Villa Park: a managerial graveyard?

[dave.woodhall]

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.

Why then did we go to the 1994 League Cup final as daytrippers and the one two years later like we owned the place?

[Dave]

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.

Why then did we go to the 1994 League Cup final as daytrippers and the one two years later like we owned the place?

Is it anything more complex than the first one everyone thought we'd lose, and the second one everyone thought we'd win?

[TopDeck113]

Or the difference between appearing in your first final in twelve years or the second in two seasons?

As it so happens, I always thought we'd win in 1994. A combination of knowing how BFR was the man for a one-off showpiece and the feeling that our name was on the Cup.  I was more nervous two years later as I thought Howard Wilkinson had the wherewithal to bore his way to a 1-0 victory.

[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.

Why then did we go to the 1994 League Cup final as daytrippers and the one two years later like we owned the place?

Might be because we were facing one of the best sides in Europe for the first one and Howard Wilkinson's plodders in second?

[dave.woodhall]

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.

Why then did we go to the 1994 League Cup final as daytrippers and the one two years later like we owned the place?

Might be because we were facing one of the best sides in Europe for the first one and Howard Wilkinson's plodders in second?

Or because when Little was in charge we were every bit as big time.

[Salsa Party Animal]

I thought if we kept Gary McAllister after moving Houllier upstairs we wouldn't be in a mess. But we went to appoint Alex McLeish and co afterwards. We doesn't have a system, a playing style, or a vision or right people to make things happens.

[passitsideways]

I thought if we kept Gary McAllister after moving Houllier upstairs we wouldn't be in a mess. But we went to appoint Alex McLeish and co afterwards. We doesn't have a system, a playing style, or a vision or right people to make things happens.

I don't think it would've mattered even if Houllier had been willing to move upstairs, the thing was the well had run dry. Maybe there was an odd chance that Houllier would've played a role in appointing an unknown but talented manager who could do good things on a budget, but alas we'll never know.

[wittonwarrior]

Can we not get Brian Little in for the rest of the season and then seek a  replacement in the summer.

[BOB MANSFIELD]

On the wing or down the middle ?

[ciggiesnbeer]

I thought if we kept Gary McAllister after moving Houllier upstairs we wouldn't be in a mess. But we went to appoint Alex McLeish and co afterwards. We doesn't have a system, a playing style, or a vision or right people to make things happens.

One day I want to hear what happened then. The appointment of McLeish was SO beneath us as a club, so completely wrong and against our play style it has to rank as one of the strangest appointments ever. I cannot imagine the circumstances of that Board meeting when they said "Yup, thats our guy." and nobody questioned it. Bizarre.

[levico]

Can we not get Brian Little in for the rest of the season and then seek a  replacement in the summer.

This would be cruel treatment of a Villa legend.

[robbo1874]

I thought if we kept Gary McAllister after moving Houllier upstairs we wouldn't be in a mess. But we went to appoint Alex McLeish and co afterwards. We doesn't have a system, a playing style, or a vision or right people to make things happens.

i agree with others your post. I think we'd have been ok if we'd kept Mcallister.

[martin o`who??]

VP is becoming a graveyard full stop.

[garyfouroaks]

VP is becoming a graveyard full stop.

Full of people too ready to start digging.

[john e]

the reason we have gone through so many managers is because none were good enough
they were all rubbish, there's not one you would want back (Houlier's health issues accepted)

you get a good one you keep him you keep getting bad ones you keep getting rid,
 its nothing to do with anything else, the clubs toxic because of the players the crap managers have bought in

the right manager, I don't know who that is its all a bit of a lottery the same as when Southampton went for Poch or Bournmouth went for Howe they didn't know how they would turn out they threw the dice and it came up sevens

the right manager turns us right round within 6 months, the wrong one keeps on getting it wrong