Lambert's replacement

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I want noted Villa fan Cesare Prandelli. That's my benchmark. The gap between his tactical thinking and Lambert's 'Hodor Hodor Hodor' approach is quite big.

He's available right now, in fact he could probably start tomorrow. The question is, is he worth paying an extra £1m a season more than we currently pay Lambert?

Yes. Yes it is.

God, I can't believe we actually pay Lambert for this. It's like tipping your own mugger.

He was only on £2m a year as Coach of the Italian side but got paid more, probably danger money, when he went to Gala but he does want to manage in England. I know that he'd been working on his English last year, so no problems there. It could be the smarted investment Lerner ever made if he were to bring him in.

Look at it this way, given the choice, you can either sign Tom Cleverly or pay off Lambert and have Cesare Prandelli as your new manager. The wages we'd pay Cleverly would cover Cesare Prandelli's salary. The choice is yours?

You know, when you look at it like that, if Tom Fox and Randy Lerner haven't at least put in a clandestine phone call to Signore Prandelli's representatives it would be the worst decision of their respective tenures. Including hiring McLeish. Well, maybe not.

He's comfortably the best choice and you'd hope that he'd see it as a chance to bring 'his' club back where they belong and it's a great chance to fix his reputation after a rough time with gala.

He is a very good manager. It would be a very good move.

He's still available having turned down the opportunity to manage the Japanese national team.

It seems obvious he's waiting for a phone call from Tom Fox. Don't disappoint him, Tom.

[Holte L2]

Prandelli gets my shout too.  I've been touting his name for the job since November.

It's going against everything we've stood for the last four years, but I'd take MON back until the end of the season.  He and Randy can make up.  Forget everything that's happened.  MON will get us hard to beat, organised and will get 110% out of the players.  It really is that desperate.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

There's just one tiny fault in your thinking, without money to spend, MON is Paul Lambert but with an huge ego.

I agree we need to bring somebody in until the end of the season if we can't find somebody now on a permanent deal but MON is not the answer.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

If we were appointing a manager at the start of next season, my choice would be Eddie Howe - young manager with ideas, and a decent track record.  But I doubt we'd get him if Bournemouth get promoted.

Tim Sherwood didn't have an awful record at Spurs (50% win rate), and seems assertive enough to get a reaction from the players, possibly enough to get us out of the slump.

Michael Laudrup would be the "big-name" choice, but his recent managerial record actually isn't that impressive in terms of winning games.  Though he did win a League Cup.

Other than Sherwood and Laudrup, and ignoring fanciful suggestions like Prandelli, there doesn't seem to much choice.

Only two bookies seem to be giving odds, and they have Sherwood 2/1 and Klinsmann (!) at 7/1 followed by a list of the same old names.

http://www.oddschecker.com/football/football-specials/aston-villa/next-permanent-manager

[tomd2103]

The list of replacements looks very thin to me.  About the best I can come up with at the moment is Glenn Hoddle.  Hardly ideal, but has a decent background and has been involved at a Premier League club recently.  Probably about as good as we can hope for at the moment really.   

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Only two bookies seem to be giving odds, and they have Sherwood 2/1 and Klinsmann (!) at 7/1 followed by a list of the same old names.

http://www.oddschecker.com/football/football-specials/aston-villa/next-permanent-manager

Strange how the list of managers linked to the Newcastle job were of a far higher quality. I put it down to us having a history of crap managers and a lack of ambition. Hopefully the latter will change in the very near future, even if we have to wait until the summer.

[Fred]

I fear we are stuck with Lambert and even if the worst happened I do not think he might go then.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

The list of replacements looks very thin to me.  About the best I can come up with at the moment is Glenn Hoddle.  Hardly ideal, but has a decent background and has been involved at a Premier League club recently.  Probably about as good as we can hope for at the moment really.   

Here's a few that are currently without a job:

Cesare Prandelli
Thomas Tuchel
Frank Rijkaard
Bert van Marwijk
Michael Laudrup
Roberto Di Matteo
Andre Villas-Boas
Marcelo Bielsa
Guus Hiddink
Martin Jol

[DB]

To keep us up Neil Lennon....bellend, but would be my choice at this point in time.

[Ger Regan]

Bielsa isn't out of a job, unfortunately.

[Holte L2]

There's just one tiny fault in your thinking, without money to spend, MON is Paul Lambert but with an huge ego.

I agree we need to bring somebody in until the end of the season if we can't find somebody now on a permanent deal but MON is not the answer.

I disagree.  MON is a much better motivator than Lambert.  Players used to run through brick walls for MON. Tactically He's a little more astute. 

We certainly wouldn't be rolling over in games we expect to get something out of.  Look at how we used to fight and grind out results. 

[Holte L2]

The list of replacements looks very thin to me.  About the best I can come up with at the moment is Glenn Hoddle.  Hardly ideal, but has a decent background and has been involved at a Premier League club recently.  Probably about as good as we can hope for at the moment really.   

Here's a few that are currently without a job:

Cesare Prandelli
Thomas Tuchel
Frank Rijkaard
Bert van Marwijk
Michael Laudrup
Roberto Di Matteo
Andre Villas-Boas
Marcelo Bielsa
Guus Hiddink
Martin Jol

Di Matteo is at Schalke.  Laudrup is at Lekhwiya.

[PeterWithesShin]

He did a great job of motivating Sunderland players.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

There's just one tiny fault in your thinking, without money to spend, MON is Paul Lambert but with an huge ego.

I agree we need to bring somebody in until the end of the season if we can't find somebody now on a permanent deal but MON is not the answer.

I disagree.  MON is a much better motivator than Lambert.  Players used to run through brick walls for MON. Tactically He's a little more astute. 

We certainly wouldn't be rolling over in games we expect to get something out of.  Look at how we used to fight and grind out results. 

They loved him because he gave them huge salaries, way beyond their real worth. Who wouldn't love a boss like that?

[Holte L2]

He did a great job of motivating Sunderland players.

He did initially to help them avoid relegation. I'd like to see him come in until the end of the season.