Manager for next season

[Dave]

He managed to get a piss pot club like the Rags into the play-offs but they were so hard up the gave Norwich permission to speak to him. He took them up to 11th in their first season in the PL.

I don't think that was Hughton. We might be able to tempt the bloke who did get Norwich to 11th that season though if we asked nicely...

Look what happened the last time we appointed a successful Norwich manager. However, if he was still here I suspect that we wouldn't be in quite this mess.

No, we'd probably have won more games this season than we actually have done.

Albeit in a lower division.

[Toronto Villa]

He managed to get a piss pot club like the Rags into the play-offs but they were so hard up the gave Norwich permission to speak to him. He took them up to 11th in their first season in the PL.

I don't think that was Hughton. We might be able to tempt the bloke who did get Norwich to 11th that season though if we asked nicely...

Sorry, Dave, meant to say HIS first season at Norwich.

I figured, just saw the excuse to be silly - and for what it's worth I'd not be particularly against Hughton. He's certainly better than a lot of the names on the list at the top of the thread.

My main objection is that people calling him Chris Houghton would immediately  jump a dozen or so places in my list of "football inaccuracies that annoy the shit out of me" table.

Especially if he thought Ciaran Clarke was worthy of a starting spot given their Irish connection.

[PeterWithesShin]

Lambert had been here nearly 3 years and we were getting worse each season. We were in the bottom 3, hadn't won for 10 games and were averaging half a goal a game. If he'd stayed we'd have gone last season, I have very little doubt about that.

[Dante Lavelli]

I would love Dave to come - but seriously, would you expose yourself to this toxic pile of shite and risk the diminution of your reputation still further?

I think the opposite.  The new manager will find a club at rock bottom and consequently will take the credit for any good work from a competent board, a euphoric crowd simply stunned by home wins plus we hate all the players so he has a carte blanche to create his team. 

I think there is a pent up willingness from everyone to find some enjoyment after 5 years of shite.  The manager will be on to a winner if he can tap into that.

[gpbarr]

Lambert had been here nearly 3 years and we were getting worse each season. We were in the bottom 3, hadn't won for 10 games and were averaging half a goal a game. If he'd stayed we'd have gone last season, I have very little doubt about that.

which would have precipitated the sorts of changes we now have to go through anyway. No difference which is why changing every bloody 6-9 months is folly.

[Steve67]

Lambert had been here nearly 3 years and we were getting worse each season. We were in the bottom 3, hadn't won for 10 games and were averaging half a goal a game. If he'd stayed we'd have gone last season, I have very little doubt about that.

which would have precipitated the sorts of changes we now have to go through anyway. No difference which is why changing every bloody 6-9 months is folly.

Really?  Changes? Under Tom Fox?  Because that is what we had last year.  Better to not go down at all but, better to go down this year with some level of intellect on the board that the shit we had last year.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I would still wait for the summer and the dust to settle. What's the point of a new man coming in and improving things this season when all its likely to do is make sure anyone half decent gets sold? Once we know what the manager has to work with, and what ,if any money he have to improve it, then we can appoint someone.

I tend to agree with that. I'm guessing Garde sat down with Brian Little and gave him a report of the current players and the problems he faced. He probably didn't want another season at Villa Park for a whole list of reasons so the club decided to remove him as his staying didn't serve either party. The new structure that includes bringing in a Head of Football seems designed to relieve the next manager of all the administration at the club beyond the first team. Focus is on promotion and getting the best out of the first team squad.

I've no doubt that even with a board room full of accountants, money will be available for the new manager. It would be pointless not to do so but before we start spending the board will need to know how much is going to be wasted getting rid of the slackers. It's a massive job. Add to that our scouting has to be right up to speed now, which is why PR is probably still in a job. What's very important is that the club continue to highlight the changes that are being made so that any potential manager can see that we have finally turned the page and the Villa job could be a great opportunity rather than a managerial graveyard.

Under those circumstances there are plenty of decent managers that would jump at the chance to manage us. I'd imagine the salary will still be attractive with a nice big bonus thrown in for promotion. Right now to appoint a new manager with such a limited choice makes no sense. Let's get our house in order between now and the end of the season and take it from there.

[Dante Lavelli]

Has anybody watched Brighton this season? No idea how they play but Chris Hughton seems to have preformed miracles there. I doubt we'll wait around to even consider him as he'll either want to stick with Brighton should they get automatic promotion or he'll be involved in the play-offs.

My biggest issue with Hughton is that he appears to be another manager with a very definite ceiling. He gets so far before getting fired from wherever he is. Now if the criteria is lets just get promoted then we have lots of managerial choices. But if it is someone to be at the club for longer than that then managers like Hughton or Bruce probably aren't a good choice.

I don't think there's anybody out there that would be willing to take the job that has the capability to be our long term manager.

His managerial record may look like that on paper but apparently having got them promoted, Newcastle fans were furious that Ashley fired him. He managed to get a piss pot club like the Rags into the play-offs but they were so hard up the gave Norwich permission to speak to him. He took them up to 11th in his first season. Even when he left Norwich by mutual consent, they were five points above the relegation zone. Brighton were 21st in the league when he took over. They went on a 21 game unbeaten run this season.

That is quite impressive.

[Toronto Villa]

I would still wait for the summer and the dust to settle. What's the point of a new man coming in and improving things this season when all its likely to do is make sure anyone half decent gets sold? Once we know what the manager has to work with, and what ,if any money he have to improve it, then we can appoint someone.

I tend to agree with that. I'm guessing Garde sat down with Brian Little and gave him a report of the current players and the problems he faced. He probably didn't want another season at Villa Park for a whole list of reasons so the club decided to remove him as his staying it didn't serve either party. The new structure that includes bringing in a Head of Football seems designed to relieve the next manager of all the administration at the club beyond the first team. Focus is on promotion and getting the best out of the first team squad.

I've no doubt that even with a board room full of accountants, money will be available for the new manager. It would be pointless not to do so but before we start spending the board will need to know how much is going to be wasted getting rid of the slackers. It's a massive job. Add to that our scouting has to be right up to speed now, which is why PR is probably still in a job. What's very important is that the club continue to highlight the changes that are being made so that any potential manager can see that we have finally turned the page and the Villa job could be a great opportunity rather than a managerial graveyard.

Under those circumstances there are plenty of decent managers that would jump at the chance to manage us. I'd imagine the salary will still be attractive with a nice big bonus thrown in for promotion. Right now to appoint a new manager with such a limited choice makes no sense. Let's get our house in order between now and the end of the season and take it from there.

That's well put and I agree. It's the process that is now in place that encourages me. That there needs to be immense work done behind the scenes and it needs to done quickly and convincingly to get the manager they want. I hope the recent chat Bevington had with Round for example, with Round citing that the plan we have in place is encouraging is a sign of what might be to come. While I am not totally against Pearson, but for me ideally we will we hire someone that can not only do the job, but as critically a manager that instils immediate optimism in a very dejected and demoralized supporter base. I don't think, given the comments recently of the key board members, something they are oblivious to.

[Dave]

The new structure that includes bringing in a Head of Football seems designed to relieve the next manager of all the administration at the club beyond the first team

Excellent, so we can look forward to plenty more confused types railing against transfer committees and shouting that scouting and buying players should be in the control of the manager and nobody else.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

The new structure that includes bringing in a Head of Football seems designed to relieve the next manager of all the administration at the club beyond the first team

Excellent, so we can look forward to plenty more confused types railing against transfer committees and shouting that scouting and buying players should be in the control of the manager and nobody else.

Indeed. I heard one pundit today saying just that. Tactics has more friends than I imagined.

[Dante Lavelli]

He managed to get a piss pot club like the Rags into the play-offs but they were so hard up the gave Norwich permission to speak to him. He took them up to 11th in their first season in the PL.

I don't think that was Hughton. We might be able to tempt the bloke who did get Norwich to 11th that season though if we asked nicely...

Look what happened the last time we appointed a successful Norwich manager. However, if he was still here I suspect that we wouldn't be in quite this mess.

I fully expect to get slated for saying this, but I railed against Lambert being sacked precisely because I had a strong hunch this would be the result. Have posted several times about the folly of constantly changing mnagers, and better qualified people than me have too - Fergie and Wenger spring to mind most recently. Yes things were bad when he left but that change precipitated worse days to come IMO.

Until we learn that managers need time (especially given our horrendous situation) we will worryingly continue to decline and drop.   

That's a valid point but football has changed since Ferguson and Wenger.  Nowadays Director's of Football and their ilk have taken a lot of the old school manager's responsibilities to the point where they're probably better described as head coaches.  With a narrower width of responsibilities I can see the benefit of changing coaches every so often to freshen things up.  The 'storming --> norming --> forming' cycle otherwise starts to work against the manager.

[gpbarr]

He managed to get a piss pot club like the Rags into the play-offs but they were so hard up the gave Norwich permission to speak to him. He took them up to 11th in their first season in the PL.

I don't think that was Hughton. We might be able to tempt the bloke who did get Norwich to 11th that season though if we asked nicely...

Look what happened the last time we appointed a successful Norwich manager. However, if he was still here I suspect that we wouldn't be in quite this mess.

I fully expect to get slated for saying this, but I railed against Lambert being sacked precisely because I had a strong hunch this would be the result. Have posted several times about the folly of constantly changing mnagers, and better qualified people than me have too - Fergie and Wenger spring to mind most recently. Yes things were bad when he left but that change precipitated worse days to come IMO.

Until we learn that managers need time (especially given our horrendous situation) we will worryingly continue to decline and drop.   

That's a valid point but football has changed since Ferguson and Wenger.  Nowadays Director's of Football and their ilk have taken a lot of the old school manager's responsibilities to the point where they're probably better described as head coaches.  With a narrower width of responsibilities I can see the benefit of changing coaches every so often to freshen things up.  The 'storming --> norming --> forming' cycle otherwise starts to work against the manager.

I think that's fair. Our problem perhaps is that at the same time we have been changing managers, it feels we have been changing the board structure too - the perfect storm. 

[Matt C]

The quicker the inevitable is confirmed the quicker we'll get a new manager so while I'd never wish us to lose, the sooner relegation is confirmed, the better.

Get Moyes in and give him a few weeks to observe the multitude of problems he needs to fix so we can make a fast start in the summer.

[saunders_heroes]

The quicker the inevitable is confirmed the quicker we'll get a new manager so while I'd never wish us to lose, the sooner relegation is confirmed, the better.

Get Moyes in and give him a few weeks to observe the multitude of problems he needs to fix so we can make a fast start in the summer.

We need Moyes now. The fans need a lift. The idea of losing every game from now till the season ends is very real, so we need him in now to at least put an end to the humiliation and give us something to smile about for a change.
We surely can't fuck up this appointment, surely?