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

[tomd2103]

On the subject of Hodgson, nice to see today's Sun poking fun at his speech impediment on the front page.  They really are an odious bunch aren't they?  Inside, they have chosen Adrian Chiles to write a piece on Hodgson's appointment for some reason.  Chiles shows the extent of his football knowledge by saying "When Roy came to the Albion all I really knew of him was that he had a footballing CV comprised of clubs I hadn't heard of".  Inter Milan? Udinese? Liverpool? Blackburn? Fulham?  What absolute garbage!!

[Ian.]

I think from the list Martinez is the most interesting option for me. Lambert is a solid choice that would do ok, but I reckon Martinez, with a bit of support, could really do something special with someone. HE is still very young for a manager too.

I agree with this. He's the right age, the right style of football, the right amount of knowledge of Britain and outside and, perhaps most importantly, clearly a huge amount of guts, determination, single-minded commitment to an idea and a willingness to let things come good, holding his nerve as everyone tells him to change. He has also been very good for the young players in his ranks at Wigan, and he started the Swansea football-style revolution which Brendan Rodgers took on. He strikes me as the right man at the right time.

I would like to see us go for him again, if only last season we got him and not AM.

[Mazrim]

I am coming around to the idea of Martinez I must say.

For what I would like to see there are 4 obvious candidates: Martinez, Rodgers, Villas Boas and Lambert.

[KevinGage]

He got Newcastle back up and to mid-table before they booted him out and he could well do the same with Blues. His style of play and transfer policy has stood him in good stead so far, so i would'nt knock his record with the two club's he's managed too much.

I agree he's done decently, but he might just be a 'middling' choice for us, no better than a Curbishley or a McCarthy even. He seems good at his level, but not much beyond that. I could be wrong, of course, but those are the indications.

I'd take Hughton over Alan 'interesting' Curbishley and Mad Mick.  But that's not saying much.

[TaxDodger]

On the subject of Hodgson, nice to see today's Sun poking fun at his speech impediment on the front page.  They really are an odious bunch aren't they?  Inside, they have chosen Adrian Chiles to write a piece on Hodgson's appointment for some reason.  Chiles shows the extent of his football knowledge by saying "When Roy came to the Albion all I really knew of him was that he had a footballing CV comprised of clubs I hadn't heard of".  Inter Milan? Udinese? Liverpool? Blackburn? Fulham?  What absolute garbage!!

That's unreal. Why does Adrian Chiles even exist?

[ozzjim]

I am coming around to the idea of Martinez I must say.

For what I would like to see there are 4 obvious candidates: Martinez, Rodgers, Villas Boas and Lambert.

From that, Rogers and Lambert I would like to see have a second season. Villas Boas we have no chance, he will end up at a CL club on the continent.

[Monty]

He got Newcastle back up and to mid-table before they booted him out and he could well do the same with Blues. His style of play and transfer policy has stood him in good stead so far, so i would'nt knock his record with the two club's he's managed too much.

I agree he's done decently, but he might just be a 'middling' choice for us, no better than a Curbishley or a McCarthy even. He seems good at his level, but not much beyond that. I could be wrong, of course, but those are the indications.

I'd take Hughton over Alan 'interesting' Curbishley and Mad Mick.  But that's not saying much.

Oh I agree, I just don't think he'd take us much further than they would.

[Risso]

Martinez is a good manager, but I'm not sure that he's what we need right now.  Whoever replaces McLeish doesn't have a squad full of footballers who like to play attractiv football, plus he's going to have to try and improve the squad on the cheap. 

[Mazrim]

I am coming around to the idea of Martinez I must say.

For what I would like to see there are 4 obvious candidates: Martinez, Rodgers, Villas Boas and Lambert.

From that, Rogers and Lambert I would like to see have a second season. Villas Boas we have no chance, he will end up at a CL club on the continent.

Will he though? He has so far done one good job and one bad one. Now, you can understand why it didnt work out at Chelsea and though I wouldn't rule it out, I dont see him getting another top job as a formality.

In any case, we should approach him and see what he wants to do. He may feel like he has something to prove in the Premier League and would know that as long as he wasnt awful he'd get the time and space to build something at Villa.
You dont ask, you dont get.

[ozzjim]

But he has had nothing to spend at Wigan, and I would argue we have way more quality than them in players like Ireland, Bent, NZogbia etc. We have not got a squad devoid of quality, and even with a modest budget of say 15 million (Eck got 20!) then I reckon he would be able to sort out something half decent fairly swiftly.

[Monty]

Martinez is a good manager, but I'm not sure that he's what we need right now.  Whoever replaces McLeish doesn't have a squad full of footballers who like to play attractiv football, plus he's going to have to try and improve the squad on the cheap. 

You know what, I think we do have that sort of squad, the senior back four excluded (and they're more capable than they want to be). We just have a manager who has no idea how to achieve it. If our summer transfers can essentially go on good defenders who can play football, that would improve our squad no end.

[Concrete John]

I am coming around to the idea of Martinez I must say.

For what I would like to see there are 4 obvious candidates: Martinez, Rodgers, Villas Boas and Lambert.

From that, Rogers and Lambert I would like to see have a second season. Villas Boas we have no chance, he will end up at a CL club on the continent.

Will he though? He has so far done one good job and one bad one. Now, you can understand why it didnt work out at Chelsea and though I wouldn't rule it out, I dont see him getting another top job as a formality.

In any case, we should approach him and see what he wants to do. He may feel like he has something to prove in the Premier League and would know that as long as he wasnt awful he'd get the time and space to build something at Villa.
You dont ask, you dont get.

True, but even if not a 'top' job, I'd say he'd have suitors in a better position than Villa are in right now.

[Mazrim]

So find out.

[SHEPS]

Been thinking about this for a while.  Breaking it down into the charactoristics of the "right" manager then I came up with the following:

-  As a few senior players are likely to leave in the summer we are left with a nucleus of a number of young prospects.  A manager who is deemed to be be inspirational to the kids - a recent ex-player who the kids can look up to and relish the chance to be managed by them.

-  A manager who is used to working within budgets

-  A manger that plays football the right way (not the dross we are currently used to)

-  European (more so than PL) experience - a better tactical mindset

-  A management "team" that has been together for a while and proved it can work together well

-  A strong European network of contacts and player knowledge base

-  A name that will attract new/good/coveted young players (given that we cannot compete financially as we have done in the past)

Difficult to tick all the boxes but Laudrup would be my choice (and is gettable if the conditions were right for him to make a go in the PL).  A little risky agreed but I think he'd do a good job and will want to manage in the PL

[Concrete John]

But he has had nothing to spend at Wigan, and I would argue we have way more quality than them in players like Ireland, Bent, NZogbia etc. We have not got a squad devoid of quality, and even with a modest budget of say 15 million (Eck got 20!) then I reckon he would be able to sort out something half decent fairly swiftly.

Eck got £20m because we sold £40m worth of talent.  We do similar again and Houdini wouldn't keep us up!