Lambert's replacement

[Broughty-Villian]

Souness? Really. A manager who took a League winning team, sold it and introduced Razor Ruddock and Julian Dicks to the Liverpool team. Who introduced the Geordies to the esteemed Centre Half pairing of Jean-Alan Boumsong & Titus Bramble. no thanks

[Nastylee]

Let's face it, there's a dearth of credible options so it would be a gamble. Fact is we don't spend enough to be a top team and 2 or 3 half decent players would actually transform us. The PL is about investment and whilst some may quote Swansea as being superb on a budget, they still finished just above midway. Yes, that may be better than now but it's hardly the benchmark of rip-roaring success. Money talks and whilst we refuse to spend the amounts required then this is what you get. Naming managers that have been out the game for decades is hardly going to transform our fortunes. Sack Lambert by all means but at least have a viable replacement.

[Gregorys Boy]

Souness and Hoddle? Have we gone back to 2002?

This is thing.  I can maybe see Dave's logic in that Souness is a take no prisoners sort of guy, and could have the short term impact that would at least get us moving in the right direction, but I do worry about managers who have been out of the game for an extended period.  Thats why Hollier bombed at Villa.  If we had got him striaght after his Liverpool spell then chances are he would have been a good appointment.

To me Allerdyce is the one stand out name who fits the billing for what we want right now and who we are most likely to get.  He may well fancy a crack at a club like us, as we are a big club, but it would also present a challenge in getting us back as a stable top flight side.  He may feel that he has taken West Ham as far as they can go.  Only trouble would be the pay off, and we might have to wait til the Summer for him.

Laudrup, Klinsmann and Curblsey would be the others I would like at.  The first two we might struggle to get, and my concern with Curblesy might again be the length of time he has spent out of the game, but his experience at competing at this end of the division might be useful.

[Gregorys Boy]

Souness? Really. A manager who took a League winning team, sold it and introduced Razor Ruddock and Julian Dicks to the Liverpool team. Who introduced the Geordies to the esteemed Centre Half pairing of Jean-Alan Boumsong & Titus Bramble. no thanks

He's had an up and down career.  Mostly he did fail at big clubs, but at Newcastle he was quite unlucky with injuries.  I thought he did a good job at Blackburn and also Southampton.

[dave.woodhall]

Maybe - and this goes against just about everything I've said with regards to logic and perceived wisdom - it's time to gamble and bring in someone like Souness or even Hoddle until the end of the season with the additional remit to show their apprentice (Martin Laursen?) the ropes.

[ChicagoLion]

We just need someone that can come in and organise the team and get more out of them until the end of the season.
There is enough in the squad to be at least the 4th worst team in the division.
If we do not do this soon we are very likely to drop.

[Gregorys Boy]

Maybe - and this goes against just about everything I've said with regards to logic and perceived wisdom - it's time to gamble and bring in someone like Souness or even Hoddle until the end of the season with the additional remit to show their apprentice (Martin Laursen?) the ropes.

I never really rated Hoddle that much, and with his ego issues I don't think he would get through to the players anyway.  Souness maybe?

[Nastylee]

Maybe - and this goes against just about everything I've said with regards to logic and perceived wisdom - it's time to gamble and bring in someone like Souness or even Hoddle until the end of the season with the additional remit to show their apprentice (Martin Laursen?) the ropes.

What makes you think Laursen would make a good manager? For example, Mourinho never played and Guillt was great but their managerial records are poles apart.

[PaulWinch again]

Not Souness, but there must be a few short term options.

[Des Little]

Maybe - and this goes against just about everything I've said with regards to logic and perceived wisdom - it's time to gamble and bring in someone like Souness or even Hoddle until the end of the season with the additional remit to show their apprentice (Martin Laursen?) the ropes.

I never really rated Hoddle that much, and with his ego issues I don't think he would get through to the players anyway.  Souness maybe?

Hoddle for me. The bloke may not be everyone's taste but in my opinion he's one of the best tacticians this country has produced.  If anyone can work with this lot and unlock their creative ability he can. He's forgotten more about formations and playing styles than Lambert knows.

[dave.woodhall]

Maybe - and this goes against just about everything I've said with regards to logic and perceived wisdom - it's time to gamble and bring in someone like Souness or even Hoddle until the end of the season with the additional remit to show their apprentice (Martin Laursen?) the ropes.

What makes you think Laursen would make a good manager? For example, Mourinho never played and Guillt was great but their managerial records are poles apart.

I've no idea, which is why I added the ?, meaning someone like him, and said it would be a gamble. So far we've had Messianic supremo,veteran Continental, journeyman and Next Big Thing, all of whom have failed to one degree or another. We have to break the mould somehow. 

[Gregorys Boy]

Maybe - and this goes against just about everything I've said with regards to logic and perceived wisdom - it's time to gamble and bring in someone like Souness or even Hoddle until the end of the season with the additional remit to show their apprentice (Martin Laursen?) the ropes.

I never really rated Hoddle that much, and with his ego issues I don't think he would get through to the players anyway.  Souness maybe?

Hoddle for me. The bloke may not be everyone's taste but in my opinion he's one of the best tacticians this country has produced.  If anyone can work with this lot and unlock their creative ability he can. He's forgotten more about formations and playing styles than Lambert knows.

But the issue at Villa is more about motivation, i.e. getting the best out of the players. For me Hoddle only knows how to manage one way and if that didn't work he would just give up.  I agree that tactics are a problem, but we have a good enough group of players at least in the first 11 to be aiming for at least mid-table.  A manager with personality, intelliengence and just a few more fresh ideas than Lambert is what we need.  Often having good awareness of tactics actually doesn't make you a top manager.

[barrysleftfoot]

  Big fan of Hoddle, had enough of tactically inept Lambert.

 He had no clue how to change the game last night, and his "offensive" purchases , apart from CB, have failed.

[Clampy]

Maybe - and this goes against just about everything I've said with regards to logic and perceived wisdom - it's time to gamble and bring in someone like Souness or even Hoddle until the end of the season with the additional remit to show their apprentice (Martin Laursen?) the ropes.

No, that's a terrible idea.

[pauliewalnuts]

Souness the bloke who dismantled the decades-old Liverpool boot room spirit in the space of a couple of years, and has spent the last few years being a pundit?

No ta.