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

[KevinGage]

That always struck me as a hatchet job on his reputation, TBF. He had a difficult relationship with the owner dating back to the summer, and the 'senior players not happy with his methods,' line seems to have emanated from Gary Monk. Who subsequently went on to take his job. Convenient, eh.

He can't have been that inept to achieve what he did with a relatively small club like Swansea.  He did well at Getafe too.

He was my outside bet for the Villa job back in 2010 (he initially wanted the job in 2006). But if he doesn't head back to Spain, he might be holding out for one of the vacancies coming up in London. West Ham would be my shout.

It's also hard to overlook the fact that he's barely stayed at most clubs much beyond one season. That hasn't always entirely been down to him, but it's offputting all the same.

[john e]

I'd rather give Sid a go,

 I know its fraught with danger when you put a legend in charge
But he's done good things at a lower level at VP and he would have the support of all villa fans,
Knows the academy lads better than anyone, and has been around football and football people all his career
Anyway it's a risk but one I would take just now

That's if he would want it of course

[ciggiesnbeer]

I like Sid but I think that might be a bit too much of a jump for him to be honest. Oh and if you dont like monotone post match interviews then judging by his academy ones after each game then he wouldnt be much of a step up.

If we made a change I would want a possession based coach. Preferably non British.

[Toronto Villa]

surely Sid has to want to it also. I never got the impression from Sid he really wants the spotlight.

[paulcomben]

I got so excited when I heard Tony Pulis talking about well drilled defensive systems on MOTD that I realised just how far we have fallen.

[Chris Smith]

I'd rather give Sid a go,

 I know its fraught with danger when you put a legend in charge
But he's done good things at a lower level at VP and he would have the support of all villa fans,
Knows the academy lads better than anyone, and has been around football and football people all his career
Anyway it's a risk but one I would take just now

That's if he would want it of course

I really don't want us to go there. I would hate to see him subject to the kind of abuse every other manager we have had in the past 15 years has eventually had to endure.

[john e]

I'd rather give Sid a go,

 I know its fraught with danger when you put a legend in charge
But he's done good things at a lower level at VP and he would have the support of all villa fans,
Knows the academy lads better than anyone, and has been around football and football people all his career
Anyway it's a risk but one I would take just now

That's if he would want it of course

I really don't want us to go there. I would hate to see him subject to the kind of abuse every other manager we have had in the past 15 years has eventually had to endure.

It's a good case against that's for sure

[N'Zimidy]

I've said this before and was shut down for it but I'll say it again because it gets more and more relevant: The players do not spend nearly enough time training.

After the shocking result against United last Saturday afternoon the players were not only given Sunday off, they were given Monday off as well. Then for the three days of the week that they actually trained, they were only down there for about an hour, hour and a half. Take into account their warm ups are about 20 minutes, they get next to no skill training or team training in a week. This isn't just for the past week either. It's been every single week since Lambert took over.

You compare this to the Houllier regime where the players were training every single day for much longer periods and it's no wonder that the standard of football was 10 times better. Houllier had the players on a proper fitness plan, they would be doing skills and playing 5-a-side long into the day. After a couple of months under Houllier our players started passing teams and pressuring teams off the park. Young players like Albrighton, Walker, Clark etc were progressing excellently because they had a top quality coach working them day in day out. Now compare it back to today where Baker has had two years being a starter under Lambert and he still looks utterly clueless.

It's pretty much O'Neil's training set up without John Robertson.

[sirlordbaltimore]

I think Sid would be better off staying where he is

[LeeB]

I think Sid would be better off staying where he is

Likewise.

[villan from luton]

I dont think Sid would want the job tbh, but would prefer someone of his mould who actually wants to play football

[Keeno]

I've said this before and was shut down for it but I'll say it again because it gets more and more relevant: The players do not spend nearly enough time training.

After the shocking result against United last Saturday afternoon the players were not only given Sunday off, they were given Monday off as well. Then for the three days of the week that they actually trained, they were only down there for about an hour, hour and a half. Take into account their warm ups are about 20 minutes, they get next to no skill training or team training in a week. This isn't just for the past week either. It's been every single week since Lambert took over.

You compare this to the Houllier regime where the players were training every single day for much longer periods and it's no wonder that the standard of football was 10 times better. Houllier had the players on a proper fitness plan, they would be doing skills and playing 5-a-side long into the day. After a couple of months under Houllier our players started passing teams and pressuring teams off the park. Young players like Albrighton, Walker, Clark etc were progressing excellently because they had a top quality coach working them day in day out. Now compare it back to today where Baker has had two years being a starter under Lambert and he still looks utterly clueless.

It's pretty much O'Neil's training set up without John Robertson.

This is bang on - and the other poster calling for a none-British possession minded coach. MON, TSM and Lambert all seem to be cut from essentially the same cloth - we're not tactically adept enough to beat most teams at this level (as the results have proven, particularly when teams counter attack on us at VP). Fully agree about Baker, who should not be anywhere near the stadium let alone the starting XI. He's utterly clueless in possession and out of it, consistently making wrong decisions and then recklessly trying to correct them. Lambert's refusal to change things when they're not working is baffling, we pick up injuries in training all the time (just take this catastrophic week for example), and consistently look confused and without any form of philosophy.

I'd really love a total change from this boring style of manager we've persisted with - a coach like Bielsa (or even Laudrup!) might be closer to what we saw for those fleeting months under Houllier. Just look at how Everton have progressed from Moyes under Martinez; a man who don't forget we might have had as our manager a couple of years ago. How different things might have been - I'm certain we wouldn't all be having a conversation like this right now.

[villan from luton]

Apparently Laudrup was rarely seen at Swansea, but see what you are on about

[ChicagoLion]

I just want Lambert's replacement to be someone with a proven desire to play football on the deck with ball retention high on his agenda. Also someone who values pressing the game at home. I realize those blokes don't grow on trees but they are certainly out there. I think there is money to spend and it didn't include selling Benteke, and you can find players in France and Spain that like to keep the ball. Our ability to give the ball away at times beggars belief. That simply has to be put right.

Or was it that the idiots running our club fucked up the interview.


I agree entirely,
 but the bugger pissed of to Goodison Park instead of Villa Park

Everton's timing was fortunate for them, and Martinez walked into a much better and stable situation than he would have found with us off course. Remember he also turned down Liverpool. But there are other managers that want to play that way. It's whether we can find them and allow them the time to establish themselves at the club.

[caster troy]

It's got to be Marcelo Bielsa for me. We have some huge disadvantages, we can't compete financially, we have a poor squad, low morale as a club, so our best bet is do something completely out of left field and employ a batshit crazy manager with totally different methods and see what happens. Somebody like him would completely galvanize the club immediately.

If not him then the Boca Juniors manager who is the spitting image of Larry David. That would be pretty, pretty, pretty good.