Who do you want the next Villa manager to be?

[Taylor]

I don't think Rodgers would come here.

[Monty]

But Monty we are in the last chance saloon now, so what ever way we jump is going to be a risk. Not saying it should be Pearson, but we need as stated someone who wins football matches end of.

Yep agreed, that's what I'm saying. I'm just asking why people assume that this means we go for a Pearson or similar grunt-and-grind oafishness instead of someone who plays good football. We stayed up last season playing good stuff, as we did in that one good spell under Lambert.

[SoccerHQ]

I don't think Rodgers would come here.

Fair enough, I would accept Moyes in those circumstances as I do respect the job he did at Everton. I do have my concerns though regarding what he's produced since then.

[Rico]

Sherwood has to go. That much is certain, but my fear is that the Villa's top brass faced with a pile of job applicants that could (indulge me with please) include Ron Saunders,  Brian Clough, Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and Alex Ferguson would still go for Mike Bassett.

For what it's worth I'd move heaven and earth to get Ancelotti .

[pbavfckuwait]

As it gets closer which it surely is going to get if we just do nothing, I think we will not give a monkeys toss as to style, it will be all about the substance of points and to hell with how we get them, we can not afford to drop this year of all years, because of the lack of interest and ability behind the scenes, I feel we would be a long long time coming back.

[SoccerHQ]

Ancelloti belongs in the elite clubs mate.

[olaftab]

Sherwood has to go. That much is certain, but my fear is that the Villa's top brass faced with a pile of job applicants that could (indulge me with please) include Ron Saunders,  Brian Clough, Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and Alex Ferguson would still go for Mike Bassett.

For what it's worth I'd move heaven and earth to get Ancelotti .

With respect other that Bassett no one else in that list has a very good record of avoiding relegations.

[olaftab]

I don't think Rodgers would come here.

So tell me where would he go now after " failing" at a European second tier club?

[Monty]

As it gets closer which it surely is going to get if we just do nothing, I think we will not give a monkeys toss as to style, it will be all about the substance of points and to hell with how we get them, we can not afford to drop this year of all years, because of the lack of interest and ability behind the scenes, I feel we would be a long long time coming back.

Again - why are you assuming that the best way to make sure we get points is ugly style?

[olaftab]

So who do you want as the next Villa manager when as hoped Sherwood gets the boot next week? Given our circumstances and sense of urgency it's Rodgers or Moyes for me. I'll go for Rodgers.

Rodgers for me as well but I do hope Paddy&Fox have already got a name on stand by waiting for the final act that should be delivered on Monday.

[Dave Pountney]

I don't think Rodgers would come here.

Fair enough, I would accept Moyes in those circumstances as I do respect the job he did at Everton. I do have my concerns though regarding what he's produced since then.

Grunt and grind oafishness? That's a cliche, and a pretty arrogant one too. I'm not saying Pearson is a coach in the Pepe Guardiola mould but to dismiss what he did at Leicester last season in such a way is pure silliness. As I said, grunt and grind football, whatever the hell that is by the way, doesn't win you football matches in the Premiership any longer and it's not the type of football I saw Leicester playing last season either. Well organised, yes, hyper competitive too, but they had some very decent footballers playing to the maximum of their potential and that's testimony to a decent football coach.

On a wider point, we've all got to get real at the Villa and recognise what we've become under Lerner. We're a perennial relegation outfit in the way Fulham, Bolton and Blackburn were for years before they slipped away into obscurity. History and tradition counts for nothing and delusions of grandeur just make us look a ridiculous club hanging on to past,  quite often exaggerated achievements. To get anywhere near back to where we used to be we have to acquire some degree of self awareness first and accept the magnitude of our recent decline. That requires pragmatism and some unglamorous spadework.

I repeat; 28 games and seven months to save the Villa from potential catastrophe. No time for novices, punts and fancy dans. We're way too gone for all that cobblers.

[Monty]

How is it an arrogant cliche? I think it's pretty arrogant to call someone like Bielsa a 'punt' or a 'fancy dan' just because you haven't heard of him.

[OzVilla]

I went for Moyes. I just think he'd be the best fit for us and our current situation.

He'd get us well organized and well drilled. He's got plenty to prove after Manure and I think he'll end up being a better Manager for having that experience.

He's also a long termer which is what we need, some stability or as much as you can get in football management.

Rodgers would also be a decent shout but not sure we are what he'd take on and I've a bit of a soft spot for Michael Laudrup too, plays a good style and could really build something, just not sure he'd be the man to keep us up in the first place though.

[oldtimernow]

for me it has to be someone who can

work out what's to be done at

Throw ins
Corners
Free kicks
Clearances from defence
attacking moves from full backs including crosses,
Distribution from goalkeepers,
How to protect a lead
How to close a match off

not exactly rocket science is it but not something we've had in a while

[Monty]

There's an argument for pragmatic, safety-built football if you want to make it, and the fact that Moyes' Everton did actually play some decent stuff helps his case. But Pearson? I don't see how he's suited to our players or our club. If we're going on last season's last-minute miracle workers, then why not appoint Tim Sherwood?