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

[Toronto Villa]

If we get AVB, he can leave that poxy little mac in London.  And sit on the bench like a normal manager, rather than crouching like a girl needing a piss at a pop concert by the side of the pitch.

Hilarious

Brilliant Des.

[VancouverLion]

AVFC & AVB would be a match made in heaven, please Randy at least try!!!!!

[villa `cross the mersey]

Cue the Holte End in full chorus:

And it`s Andre Villas, Andre Villas Boas
He`s by far the slightest manager
The world has ever seen

[James]

Talking of the Holte End in full chorus, is McLeech the first manager never to have his name sung by the fans without words like 'sack' or 'fuck off' before it or 'out' after it?

[Damo70]

There is plenty of talk about Martinez and Lambert but I have a feeling that Brendan Rodgers will turn out to be a more successful manager than either of them.

[LeeB]

There is plenty of talk about Martinez and Lambert but I have a feeling that Brendan Rodgers will turn out to be a more successful manager than either of them.

I don't. I have a feeling Rodgers' success is largely down to the work Martinez put in before him.

[john e]

i think the fact that Rogers has just signed a new contract and has a massive buy out clause in it will count against him with so many other good candidates around

[Rigadon]

There is plenty of talk about Martinez and Lambert but I have a feeling that Brendan Rodgers will turn out to be a more successful manager than either of them.

I don't. I have a feeling Rodgers' success is largely down to the work Martinez put in before him.

Hmm, I'd disagree in part with that.  I just don't buy that to get a side playing decent passing football takes a decade.  It takes a motivational manager with some brilliant coaches.  When a club employs such people and then purchases (or develops) players to fit their style you get Swansea.  You could argue that Martinez developed players while at Swansea as they were almost out of business at one point and so has had something to do with their current side.  But it won't take Villa 6 or 7 years to be able to play good football.  We don't need a revolution.

If we got Matinez or Rodgers, we would need their coaches too.  On the playing front, most of the youngsters are used to a passing game in the reserves - they certainly look comfortable of the ball in the most part.  So, we aren't that far off with the right blend. 

Fuck this, I'm off to buy a football club, it's a piece of piss this recruitment lark.  So long suckers!

[Ian.]

If we do get Martinez (who I actually wanted last summer) I hope he can sort out the defense as well as play attractive football. Its been a shambles for so long now with silly mistakes and especially set pieces.

With our lack of attacking ability we just create most of own problems welcoming the bombardment from the opposing team which eventually leads to these mistakes or goals from set pieces. So maybe a more forward thinking manager might fix a lot of our problems without too much tinkering.

[eastie]

Last summer i was not happy when hearing martinez was our target as i hoped ancelotti or benitez could be tempted,now though id be happy to take martinez but would still prefer lambert or rodgers ahead of him- any of those 3 would do fine in my view.

[ozzjim]

If we do get Martinez (who I actually wanted last summer) I hope he can sort out the defense as well as play attractive football. Its been a shambles for so long now with silly mistakes and especially set pieces.

With our lack of attacking ability we just create most of own problems welcoming the bombardment from the opposing team which eventually leads to these mistakes or goals from set pieces. So maybe a more forward thinking manager might fix a lot of our problems without too much tinkering.

He has quite interestingly gone to a back 3 in the last 3 months to make up for the lack of pace in Caldwell I think, and they have improved a lot since, both going forward and at the back. I loved our wing back system under Brian Little and wonder if the system would actually suit us quite well, with Clark being the ball player with Baker and maybe Dunne. NZogbia could play left wing back, and maybe buy a forward thinking right back. Maybe I am talking out me arse though.

[Ian.]

He has and Caldwell looks good in that role. It's something he has tried and its worked.
I loved that formation with Little. I'm not sure we have the players for it but that's what a good manager is there for to look at the players and get the best out of them.

[Monty]

If we do get Martinez (who I actually wanted last summer) I hope he can sort out the defense as well as play attractive football. Its been a shambles for so long now with silly mistakes and especially set pieces.

With our lack of attacking ability we just create most of own problems welcoming the bombardment from the opposing team which eventually leads to these mistakes or goals from set pieces. So maybe a more forward thinking manager might fix a lot of our problems without too much tinkering.

He has quite interestingly gone to a back 3 in the last 3 months to make up for the lack of pace in Caldwell I think, and they have improved a lot since, both going forward and at the back. I loved our wing back system under Brian Little and wonder if the system would actually suit us quite well, with Clark being the ball player with Baker and maybe Dunne. NZogbia could play left wing back, and maybe buy a forward thinking right back. Maybe I am talking out me arse though.

The three at the back has been mainly to, as you say, compensate for Caldwell's inability to run, as well as make up a shortfall in midfield and counter two-striker systems, with two man-markers and a man spare. It wouldn't work at Villa so much though, I feel, as we're less likely to come up against two-striker systems (especially at home) and we have more to gain by fielding as many midfielders as possible from what we have, rather than relying on wing-backs. However, it shows he's tactically flexible and willing to take a risk.

[ozzjim]

I think it would allow us to get more midfielder on the pitch though, so would actually work well.

[LeeB]

He has and Caldwell looks good in that role. It's something he has tried and its worked.
I loved that formation with Little. I'm not sure we have the players for it but that's what a good manager is there for to look at the players and get the best out of them.

I remember an interview with Sir Brian in one of the broadsheets on the morning of the League Cup win, where he said he didn't like 442 because it meant players just ran up and down in straight lines.

He felt the three at the back gave the side much greater flexibility, something I believe Glenn Hoddle still advocates to this day.