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

[nigel]

Dont insult Sir Doug

More like: Don't insult Wealan

[brian green]

Thanks Mister E

[Mazrim]

I think we're into the last week now, based on nothing but a hunch.
Be patient. In footballing terms this isn't taking long at all, yet.

If they're smart though and they're after a decent manager, they might let something slip in time for the renewal deadline on thursday.

When you say renewal deadline you mean the cheaper price offer?

Yes, sorry, the early bird offer. The club will want to encourage fans to take that up as much as possible.

[olaftab]

Vibrant implies young

Do you know any teenagers?

[john e]

Maybe, just maybe Martinez is boxing clever - he virtually has a job for life at Wigan with no wild expectations. Whelan likes him and wants him to stay but recognises that he is in demand . Martinez courts the prospective clubs and then reaffirms his love of Wigan and gets another pay rise. Seems a good strategy to me - ok he may lack ambition but hey, why put yourself under pressure and stress at the likes of Anfield or Villa Park if you can earn millions keeping Wigan in the top flight each season.

The most sensible thing iv'e read all day.

Wide of the mark for me.

Martinez's stock will be never be higher than it is now. All he has to do is stay at Wigan another couple of years and the likelihood is they'll run out of luck, get relegated, and he will be forgotten about.

Staying at Wigan for more money would be the daftest thing he could do.

agree with Paulie here,
 if he stays at Wigan by choice he's mad, but i dont think he will, he is a ambitious man that believes in himself,and i'm sure he would leave to go on to a bigger chalenge,

i just dont think he's been offered that opportunity yet by either Liverpool or Villa, so he hasnt got a decision to make untill that happens

[Irish villain]

All our players are on holiday at the mo anyway,so what difference does a couple of weeks make?

We have a lot of deadwood to clear out and a lot of new players will need to be brought in. We simply cannot, let me repeat, cannot start the new season on a 'letting the new man assess things' vibe. The current squad nearly got us relegated. Major surgery is needed this summer and they will need a few weeks pre-season together in order to start looking like a team.

The sooner the new man is in, the sooner we start to recover.

[tomd2103]

Maybe, just maybe Martinez is boxing clever - he virtually has a job for life at Wigan with no wild expectations. Whelan likes him and wants him to stay but recognises that he is in demand . Martinez courts the prospective clubs and then reaffirms his love of Wigan and gets another pay rise. Seems a good strategy to me - ok he may lack ambition but hey, why put yourself under pressure and stress at the likes of Anfield or Villa Park if you can earn millions keeping Wigan in the top flight each season.

Exactly what he did last summer.  Both he and Whelan knew he was going nowhere and they both came out looking like heroes to the Wigan fans.   

[ozzjim]

Maybe, just maybe Martinez is boxing clever - he virtually has a job for life at Wigan with no wild expectations. Whelan likes him and wants him to stay but recognises that he is in demand . Martinez courts the prospective clubs and then reaffirms his love of Wigan and gets another pay rise. Seems a good strategy to me - ok he may lack ambition but hey, why put yourself under pressure and stress at the likes of Anfield or Villa Park if you can earn millions keeping Wigan in the top flight each season.

The most sensible thing iv'e read all day.

Wide of the mark for me.

Martinez's stock will be never be higher than it is now. All he has to do is stay at Wigan another couple of years and the likelihood is they'll run out of luck, get relegated, and he will be forgotten about.

Staying at Wigan for more money would be the daftest thing he could do.

agree with Paulie here,
 if he stays at Wigan by choice he's mad, but i dont think he will, he is a ambitious man that believes in himself,and i'm sure he would leave to go on to a bigger chalenge,

i just dont think he's been offered that opportunity yet by either Liverpool or Villa, so he hasnt got a decision to make untill that happens

I agree. And I can't believe for a second that we have not been in contact with his people and told them he is our top choice, because the delay/ silence at the moment all points to us waiting for him.

[ozzjim]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/next-liverpool-manager-brendan-rodgers-853325

Brendan Rodgers is close to sealing a deal to become the new Liverpool manager.

Swansea boss Rodgers is expected to hold talks with Reds' co-owner John W Henry, and could be announced by the end of the week.

In a further twist, Wigan gaffer Roberto Martinez, who had been favourite for the Anfield post, is set to move to Aston Villa.

Henry has been impressed by the job Rodgers has done at Swansea, winning promotion to the Premier league and surviving comfortably while preaching attractive football, and feels the 39-year-old fits his template as a young, rising manager.

Rodgers spent Tuesday ­afternoon locked in talks with Swans chairman Huw Jenkins, who is desperately fighting to hang on to the Ulsterman, who watched Wales play their friendly international against Mexico in New York at the weekend.

Initially, Rodgers ruled himself out of the running for the Liverpool job because he did not want to be part of a beauty contest as Henry compiled a long list of candidates.

Let's talk: Henry (right) will now speak to Rodgers on the Ulsterman's terms
AFP
 
But with Henry arriving in England this week from his Boston base, the Reds are now ready to speak to Rodgers on his terms - although Swansea insist they have had no approach yet from their Premier League rivals - and hope for a joint unveiling of him and Louis van Gaal within days.

Rodgers earned his reputation as a coach under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, but went on to become a manager in his own right at Watford and then Reading.

He was being lined-up by Tottenham as a potential replacement for Harry Redknapp, if he had been wanted by the FA as England manager.

But now Rodgers is set to take the reins at Anfield after Henry cooled his interest in Martinez.

Although the American was impressed by the Wigan boss when they met in Miami on Thursday, the Spaniard has misgivings about working under a high-profile director of football such as Van Gaal.

Martinez, who was greeted by a battery of photographers at Manchester Airport when he returned from his holiday in Barbados on Tuesday, is wary of interference from above and likes to be in charge of all football matters.

Latics chairman Dave Whelan is heartened to hear that Rodgers is now favourite and said: “I hope they sign him, but I have not heard from my manager yet.”

Whelan is fighting hard to hang on to Martinez, but is set to lose him anyway - to another American - Villa chairman Randy Lerner.

Worth the wait?: Martinez snubbed Villa last summer but is ready to move now
Laurence Griffiths
 
Eager Lerner hopes to resolve the saga on Wednesday, after being informed by Martinez’s representatives that he will consider the job.

Ironically, Martinez turned down the Villa job last summer in favour of staying for another season with the Latics, but he is now believed to be open to succeeding Alex McLeish.

Villa’s search for a new manager is now in its third week.

Molde boss and Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjær has rejected the chance to take over at Villa Park, but Martinez has always been Lerner’s top target and the American is on a mission to make an appointment by the weekend.

Villa are prepared to promise their new man significant funds for signings, in what will represent a drastic change in policy from Lerner.

McLeish was instructed to lower a mammoth wage-bill and was expecting a sell-to-buy policy this summer, if he had survived the axe.

[john e]

Looks like Rodgers is now talking to Liverpool, Lets hope for an OGS u-turn then...

Not according to Swansea he's not!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18235961

No quotes there, Swansea only confirmed this afternoon that they'd received 'no further contact' from Liverpool. I'll write that off to BBC speculation. They've been doing the same on R5 tonight based purely on the bookies odds! Just lazy. Who does Whelan think he is giving them a deadline? What a twat!

still reckon Rodgers is or will be talking to Liverpool, and think they are now fovourites to land him, whether Swansea admit it or not.

but as ever we shall see

[olaftab]

htt://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/next-liverpool-manager-brendan-rodgers-

In a further twist, Wigan gaffer Roberto Martinez, who had been favourite for the Anfield post, is set to move to Aston Villa.

I hope not. I am sure Whelan will convince him that if he stays another season and saves Wigan from relegation Barcelona will come for him.

[Californian Villain]

I agree. And I can't believe for a second that we have not been in contact with his people and told them he is our top choice, because the delay/ silence at the moment all points to us waiting for him.

Yeah, the club are definitely waiting for someone....

[Californian Villain]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/next-liverpool-manager-brendan-rodgers-853325

Brendan Rodgers is close to sealing a deal to become the new Liverpool manager.

Swansea boss Rodgers is expected to hold talks with Reds' co-owner John W Henry, and could be announced by the end of the week.

In a further twist, Wigan gaffer Roberto Martinez, who had been favourite for the Anfield post, is set to move to Aston Villa.

Henry has been impressed by the job Rodgers has done at Swansea, winning promotion to the Premier league and surviving comfortably while preaching attractive football, and feels the 39-year-old fits his template as a young, rising manager.

Rodgers spent Tuesday ­afternoon locked in talks with Swans chairman Huw Jenkins, who is desperately fighting to hang on to the Ulsterman, who watched Wales play their friendly international against Mexico in New York at the weekend.

Initially, Rodgers ruled himself out of the running for the Liverpool job because he did not want to be part of a beauty contest as Henry compiled a long list of candidates.

Let's talk: Henry (right) will now speak to Rodgers on the Ulsterman's terms
AFP
 
But with Henry arriving in England this week from his Boston base, the Reds are now ready to speak to Rodgers on his terms - although Swansea insist they have had no approach yet from their Premier League rivals - and hope for a joint unveiling of him and Louis van Gaal within days.

Rodgers earned his reputation as a coach under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, but went on to become a manager in his own right at Watford and then Reading.

He was being lined-up by Tottenham as a potential replacement for Harry Redknapp, if he had been wanted by the FA as England manager.

But now Rodgers is set to take the reins at Anfield after Henry cooled his interest in Martinez.

Although the American was impressed by the Wigan boss when they met in Miami on Thursday, the Spaniard has misgivings about working under a high-profile director of football such as Van Gaal.

Martinez, who was greeted by a battery of photographers at Manchester Airport when he returned from his holiday in Barbados on Tuesday, is wary of interference from above and likes to be in charge of all football matters.

Latics chairman Dave Whelan is heartened to hear that Rodgers is now favourite and said: “I hope they sign him, but I have not heard from my manager yet.”

Whelan is fighting hard to hang on to Martinez, but is set to lose him anyway - to another American - Villa chairman Randy Lerner.

Worth the wait?: Martinez snubbed Villa last summer but is ready to move now
Laurence Griffiths
 
Eager Lerner hopes to resolve the saga on Wednesday, after being informed by Martinez’s representatives that he will consider the job.

Ironically, Martinez turned down the Villa job last summer in favour of staying for another season with the Latics, but he is now believed to be open to succeeding Alex McLeish.

Villa’s search for a new manager is now in its third week.

Molde boss and Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjær has rejected the chance to take over at Villa Park, but Martinez has always been Lerner’s top target and the American is on a mission to make an appointment by the weekend.

Villa are prepared to promise their new man significant funds for signings, in what will represent a drastic change in policy from Lerner.

McLeish was instructed to lower a mammoth wage-bill and was expecting a sell-to-buy policy this summer, if he had survived the axe.

Nice! (if true)

[pauliewalnuts]

If they want Martinez and are prepared to give him money (and they have got to, we have at best 10 or 12 players of proven PL quality, which is nothing like good enough) then I hope they get him.

At least he tries to play football. I never got the idea McLeish was even interested in trying, he was such a piss poor excuse of a manager.

[curiousorange]

As an aside, I think that Mirror story points to Rodgers having a huge ego. You can see both Liverpool and Villa are following a business model of interviewing multiple candidates rather than headhunting (is this an American thing in sport?) and as his stock is high right now, Rodgers clearly thinks he's above the interview process. One season in the Premier has exceeded all expectations, but he was 90 minutes away from being a nearly man if the Play-Off Final had gone differently. I don't have any sympathy for the Dippers but a bit of humility goes a long way.