Past Managers, Love or Hate?

[PeterWithesShin]

Houllier was bang on about some players though, especially Gabby. It's been said before, but Houllier had the feeling of a consultant brought in for a year or two to sort stuff out rather than a manager with a personal interest in the club.

[PeterWithesShin]

A quick Google to remind me of this. "score one game and out the next", from a bloke that scored 3 goals in 26 league games. And the last bit, well by the end of the season he had scored 4 in 33 league games.

Gabriel Agbonlahor has accused former Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier of ruining his England career.

The 24-year-old has not featured for England in nearly two years, and he blames Houllier and assistant Gary McAllister, claiming his inability to hold down a place in Villa's starting XI last season scuppered his chances of a call-up.

"Last season killed me a lot," Agbonlahor said. "I feel I have to start again with England now. It was a season to forget. The set-up was frustrating.

"One game you would score, the next game you would be on the bench. I was not used to it. Luckily the manager left and McAllister left as well."

Agbonlahor, who scored five goals in a testing season for Villa last term, already has two goals to his name this season, and he hopes a good run of form will attract the interest of England manager Fabio Capello.

"Euro 2012 is still a target," he said. "Anything can happen with injuries and people can lose their form. The new manager has given me a chance.

"England have really good players but if I could get that chance, then I would be excited by it. Hopefully I'll steer clear of injuries and play well for Villa."

[edgysatsuma89]

John Gregory I never warmed to. There was always something of the Ukip/Reform voter about him.

Is that fair? He's managed in Israel, Kazakhstan and India, which dosn't strike me as the sort of career path somebody would take if they had any sort of antipathy to foreign types, or were a little Englander. The players and fans all absolutely loved him in India, by all accounts.

I don't do rational.

I don't remember too much about Gregory, but as a child at the time he definitely scared me. I wasn't prepared for him after the gentleness of Brian.

I don't know at all about his politics, but taking coin doing his job abroad doesn't really tilt it either, for me.

That's funny you say that because he used to scare me as well, like a strict PE teacher you didn't want to piss off. Must have been our age.

[ROBBO]

The difference between Emery and all previous managers is the preparation that happens before games and his ever presence on the touchline. My lasting memory of Gerard was of him sitting in the dugout with a look of total defeat on his face. Reading Dave Woodhalls post it seems that most of the managers we've had, football aside, were really nice people. Happy to read that.

[Rory]

John Gregory I never warmed to. There was always something of the Ukip/Reform voter about him.

Is that fair? He's managed in Israel, Kazakhstan and India, which dosn't strike me as the sort of career path somebody would take if they had any sort of antipathy to foreign types, or were a little Englander. The players and fans all absolutely loved him in India, by all accounts.

I don't do rational.

I don't remember too much about Gregory, but as a child at the time he definitely scared me. I wasn't prepared for him after the gentleness of Brian.

I don't know at all about his politics, but taking coin doing his job abroad doesn't really tilt it either, for me.

That's funny you say that because he used to scare me as well, like a strict PE teacher you didn't want to piss off. Must have been our age.

Yes, the kind of PE teacher who'd say "right girls, line up and we're going to watch Rory run ten laps of the pitch in his pants - make sure you laugh and point".

It never happened (unless I've buried the memory) but always felt an imminent threat.

[algy]

SB - (t) indifferent, (n) Mild like - he did ok, and stopped it from becoming more of a shit storm then it needed to be.  limited but amazing author.[/B

Finally someone on here giving him credit for his true calling in life. Definitely up there with Dickens, Shakespeare, and Sit Arthur Conan Doyle in that regard

[RichardBatchelor]

John Gregory I never warmed to. There was always something of the Ukip/Reform voter about him.

Is that fair? He's managed in Israel, Kazakhstan and India, which dosn't strike me as the sort of career path somebody would take if they had any sort of antipathy to foreign types, or were a little Englander. The players and fans all absolutely loved him in India, by all accounts.

I don't do rational.

I don't remember too much about Gregory, but as a child at the time he definitely scared me. I wasn't prepared for him after the gentleness of Brian.

I don't know at all about his politics, but taking coin doing his job abroad doesn't really tilt it either, for me.

That's funny you say that because he used to scare me as well, like a strict PE teacher you didn't want to piss off. Must have been our age.

Exactly that, a PE teacher. Had zero sympathy with Collymore’s depression and probably made him swim in the pool in his underpants. He regretted it afterwards.

He’s mellowed now though - seems a really nice bloke when interviewed, and Villa through and through. That first year under him was incredible.

[john e]

To have only had 5 overseas managers, and 3 of them were already well experienced in England, possibly explains why we've been shit for so long.

Agree with this
Was only chatting with my lad the other night saying there’s no old school British managers left in the prem now

Alardyce Pardue pulis warnock Bruce McLeish, even Moyes whose is probably not as bad but still in the same mold in the end, went for playing the football No one wants to see.

Potter and howe both play more progressive football and can’t be classed as old school dinosaurs I don’t think
Don’t know about the new fella at Ipswich

What I’m really saying is that up and at them type Football has all but disappeared from the Premier League
I think Wenger had the biggest influence on that, everyone plays that Pep ball now but Wenger started it in the Prem

[VillaTim]

Bruce assembled the bones of the team that got us up - McGinn, JT, Elmo, AEG. Credit due where required.

[RamboandBruno]

Bruce assembled the bones of the team that got us up - McGinn, JT, Elmo, AEG. Credit due where required.

JT wasnt playing in the team that got promoted and the way Bruce started that season until we got the boot, we were heading for mid table at best. It took and up, down and then very up (10 game run from Smith/Grealish) to get us into the play offs.

[VillaTim]

Bruce assembled the bones of the team that got us up - McGinn, JT, Elmo, AEG. Credit due where required.

JT wasnt playing in the team that got promoted and the way Bruce started that season until we got the boot, we were heading for mid table at best. It took and up, down and then very up (10 game run from Smith/Grealish) to get us into the play offs.

JT was part of the team that got us up though.

[Olneythelonely]

He wasn’t.

Edited - Unless you’re talking about him as a coach. Which is a stretch

[SoccerHQ]

Bruce assembled the bones of the team that got us up - McGinn, JT, Elmo, AEG. Credit due where required.

El Ghazi barely played and slagged Bruce off after he left IIRC. Bolaise was also signed around then and his spell here was a non-event.

McGinn was an excellent signing, no issue about that. Getting in Tammy was critical given Kodjia simply wasn't the same after the two injuries in 2017.

Steve Bruce could bring in good players with his contacts and sales pitch but it was how we were playing that was the issue and that was the lack of work on the training ground as we really were doing the bare minimum to win games in the championship.

All blew up in the play off final when Fulham ran rings around us in the first half.

That's what I love about Emery. When you look at his 18 months we really haven't spent that much compared to many who finished below us and he just gets on with improving underachieving existing players e.g. Bailey.

[Risso]

Most managers, even the unpopular ones signed some great players. O'Leary signed Laursen and Solano, Lambert got Benteke, Bruce gave us McGinn and Gerrard brought in Kamara.

[FrankyH]

John Gregory I never warmed to. There was always something of the Ukip/Reform voter about him.

Is that fair? He's managed in Israel, Kazakhstan and India, which dosn't strike me as the sort of career path somebody would take if they had any sort of antipathy to foreign types, or were a little Englander. The players and fans all absolutely loved him in India, by all accounts.

I don't do rational.

I don't remember too much about Gregory,but as a child at the time he definitely scared me. I wasn't prepared for him after the gentleness of Brian.

I think if I'd have met Saunders as a kid , I would still be in counselling now ! On the Scary Manager scale no one comes near Sir Ron.