me," he says. "I'm not so certain where the football knowledge is on the Villa board. Steve Stride was a great football secretary in my day and I do believe you need a football man on the inside. Don't worry, I'm not offering my services, but football knowledge is essential to a board."

Um. Wow. That really is something.

[Dante Lavelli]

Does anyone think Sir GT would come back as DoF? He seems to be freely quoted in the press on our plight recently?

I read Sir Graham's piece in yesterdays Times.

"I think there are foreign owners who still haven't grasped what English football's about" Taylor says. "I'm surrounded by Villa fans where I live and, because of the secrecy that seems to surround the club these days, they don't know what's happening, partly because Randy, like a lot of overseas owners, doesn't do interviews."

He then goes on to say..............

"Before Gerard Houllier was appointed, I was asked by Paul Faulkner to meet with him and Randy Lerner after the Everton game. I went, was quite happy to offer any advice that was required, but then Randy was engaged with other guests, sent his apologies and I spoke with Paul instead.
I wasn't asked about the managerial situation, but I did say I thought if Villa were going to push on from the Martin O'Neill era, they were going to have to cover the foreign [transfer] market better.
I was put out, having gone to meet the chairman and chief executive, to hear the owner was unable to see me," he says. "I'm not so certain where the football knowledge is on the Villa board. Steve Stride was a great football secretary in my day and I do believe you need a football man on the inside. Don't worry, I'm not offering my services, but football knowledge is essential to a board."

Wow.  That is not good reading.  It does suggest that “the lack of footballing knowledge” excuse is real and whilst that is absolutely daft, it does mean that the problem can be easily fixed.

Can anyone post the full article?  The times have that annoying pay thingy so it’s hard to find on the net.

[The Laughing Policeman]

Sorry I can't supply a link to the Times piece, I've just typed the quotes straight from the paper and they aren't taken out of context.
Two more from the same article........

Before Randy Lerner took over at Villa, another consortium interviewed Martin O'Neill and myself to see if I'd come back as director of football.

And..........

If they do get relegated - as Birmingham City are getting promoted in the play - offs on the other side of the city - then that has to be enough for any manager to get sacked. Villa supporters would not be able to see straight. But it's the people making the appointments who need to share responsibility.

[Dante Lavelli]

Thanks LP.

[Monty]

Hm. Be interesting to see how MON would have taken to any DoF cramping his lust for absolute authority and autonomy.

[pauliewalnuts]

Hm. Be interesting to see how MON would have taken to any DoF cramping his lust for absolute authority and autonomy.

About as well as he took a CEO suggesting there wasnt a bottomless pit of money to spunk away on players he'd never use, I suspect.

[Eurochamps82]

Sorry I can't supply a link to the Times piece, I've just typed the quotes straight from the paper and they aren't taken out of context.
Two more from the same article........

Before Randy Lerner took over at Villa, another consortium interviewed Martin O'Neill and myself to see if I'd come back as director of football.

And..........

If they do get relegated - as Birmingham City are getting promoted in the play - offs on the other side of the city - then that has to be enough for any manager to get sacked. Villa supporters would not be able to see straight. But it's the people making the appointments who need to share responsibility.

Unbelievable and shocking, but sums up the naivety of Lerner in running our great club. Let's hope QPRs owner's take interest when they go down! Lerner is the problem, Faulkner is only his puppet.

[Monty]

Hm. Be interesting to see how MON would have taken to any DoF cramping his lust for absolute authority and autonomy.

About as well as he took a CEO suggesting there wasnt a bottomless pit of money to spunk away on players he'd never use, I suspect.

Flouncing like a like a diva who's found out she was bathed in milk from the wrong donkey.

[Dante Lavelli]

[quote author=Eurochamps82
Unbelievable and shocking, but sums up the naivety of Lerner in running our great club. Let's hope QPRs owner's take interest when they go down! Lerner is the problem, Faulkner is only his puppet.
[/quote]

What? Eh? QPR? (and welcome).

[Eurochamps82]

[quote author=Eurochamps82
Unbelievable and shocking, but sums up the naivety of Lerner in running our great club. Let's hope QPRs owner's take interest when they go down! Lerner is the problem, Faulkner is only his puppet.

What? Eh? QPR? (and welcome).
[/quote]

Yeh, aren't they loaded. Could buy out Lerner and happy days return Man City style.

[dave.woodhall]

[quote author=Eurochamps82
Unbelievable and shocking, but sums up the naivety of Lerner in running our great club. Let's hope QPRs owner's take interest when they go down! Lerner is the problem, Faulkner is only his puppet.

What? Eh? QPR? (and welcome).

Yeh, aren't they loaded. Could buy out Lerner and happy days return Man City style.
[/quote]

Yes, they've done a great job at QPR.

[PeterWithe]

On an optimistic note it doesn't seem that SGT would rule himself out of the position of DOF