Paul Faulkner interview.

[rob_bridge]

Sorry had to work a bit late.

In response to the earlier exchange (Dave W and Toronto) I could see Doug's reasoning (wrong as it turned out) in hiring possibly the next bright thing in Turner. Someone on the way up. Howard Kendall, SGT, Redknapp and David Pleat were a new brand of managers who had impressed around this time and guess he thought he could poach him with minimum fuss. Not sacking him in summer 1986 was a worse decision.

I could even see the switch to someone with extensive experience and an exceptional playing career and McNeill was one of Scottish football's all time greats when they were good. He was the worse appointment of them all - even worse than TSM.
 
However, I could never see the reasoning behind Houllier (and Lacky) or McLeish in the 2nd decade of 20th century for different reasons. It would have been probably different if either had been hired 10-15 years earlier. The botched approach for Martinez and Whelan - say what you like about him - making Villa look like a bunch of amateurs and he was right.

McLeish prior to running down the engine at Rangers had an impressive record. However hiring someone based on a reference from a 'legendary' manager in charge of a superior competitor and making it public is a further embarassment to behold.

I could understand the hiring of Lambert for sure. I was one who thought the best practical available option. I am still bemused about the overt courting of OGS in such a public way prior to Lambert's appointment. Another Fergie accolyte potentially.

The upshot is as and when Lambert's replacement is hired, Herbert won't be involved, Faulkner will be as things currently stand. I'd rather he wasn't. Therefore, I hope for everyone concerned at Villa we want that to be a good few years away - for multiple reasons.

We'll never know how Houllier would have worked out - there's evidence on both sides but I would like to have seen what would have happened had he been able to bring in his first (or second) choice no. 2.

The managers you mentioned as bright young things in 1984 were a different situation to Turner. Sir Graham and Pleat had joined their clubs when they were in the lower divisions and worked their way up with them. Kendall was already a Goodison legend and had joined Everton when they were at a low ebb - think of Brian Little in 1994 for a similar scenario. Redknapp was at the start of his decade with Bournemouth. None of them had gone to a club that was massively in excess of anything they'd done before; as someone said the other day, it was like putting Dean Smith in charge of Chelsea, then within a few weeks he'd stuck John Terry at right-back and told him and Frank Lampard they were finished.

We wouldn't know how Houllier and whoever his preferred deputies (Thompson/McAllister/Others) would have worked out. Bent signing was fantastic - needing to sign Bent to get out of a relegation scrap was astonishing in itself based on how far we had fallen in 6 months. Like El Tel his record is not as good as mutliple media friendly writers would have us believe. Villa will never ever be an easy job, it never has been - so allocating it to someone who was out of coaching for 3 years with a previous well documented health problem was very unwise at best. I'd prefer to say stupid.

As for Turner, I was illustrating other youngish managers at the time doing well with limited resource and for different reasons. There were many rumblings about Kendall at the end of 1983.

Turner was a mistaken appointment but he wasn't the worse and I would suggest that Lerner/Faulkner's hires have been no better given the circumstances.

We are about the 8th biggest club in the country based on a multitude of various measures. We are in a 4th successive relegation scrap at the moment. We used to have one once every 3 or 4 years.

[dave.woodhall]

Three league titles and four cups would indicate a decent manager no matter what the media say.

Those managers you held up were totally different to Turner and at totally different clubs. You can't compare them with him.

And it's a strange relegation scrap when you're eleventh with half the season left.

[saunders_heroes]

Three league titles and four cups would indicate a decent manager no matter what the media say.

Those managers you held up were totally different to Turner and at totally different clubs. You can't compare them with him.

And it's a strange relegation scrap when you're eleventh with half the season left.

It feels like a relegation scrap. We're only 5 points above the drop zone after all.

[dave.woodhall]

Three league titles and four cups would indicate a decent manager no matter what the media say.

Those managers you held up were totally different to Turner and at totally different clubs. You can't compare them with him.

And it's a strange relegation scrap when you're eleventh with half the season left.

It feels like a relegation scrap. We're only 5 points above the drop zone after all.

Life is what you make it. We're no points from midtable.

[saunders_heroes]

Three league titles and four cups would indicate a decent manager no matter what the media say.

Those managers you held up were totally different to Turner and at totally different clubs. You can't compare them with him.

And it's a strange relegation scrap when you're eleventh with half the season left.

It feels like a relegation scrap. We're only 5 points above the drop zone after all.

Life is what you make it. We're no points from midtable.

It's the home form that makes to feel like a relegation battle. It's horrific 

[mike]

Three league titles and four cups would indicate a decent manager no matter what the media say.

Those managers you held up were totally different to Turner and at totally different clubs. You can't compare them with him.

And it's a strange relegation scrap when you're eleventh with half the season left.

It feels like a relegation scrap. We're only 5 points above the drop zone after all.

Life is what you make it. We're no points from midtable.

It's the home form that makes to feel like a relegation battle. It's horrific 

I think this sums up some of our problems. Dave is quite right, we're mid table and, actually, 5 points should feel like a bit of a cushion when there are so many clubs in the mix. However, the poor home form, the lack of possession and the apparent lack of confidence all contribute to a feeling that we've ridden our luck and a lack of belief in our ability  to move clear of the bottom three over the next few weeks rather than get sucked in.

I suspect that the players feel that way too, and the lack of confidence and belief is self defeating. However Faulkner spins the stats, it must be utterly demoralising to lose week after week in front of your own fans. Especially if one of the teams you lose to is Crystal Palace.

[Dave Clark Five]

What type of player do you bring in if this isn't perceived to be a relegation battle? Probably a different type to that you would bring in during such times.
Unlike years ago, when you could bring in a clogger during February, you no longer have that luxury. It may pay to consider where we are heading based on current form and not the league position, taking note of the form of others. If that points to a relegation battle then you must do something accordingly to stop it. This may mean not ruling out a wise old head who may only have a couple of seasons left at the top. If you plan for the future, you bring in younger players, but they might take us down. Looking at our potential plight, it may be a short term plan that we need, while we have the chance.

[paulcomben]

The owners of both Hull & Southampton are threatening to leave, so they will both return to being relegation fodder to shield Villa, too. I'm thinking more like Faulkner every day. But, looking forward to playing well and winning was way more fun.

[WestleyArmsAV]

Dave is spot on there.

I also wonder how much of a catalyst Benteke's consolation goal on monday may be, not just for him but the whole team, especially Lowton?

It will be ironic that another VP defeat but against the leaders and with a 15 minute display may just be the turning point, let's hope anyway.  I've already put a tenner on us beating the Dippers 2-1.

[Villafirst]

Three league titles and four cups would indicate a decent manager no matter what the media say.

Those managers you held up were totally different to Turner and at totally different clubs. You can't compare them with him.

And it's a strange relegation scrap when you're eleventh with half the season left.

It feels like a relegation scrap. We're only 5 points above the drop zone after all.

Life is what you make it. We're no points from midtable.

It's the home form that makes to feel like a relegation battle. It's horrific 

I think this sums up some of our problems. Dave is quite right, we're mid table and, actually, 5 points should feel like a bit of a cushion when there are so many clubs in the mix. However, the poor home form, the lack of possession and the apparent lack of confidence all contribute to a feeling that we've ridden our luck and a lack of belief in our ability  to move clear of the bottom three over the next few weeks rather than get sucked in.

I suspect that the players feel that way too, and the lack of confidence and belief is self defeating. However Faulkner spins the stats, it must be utterly demoralising to lose week after week in front of your own fans. Especially if one of the teams you lose to is Crystal Palace.

And losing at home to Sheffield United from League One? I've had a ST for over 25 years - unless things change (which I doubt) then I will not be renewing - the value for money in the last 4 years is shocking.

[Damo70]

Apparently the owner of Hull will "Quite literally just walk away". Which would be interesting. And also throw up quite a few questions.

[pauliewalnuts]

Three league titles and four cups would indicate a decent manager no matter what the media say.

Those managers you held up were totally different to Turner and at totally different clubs. You can't compare them with him.

And it's a strange relegation scrap when you're eleventh with half the season left.

It feels like a relegation scrap. We're only 5 points above the drop zone after all.

Life is what you make it. We're no points from midtable.

It's the home form that makes to feel like a relegation battle. It's horrific 

I think this sums up some of our problems. Dave is quite right, we're mid table and, actually, 5 points should feel like a bit of a cushion when there are so many clubs in the mix. However, the poor home form, the lack of possession and the apparent lack of confidence all contribute to a feeling that we've ridden our luck and a lack of belief in our ability  to move clear of the bottom three over the next few weeks rather than get sucked in.

I suspect that the players feel that way too, and the lack of confidence and belief is self defeating. However Faulkner spins the stats, it must be utterly demoralising to lose week after week in front of your own fans. Especially if one of the teams you lose to is Crystal Palace.

I have to say, I am unconvinced as to how secure our mid table status is, given the small points count seperating everyone from 11th or so down.

However, I have noticed that in the media we are almost continually referred to (at the moment) as being in a relegation struggle, yet some teams who are below us in the table, and therefore in more of a struggle, are not referred to that way.

I guess it's more interesting to talk about a big club as being in a relegation struggle than, say, someone like Swansea.

[pauliewalnuts]

Apparently the owner of Hull will "Quite literally just walk away". Which would be interesting. And also throw up quite a few questions.

That interview on SSN (assume it's that which you are referring to) was absolutely mental.

[Damo70]

Assuming he is trying to exert maximum pressure on the authorities regarding the name change he really has painted himself into a corner if they say no. "Have I ever said something before and not done it"?

[claretandblue barmy]

I heard the Interview and about the only thing i agreed were the positive comments about our home support, great attendances week after week considering some of the dross being served up, i'm amazed we're still getting very healthy crowds.  Well done us !