and then who?

[eastie]

One might argue that West Bromwich Albion is Lambert's sort of level.  Perhaps he'll be the type of manager who excels as smaller clubs?

It's a possibility.  What he's trying to do at Villa is a huge challenge for him, that's for certain.  Thinking back to last season I was very impressed with the way he stuck to his guns and kept faith with his team - even in the January transfer window - when every other club in the relegation scrap was panicking.  At the time  I thought, "Yes, this guy has the mental toughness to turn this club around and succeed," and I still think it. 

From memory a lot of the other clubs changed their manager as well.  The fact we didn't probably helped us (in hindsight). 
Obviously we cannot keep 'not' changing our manager if we're in the same situation each year, But I do think he deserves a bit longer and certainly the Jan transfer window.

The thing with that though is any new man would then have no chance of bringing in anyone - I think if a change is to be made the new man needs at least a couple of weeks before the window closes.

[danlanza]

I'm dreaming I know but, I'd love to see Jurgen Klopp.  If only to see that infectious smile but, we'd probably soon wipe that off his face.

Seriously, it would be a great appointment.

If we get either Bielsa or Klopp, I will eat my own head.

Now, that is worth 35 quid to watch. How do you plan on doing that then ? Do you have a row of teeth in your arse ?

[Dante Lavelli]

One might argue that West Bromwich Albion is Lambert's sort of level.  Perhaps he'll be the type of manager who excels as smaller clubs?

It's a possibility.  What he's trying to do at Villa is a huge challenge for him, that's for certain.  Thinking back to last season I was very impressed with the way he stuck to his guns and kept faith with his team - even in the January transfer window - when every other club in the relegation scrap was panicking.  At the time  I thought, "Yes, this guy has the mental toughness to turn this club around and succeed," and I still think it. 

From memory a lot of the other clubs changed their manager as well.  The fact we didn't probably helped us (in hindsight). 
Obviously we cannot keep 'not' changing our manager if we're in the same situation each year, But I do think he deserves a bit longer and certainly the Jan transfer window.

The thing with that though is any new man would then have no chance of bringing in anyone - I think if a change is to be made the new man needs at least a couple of weeks before the window closes.

I think most people think that it is the quality and inexperience of the players which are letting us down.  If we change the manager there is a risk that the young and inexperienced players (signed by Lambert) will lose further confidence reducing the quality of the squad further. 

The new guy - and lets fact it the likely candidates are not guaranteed to be better - is likely to want to sign his own men when we have limited funds.  That money might as well be given to Lambert to sign two or three experienced players and hopefully the collective would be greater.

Basically I've not completely given up on Lambert yet (unless Bielsa wants to join).

[eastie]

Either way stick or twist it is a gamble - last season it paid off for us , I'm not so sure it would do this season but whatever happens this squad needs quality additions in January.

[Stu]

I'm dreaming I know but, I'd love to see Jurgen Klopp.  If only to see that infectious smile but, we'd probably soon wipe that off his face.

Seriously, it would be a great appointment.

If we get either Bielsa or Klopp, I will eat my own head.

Now, that is worth 35 quid to watch. How do you plan on doing that then ? Do you have a row of teeth in your arse ?

Stick to the Illuminati instead of the one-liners.

[Des Little]

I will eat anyone's hat if Jurgen Klopp so much as considered coming to this circus.

[Stu]

I will eat anyone's hat if Jurgen Klopp so much as considered coming to this circus.

Well quite, and my remark is based on my opinion of the impossibility of it happening.

Who knows who is out there that would a) have the experience to galvanise the players immediately, b) have the tactical nous to play the kind of football we would like to see, and c) would actually come here.

[Des Little]

I think c) is the deal breaker

[Dante Lavelli]

Bielsa day dreaming:
http://www.thefalsenine.co.uk/2013/05/31/whats-next-for-marcelo-bielsa-five-jobs-for-footballs-tactical-fundamentalist/

[ozzjim]

I don't watch Norwegian football but I would give OGS a go rather than Lambert because the football under  Lambert is quite frankly awful - I've watched villa for 35 years and many of those as a season ticket holder and this is truly abysmal

So on what basis are you saying you'd have Solskjær if you know nothing about him? Why not Ronny Delia who outperformed Solskjær last season?

Plus, considering you were a big advocate of Lambert becoming our manager in 2012 do you really think you should trust your own judgement now? You picked badly last time, what's to say you'll do a better job this time?

Incidentally, I know nothing about either of the above two as managers either and I wanted Lambert as manager in 2012 too. But I'm not the one insisting that this bloke I don't know much about or the other bloke that I don't know much are the logical choice.

On the basis of this, I claim SOLE RIGHTS over talking about a potential new manager as I AND I (nearly) ALONE was pretty much set against Lambert becoming manager. Bizarrely enough, everyone else has been disappointed by him and I might be the only one who's opinion of him really has improved - I think he wants us to play better football than I thought he would, and he has impressed me with his seriousness and general calmness in a crisis. However, I never did want him in the first place, but I don't like being proved right and I really hope I eventually get proved wronger than Nostradamus. Sincerely.

I have supported him from day 1, but if you read my posts at the time had serious reservations about him.

[Villa in Denmark]

Re supertom and others who would have OGS, it's already shit or get off the pot time.

It's currently the Norwegian close season and he's got a chance to leave now for minimal compo and on good terms with Kjell Inge Røkke, the moneyman behind Molde as he's only got 6 months left on his contract which would leave him out of contract half way through next season.

Concensus in the Norwegian press is that he'll sign a new 3 year deal early in January unless there's a good offer on the table.  Knowing this I don't think the baggies are after him.

As I've previously said, I would be very careful about getting someone as green as OGS, as I think people constantly underestimate how big a job it is, regardless of any recent lowering of expectations. I think it was Dean Saunders that said you don't realise how big a club we are until you leave.

If Lambert does go, it needs someone who's done it at a similar size club, and definitely not just in the PL.

To those who advocate Laursen, he's spent about 6 months as coach in the Danish second division, then jacked it in to complete his badges and spend time with his family. It would be the equivalent of the toon appointing Shearer. Getting by on blood, guts, motivation and adrenaline isn't enough.

Someone who's done it at Bilbao, Hamburg, Leverkusen, or similar is what's needed next time around, whenever that may be.

[Dante Lavelli]

Bielsa day dreaming:
http://www.thefalsenine.co.uk/2013/05/31/whats-next-for-marcelo-bielsa-five-jobs-for-footballs-tactical-fundamentalist/

Some more.  He's bonkers:

"In early July it took a turn for the surreal. Bielsa called a press conference which lasted almost an hour and a half to announce that he had filed a formal complaint with the police … about himself. He gave a statement in which he admitted to having insulted and pushed the site manager on the works being carried out at Athletic's Lezama training ground. He said he had shoved the site manager out of his office after promises made about the completion of work were not met. "I'm sorry," he said, "he may well be the worst site manager around but he deserved respect.""

[N'Zimidy]

 

Get him in.

[Summers]

No doubt, Bielsa is the best option out there. Fuck off Lambo.

[Steve67]

Lerner took a huge gamble with TSM, although, arguable for a reason in lowering the wage bill etc and then brought in who he thought would be a safe pair of hands in Lambert.  I wonder if he'd take such a huge gamble on getting someone in from abroad.  I appreciate that he did that with Houllier (who obviously had premiership experience) but I wonder if Lerner has the balls to go for someone like a Bielsa or a Klopp et al.  Someone who has NO experience in this league?  I just can't see it myself.  I don't think he has that sort of imagination.