Manager for next season

[tomd2103]

I really don't understand this thing of getting a manager who is good at getting promoted, but not much else. I'd rather we just got a good manager. Aston Villa are a very big club and if we are acting correctly we don't need to restrict ourselves to managers who get clubs up and then get them relegated again. I think we should stick with Garde, because he deserves a chance to work under a board that appears to have a plan, but if he's going we should look for better than Bruce.

That's why I'd prefer someone with a higher ceiling than someone like Bruce. You know what you'll get and that's about it. Don't complain when he hits his natural ceiling. It's no different had we appointed Pulis or Allardyce. You know they'll likely keep you up even if it is by the skin of your balls every year. And with Pulis you'll have vowed never to go again to Villa Park because of the hideous nature of the product in the process.

I agree that we shouldn't be looking just at next season if we are considering a new manager, but one who could establish us back in the top flight.  That said, I would just settle for promotion right now seeing as we only just about scraped it the last time we were.

[ozzjim]

If there is a few quid to spend and a structure in place to work with, I would like the board to go and try and entice Rodgers. He built a great side at Swansea but it would be a tough sell.

Second choice would be Moyes. He needs a challenge that will rebuild his reputation and we would provide that but again the club would have to be very good at selling it too him. The truth is both may be out of our league, but neither will get opportunities to become respected like they would here anywhere else.

Mark Warburton would be number 3 on the list. I think he is gettable too if offered the right structure.

After that Bruce looks a safe pair of hands to get you up, and would certainly tighten up the defence. His trouble is always finding a goalscorer.

[Locko]

A decaying institution? Jesus.

And what is the circus in B9?

At bit melodramatic isn't it. You'd think the ground was crumbling or something. It's relegation, it's massively shit right now, but it's not like the lights are being switched off or we are riddled in debt and we are going out of business.

We're losing money hand over fist and are dependent on a disinterested owner to remain solvent. It's as bad as it can be conceivably be. Any new manager should be issued with a ' you don't have to be mad to work here, but.... ' baseball cap. It's a stick with Garde for me.

[Dave]

Mark Warburton would be number 3 on the list. I think he is gettable too if offered the right structure.

I expect that having been sacked by Brentford and now managing in the Scottish second division he would crawl on his hands and knees to be Villa manager.

[Dante Lavelli]

I really don't understand this thing of getting a manager who is good at getting promoted, but not much else. I'd rather we just got a good manager. Aston Villa are a very big club and if we are acting correctly we don't need to restrict ourselves to managers who get clubs up and then get them relegated again. I think we should stick with Garde, because he deserves a chance to work under a board that appears to have a plan, but if he's going we should look for better than Bruce.

That's why I'd prefer someone with a higher ceiling than someone like Bruce. You know what you'll get and that's about it. Don't complain when he hits his natural ceiling. It's no different had we appointed Pulis or Allardyce. You know they'll likely keep you up even if it is by the skin of your balls every year. And with Pulis you'll have vowed never to go again to Villa Park because of the hideous nature of the product in the process.

I agree with you TV if the correct guy is available but, if not, Bruce might not be a bad holding position.  A four year deal with the aim to get a new guy in before the contract expires.

It's pretty much what West Ham have done with Bilic and Fat Sam.

[Dante Lavelli]

Burnley minus Ings are very average. Dyche has brought in cast offs like Lowton, Ward, Barton, Kightly and spent their budget on Gray who has burned up the division. It's a fantastic managerial performance from Dyche. But the suspicion remains like Eddie Howe that away from their club that they would struggle.

I cannot remember where I read this, but Dyche is apparently a very different manager to the 'gritty northerer' that comes across on TV.  Obsessively studies the game and attends/lectures more than any other manager at St Georges Park.  If true there might be more thought and method to his management than I have previously credited him with.

[ozzjim]

Mark Warburton would be number 3 on the list. I think he is gettable too if offered the right structure.

I expect that having been sacked by Brentford and now managing in the Scottish second division he would crawl on his hands and knees to be Villa manager.

His sacking at Brentford was farcical though wasn't it? Maybe he is the next Nigel Adkins, but I like the way he comes across at times, and and seems to be able to get sides playing decent football.

Dyche would be great, but would never come I don't think. Where is he from by the way?

[olaftab]

Stop worrying about the Manager. Guardiola will fail if we do not get some decent players in.

[Dante Lavelli]

Stop worrying about the Manager. Guardiola will fail if we do not get some decent players in.

...and won't the manager be the second most important person in that process after the guy that decides the budget?

[Rigadon]

If there is a few quid to spend and a structure in place to work with, I would like the board to go and try and entice Rodgers. He built a great side at Swansea but it would be a tough sell.

Second choice would be Moyes. He needs a challenge that will rebuild his reputation and we would provide that but again the club would have to be very good at selling it too him. The truth is both may be out of our league, but neither will get opportunities to become respected like they would here anywhere else.

Mark Warburton would be number 3 on the list. I think he is gettable too if offered the right structure.

After that Bruce looks a safe pair of hands to get you up, and would certainly tighten up the defence. His trouble is always finding a goalscorer.

Moyes or Rodgers for me too.  Why aren't they included in the poll?

[Dante Lavelli]

Moyes strikes me as the right balance between a safe but dour option like Bruce and an exciting manager with seemingly no ceiling to their potential.  After all Moyes' ceiling was around 5th in the PL which is a world away from where we are right now.

[Rigadon]

Stop worrying about the Manager. Guardiola will fail if we do not get some decent players in.

...and won't the manager be the second most important person in that process after the guy that decides the budget?

Yes.  This 'it doesn't matter who the manager is' stuff is pretty weird.  Of course it matters!!!  But what i find really odd is this attitude being twinned with us needing to keep hold of Garde (I won't quote the win % as this has been heartily covered above!).    If it doesn't matter, why have a manager at all? 

[Dave P]

I wouldn't be adverse to Simon Grayson.

[Dave]

Mark Warburton would be number 3 on the list. I think he is gettable too if offered the right structure.

I expect that having been sacked by Brentford and now managing in the Scottish second division he would crawl on his hands and knees to be Villa manager.

His sacking at Brentford was farcical though wasn't it? Maybe he is the next Nigel Adkins, but I like the way he comes across at times, and and seems to be able to get sides playing decent football.

It was both unexpected and a silly decision based on how they've done since.

But irrespective of that, he's "gettable" in the sense that even if the structure he were offered was to come and work for us for free and that he was answering to our new Director Of Football Robbie Savage then he would still be here in a flash.

[walsall villain]

It's hard trying to find anything positive about this car crash of a season but at least we know which division we will be playing in next season. I hope we will use this to start making the changes needed quickly. I think on balance Garde should be replaced, I have lost confidence that he will improve us sufficiently in the championship but I don't blame him for where we are. Just hope we don't wait until the summer to change managers then have to wait until the new guy has 'assessed the squad' before any new players come in. Being Villa we will probably lose players steadily, start with what's left, get poor results in August then be scrambling around in the cast off bins on August 31st.