Roy Keane has left

[Dante Lavelli]

Interesting point re pressure and whether he can handle it. This would be his biggest club football manager job, so a certain amount of pressure is guaranteed. Look at it another way, though, and if he took on our manager job at the end of the season, he'd only have to improve on four years of absolute shite to be seen as doing well.

Which is similar to what we said about Lambert when he joined, mind, and look how that is turning out.

It is a big club but I don't think there would be much pressure, certainly externally hence why we're often described as a sleeping (comatose) giant.  I think one of our current weaknesses is that there is a lack of accountability and in essence the perception from players (maybe managers) that Villa can be an 'easy life'.  The real pressure would only come once we were pestering Spurs, maybe Newcastle and obviously the 'Big 4' and I'd welcome that in a flash.

I'd be pretty delighted with McClaren to be honest, especially if there was an appointment above him in the hierarchy who would allow him to concentrate on coaching.

[Fred]

Am I imagining it, or was it once said that part of Ferguson's success was that he kept bringing in new assistants with new ideas?

Yes i have seen that written. Not sure if that can be proved to be true though.

[Drummond]

I don't see there being much pressure as manager of Villa; nobody expects anything of us any more. It would have been different when Lerner took over and spent a lot, but these days managers get a relatively easy ride. You only have to see how Lambert has escaped criticism from pretty much anywhere other than on the internet to see that.

[peter w]

I don't see there being much pressure as manager of Villa; nobody expects anything of us any more. It would have been different when Lerner took over and spent a lot, but these days managers get a relatively easy ride. You only have to see how Lambert has escaped criticism from pretty much anywhere other than on the internet to see that.

Disagree. The pressure is more intense now than ever. It's nothing to do with those outside of the Villa cauldron but us fans expect someone to take us closer to where we belong. The longer the absence goes the more difficult we will make it for any manager who cannot do it. If Lambert one day gets the boot then the next manager will find us in a pretty unforgiving mood from the start especially if the boot is the result of prolonged crowd reaction to results.

[Toronto Villa]

I think there is immense pressure as Villa manager. Just because we've not had success lately doesn't meant that a club of this size shouldn't be in the mix. We're not one of the smaller sides just happy to be a PL club, we've been in it for a good while. That and the fact that it takes just a tiny glimpse of the sun through the clouds to get us properly fired up again. A few short years after O'Leary was working hard to soil our name Villa Park was often at capacity under MON and the expectation levels went through the roof. It can happen again, and will.

[ChicagoLion]

If there really was pressure Lambert would not be in a job.

The longer we bump along the bottom the easier it gets for the manager expectations are low.

The media already ignore us.

The pressure at Newcastle is a lot greater than Villa for example.

It shouldn't be but it is.

[dekko]

Depends what you mean by pressure.  Or rather who the pressure is coming from.

Theres always a lot of pressure from the fans because generally our expectations are so high.  More or less no pressure on Lambert from the board/owner though.

[Drummond]

What pressure from the fans? Lambert has been pretty fucking useless for years and there's hardly been a whimper of dissatisfaction.

[PeterWithesShin]

7 points out of 9 since he left.

[usav]

7 points out of 9 since he left.

Against the bottom two and a shit Palace. I wouldn't read too much into it.

[Matt C]

Go and get Steve Clarke this week.

[Toronto Villa]

Go and get Steve Clarke this week.

I know it's probably the not the way to look at this but is getting an assistant who clearly now has a taste for being manager the right way to go. Not contesting his qualifications as he'd be a good choice, but when the next PL opportunity or Championship job comes up he might be linked. He'd be a good hire though if we could get him even for a year or two.

[pbavfckuwait]

Back to back wins since hes gone, good riddance.

[LTA]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2872154/Roy-Keane-created-poisonous-atmosphere-Aston-Villa-explosive-training-ground-feud-Gabriel-Agbonlahor-final-straw-led-departure.html

Maybe a reason for Delph wanting out......

[Louzie0]

Re Daily Mail linked in the previous post; that is the sort of thing they do very well.
Shit that they hope sticks.