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

[john e]

Hang on, I thought Thursdays were Martinez. Wednesdays are Mick McCarthy

thats the problem on here nowadays, no ones got any respect for the traditions

[Mister E]

Wigan fans on their forums don't even see us as a possibility, let alone him considering us. I can see another Whelan extravaganza on the way.

Well, Villa is the perfect next step for any one of Rodgers, Martinez, Lambert and OGS: expectations are zero ('cos the previous two seasons have been a nightmare), the Chairman will back them with more lucre than they'll get at their current club, the core of our squad has good potential, great facilities, etc.
Why put yerself through the aggro of going to Anfield and failing when you can spend 3-4 seasons at VP and then consider the next step (if you haven't already won a couple of cups and a Premiership?!).

Seriously, at this particular point in time it's almost a no-brainer - of the four mentioned managers, only OGS has a good excuse for turning us down, in that he's still reasonably new to it and will not be lacking for offers in 12 month' time; for the other three, it is time for a career-move NOW.

[damon loves JT]

If all this is true, what surprises me is that Liverpool are in the same market as Villa after all.

[N'ZMAV]

As someone has already said a step up up from a Wigan, Swansea, or a foreign side.... to Villa is the perfect stepping stone for someone with big ambitions to make it at a bigger club, it's a make-or-break job....

[Irish villain]

I'm warming to the idea of Martinez.

I think Lambert is a slightly more solid bet and would stiffen our group of underachieving players and turn us into a solid outfit. Martinez though, I don't know, he has that air of freshness about him. He could well be the man to build something durable and exciting.

If we end up with either I'll be quite happy. It'd be great to get one over on 'pool too.

[PaulWinch again]

I'd be happy enough with Martinez, with some backing I think he could get our team playing really well.

[SheffieldVillain]

Claudio Ranieri has just been appointed Monaco manager so that's one that's definitely not coming, either here or to the Albion. Monaco or Albion. That must have been a tough choice.

[Ron Manager]

I'd be happy enough with Martinez, with some backing I think he could get our team playing really well.

Well  Martinez brings a bonus or two. He knows N'Zogbia well and hes good with players who have skill
Delph who has fast skills could benefit and Makoun could become a valuable asset.

But Aston Villa (and for that matter Liverpool) are a far far different  prospect than a small town club like Wigan.

Still Paul Lambert for me. A good pairing however would be Steve Clarke and Gus Poyet. They fit the job description.

[Concrete John]

I don't really have anything against Martinez, but where I see a weakness with him is his sides play nice stuff, but seem to lack a backbone.  Good sides can play teams off the park, yet when that isn't happening grind out draws and 1-0 wins.  His Wigan side seem incapable of doing that, hence being a regular relegation candidate as they haven't the players to often play teams off the park.

For me, it points to a lack of steel in the manager.  He has a cheerful and friendly exteria, which I like, but behind closed doors can he switch to the hard edges bastard needed when kicks up several arses are needed?  And a lot of our players need that right now.  Even if he has cash to spend and so can move them on, the next batch will, hopefully less often, need that same hair dryer treatment. 

Should he become manager we'll be playing better stuff more often, but I can see long runs of poor results where he fails to get the right reaction out of the players to turn it around.

[Le Lapin]

What has Martinez done in the game that warrants us and 'The Mighty Reds YNWA' to be chasing him. I just don't see it? I'm not dissing the guy, but I just want someone to point out to me why this guy is regarded as such a good manager. I want to know so I can get excited if he is appointed Villa manager.

[PaulWinch again]

What has Martinez done in the game that warrants us and 'The Mighty Reds YNWA' to be chasing him. I just don't see it? I'm not dissing the guy, but I just want someone to point out to me why this guy is regarded as such a good manager. I want to know so I can get excited if he is appointed Villa manager.

I guess the arguments are that he plays good football, he's articulate and has a modern mentality when it comes to football. Also he's managed to keep a very poor resourced Wigan side up for a number of years, including finishing above us last year. I imagine when interviewed he also has quite a progressive vision. I'm not saying he's perfect, but maybe he needs to be given a chance at a bigger club with some backing to show what he can really do. His basic football principles are spot on.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Anyone got the latest odds?

Paul Lambert for me, I've decided.

By the way, I notice that Butch Wilkins is facing a dring driving rap - 3 times the limit ( I'd be lucky to even find my car in a car park after that much ale, let alone drive). 

[steffo]

Wigan struggled to score goals last season, so at the end and in order to stay up he bravely changed his system to 3-5-2 to give support to the strikers and it worked. Credit for that.

Of course if he employed a three centre back system at VP - it would mean the end of Hutton and Warnock. That cannot be a bad thing.

[bertlambshank]

Anyone got the latest odds?

Paul Lambert for me, I've decided.

By the way, I notice that Butch Wilkins is facing a dring driving rap - 3 times the limit ( I'd be lucky to even find my car in a car park after that much ale, let alone drive). 

And pleaded not guilty the daft sod.

[Mister E]

I don't really have anything against Martinez, but where I see a weakness with him is his sides play nice stuff, but seem to lack a backbone. 

I tend to agree with this, John, and voted above for Rodgers as someone with big-club experience (at Chelsea) and a team that generally has been able to close out games. Lambert would also be safer.
I think Martinez has been surfing the wave of media goodwill toward him - maybe because his teams do try to play football (to a fault?) and precisely because he is an articulate, charming chap (he doesn't given the media a hard time).