Villa Park: a managerial graveyard?

[brian green]

It would be doing the world of racing a great service.

[mr underhill]

there would be some top hair dryer moments in the dressing room , that's for sure.

[Mister E]

In relation to the OP, I'm surprised not more has been made of the apparently-sensible appointment of Wyness and Round and the little impact they appear to have made so far ...

[PeterWithe]

I imagine there are Sunderland fan sites with pretty much the same sentiments. There seem to be certain clubs that are unmanageable irrespective of the manager.

Some interesting points and compelling theories on this thread, but I think this last one probably sums it up.  Over the last fifty years there's been brief moments when the stars have aligned and we've achieved - or even over-achieved - our potential, but for the most part it has been about making do, underachievement and, for most of this century, descending into a cesspit of the club's own making. 

So why do so many managers collapse under the weight of the expectation where there doesnt actually seem to be that much, perhaps we have just made seven bad choices?

Or they were the right choices but at the wrong time.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

In relation to the OP, I'm surprised not more has been made of the apparently-sensible appointment of Wyness and Round and the little impact they appear to have made so far ...

Expect to see David Moyes roll up at Villa Park in the summer.

[passport1]

And yet Southampton seem to loose their manager every season along with a raft of key players. Despite this they continue perform. There must be a reason.

[Simon Page]

It just feels like it. They've only been back in the top flight four and a bit years. Pochettino was there 18 months, Koeman two years. Slipped a tad (nothing like Villa proportions of course) under Puel this season. Clearly better run than us in that time, but more stable too. In the same period we've gone Lambert, Sherwood, Garde, Di Matteo and Bruce plus the caretakers. The other difference is they've changed during an upward trajectory, losing managers they wanted to keep rather than scrabbling around at the arse end of the table for what they can get.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

And yet Southampton seem to loose their manager every season along with a raft of key players. Despite this they continue perform. There must be a reason.

Probably the same reason Swansea have done the same despite 18 managers in 17 years.

[LukeJames]

Southampton and swansea created a clear vision of what they are and the direction in which they want to go, Bob bradley aside, all there managers have been selected on the principles they have put in place.

The difference with us is we have no fucking idea what we want to be hence why we jump from a manager with one style of play to another manager with the complete opposite style of play.

[passport1]

Southampton and swansea created a clear vision of what they are and the direction in which they want to go, Bob bradley aside, all there managers have been selected on the principles they have put in place.

The difference with us is we have no fucking idea what we want to be hence why we jump from a manager with one style of play to another manager with the complete opposite style of play.

Exactly. They have a template they stick to it, the players know what is expected of them as do the incoming managers.
We have no ethos as a club just grabbing at a new policy every few seasons. Last summer was  a perfect time to start with a blank sheet of paper set out what the club was and communicating that clearly. Instead we appear to have reverted our usual scatter gun approach with inevitable results.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Southampton and swansea created a clear vision of what they are and the direction in which they want to go, Bob bradley aside, all there managers have been selected on the principles they have put in place.

The difference with us is we have no fucking idea what we want to be hence why we jump from a manager with one style of play to another manager with the complete opposite style of play.

I've got to disagree with that last part, 'our style of play' has been pretty consistent since MON arrived - shite. That more than anything is what's behind Villa Park being a manager's graveyard. Obviously there are differing levels of shite, we have hoof shite, dull shite, passing yourself to death in your own half shite, headless chicken shite, overpaid wasters shite and now plan? - what plan shite.

When I heard late last year Steve Round talking about trying to discover and implement the 'Aston Villa Way', my first thought was 'oh shite'. It would appear he's very good at his job and it didn't take him long to find it.

[KRS]

You could argue a case for Houllier despite his health issues, but the list of managers we've appointed over the last 7 years has been very underwhelming in terms of what they have achieved and proven success in the game:

Houllier
McLeish
Lambert
Sherwood
Garde
Di Matteo
Bruce

Is it any surprise we are where we are with such a clusterfuck of poor managerial appointments, all the other stuff going on behind the scenes and a revolving door of players. There has been no stability, no structure and no foundation for a successful club or team for years, and this needs to stop. We have a new owner that looks intent on rebuilding the structure behind the scenes, but we need to appoint a manager that has proven ability to set up a team and get results...we're a graveyard for crap managers.

[KevinGage]

Flashes only though nothing sustainable. BFR's fell away as fast as it rose...

Sorry, don't accept that at all. 

BFR was the last manager we had who had us acting like a big club. And that was the case for the bulk of his four years.  Little's team was attractive, but we were seen as next rung down the ladder from the big 3. MON got some good results against the top 4 and reasonable league positions (though dire football) but we often played like plucky minnows even away to fairly modest sides.

[TonyD]

For all the money spent on players recently I suspect we could have signed a top manager. 

[Rudy Can't Fail]

For all the money spent on players recently I suspect we could have signed a top manager. 

For all the money we've paid managers in compensation I'm sure we could have hired top managers.