Joleon Lescott - GONE

[Villa in Denmark]

If I'd got to guess, I'd say it's because the whole organisation has been lackadaisical from day 1. The whole thing has been run as another philanthropic venture and no drive for excellence.

Was there ever any real pressure on O'Neill other than what he put on himself? The first time there was any expectation to achieve par with his squad he bailed.

I think Houllier had the same professional self drive, it was just a few years too late and like Garde up against it with a chunk of the squad not wanting to know and another manager's players, albeit players reasonably well suited to the style he wanted to play. That ridiculous run with injuries plus his attempt to soft soap Young into staying by indulging his wish to play as a no 10 "as Lambert likes to call them" pulled us down. People rightly point to us only being safe with 2 games left, but think of the points dropped when we playing teams with an average age of about 12, the most obvious being the 2-2 against Man Utd.

I think Garde has that determination and professionalism as well and will show it given the chance.

McLeish was undone by his own brand of footballing nihilism. He could have spent 50p and achieved the same.

Lambert just got overwhelmed. I'm convinced he tried to be too clever with the cut backs. Instead of all of the low cost gambles, if he'd gone out and signed 2 or 3 more of the Vlaar / Benteke quality, he could have saved even more, because he'd have had  a decent environment to bring more academy players through.

Instead we've probably limited the careers of Clark, Baker and Weimann from our own ranks, plus Bennett and Helenius because of the games they've been involved in (or not in Helenius' case, we were just setting him up for clinical depression.)

[Villa in Denmark]

Follow up random thought.

What if Doug had dialled Houllier's number back in 2006 instead of O'Neill's?

[ozzjim]

We would have finished top 4. Although even then Houllier bought badly and was basically blessed with the best years of Owen and Gerard at Liverpool.

[villan from luton]

Follow up random thought.

What if Doug had dialled Houllier's number back in 2006 instead of O'Neill's?

Was that Dougs call though?

I loved the appointment of MON but your comment if it had been Houllier is a good shout. He could have started things with his own theories and a nice budget 

[Villa in Denmark]

Follow up random thought.

What if Doug had dialled Houllier's number back in 2006 instead of O'Neill's?

Was that Dougs call though?

I loved the appointment of MON but your comment if it had been Houllier is a good shout. He could have started things with his own theories and a nice budget

I thought perceived wisdom was that Doug recruited MON and Lerner signed off on the deal.

[dave.woodhall]

Follow up random thought.

What if Doug had dialled Houllier's number back in 2006 instead of O'Neill's?

Was that Dougs call though?

I loved the appointment of MON but your comment if it had been Houllier is a good shout. He could have started things with his own theories and a nice budget

I thought perceived wisdom was that Doug recruited MON and Lerner signed off on the deal.

Doug asked him to join. He agreed as the Lerner deal was all but final.

[villan from luton]

Follow up random thought.

What if Doug had dialled Houllier's number back in 2006 instead of O'Neill's?

Was that Dougs call though?

I loved the appointment of MON but your comment if it had been Houllier is a good shout. He could have started things with his own theories and a nice budget

I thought perceived wisdom was that Doug recruited MON and Lerner signed off on the deal.

Doug asked him to join. He agreed as the Lerner deal was all but final.

As you know I am not a Doug lover and do find it hard to believe Lerner would have had no influence on that appointment. If I am wrong, willingly hold my hands up

[dave.woodhall]

As you know I am not a Doug lover and do find it hard to believe Lerner would have had no influence on that appointment. If I am wrong, willingly hold my hands up

It was pretty obvious that Lerner was arriving, there was money to spend and O'Neill was the popular choice. I'm sure Doug was liaising closely with Randy at this point and they agreed on who should get the job.

[PeterWithesShin]

Put it another way, think of how MON spends money, then of all the stuff coming out that summer about how the club was so skint players were having to pay for stuff at BH, and then think if there is any way he'd have joined if Doug was staying. I'd say there was zero chance he'd have joined unless it was all but guaranteed Lerner was taking over and there was a very big pot of cash to spend.

[villan from luton]

As you know I am not a Doug lover and do find it hard to believe Lerner would have had no influence on that appointment. If I am wrong, willingly hold my hands up

It was pretty obvious that Lerner was arriving, there was money to spend and O'Neill was the popular choice. I'm sure Doug was liaising closely with Randy at this point and they agreed on who should get the job.

That is all I was saying

[dave.woodhall]

As you know I am not a Doug lover and do find it hard to believe Lerner would have had no influence on that appointment. If I am wrong, willingly hold my hands up

It was pretty obvious that Lerner was arriving, there was money to spend and O'Neill was the popular choice. I'm sure Doug was liaising closely with Randy at this point and they agreed on who should get the job.

That is all I was saying

There's a story I was told that after the opening game at the Emirates, when Doug was still in charge, he asked O'Neill why Martin Laursen had come on in stoppage time.

"To waste a bit of time and put another body at the back," said the manager.

"WHAT!!! Don't you realise he'll get £5,000 appearance money now?" was the reply.

O'Neill apparently then silently beseeched the Gods to hurry the sale up.

[passport1]

Oh no it will only be a matter of time before someone posts the cumulative cost if MONs late substitutions and correlates the cost to our subsequent years of decline.

[SheffieldVillain]

Can't see this anywhere else but the following quote is being attributed on twitter to our wonderful, former international, committed centre half.

"It's a relief to finally be relegated, it's been looming over us for weeks. The fans negativity hasn't helped this season. It's been a major factor. But, we'll have a good drink tonight then have a go at the last few games".

Is this genuine? Because if so, and frankly even if not:
Not half as big a relief as the day when you and your lazy, waste of space mates Gabby, N'Zogbia and Richards leave the club, Joleon. 'The fans negativity didn't help'? Which part were we meant to be positive about? The three wins all season? You messing around laughing and spitting gum while your team was losing? Your 'accidental' tweets of your new car to show how little you cared about your abject failure to be even vaguely competent at your job? Celebratory trips to Dubai because you've had such a tiring season? The club captain being so unfit in April he has to have a special fitness programme designed? The absolute epitome of why footballers today are universally despised. Just sod off Lescott and take most of our 'senior pros' with you. Twat.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

What a ******.

[SheffieldVillain]

To be fair, I'm not sure yet whether he did actually say it or it's a mickey take. He definitely made the 'weight of our shoulders' comment though.