Tony's Tweets

[The Moose]

But we're not allowed to stand.......

[QuintonVilla]

Tell the manager and team to go towards the goal we're attacking and the crowd will respond.

[Richard E]

Tell the manager and team to go towards the goal we're attacking.

Nah, that sort of poncey tactics will never catch on.

[Risso]

Tell the manager and team to go towards the goal we're attacking.

Nah, that sort of poncey tactics will never catch on.

Yes, look at Pep Quintoniola over there!

[Richard E]

He'll be suggesting we should try and kick or head the ball into the net next. Tsh!

[Villa75]

Yep. That's the cause of us being 18th in the 2nd division, second time around, and having one shot on target at home to Brentford. It's the atmosphere.

[Lobsterboy]

Yep. That's the cause of us being 18th in the 2nd division, second time around, and having one shot on target at home to Brentford. It's the atmosphere.

And of course the players express themselves much more freely away from home where we have won about 3 games in 12 months...!

[Drummond]

Expectation is massive at our club. We haven't had players or managers that can handle it.

[cheltenhamlion]

Which is why you need someone who has managed a big club, with high expectations, for them to stand a chance.

[paul_e]

Which is why you need someone who has managed a big club, with high expectations, for them to stand a chance.

Exactly, it's really not complicated, if you keep hiring managers and most of your players from teams where the expectations are to bob along in midtable and avoid relegation then you get a team that delivers exactly that.

[Toronto Villa]

I don't altogether disagree with that but if you always stick by that notion then Alex Ferguson never gets the Man U job. Graham Taylor probably doesn't get the Villa job and there would be no point in trying to attract an Eddie Howe to become the next big thing. It really limits your pool of who is available.

[cheltenhamlion]

I don't altogether disagree with that but if you always stick by that notion then Alex Ferguson never gets the Man U job. Graham Taylor probably doesn't get the Villa job and there would be no point in trying to attract an Eddie Howe to become the next big thing. It really limits your pool of who is available.

Too many have buckled under our expectations. It is the one thing managerially we haven't tried and makes sense to me.

I don't think Howe would be any good for us, as an example.

[paul_e]

I don't altogether disagree with that but if you always stick by that notion then Alex Ferguson never gets the Man U job. Graham Taylor probably doesn't get the Villa job and there would be no point in trying to attract an Eddie Howe to become the next big thing. It really limits your pool of who is available.

Different times though, in the mid-late 80s the intensity of the media just wasn't there and the financial implications of an average season were nothing like as punishing so it was easier to give someone the time to grow into it and it was easier for someone inexperienced to settle down.

Look at how replacing Fergie went for Man U, Moyes was totally out of his depth because he had no idea how to handle the pressure of such a big club and he fucked it up big time.

If your team is a little more settled and you're just bringing in someone who knows the system and can jump right into it then the profile doesn't matter (Zidane at Real and Guardiola at Barca were both 'through the ranks') but there's a reason why the top clubs chase a very limited pool of managers and it's because those guys have proven themselves capable of handling the pressure.

[Toronto Villa]

I don't altogether disagree with that but if you always stick by that notion then Alex Ferguson never gets the Man U job. Graham Taylor probably doesn't get the Villa job and there would be no point in trying to attract an Eddie Howe to become the next big thing. It really limits your pool of who is available.

Too many have buckled under our expectations. It is the one thing managerially we haven't tried and makes sense to me.

I don't think Howe would be any good for us, as an example.

Personally for me, of those available, the best short term 1-2 year solution who has an ego the size of half the planet who could do the job, and who I would have confidence in getting us promoted is Sam Allardyce. He's not who I would want in an ideal world but he's a wanker, but a very competent one managing football clubs. The Villa job would not overwhelm him at all.

[Toronto Villa]

I don't altogether disagree with that but if you always stick by that notion then Alex Ferguson never gets the Man U job. Graham Taylor probably doesn't get the Villa job and there would be no point in trying to attract an Eddie Howe to become the next big thing. It really limits your pool of who is available.

Different times though, in the mid-late 80s the intensity of the media just wasn't there and the financial implications of an average season were nothing like as punishing so it was easier to give someone the time to grow into it and it was easier for someone inexperienced to settle down.

Look at how replacing Fergie went for Man U, Moyes was totally out of his depth because he had no idea how to handle the pressure of such a big club and he fucked it up big time.

If your team is a little more settled and you're just bringing in someone who knows the system and can jump right into it then the profile doesn't matter (Zidane at Real and Guardiola at Barca were both 'through the ranks') but there's a reason why the top clubs chase a very limited pool of managers and it's because those guys have proven themselves capable of handling the pressure.

Managing Everton should have been a good stepping stone for Moyes going to Man U. I think they gave up on him too quickly, which I felt was validated by how poorly Van Gaal did. I don't know that there is a perfect formula. Who is there in a reasonable sense is the right manager to take on Championship Aston Villa? It's a combination of big club, a perilous pitfall with sprinkling of immense opportunity. Finding that manager who can understand, absorb all of that and flourish is very challenging.