Would you be happy with Ole Gunnar Solskjær? Now with added poll.

[amfy]

Can you explain why he is a very good fit for the club because I am struggling to see it myself. 

The things on that film that stand out for me are:

He likes to play football on the ground rather than the hoofball which villa fans have been crying out against since Martin O'Neill. The shots of his current team in action, in what was stated to be a Championship standard and style league, were very promising imo.

He is well involved with the academy at his current club and may well enjoy and be able to make the most of the set up we have here.

The idea of Man U fans adopting us as their second club also appeals to me oddly, because it's actually a great opportunity to pick up our local glory hunters (maybe even in Aston) and turn them into Villa fans - so it's a marketable appointment too.

Other than that - there honestly isn't a stand out manager that I'd want here who would want to come to us in our current condition. The media have done a very good job of making us look like a bunch of spoilt brats for expecting a better season than the one we've just had. Let their darling Liverpool, Spurs or Newcastle fans get served up what we've just got and they would be "passionate" when they wouldn't put up with it. However we drove out the great Martin O'Neill, nearly killed Gerrard Houllier, and never gave McLeish a chance - we aren't looking that good right now. From OGS's perspective though - we're big enough for him to make a name for himself, but with a poor enough recent history for it not to reflect on him if it all goes wrong!

[mikeb1982]

I'm sure he's angling after the Manure job, but he'll have to prove himself first, and that means winning things, so I am more than happy for him to do that with us.

If his successful with us I think he will stay with us. Fergie has made it hard for any incoming manager at Manure. Hard  to follow a club legend.

If he ever got offered the united job of course he would take it!

Of course he would Eastie, they're the biggest and bestest club in the world!  Let's have little old Villa being a testing ground for their would-be managers and players.  That's the way to rebuild Villa for the long term.  Why should we want a manager at Villa who might want to stick around and grow Villa to reach its undoubted potential?  Good old Ole and good old man utd they're destiny...it would be an honour for Villa to help such a story unfold!

Name me a manager that we could appoint that, if united came calling, would turn the opportunity to manage them down.

Me! *winky thing*

Obviously plenty of folk would be tempted Ger, but why go for a manager who who definitely would?  How can we seriously have stability and long term planning at Aston Villa with such a figure?

We can have stability because he needs to do some serious achieving before Manure even consider him.  So let's be the club he achieves with.

[maidstonevillain]

I've had a spring in my step this morning with the prospect of Ole being appointed, but I've just realised it'll be the first time we'll have had a manager who's younger than me.
Bugger, now i just feel old. Do we get cheaper tickets and a bus pass once we become older than the manager?

Have you noticed: the policemen are looking younger.

You know when you're getting old when the mum in ET looks fit.

Funny quip. I still live in hope there is one Top League regular older than me (Brad F) so there is still time for me yet.

I was depressed for a month when Nigel Spink retired.

[Dante Lavelli]

I think people are wrong that no-one knew anything about OGS.  He has been mentioned a number of times.  I know because I have responded agreeing that he is a good prospect.

Prospect is a key word however.  His lack of experience is a huge risk that we would need to mitigate against.  An experience guy next to him would help but I cannot think of a suitable candidates, beyond Venables to be honest, and I’d hate to see him anywhere near Villa Park. 

Most of the ex-united players have become rather old school managers rather than the progressive approach OGS describes.  Maybe Carlos Querioz could be good back up, although he is known as a good coach but terrible manager.

[DaveK]

I think Solskjaer could be a great appointment for us at the moment.

He can't balls it up any more than the former incumbent can he? And, he just might serve up some football worth watching.

Personally, I couldn't give a monkey's about who he played for previously, it's irrelevant.

[Ger Regan]

Me! *winky thing*

Obviously plenty of folk would be tempted Ger, but why go for a manager who who definitely would?  How can we seriously have stability and long term planning at Aston Villa with such a figure?

You really think that united will appoint Ferguson's successor based solely on sentiment, and not on his ability to do the job? OGS will need to have proven beyond doubt that he has the ability to manage a club the size of united, which will mean he'll have had to have done extremely well here. If that happens, and he does indeed move on, then we'd be in a position to pick a manager of greater calibre than the other candidates currently in the running, so it's not like we'd be back to bargain basement appointments like McLeish.

In short, being against the appointment because he might leave to join united in 5 years is completely ridiculous in my opinion.

[DeKuip]

From the Independent....


Former Aston Villa striker John Carew believes Solskjaer is an ideal candidate to lead the midlands club out of the doldrums.

Carew, who spent four years with Villa, scoring 52 goals in 133 appearances, said: "This would be a fantastic job for Ole Gunnar to have.

"Villa are among the six, seven biggest clubs in England. They have fantastic fans and a fantastic stadium.

"Solskjaer is a big name in England. On top of that, he has the mentality and respect from players he needs to suceed."

Speaking to Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet, Carew added: "Villa are also a club who, without doubt, love Norwegians and Scandinavians.

"I've received tweets from Villa fans today who want Solskjaer as their new manager. I think Villa will work really well under his leadership.

"Everything suggests Solskjaer can have a great managerial career in England."

[AvFc4eVeR]

Apparently the os is having 'technical gremlins'

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2776325,00.html

hopefully caused by uploading all the OGS photos with villa shirt outside BH

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

Why not? New manager, new ideas, won everything as a player, has done well so far, albeit in a nothing league. Can't do worse than AM.

Give it a whirl and see what happens. Generally, you know what to expect when a new manager comes in (MON, GH and AM), but do we really know what OSG would do, makes it a little exciting not knowing.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

For all his faults when he was Chairman, Doug Ellis would have never allowed the chairman of a club like Wigan get one over on him.

Me arse. He even let Brighton make us look bad when they had to sue us for the Barry tribunal money.

Maybe so Dave, but I don't think he would have let Whelan rubbish us so openly in the media without making some kind of riposte.

Yeah, Randy Lerner should get into a war of words with the chairman of Wigan.  That'd make Villa look really good.

I dont think Villa need to say anything in response to Whelan's comments.  We can just do our talking on the pitch next season when we will finish higher than them in the league and they will get relegated

Not that different really from the stuff Holloway came out with the other year when we were supposed to be after Charlie Adam.
Villa didn't respond, Blackpool went down. 

[tomd2103]

For all his faults when he was Chairman, Doug Ellis would have never allowed the chairman of a club like Wigan get one over on him.

Me arse. He even let Brighton make us look bad when they had to sue us for the Barry tribunal money.

Maybe so Dave, but I don't think he would have let Whelan rubbish us so openly in the media without making some kind of riposte.

Yeah, Randy Lerner should get into a war of words with the chairman of Wigan.  That'd make Villa look really good.

Not talking about a war of words, just would be nice to hear someone standing up for the club for a change.  I must admit that I didn't like hearing our club being belittled on national radio yesterday, particularly by the chairman of Wigan.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

Me! *winky thing*

Obviously plenty of folk would be tempted Ger, but why go for a manager who who definitely would?  How can we seriously have stability and long term planning at Aston Villa with such a figure?

You really think that united will appoint Ferguson's successor based solely on sentiment, and not on his ability to do the job? OGS will need to have proven beyond doubt that he has the ability to manage a club the size of united, which will mean he'll have had to have done extremely well here. If that happens, and he does indeed move on, then we'd be in a position to pick a manager of greater calibre than the other candidates currently in the running, so it's not like we'd be back to bargain basement appointments like McLeish.

In short, being against the appointment because he might leave to join united in 5 years is completely ridiculous in my opinion.

Well said. For Man Utd to want him directly from us, he'd have to have won something with us, which, whilst you'd be pissed off with him for leaving, it means we would've won something.

[Risso]

From the Independent....


Former Aston Villa striker John Carew believes Solskjær is an ideal candidate to lead the midlands club out of the doldrums.

Carew, who spent four years with Villa, scoring 52 goals in 133 appearances, said: "This would be a fantastic job for Ole Gunnar to have.

"Villa are among the six, seven biggest clubs in England. They have fantastic fans and a fantastic stadium.

"Solskjær is a big name in England. On top of that, he has the mentality and respect from players he needs to suceed."

Speaking to Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet, Carew added: "Villa are also a club who, without doubt, love Norwegians and Scandinavians.

"I've received tweets from Villa fans today who want Solskjær as their new manager. I think Villa will work really well under his leadership.

"Everything suggests Solskjær can have a great managerial career in England."

Good old Carew.

[sonlyme]

The sad truth about Villa is that our treatment of our last three managers has been awful.  No matter what the provocation no individual deserves the poisonous personal abuse that some voices that associate themselves with Villa like to dish out. 

If it happens - OGS is a brave appointment if nothing else.  And to be honest - a break from the usual suspects of serial failures that we get linked with.

I think Randy wants to get us back on track as being innovative and nurturing and exciting - exactly the opposite of what so many doom mongers on here suggest.

As for OGS lack of experience - WTF?  The kid is a natural born winner - and has proved that at every step of his career.  Villa would be just the next one.  And please get over the fact he is a ManU legend.  So was Paul McGrath - and he didn't do too bad for us either.

The naysayers don't want a manager - they want a fan in charge - someone who'll never leave.  Well here's news - Managers always leave - you just want the club you love to be the stronger for having had them in the first place.

And we are lucky compared to ManU - or Liverpool - or indeed ManCiteh - cos our owner is a fan - and he'll put his money where his mouth is to get the Villa he wants.

[Dante Lavelli]

Can you explain why he is a very good fit for the club because I am struggling to see it myself. 

The things on that film that stand out for me are:

He likes to play football on the ground rather than the hoofball which villa fans have been crying out against since Martin O'Neill. The shots of his current team in action, in what was stated to be a Championship standard and style league, were very promising imo.

He is well involved with the academy at his current club and may well enjoy and be able to make the most of the set up we have here.

The idea of Man U fans adopting us as their second club also appeals to me oddly, because it's actually a great opportunity to pick up our local glory hunters (maybe even in Aston) and turn them into Villa fans - so it's a marketable appointment too.

Other than that - there honestly isn't a stand out manager that I'd want here who would want to come to us in our current condition. The media have done a very good job of making us look like a bunch of spoilt brats for expecting a better season than the one we've just had. Let their darling Liverpool, Spurs or Newcastle fans get served up what we've just got and they would be "passionate" when they wouldn't put up with it. However we drove out the great Martin O'Neill, nearly killed Gerrard Houllier, and never gave McLeish a chance - we aren't looking that good right now. From OGS's perspective though - we're big enough for him to make a name for himself, but with a poor enough recent history for it not to reflect on him if it all goes wrong!

Just to add to the above.  Siralex has always said that OGS was the biggest student of the game he has ever managed.  Whereas - I suspect - Bryan Robson (at Boro) thought that a bit of fist pumping and shouting was enough to be a good manager.

I posted this earlier, but before he was linked I noticed this on Gary Neville’s twitter:

Q (to GNev2):  Any advice to a person about to do their coaching badges
A:  Yeah, sit next to somebody clever
Q:  So who did you sit by?
A:  Ole Gunnar.  A perfect example.

You then had Ferdinand (on that youtube clip) saying that he’d want to work under OGS if he went into management.  For somebody with an ego of Ferdinand’s size it suggests that OGS must have some pretty strong characteristics for him to want to work under him.