Next Villa manager

[old man villa fan]

I'm in the Bruce camp

on here a lot of contributors were oozing how good remy "was" I remember. now he most likely is a good coach BUT he failed the acid test and for those waxing about Robert wagner , you are trying to perpetuate this cycle.

Bruce wont fuck up.

if not Bruce then an equally seasoned professional.

No, absolutely not and I say that as someone who doesn't think Wagner is the right choice.

The people who don't want Bruce are trying to BREAK the cycle.  Over and over we've hired a manager with no thought of the squad they'll inherit so they try to put square pegs in round holes, or have to make loads of signings to get a squad they can work with.  That constant flux of players, coaches and methodology is the reason we're in this mess, that's what board level disinterest does.  That's why what's truly important is for the board to decide what they want the club to be and then work out what we need to do to get there.  Hiring someone because they're a "seasoned professional" with no regard for playing style or hiring someone to get us promoted so we can worry about the premier league when we get there is the wrong approach.  We're desperate for results and to have something positive to talk about but we shouldn't let that desperation be the defining factor in this appointment.

As I've said I'd like someone with a track record of surpassing expectations at a big-medium sized club.  Meeting expectations at top half of the championship clubs really isn't enough.  I backed Garde and OGS because both of them seemed to have done just that and in the summer I backed RDM because I thought he was clearly the best choice out of him, Pearson and Moyes who were the names being linked.  This appointment is different; that one came when there were lots of questions over what investment would be available and how serious Xia was.  The huge outlay in the summer has taken away a lot of that uncertainty.

Our sights should be set higher than Bruce and he can come into it in a week or so if nothing else is working out.

My thinking too but who fits the equation.  I'm struggling to pinpoint somebody but I only see managers from their results and reports of them.  I, like many, do not know enough about them.  Hopefully, with the experienced people around the club now, they will know more about their personalities, how they really want to play the game given a pretty free reign to set it up.

You are right in the fact that the new manager has to be suitable to work with the majority of the squad, plus a couple of key additions in January.  Also, very important, they have to be a manager that wants to integrate youth players into the team in the future.  We cannot keep on going out buying players all of the time.  We still have to get the youth set up sorted as, other than a couple of players, there is a hole of a couple of years in the development of players.

If we cannot identify a manager to fit the above, I hate to say it but I would go for Big Sam by virtue of the fact that he has a better track record in the PL and has some good ideas on training methods.  If it was him, we would have to have a serious conversation with the FA first to be sure there was no ban on the horizon and also cover ourselves with the managers contract by having a get out clause with no compensation if issues arise in the future.

[sickbeggar]

The major bookmakers have suspended betting on Bruce according to the Meaning Evil.

emile Heskey seen in B6?

[old man villa fan]

If Randy Lerner was still the owner and was about to appoint Bruce as manager, I'd imagine this place and others would be in meltdown.

I'd rather stick with Clarke than go with SFB.

No way. Clarke is already there and the coaching and tactics are there for all to see. Abysmal.

Depends on whether he was in agreement with how the team was set up and asked to play.  He may have been at odds with RDM.  I have said it before, we would get some idea with his first team selection (if we don't have a new manager by then) and how he approaches the game.

Edit - Should have carried on reading before posting the above as others have said the same thing

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

I'd really like to know who the ten names on the list are. At least 6 of those in the poll aren't on it, according to ITK sources in the press.
I have sympathy with those on here who aren't very excited at the prospect of Steve Bruce taking over, but maybe it's a question of perspective. A Liverpool fan I work with is very surprised that we're not thrilled with the prospect of Clarke in control.

Having seen the influence of Clarke's coaching I'd be very surprised if any of us was thrilled! :-(

I'm curious to see our approach against Wolves. It will give an indication as to just how much influence Clarke has had tactically, and in terms of selection.
If he does something different, then perhaps RDM had very much his own ideas (which didn't work). That being said, the consensus is that RDM tends to leave a lot to his coaches. So we'll find out soon. I'd be very reluctant to give Clarke the job based on his time here so far, but if we suddenly look like a functioning unit in that Wolves game...
...

(if we did win, and did then get the job, Villa law dictates he'd lose the next five).

I was pretty underwhelmed about the appointment of RDM but delighted to see Clarke in (Bond less so as I knew so little about him) so I'm thinking pretty much along the same lines as you supertom. I've obviously been pretty disappointed so far but have seen us play some great stuff home and away when we could have buried teams before we suddenly changed personality mid-game and threw points away. Recent selections and game plans suggest RDM in panic mode. If Clarke has total responsibility it will be interesting to see what happens...in the Wolves' game and beyond...

[sickbeggar]

If Randy Lerner was still the owner and was about to appoint Bruce as manager, I'd imagine this place and others would be in meltdown.

I'd rather stick with Clarke than go with SFB.

No way. Clarke is already there and the coaching and tactics are there for all to see. Abysmal.

Depends on whether he was in agreement with how the team was set up and asked to play.  He may have been at odds with RDM.  I have said it before, we would get some idea with his first team selection (if we don't have a new manager by then) and how he approaches the game.

Or the fact he had so little time to impart his ideas on the players already there and those bought in? 11 games by anyone's measure is a short time to arrest the shitty management of 5 years or more.

[adrenachrome]

The major bookmakers have suspended betting on Bruce according to the Meaning Evil.

They do that most nights.

I take your point, but they are saying "large money came in".

Several bookmakers have now suspended betting on the next Aston Villa manager with Steve Bruce the odds on favourite.

Boyle Sports, Ladbrokes, William Hill, Betway and Betfred have all stopped taking bets on the market tonight after large money came in for the 55-year-old former Birmingham City boss.

The remaining bookies are offering prices ranging from 1/2 to 3/10 as the net seemingly closes on the next Aston Villa manager.

[old man villa fan]

An alternative could be to appoint an experienced manager like Hodgson with a bright young coach that needs a guiding hand to take the pressure.  The idea being that the young coach would become manager in a couple of years.  Where that would leave Clarke, I don't know.

[sickbeggar]

The major bookmakers have suspended betting on Bruce according to the Meaning Evil.

They do that most nights.

I take your point, but they are saying "large money came in".

Several bookmakers have now suspended betting on the next Aston Villa manager with Steve Bruce the odds on favourite.

Boyle Sports, Ladbrokes, William Hill, Betway and Betfred have all stopped taking bets on the market tonight after large money came in for the 55-year-old former Birmingham City boss.

The remaining bookies are offering prices ranging from 1/2 to 3/10 as the net seemingly closes on the next Aston Villa manager.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

If Randy Lerner was still the owner and was about to appoint Bruce as manager, I'd imagine this place and others would be in meltdown.

I'd rather stick with Clarke than go with SFB.

You love Steve Fabulous Bruce really.

Almost.

[ozzjim]

Hull fans seem to think lovely bloke, putrid football and they badly under-performed to end up in the play offs last season, spending too many games trying to hold on to leads rather than killing the game.

[Villatillidie1982]

Clarke anyone

No way, sacked from Reading, didn't do that well.
Sacked from Albion on the back of 9 wins in 45.

It really was too early to sack RDM despite what I said previously. He should have been given at least until Christmas and now Clarke should be given until Christmas. There are some very good players at the club for this level and time is needed to get them working as a team for 90+ minutes in each match.

[Havencheese]

On the basis of this, sign him up!


https://mobile.twitter.com/bruceatwedding

https://youtu.be/GH0yWLdUEwI

[KevinGage]

Excellent stuff. What the internet was invented for.

[Axl Rose]

Excellent stuff. What the internet was invented for.

That's warmed me to Brucie a little bit.

[Axl Rose]

Regarding Clarke, he'll be crap. Let's hope we survive the Wolves game, because with him in charge, it'll be hoof ball all the way.

He should have left with Di Matteo. His coaching obviously isn't what it's made out to be. He looks completely uninterested, and I'm looking forward to his departure. Another Eric Black for me. Garbage. As was/is Danny I look like a used condom, Murphy.