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

[mr underhill]

still believe OGS would have bailed as soon as he returned to the land of the trolls. Too much pressure from the molde mafia and the wife and kids probably didn't want to up sticks only a year or so after returning home. Its imperative this  does not get fucked up this time so I think we all need a little patience.

[Mazrim]

What the fuck? McLeish was the result of an attrociously bad decision and possibly a hamfisted recruitment process, not because we considered a few candidates at the same time.

O.K, let me pose it thusly: Who should we single-mindedly chase to the point of ignoring any other credible candidates and why?

no thats not what we are saying,
you consider as many candidates as you like, do your due dilegence and all that, maybe talk to a few agents and stuff, then make a decision, then go and interview your favoured choice,
 if talks break down, so be it you move on, its not set in stone, but at least you arnt letting them dangle around while you look elsewhere.

its my firm belief that if we had approached Martinez for the job last season, interviewed him, decided he was the right man and offered him the job he would have taken it,

and exactly the same for OGS,
if we had interviewed Ole and offered him the job having been satisfied with what he had to say, he would now be are manager

the procrastination the way we are doing it is costing us good managers

We asked to speak to Martinez and were denied so I don't see how we could have offered him the job.

Do you have any proof for your last two statements?
OGS has asked not to be considered and was not offered the job. So in the first instance he has removed himself from the running and in the second instance he was not deemed to be the man for the job as far as we know because we didnt offer it to him.

Also, procrastination? Its been less than two weeks since the last season ended and we sacked the last manager and we're god knows how far though a recruitment process involving multiple candidates. What procrastination?

[dave.woodhall]

By definition, none of us know what's being done in secret.

[N'ZMAV]

You know more than you're letting on I bet Mr. Woodhall....

Anyway, I don't care if it takes a month or so, we need the right man... No point in a quick-fire appointment.

[James]

By definition, none of us know what's being done in secret.

True and there's no denying it, but it's what was done in secret last year that's worrying us all!

[john e]

What the fuck? McLeish was the result of an attrociously bad decision and possibly a hamfisted recruitment process, not because we considered a few candidates at the same time.

O.K, let me pose it thusly: Who should we single-mindedly chase to the point of ignoring any other credible candidates and why?

no thats not what we are saying,
you consider as many candidates as you like, do your due dilegence and all that, maybe talk to a few agents and stuff, then make a decision, then go and interview your favoured choice,
 if talks break down, so be it you move on, its not set in stone, but at least you arnt letting them dangle around while you look elsewhere.

its my firm belief that if we had approached Martinez for the job last season, interviewed him, decided he was the right man and offered him the job he would have taken it,

and exactly the same for OGS,
if we had interviewed Ole and offered him the job having been satisfied with what he had to say, he would now be are manager

the procrastination the way we are doing it is costing us good managers

We asked to speak to Martinez and were denied so I don't see how we could have offered him the job.

Do you have any proof for your last two statements?
OGS has asked not to be considered and was not offered the job. So in the first instance he has removed himself from the running and in the second instance he was not deemed to be the man for the job as far as we know because we didnt offer it to him.

Also, procrastination? Its been less than two weeks since the last season ended and we sacked the last manager and we're god knows how far though a recruitment process involving multiple candidates. What procrastination?

1 - he declined because he was only ever going to be one of a number of candidates, not the chioce of the board for the job should the talks go well, there is a big difference here, if you cant see it then i cant help you

2 - no i have no proof, thats why i said it was my Belief, its my opinion (probably not worth a lot in fairness)

3 - Procrastination in the way we hold talks with say OGS, then leave them dangling around like a wind sock, its not the way to behave, and puts people of.

by the way, i agreed with your arguments last season, and argued the case as you are now, so i have changed my mind on this one,
i think the fact we ended up with Mcleish was a facter in realising it didnt work, that along with our efforts regarding Martinez and OGS have given me cause to rethink and now believe we are getting it badly wrong,
on the basis that it hasnt and isnt working

[Merv]

But your opinion of an individual can change entirely upon meeting them and chatting to them, especially with someone like OGS, who won't be as widely known as (to go back to an example some have quoted), Ron Atkinson, who was well established and probably well known by the chairman at the time. So while you could draw up a shortlist, zero in on the first choice and go all out for him, if you they don't come across well in that first interview, you have to change tack. It could be that OGS was the No.1 choice. After all, he is the only guy we know FOR SURE that Villa have spoken to. But he wasn't offered the job, so perhaps he wasn't that convincing.

I think Villa have every right to speak to more than one candidate. Why shouldn't we? The difficulty is in keeping things quiet, and with employed managers, we're in a sensitive area. We tried to smuggle OGS out for talks, we got spotted; good 'ol Dave Whelan is happy to tell the whole world what everyone may or not be doing.

I do agree that, with OGS, the time to fly over was perhaps to finalise talks and sign; some other kind of communication might have been better, initially.

[Mazrim]

1 - he declined because he was only ever going to be one of a number of candidates, not the chioce of the board for the job should the talks go well, there is a big difference here, if you cant see it then i cant help you

I dont know where you're getting your info from but I have it on very good authority that it didnt happen like that.

He had given his word to Whelan that he would stay if he kept them up. He did keep them up, he did stay and decided to honour that before ever we came calling. It was nothing to do with being part of an interview process.

And also, as I suggested before, why should we consider a man who can't cope with some competition for a job a good candidate for a job involving competition?
Doesn't strike me as a good trait to have in a manager.

Thankfully I think its bollocks and would like proof any manager turned down a potential job because he was one of a number of candidates and not the only choice.

"I want a job that pays better, has better rewards and prospects but somebody else is going for it as well so I'm not going to bother".
No, I don't think so.

[Merv]

Incidentally, I spoke to a journalist colleague/acquaintance earlier today and he thinks we've had a lucky escape with OGS. He's a well established European football writer, says he spoke to the CEO of a football club last week about Solksjaer; this guy had actually interviewed OGS for a position in the past and his verdict was that 'the idea of him sounded better than the reality'.

So, if that's the kind of impression OGS left on a CEO, I don't blame Villa for not offering him the job on the spot.

[john e]

1 - he declined because he was only ever going to be one of a number of candidates, not the chioce of the board for the job should the talks go well, there is a big difference here, if you cant see it then i cant help you

I dont know where you're getting your info from but I have it on very good authority that it didnt happen like that.

He had given his word to Whelan that he would stay if he kept them up. He did keep them up, he did stay and decided to honour that before ever we came calling. It was nothing to do with being part of an interview process.

And also, as I suggested before, why should we consider a man who can't cope with some competition for a job a good candidate for a job involving competition?
Doesn't strike me as a good trait to have in a manager.

Thankfully I think its bollocks and would like proof any manager turned down a potential job because he was one of a number of candidates and not the only choice.

"I want a job that pays better, has better rewards and prospects but somebody else is going for it as well so I'm not going to bother".
No, I don't think so.

i'm sure we both hope and agree that whatever way they find the next man, he will be a massive success,
 and we wont give a toss about this little debate

[Mazrim]

Of course. We all want the best outcome.
Nothing wrong with debate mate.

[Percy McCarthy]

Such an efficient way of doing it, makes you wonder why only the Villa and Racist FC have cottoned on. How's their search going? Anyone ruled themselves out because they're not man enough to fuck up their existing job for the slight chance of rocking up there?

[Mazrim]

Such an efficient way of doing it, makes you wonder why only the Villa and Racist FC have cottoned on. How's their search going? Anyone ruled themselves out because they're not man enough to fuck up their existing job for the slight chance of rocking up there?

Liverpool and Villa are the only clubs who consider more than one candidate at the same time? Are you sure?

[Merv]

So a better approach is No.1 target, offer job? Does the interview process hold no merit at all?

[PeterWithe]

That approach may be great if you've got someone onboard who has worked with, or has experience of, the candidate.

If not then you end up with the likes of the Scotchman.