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

[john e]

Lerner wouldn't sack Lambert even if he got us relegated to League One! Lerner is totally out of touch and hasn't the first clue how to run a football club.....

Also he would have to pay him off and why would he do that?

This is a results business.......a record number of home defeats, cup defeats to Bradford, Millwall & Sheffield United, mostly rubbish signings - need I go on?

He also kept us in the premise league with the worst ever squad of players in most peoples lifetimes, apparently

[supertom]

I'd hoped that for self preservation that Lambo would have walked. I think in terms of pride he's going for one last stab. If the takeover takes longer than expected and we're underway for the next season, perhaps he'll be hoping we start well enough for the new owners to think he's worth keep on.
The reality will be completely the opposite of course. He's not up to it, and he's got a shit squad at his disposal.
And what of our coaching set up? We're now two men short, with Given filling in on his first job, and Sid having been moved from one role to another. We're spreading thin here. Is Lambert going to be allowed to bring in at least one coach to help out? Doubtful. Our training methods are clearly dreadful and in major need of overhaul.

[dave shelley]

If Lambert retains his position into the new season, I wonder what will be the situation regarding assistant manager and first team coach?  The fact that new owners will be arriving will probably herald wholesale changes I would imagine.  Does he stay with Sid and Given, or has he been given the go-ahead to recruit new blood?  I don't see that happening as who would want to start a new job in August knowing he could be gone by September? 

I know it was only an interim measure appointing Sid and Given but, they hardly had us pulling up trees.  Frankly, I'm worried about this.

[mr underhill]

I agree the Tweedles scandal could come back to haunt us big time -  reinstated, or not.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't think we had anything like enough time to see the results of Sid and Given moving up, it was just a few games.

Not suggesting we should keep them in those roles necessarily, just don't think they had much time to make an impact.

[itbrvilla]

If Lambert retains his position into the new season, I wonder what will be the situation regarding assistant manager and first team coach?  The fact that new owners will be arriving will probably herald wholesale changes I would imagine.  Does he stay with Sid and Given, or has he been given the go-ahead to recruit new blood?  I don't see that happening as who would want to start a new job in August knowing he could be gone by September? 

I know it was only an interim measure appointing Sid and Given but, they hardly had us pulling up trees.  Frankly, I'm worried about this.

Could be next week,  could be 3 years or more.

[dave.woodhall]

I don't think we had anything like enough time to see the results of Sid and Given moving up, it was just a few games.

Not suggesting we should keep them in those roles necessarily, just don't think they had much time to make an impact.

Sid had an entire season as first team coach under McLeish.

[pauliewalnuts]

I wonder if this news about Helenius is another indicator Lambert is staying. Someone has to be making decisions like this. Although I guess it could be Helenius himself if he's homesick or something.

I thought he never really got a chance. When he did, he showed more than Bowery has. Shame.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/nicklas-helenius-leave-aston-villa-7138736

The Aston Villa career of Nicklas Helenius looks to be finished before it ever really started with the striker set to leave this summer.

Helenius is seeking a new club after just six substitute appearances, totalling only 147 minutes of action for the claret and blues.

The 23-year-old frontman’s agent Mads Bach Lund confirmed today that the Danish international was unlikely to be part of Villa’s plans next season.

“Villa are not counting on @NicklasHelenius as a part of the squad next season. Pity, but we are looking forward instead of backwards,” he tweeted.

“He did his very best, but many reasons behind this. But great experience and development, he is a stronger player now!”

Helenius has not started a single competitive game for Villa since signing from Aalborg last summer.

He made three substitute appearances in the Premier League, two in the League Cup and one in the FA Cup, when he scored his only Villa goal.

His scoring cameo in the third round exit to League One Sheffield United was his last involvement in a matchday squad.

Helenius, who signed for a fee believed to be in the region of £1.2 million, has two years left on his contract.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't think we had anything like enough time to see the results of Sid and Given moving up, it was just a few games.

Not suggesting we should keep them in those roles necessarily, just don't think they had much time to make an impact.

Sid had an entire season as first team coach under McLeish.

True, but this is practically a different squad, and they've had two years of whatever it was Culverhouse and Karsa were teaching them to do.

[dave.woodhall]

I wonder if this news about Helenius is another indicator Lambert is staying. Someone has to be making decisions like this. Although I guess it could be Helenius himself if he's homesick or something.

I thought he never really got a chance. When he did, he showed more than Bowery has. Shame.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/nicklas-helenius-leave-aston-villa-7138736

The Aston Villa career of Nicklas Helenius looks to be finished before it ever really started with the striker set to leave this summer.

Helenius is seeking a new club after just six substitute appearances, totalling only 147 minutes of action for the claret and blues.

The 23-year-old frontman’s agent Mads Bach Lund confirmed today that the Danish international was unlikely to be part of Villa’s plans next season.

“Villa are not counting on @NicklasHelenius as a part of the squad next season. Pity, but we are looking forward instead of backwards,” he tweeted.

“He did his very best, but many reasons behind this. But great experience and development, he is a stronger player now!”

Helenius has not started a single competitive game for Villa since signing from Aalborg last summer.

He made three substitute appearances in the Premier League, two in the League Cup and one in the FA Cup, when he scored his only Villa goal.

His scoring cameo in the third round exit to League One Sheffield United was his last involvement in a matchday squad.

Helenius, who signed for a fee believed to be in the region of £1.2 million, has two years left on his contract.

Very odd, especially as Tonev had plenty of chances to prove himself.

[Villa in Denmark]

Supertom, I can totally understand people being keen to see the back of Lambert, but right now without a takeover, or as far as we know no sign of one, it's far better to keep him in situ and at least have some semblance of running like a normal football club.

If he did resign, who on earth do you think is going to take the job on in our current situation?
Or would you prefer to give Given and Sid a go, despite writing them of as first team coaches?

At least for now Lambert's actually got Randy over a barrel. 

If Randy doesn't provide some form of reasonable funding to give a chance of survival and Lambert walks, we could be as good as relegated by Christmas, not necessarily
because Lambert himself has suddenly become some Guardiola type coaching genius, but because as Lambert himself said, if we keep playing this game of risk at some point our luck will run out. Relegation, or a significant threat of it would a best further stall a deal whilst our future on the field was decided, at worst cancel it unless Randy's prepared to take a further huge hit.

By hook or by crook he's kept us up the last two years with this squad but without some form of figurehead this squad would fold like a badly assembled Ikea bookcase.

Personally I think he's failed to get the best out of the squad and failed the younger players in their development by adopting this sink or swim attitude, but with no realistic chance of getting a quality replacement until a takeover is completed, keeping him in situ is the lesser of two evils.

[pauliewalnuts]

Maybe it is a personal issue.

This is what his agent said:

Mads Bach Lund ‏@MadsBachLundSEG  28m
Villa are not counting on @NicklasHelenius as a part of the squad next season.. Pity, but we are looking forward instead of backwards. 1/2

Mads Bach Lund ‏@MadsBachLundSEG  26m
@NicklasHelenius did his very Best, but many reasons behind this.. But great expierience and developement, he is a stronger player now! 2/2

[OzVilla]

I'd be very surprised if Lerner sacked Lambert. As has been said, it makes no sense financially and moreover Lerner has complemented Lambert on the job he's done under difficult conditions and made a big deal about loyalty to staff.

Now we re for sale, I think Lambert needs to stay at least until a new owner comes in. Stability  as a term is often over used IMO but with an owner wanting out it could really turn in to an absolute shambles if we're managerless too. Who on McGraths earth would join us in those circumstances.

Remember the list of candidates over the last few managerial searches, hardly inspiring. We'd end up with a Holloway type appointment in those circumstances. This simply has to be a decision for the new owners, however long that may be.

[Simon Ward]

Business as usual according to BBC sport!

[PhilVill]

Oh well, another season to savour beckons then...