Next Manager Speculation/Hopes

[boozey182]

The Telegraph are reporting that we are 'making an ambitious attempt to convince Mauricio Pochettino to step back into management'. Percy, Matt Law and Sam Wallace all contributed to the article apparently, so there may be some truth to it.

This would go a long way to repairing the damage done over the last 11 months - I really hope we are this ambitious.

I think damage is a too strong a word. We just haven't progressed. It's not as if whoever the next manager is will need to overhaul it. We showed yesterday we can be a decent side on our day but we've not shown that anywhere near enough and that's obviously one of the problems.

I dunno. I think 12-18 months ago there was a really strong connection between the players/manager/club and the fans. I'm not sure if you were there yesterday, but the general feeling I got was that most of the crowd didn't want to be there. I mentioned on another thread the apathy around the place - I think that's incredibly damaging for a football club.

Gerrard isn't completely to blame for this - but he's a big contributor and replacing him with someone who knows what they're doing will be a massive step in the right direction. They won't need to overhaul it, they'll just need to be a better manager which is a very achievable goal.

[Clampy]

Yes, I was there and I kind of get what you mean. The atmosphere wasnt great and I kind of got the impression people want change to give us a reboot and  I get that. If he was to go tomorrow, I don't think his reign will have been a complete disaster, just something that didn't work.

[Richard E]

I’m trying not to get my hopes up. We’re Aston Villa, we’re not allowed to have nice things.

[Villan82]

If Percy is involved I am going to get my hopes up!

[Beard82]

The Telegraph are reporting that we are 'making an ambitious attempt to convince Mauricio Pochettino to step back into management'. Percy, Matt Law and Sam Wallace all contributed to the article apparently, so there may be some truth to it.

This would go a long way to repairing the damage done over the last 11 months - I really hope we are this ambitious.

I think damage is a too strong a word. We just haven't progressed. It's not as if whoever the next manager is will need to overhaul it. We showed yesterday we can be a decent side on our day but we've not shown that anywhere near enough and that's obviously one of the problems.

I dunno. I think 12-18 months ago there was a really strong connection between the players/manager/club and the fans. I'm not sure if you were there yesterday, but the general feeling I got was that most of the crowd didn't want to be there. I mentioned on another thread the apathy around the place - I think that's incredibly damaging for a football club.

Gerrard isn't completely to blame for this - but he's a big contributor and replacing him with someone who knows what they're doing will be a massive step in the right direction. They won't need to overhaul it, they'll just need to be a better manager which is a very achievable goal.

I think your right - I think the general feeling is we have been duped again by the emperor's new clothes routine, and people are doubting our ambition is more than just PR.  Appointing a top class manager would really help to convenience us otherwise.

TBF I think they thought that SG would do that - but I think they underestimated just how difficult it is to manage a club like Villa.   To an extent - I think DS made it look too easy. 

[RamboandBruno]

The Telegraph are reporting that we are 'making an ambitious attempt to convince Mauricio Pochettino to step back into management'. Percy, Matt Law and Sam Wallace all contributed to the article apparently, so there may be some truth to it.

This would go a long way to repairing the damage done over the last 11 months - I really hope we are this ambitious.

I think damage is a too strong a word. We just haven't progressed. It's not as if whoever the next manager is will need to overhaul it. We showed yesterday we can be a decent side on our day but we've not shown that anywhere near enough and that's obviously one of the problems.

I dunno. I think 12-18 months ago there was a really strong connection between the players/manager/club and the fans. I'm not sure if you were there yesterday, but the general feeling I got was that most of the crowd didn't want to be there. I mentioned on another thread the apathy around the place - I think that's incredibly damaging for a football club.

Gerrard isn't completely to blame for this - but he's a big contributor and replacing him with someone who knows what they're doing will be a massive step in the right direction. They won't need to overhaul it, they'll just need to be a better manager which is a very achievable goal.

My son had a footie game the other side of Birmingham that didnt finish till 1.30, we had a christening party to go to which i could of gone after the match. I honestly couldn’t muster the energy to work out the logistics of parking after 2pm when we would of arrived in Aston and getting to the party after, i think its been years since i missed a game other than the pandemic. I know we’ve had worse times in the early to mid 2010s, but this last few months has been a horrible slog and it is worse because no matter how it went with Smith at the end, there was a connection that had been created.

[ChicagoLion]

If Percy is involved I am going tog et my hopes up!

nope

[adrenachrome]

Matt Law in the Torygraph:

Aston Villa will make an ambitious attempt to convince Mauricio Pochettino to step back into management with the Midlands club as Steven Gerrard enters the most critical week of his year in charge.


Gerrard is preparing for games against Fulham, at Craven Cottage on Thursday night, and Brentford, at Villa Park on Sunday, that could seal his Villa fate.


Even if he somehow survived a defeat to Fulham, it is thought Villa would have to beat Brentford to give Gerrard any chance of surviving the sack – although even that may prove to be a stay of execution.


Telegraph Sport understands that Pochettino is the first man Villa will turn to if Gerrard is sacked, with co-owner Nassef Sawiris expected to lead any process, with Wes Edens, chief executive Christian Purslow and sporting director Johan Lange all heavily involved.


 Villa could wait if Pochettino showed interest But Villa will face a huge task to convince Pochettino to resume his coaching career in the Midlands, given he has spent his last six years in management in the Champions League at Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain, and has worked with some of the biggest stars in world football.


That will not stop Villa trying to move heaven and earth to tempt Pochettino, with the timing of Gerrard’s dismissal also likely to be impacted by the club’s need to line up a replacement.



Villa would almost certainly be prepared to wait for Pochettino if he unexpectedly showed any interest in the job but did not want to make an immediate commitment.



Were he to reject an approach, then more ambitious checks could be made on former Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel, who is out of work, and ex-Arsenal manager Unai Emery, who is in charge of Villarreal, with Villa needing a distinguishable step up on Gerrard and the right man to help deliver the vision of the owners.


Sawiris and co-owner Edens still have big plans for Villa, with the pair adding a Las Vegas team, who are in talks to enter the MLS, to their portfolio and also hoping to secure at least one European club, as well as opening two academies in Africa.


Purslow is often credited with being in charge of managerial decisions at Villa, such as the decision to sack Dean Smith and replace him with Gerrard, whom he knew from their time together at Liverpool, last November.


But decisions are made collaboratively among Villa’s board and Lange, and it is understood that Gerrard’s relationship with Purslow will not spare him from the sack if Villa’s results do not instantly and dramatically improve.
  Gerrard saw his Villa team produce one of their best performances of the season in the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea, but the club now sit just one point above the bottom three in 16th position. Villa were two points clear of the relegation zone in exactly the same position in the table when Gerrard succeeded Smith.


 Villa woes exposed under Gerrard this season Villa have scored only seven Premier League goals this season and there has been no tangible improvement under Gerrard, despite the club signing Philippe Coutinho, Lucas Digne, Diego Carlos, Boubacar Kamara, Leander Dendoncker and Jan Bednarek, who is on loan from Southampton.


There is sympathy that Digne, Carlos and Kamara are all currently out injured, but Coutinho has made no impact since signing permanently this summer and Gerrard pulled the plug on the planned signing of Watford forward Ismaila Sarr, who has scored four goals this season. Dendoncker and Bednarek are yet to start a game.
 

[Goldenballs]

Is Matt Law reliable?

[Sexual Ealing]

No idea, but John Percy retweeted it.

[Villan82]

Move heaven and earth to get Poch.

[SaddVillan]

If Percy retweeted it, then it's got to be pretty credible.

[jwarry]

If Percy retweeted it, then it's got to be pretty credible.

Well it would be remiss if they were not making plans.  I still think he’s got these next 2 games to turn it around though

[Smirker]

It's on.

Can't wait to hear my Pochettino song being sang from the stands of Villa Park.

Argentina flags everywhere.

 

[Toronto Villa]

I think the end is close. It's not just this season. It's the end of last also. Throw in how the fans feel about him (home and away), and commentary around a feeling of detachment from the club and it's clear that he doesn't have a future. And players simply haven't performed to their level, or progressed sufficiently. There is a malaise around the club that needs to be lifted.