Manager for next season

[Ian.]

We're probably a better attraction now strangely enough.

A chance to rebuild a genuine giant as big fish in a small pond, rather than flailing in the top flight.

I'd agree with that. If the new manager gets it right they could coast the league and build momentum.

Get it wrong though...

[Steve67]

Several managers out of work, they won't all get a job offer. Why not try to wake up the sleeping giant that is Villa? Obviously, they will want assurances about backing, but I see no other club bigger than Villa coming in for Moyes or Rodgers this summer.

[peter w]

If you were Moyes, would you touch it? I don't think I would. 4 managers in 4 years, 27m loss last season and going down without a fight.

Pearson would because he will never get anything bigger. Moyes might yet be offered a half decent premiership job next season.

I think Moyes would. I think a manager would get a feeling for the club when you talk to them or work within the game. I don't think manager would fail to be impresses when talking to the ex-Governor of the Bank Of England, David Bernstein, and of course Sir Brian. I think that potential manager would be prepared to listen to what these people have to say and would think that this club are meaning to do business. We 've been told that we will spend money in the summer, in a roundabout way, and with the carrot of a higher budget should the manager get the team promoted, I think there are not many realistic target managers that would not listen very seriously.

[cdbearsfan]

It'll be Pearson. I really don't want him. He's a bully and a coward. It'll piss me off if we appoint it. If there's one thing Villa are good at, it's pissing me off. It'll be Pearson.

[gpbarr]

Several managers out of work, they won't all get a job offer. Why not try to wake up the sleeping giant that is Villa? Obviously, they will want assurances about backing, but I see no other club bigger than Villa coming in for Moyes or Rodgers this summer.

Their are numerous logical issues with all this talk of "sleeping giant" - 1) we have been sleeping a very long time in all honesty, 2) we will never again be a giant until and unless a very, very, very, very rich consortium buy the club (Randy is richer than most and even he can;t get us anywhere near good enough), and 3) each year that passes in the modern game, we are falling further and further behind.

A manager whomever it is will not awaken the sleeping giant - only a change of ownership can hope to change that.

[Sexual Ealing]

If you were Moyes, would you touch it? I don't think I would. 4 managers in 4 years, 27m loss last season and going down without a fight.

Pearson would because he will never get anything bigger. Moyes might yet be offered a half decent premiership job next season.

I think Moyes would. I think a manager would get a feeling for the club when you talk to them or work within the game. I don't think manager would fail to be impresses when talking to the ex-Governor of the Bank Of England, David Bernstein, and of course Sir Brian. I think that potential manager would be prepared to listen to what these people have to say and would think that this club are meaning to do business. We 've been told that we will spend money in the summer, in a roundabout way, and with the carrot of a higher budget should the manager get the team promoted, I think there are not many realistic target managers that would not listen very seriously.

You're selling it well. So well that I'd want better than Moyes!

[Matt C]

Pearson is exactly the sort of idiotic decision the previous regime would have made. I'd like to think we're a bit smarter now.

[OCD]

Several managers out of work, they won't all get a job offer. Why not try to wake up the sleeping giant that is Villa? Obviously, they will want assurances about backing, but I see no other club bigger than Villa coming in for Moyes or Rodgers this summer.

Their are numerous logical issues with all this talk of "sleeping giant" - 1) we have been sleeping a very long time in all honesty, 2) we will never again be a giant until and unless a very, very, very, very rich consortium buy the club (Randy is richer than most and even he can;t get us anywhere near good enough), and 3) each year that passes in the modern game, we are falling further and further behind.

A manager whomever it is will not awaken the sleeping giant - only a change of ownership can hope to change that.

You only have to look around at clubs like Leicester and Southampton to see what can be done when a club is well run. Leicester have been an example to everyone this season so I find it ironic that we're still seeing arguments about how crucial a mega rich owner is. Obviously it would be nice and would massively accelerate things but unless it happens, its a pipe dream when there are much more positive examples in the real world.

[gpbarr]

Several managers out of work, they won't all get a job offer. Why not try to wake up the sleeping giant that is Villa? Obviously, they will want assurances about backing, but I see no other club bigger than Villa coming in for Moyes or Rodgers this summer.

Their are numerous logical issues with all this talk of "sleeping giant" - 1) we have been sleeping a very long time in all honesty, 2) we will never again be a giant until and unless a very, very, very, very rich consortium buy the club (Randy is richer than most and even he can;t get us anywhere near good enough), and 3) each year that passes in the modern game, we are falling further and further behind.

A manager whomever it is will not awaken the sleeping giant - only a change of ownership can hope to change that.

You only have to look around at clubs like Leicester and Southampton to see what can be done when a club is well run. Leicester have been an example to everyone this season so I find it ironic that we're still seeing arguments about how crucial a mega rich owner is. Obviously it would be nice and would massively accelerate things but unless it happens, its a pipe dream when there are much more positive examples in the real world.

Ok agree'd thats a fair point if in the context a stable PL club. I was more responding to the "Giant" phrase. That implies things that Leicester and Southampton (despite their terrific seasons) are unlikely to consistently achieve.

[Chinchilla Bathhouse]

Back in November, the last time the "next manager" thread was called into being (which shows what a shambles this season has been), I posted that I thought Moyes would be the absolutely perfect candidate for the job, on the basis that he'd done it before - "it" being saving a struggling big club from relegation and steering it back in the right direction.  I also said that that was exactly why he wouldn't be remotely interested; why the hell would you want to do exactly the same job again, a decade or so later?

Now, perversely, I'm wondering if the sheer scale of our demise would make us a more attractive proposition for Moyes.  We're not just another dull big club circling the drain any more; we're the real deal, an utter basket case, we've reached levels of ineptitude none of us thought possible.  This isn't the same job all over again, it's much more of a mess than anything he's faced before; we're actually going down, really doing it, spectacularly, awfully, we won't have a Hans Segers chucking one in his own net on the final day to save us.  Lifting this club from the humiliation and disaster of this pitiful season, rebuilding it and restoring it to its rightful place would be a massive achievement that would widdle over anything he did at Everton.  Moyes' reputation took a big hit at Stretford and Sociedad, there really aren't that many big jobs available to him at the moment.  If he wants a challenge then this is a whopper.

I don't think he'd come, mind, I'm just wondering if we're actually a bit more interesting (to other managers too, not just him) now we're so damaged.  Let's face it, if you're good at tinkering with cars you don't dream of buying a second hand Micra so you can change the spark plugs; what you want is an old rust bucket you can turn into Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.   

[Stirchley Villain]

If Pearson is the answer, what the hell is the question?

[aldridgeboy]

My worry is , whoever the manager is that comes in , will he come with a " all the players start with a clean slate " approach. I believe 95 per cent of this squad need to go undoubtedly, but would that happen with a new guy ?
At least now with Sir Brian on the board, I'm hoping whoever comes in will be told by him " they all need to be moved on "

[pbavfckuwait]

Howe, that must be Don were talking about as it sure as hell wont be Eddie.

[VicMackey]

If Pearson is the answer, what the hell is the question?

"Are you an ostrich?"

Pearson's stock seems to have risen this season despite being out of work.  Yes, Leicester eventually went on a good run last season but they were largely crap.  Something, somehow has clicked there this season and players who were average have now reached a new level.  It should also be mentioned that this is the weakest Premier League in memory - which makes the fact we are going down even more galling.

Would I object to Pearson?  No - maybe he would knock some heads together and clear out the rubbish.  However, he might cause more friction too - didn't the players all hate Gary McAllister when he was here?

If we could get him Moyes would be my choice.

[TopDeck113]

Pat Murphy reckons it's Pearson.

murphy has got his head buried underneath the sand

With his contacts and years of journalistic experience, he's probably got far more of a clue as to what's going than most who post on here.