The Paul Lambert thread - poll reset after our capitulation to Hull

[sirlordbaltimore]

Would that be the couple of years back when Lambert was the overwhelming fans' choice for the job?

wasn't that only after OGS dropped out ?, i seem to recall he was favourite which shows what we all know

[ClaretAndBlueBlood]

Also need to take account of the fact that he has spent £40m on how many players? Not just 5 or 6

Which was surely his choice as was his decision to cast aside a lot of experienced players that he inherited. If they were all THAT bad then surely McLeish must've been some sort of genius keeping us up with them

I think he came in and his ego said 'i need to make my mark'. Sadly it hasn't worked out too good so far

I don't think, but cant be 100% sure obviously, that it was entirely his choice to jettison all of the experienced players. I assume that he was told to drastically reduce the wage bill to stop us from becoming another Leeds and that necessitated the cull

[sirlordbaltimore]

I don't think, but cant be 100% sure obviously, that it was entirely his choice to jettison all of the experienced players. I assume that he was told to drastically reduce the wage bill to stop us from becoming another Leeds and that necessitated the cull

I'd go for that if we had actually dropped the wage bill at the time (even now from last set of published accounts it seems quite weirdly OTT considering what little quality we have). But half of them were still getting paid their huge wages for sitting on their arses on match days and training with the kids. Which made little sense to me

[ClaretAndBlueBlood]

I don't think, but cant be 100% sure obviously, that it was entirely his choice to jettison all of the experienced players. I assume that he was told to drastically reduce the wage bill to stop us from becoming another Leeds and that necessitated the cull

I'd go for that if we had actually dropped the wage bill at the time (even now from last set of published accounts it seems quite weirdly OTT considering what little quality we have). But half of them were still getting paid their huge wages for sitting on their arses on match days and training with the kids. Which made little sense to me

totally agree with that, to still be losing £50m a year is baffling - imagine how bad it could have been

[sirlordbaltimore]

Actually, if anyone out there, can reason/explain how our current wage bill can possibly be as high as we're led to believe i'm all ears.

One look at our squad and some educated guesses at their individual wages, and the published figure is bordering unsolved mysteries level

[dave.woodhall]

None of us have got a clue how much each player earns.

[Concrete John]

I don't think, but cant be 100% sure obviously, that it was entirely his choice to jettison all of the experienced players. I assume that he was told to drastically reduce the wage bill to stop us from becoming another Leeds and that necessitated the cull

I'd go for that if we had actually dropped the wage bill at the time (even now from last set of published accounts it seems quite weirdly OTT considering what little quality we have). But half of them were still getting paid their huge wages for sitting on their arses on match days and training with the kids. Which made little sense to me

Have you factored into your thought process that they were generally a massive bag of shite that didn't want to play for us anymore?

[London Villan]

None of us have got a clue how much each player earns.

Not these days, but when I worked for a major high street bank (mid 90s) we had access to customers accounts for balance requests etc etc. We often hunted famous players of the day down on the system and even then was amazed by how much they earned at the the time... even Villa players of the day were on very decent money.

[sirlordbaltimore]

Have you factored into your thought process that they were generally a massive bag of shite that didn't want to play for us anymore?

I doubt any of them didn't want to play for us anymore before Lambert came in and put them out to dry. I' not saying any of them were that good but why not use players that you ARE paying big wages too if what you've bought in isn't any better ?

[ClaretAndBlueBlood]

I remember when Hendrie signed a new contract on £8k per week and thinking how exorbitant that was for a fairly average player - I guess that's the kind of money kids get when they sign their first professional contract these days at Villa

[Clampy]

None of us have got a clue how much each player earns.

Not these days, but when I worked for a major high street bank (mid 90s) we had access to customers accounts for balance requests etc etc. We often hunted famous players of the day down on the system and even then was amazed by how much they earned at the the time... even Villa players of the day were on very decent money.

But still, the average football fan doesn't really know how much a player takes home. We'd be guessing if we were pushed.

[Concrete John]

Have you factored into your thought process that they were generally a massive bag of shite that didn't want to play for us anymore?

I doubt any of them didn't want to play for us anymore before Lambert came in and put them out to dry. I' not saying any of them were that good but why not use players that you ARE paying big wages too if what you've bought in isn't any better ?

I thought the exact same thing about Richard Dunne last season while he was out injured.  Up to and including him being fit for Ireland right after our season ended.  I also felt Stephen Ireland was massively mis-understood when played and his standing around doing fuck all was merely his way of 'expressing himself'. 

[not3bad]

Have you factored into your thought process that they were generally a massive bag of shite that didn't want to play for us anymore?

I doubt any of them didn't want to play for us anymore before Lambert came in and put them out to dry. I' not saying any of them were that good but why not use players that you ARE paying big wages too if what you've bought in isn't any better ?

I thought the exact same thing about Richard Dunne last season while he was out injured.  Up to and including him being fit for Ireland right after our season ended.  I also felt Stephen Ireland was massively mis-understood when played and his standing around doing fuck all was merely his way of 'expressing himself'. 

Nobody could say Lambert didn't give Ireland a chance. Lambert basically said he was willing to build a side round him at the beginning of last season.

[ChicagoLion]

I have yet to hear a truly convincing and compelling argument as to why we should keep him. Essentially it seems to consist in buying Benteke, who has unequivocally proved he's a player of real quality, and a couple of others who might have the ability to fulfil their potential,  a snatched few minutes of excellence here and there over virtually two seasons, and retaining his services  for continuity's sake. IMO that isn't nearly good enough; the summer shopping trip is his last chance to impress.

I have yet to see any sort of coherent argument as to why we should sack him and start the whole process again from scratch, i.e. new man wanting his own players to suit a new system, disgruntled players on the books not contributing etc.

We are not yet two years into a total rebuilding process, these things take time and it would be unrealistic to expect any manager to have got us further than mid table at this point.

Another point to consider is what message does it send to any potential replacement that we are so quick to discard a manager?

This is a very good point and makes a lot of sense.
I would certainly support this argument if you could see what it is that Lambert is trying to achieve in terms  of tactics, playing style and character of the team.

I can not discern anything that looks like he knows what he is dong, the incredible inconsistency would seem to reinforce this view.

Villa form and style appears completely random OK he likes to sit back away from home and hit teams with the sucker punch sometimes.

There appears to be no basis that you would want him to be here after this season except that Lerner and the corporate bull shitter would probably manage to hire someone even worse.

[Witton Warrior]

The same time when the whole of Villa Park was singing Paul Lambert's Claret and Blue Army while he was still managing Norwich?
[/quote]

Not sure we were up in K3 - made a come back last Sunday just before it all fell apart though...