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

[dave.woodhall]

Sometimes a manger just fits the club and is appointed at the right time. There are very few guaranteed successes short of the likes of Mourinho or Ferguson.

Indeed.

[dave.woodhall]

www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/252068/Aston-Villa-set-up-Paul-Lambert-talks/

PAUL LAMBERT will hold talks with Aston Villa early next week as the club extend their search for a new manager.

Norwich boss Lambert has been contacted by the Midlands club and is expected to hold talks on Monday over whether to succeed Alex McLeish at Villa Park.

Former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjær flew back to Norway last night with his future still under a cloud of uncertainty.

The Molde chief was flown in and out on Randy Lerner’s private jet in a whirlwind 24 hours – but left without being offered the job.

He will now turn his attentions back to the Norwegian club and preparations for tomorrow’s clash with Sandnes Ulf.

That will allow Villa to speak with Lambert and also make another attempt to attract Roberto Martinez from Wigan.

Martinez rejected the chance to move to Villa Park last summer, but Lerner remains a huge admirer of the Spaniard and is keen to speak to him again.

Solskjær said: “I can confirm that I have spoken to Aston Villa. There were no negotiations, but an informal chat. Villa also have other candidates they want to talk to. I wanted to show Villa respect as one of the big clubs of the Premier League.”

A Villa statement last night said: “This process will be focused and consistent with the Board’s objectives, which are to secure a manager who can help to reinvigorate the club and bring some vibrancy back to Villa.

“We are aware that certain individuals have been linked with our managerial vacancy but, out of respect to all potential candidates and any clubs they may currently be employed by, we will not discuss specific individuals by name.”

[hawkeye]

If we'd finished mid or lower table, i'd be more happy with the risk. as it is the only reason we stayed up was because the teams below us run out of games. With our poor ability-wise and threadbare team is it really the time to gamble on a totally unproven left-field choice?

Not in my opinion, no one on here has any idea of what sort of Manager he is but somehow he is the new messiah, not sure how that works.

[tomd2103]

If we'd finished mid or lower table, i'd be more happy with the risk. as it is the only reason we stayed up was because the teams below us run out of games. With our poor ability-wise and threadbare team is it really the time to gamble on a totally unproven left-field choice?

Sums up exactly how I feel Greg.  Not opposed to OGS in principle and the feeling of the unknown brings a certain sense of excitement, but I too feel that we might not be in the best position to take such a big risk. 

[Ian.]

Why does my mind want OGS more than Lambert?

2, 3 weeks a go if I was offered Lambert or OGS to manage Villa I would have said Lambert.

[cdbearsfan]

Why does my mind want OGS more than Lambert?

2, 3 weeks a go if I was offered Lambert or OGS to manage Villa I would have said Lambert.

I think maybe a few people are in that boat.

I hope if we do end up with Lambert, people don't end up being disappointed. It would still be a very good appointment. In my opinion, better than Solskjaer, but I seem to be in the minority!

[tomd2103]

Why does my mind want OGS more than Lambert?

2, 3 weeks a go if I was offered Lambert or OGS to manage Villa I would have said Lambert.

I think maybe a few people are in that boat.

I hope if we do end up with Lambert, people don't end up being disappointed. It would still be a very good appointment. In my opinion, better than Solskjær, but I seem to be in the minority!

I agree with you cd!!

[ozzjim]

Lambert is just too much like O'Neill for comfort for me.

[Greg N'Ash]

Lambert is just too much like O'Neill for comfort for me.

aye, but  he can keep a club in the PL with scant resources. I know its the Star but i'd be very surprised if he's not one of 'others' we're gonna speak to.

[villanois]

Why does my mind want OGS more than Lambert?

2, 3 weeks a go if I was offered Lambert or OGS to manage Villa I would have said Lambert.

I think maybe a few people are in that boat.

I hope if we do end up with Lambert, people don't end up being disappointed. It would still be a very good appointment. In my opinion, better than Solskjær, but I seem to be in the minority!

I agree with you cd!!

I agree with Lambert too. Not against having a look at OGS but not sure why there's such a clamour for his appointment. I think Lambert has more in common with Sir Graham than Mon

[tomd2103]

Lambert is just too much like O'Neill for comfort for me.

Heard this a lot Jim, but having watched Norwich this season I can't say that I have seen too many similarities.  Can you expand on why you think he is like O'Neill?

[cdbearsfan]

Lambert is just too much like O'Neill for comfort for me.

I think that's unfair. Lambert spent years training to be a coach in Germany. Can you imagine O'Neill doing that? He's probably never heard of Germany. Lambert also shows an ability to get the best out of his players by regularly rotating the team and changing the formation depending on the opposition. He doesn't just play the same team every week and swap one big centre-forward for another one on 70 minutes every week.

I think the (very slight) similarity in appearance and dress is all they have in common as managers.

[Dave Cooper please]

OGS looks like desperation, Lambert and Rogers are the obvious targets, I think not getting either of those means we drop our ambitions to OGS.

Bollocks. What have either Lambert or Rodgers actually done besides keeping their club in an increasingly poor quality Premier League?
OGS is a gamble yes, but no more of a gamble than either of those you mention whose teams could quite easily suffer from 'one-season wonder syndrome' and drop back where they came from.

[Concrete John]

Why does my mind want OGS more than Lambert?

2, 3 weeks a go if I was offered Lambert or OGS to manage Villa I would have said Lambert.

I think maybe a few people are in that boat.

I hope if we do end up with Lambert, people don't end up being disappointed. It would still be a very good appointment. In my opinion, better than Solskjær, but I seem to be in the minority!

I said Lambert was my first choice, but I'm now well in the 'disapointed if it's not OGS' camp.

I'm not sure what it is, but if anything it's not that I think he'll do a better job, more that the sheer uncertainty of WHAT type of manager he'd be for us would guarantee excitement for next season.  McLeish excited nobody and Houllier was underwhelming.  MON had an excitement factor at first, but quickly settled down to being predictable, even if we still won a fair bit.  SAF has enjoyed the longevity he has by continually refreshing his squad, therefore adding excitement with star players, which is something we can't do, Bent aside.  OGS would add that spark to us again that has been missing for so long.

I don't know he'd be better than Lambert, but he would be more fun.

[cdbearsfan]

I think whichever one won more matches would be more fun. I reckon Lambert is more likely to win us matches than BFA.