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

[ez]

I expect the new 4 year contract was offered to him when he flew out to the states with Faulkner rather than after the Liverpool game and I bet even Lambert was shocked to be offered it.

[ktvillan]

Been swayed by many viewpoints on this thread. The one thing I'm absolutely convinced of is the sheer madness of extending his contract to that extent. I'm sure he would have been grateful for another year on his contract, or a twelve-month roller. Surely that would have taken care of the stability aspect?

Doesn't Lerner believe in options? Isn't there anyone who has his ear who can explain the concept of a worst-case scenario? Because that's what we've got now, and a load of herberts on the internet saw it coming.

But Percy, everything Lerner does shouts "not very bright" (and that's using the polite term).  And Rob's point about his "must have premier league experience" is a very valid one.  There has been some dross brought in from abroad but it would have ruled out the likes of Pochettino, Koeman, Pellegrini, Van Gaal, and in days gone by, Wenger, Mourinho, Ferguson, Mancini, Ancelloti, and Benitez.  Pretty much any manager who has had any success at all over the last 20 years or so.     

[PeterWithesShin]

I want us to sign a foreign manager just so as he can wave his daysaver to the camera at his press conference and say how he traveled to VP.

*One for the moderately old there.

[Rigadon]

A gross prospect.

[Dave]

I'm beginning to wish we'd got Koeman in the summer when he was available . I know it's early days for him but he appears to be a very good manager.

Early days? He's been managing in football for fourteen years. That's the same as Jose Mourinho.

[pauliewalnuts]

I want us to sign a foreign manager just so as he can wave his daysaver to the camera at his press conference and say how he traveled to VP.

*One for the moderately old there.

I think we should tell Lambert the only way he's allowed to travel to VP or BMH is by Tube.

[aj2k77]

Last season there was still some debate to be had on here if to keep Lambert or not, all that debate seems to have disappeared now it's almost a unanimous ''he's crap''. Surely if even the most patient fan has lost it with Lambert then the players cannot have any faith in him either anymore, that can't be good for us.

I need a change, something different to happen, even the press conferences are identical.

[silhillvilla]

I'm beginning to wish we'd got Koeman in the summer when he was available . I know it's early days for him but he appears to be a very good manager.

Early days? He's been managing in football for fourteen years. That's the same as Jose Mourinho.

Sorry I meant early days in terms of his premier league CV.

[Toronto Villa]

Was thinking about this last night and have figured it out. Randy saw into the future one evening over a glass of a cheaper brand of wine than usual. The years of austerity having taken its toll even in his choice of beverage. He foresaw the run that Dortmund were about to embark upon (7 losses in 10) the start of which coincided with excellent start we had to our season. In a moment of panic, a rumble in bowels, he picked up the phone and called Lambert (a Dortmund legend) now fearful that he was to lose his great manager as many had predicted we would when he first arrived. A new contract was delivered and the rest is history. Unfortunately the years of austerity had also put a cap on his ability to read more than one future and he failed to see our current 5 game losing run and no goals.

[dicedlam]

What I really don't get is the logic of it. Did Lerner actually think that the club was in danger of losing its manager because we'd just beaten a Suarez-less Liverpool? It was a great result, but it's been shown that we won't be the only side to pick on them this season. How did it go from inviting him over for a 'chat' to giving him a ridiculous contract? I get the reciprocal loyalty angle, but did three wins in four during silly season justify a long-term deal? Bung him a new motor or a holiday to Tenerife, ffs.

I recckon both the contracts of Lambert and Agbonlahor have been sitting on the table since the back end of last season.
They just needed a window of opportunity that would make them plausible to be delivered.

Lerner is nothing more than a gullible fool.

[Ron Manager]

I think the word gullible sums up Mr Lerner in a nutshell. Nice well meaning man but gullible all the same.

[curiousorange]

This is an easy thing to say, but Villa's problems began when Lerner started to take an interest into how much it was costing him. When it was a plaything, Lerner's Villa was a fun place to be. When he started to take notice of the bottom line, it's become obvious how limited he is in business affairs.

[pauliewalnuts]

This is an easy thing to say, but Villa's problems began when Lerner started to take an interest into how much it was costing him. When it was a plaything, Lerner's Villa was a fun place to be. When he started to take notice of the bottom line, it's become obvious how limited he is in business affairs.

The thing that really showed him up in business terms was when he realised, too late, the ongoing costs of what he'd signed up for - all those long, high paying contracts.

I honestly think he has had the best intentions, and spent a lot of money on us, but ultimately it was spent with barely a thought towards getting the most of it. MON was responsible for those deals at least until 2010, but it has actually gone on since he left.

Our best player this year = a man we ignored for two years because we'd decided we were paying him too much money.

That sort of long term insanity. Nuts.

[Clark W Griswold]

I still think its worth pointing out that until 2 matches ago we would have taken where we were at that point. A defeat at Everton was quite possible, it was just the manner of it and then if course the QPR result was very poor and just bloody typical. I'm not defending him, or Lerner because Lamberts reign has been nothing but a disaster and Lerners (if taken as a whole) not far off, but 5 or 6 points out of the next four games would brighten things up a bit and we might be looking at it fairly positively again, as we were a month ago.

FWIW i think Lambert should have gone in the summer, and i can't beleive the contract extention, but lets give it another half a dozen to 10 games before we write the season off as being no progression again.

[mr underhill]

i think you're being far too kind. watch out for cameras sweeping the ground today for a man in specs, baseball cap and shell suit.