brummie

Thank god O'Neill has gone, if it means we play like we did today a bit more often. West Ham were shite (and I'm tempted to lump on them going down) but we played better football than we have for at least two years at VP today.

He's retired from football management.

Former commander of the US Marine Corps.

The non usage of the squad players that he bought in favour of running the same team into the ground whilst yet again burning out at the end of the season was bizarre. It was so depressing hearing the exact same starting XI read out, with the exact same tactics which don't work at home, week after week.

On his way to Villa.

He was asked to do something about the wages bill, and refused to. That's what has happened. If he is going to refuse to do that, then he needs to be on solid ground in saying that it doesn't need to be tackled. Beye 40k Shorey 35k Sidwell 40k NRC 50k Davies 35k L. Young 40k That's 240k *a week* sat doing absolutely nothing.

MON apparently hasn't said a word to a number of the fringe players for yonks. He's one of them. I can't understand the likes of MON and Rafa shooting themselves in the foot treating players like outcasts, especially ones they signed. Makes me glad the way Hughton conducts himself on this matter. That's the thing. Curtis Davies 9.5m, NRC 8.5m, Shorey 5m, Luke Young 4m. All ceased to exist, all signed by the manager, then he says "give me some more money, or I'm off". It doesn't add up, really.

MON apparently hasn't said a word to a number of the fringe players for yonks. He's one of them.

Good, I'm glad you approve, but tbh I wasn't being a twat to him this time, in fact he was being a twat to me, I didn't even respond too harshly, but whatever. Which is pretty much where Brummie's dislike for me all started, I crticised his club on a NUFC forum, he attacked me, I responded. To be perfectly honest, I don't really dislike the guy much, he's OK, conducts himself very well for a guest from another club but he's very jumpity with me, there's a lot worse written in this thread about his club and fans, but he ignored all that and attacked me because of our history, it's ok though, water of a ducks back. I don't have a problem with you personally at all. I don't dislike you at all. I'm here discussing MON as a sensible rational human being, and engaging in conversation with a lot of people I've talked with about football for, what, four years now, and who almost to a man have proven to be amongst the most sensible, head-screwed-on people I've encountered on the internet. In fact, in all that time, I can only think of one other poster who has gone off on the same slant you do with me. That's the thing, see, I see other people on here making the same points, yes, but I see you doing it continually, and seemingly more so while I'm around. It'd be dead easy for me to go and take a stereotype about Newcastle supporters from one of the many places on the internet they're pedalled and start believing it, but I don't, because I know - partly but not entirely from my experience here - that they're not all like that. I remember going to SJP to watch us play you in 1986, and one the way out, a Newcastle fan put a brick in my mate's sister's face from about two paces. I remember going to places like West Ham and getting treated abysmally. I remember getting a severe kicking at White Hart Lane in the 1980s, too. It would be dead easy for me to judge all the fans of those clubs by the actions of a few, but I can clearly see that's really a bit daft. I suspect that's not the approach you would take over, for example, the banners, deciding that, actually I'm a twat as well. I've been here for yonks and don't think I've acted that way, but that's the way I get tarred by your logic. I just think it's a bit sad when people from different loyalties can't discuss football sensibly like grown up human beings without regurgitating tired old cliches or petty minded bigotries. That's exactly the sort of approach that made it so easy for football supporters to get treated like shit for decades. If that's the way you want to be, then I don't have a problem with it, which is why, bar saying I think you're daft and maybe making the odd comment along the lines of it being water off a duck's back, I don't really want to go into it.

O'Neill will only go somewhere where he's the biggest name at the club, and runs it from top to bottom. If you want a reason for him leaving now, that's it - first time he doesn't get to call the shots, he's off. Five days before the start of the season, too. I'm actually heartened he's gone, though. Had he got 20m from the sale of Milner, we'd have had 10 on yet another winger, McGeady, and another ten on a shit midfielder (Jenas) to replace another shit midfielder (Sidwell). sounds exactly like keegan I don't think there is anything wrong with managers wanting total control, that's their shout, but I think they have to realise that, if they get that control, and should things go wrong, all the finger pointing is generally done in the one direction. With more control comes greater scrutiny and greater responsibilities.

Not surprised, I've always said they never deserved a manager as good as O'Neill. Southgate is more fitting form them or even Souness. Still doing your predictable, smalltime routine, I see. I'd point out where you're making yourself look a bit daft, but you're doing such a great job yourself, it seems a shame to tread on your toes. LOL, still jumpity when someone on a Newcastle forum criticises Aston Villa I see, perhaps we should introduce a new rule that stops that thing from happening. If you look I was just responding to someone elses criticism of your crap fans, and I don't think you'll find too many people with a lot of time for your club on here after the way your supporters went on the last time we played them. *munches popcorn, slurps flat Sprite*

Not surprised, I've always said they never deserved a manager as good as O'Neill. Southgate is more fitting form them or even Souness. Still doing your predictable, smalltime routine, I see. I'd point out where you're making yourself look a bit daft, but you're doing such a great job yourself, it seems a shame to tread on your toes.

O'Neill will only go somewhere where he's the biggest name at the club, and runs it from top to bottom. If you want a reason for him leaving now, that's it - first time he doesn't get to call the shots, he's off. Five days before the start of the season, too. I'm actually heartened he's gone, though. Had he got 20m from the sale of Milner, we'd have had 10 on yet another winger, McGeady, and another ten on a shit midfielder (Jenas) to replace another shit midfielder (Sidwell).

I think there may be some truth in that, but there's more to it.

I was going to ask if you were joking, but I've just had to remind myself how far we've fallen since I was pointing out o'Neill's was totally unproven as a top quality manager. I do think he's someone who can consistently achieve that top ten/UEFA hole with virtually any club, and that combined with his particular style as a manager mean it might not actually be a bad move for us just now. Still don't like him and don't much want him, though - would be happier to press on with Hughton. Same! Been waiting for something to laugh at Villa about since the horrible c***s acted like small time c***s about us going down. Hopefully they flog all of their best players and plummet. Don't count your chickens - unless Lerner's lost interest, which he hasn't really so far as I'm aware, I'd be over the moon if I were them and this could be the best thing to happen to them since o'Neill was appointed. The timing's pretty horrible of course... but nevertheless. Why the f*** would you be over the moon ? Are you insane ? The bloke totally transformed a strugglling prem club into one of the top clubs 8 clubs in the country, there's nothing better out there available for Villa right now. Randy Lerner transformed them. Any manager in the league could take a team that changes from one of the lowest budgets in the league to one of the highest in Europe from the bottom half to the top. He's still finished no higher than every Villa manager I can remember and looked clueless has to how to take them further. What is this nonsense about Liverpool ffs His tactics and transfer policy (What is it, 3 foreign signings ever?) belong in the bottom half. He barely bought anyone as he was brought in just before or after the window had closed, took over a team that had finished just above the relegation spots and suddenly they were top half of the table. He's worked wonders with the likes of Agbolohar (sp?), Milner and Barry. Lerner had a part to play in all that of course, but it's his manager that's transformed thm. As a side note, Lerner's Cleveland Browns have been one of the worst franchises in the NFL for as long as Lerner has been in charge, he's not thought of in great light on this side of the pond. Lerner is the man who has done most to transform the club, far far more than MON has. Anyone who thinks otherwise is talking nonsense, I'm afraid. Or appreciates the influence on the team on the pitch better. Look at us, we were backed to the hilt and probably beyond our means by Freddy, put a crappy manager in there like Souness and your strggling at the wrong end of the table. Have fun without O'Neill, you'll miss him more than you think, if Lerner doesn't get the appointment right, and trust me he doesn't always hit a home run with his appointments at other organisations. You're missing the point. The point is that lots of money does not automatically equal success, but no money automatically equals no success. Lerner has been magnificent in everything he's done for the club thus far. He's facing his biggest challenge now, but to be honest, I don't think there will be a shortage of applicants to work at a top six club, under a chairman who has been widely lauded as possibly the best in the league, and where so much of the ground work has been done. There are no guarantees, and MON has done some excellent work, too, but he wouldnt have been able to do it without Lerner.

Well, strictly speaking, we'd finished sixth under O'Leary two years before MON arrived. You want O'leray back ? And if you take that one year out of the equation, it's not so rosey. Yes it is, actually. Since football was invented in 1992, our average position is about 7th. And no, i dont want O'Leary back, but assuming villa pre MON was entirely about DOL's last two years is daft.

I was going to ask if you were joking, but I've just had to remind myself how far we've fallen since I was pointing out o'Neill's was totally unproven as a top quality manager. I do think he's someone who can consistently achieve that top ten/UEFA hole with virtually any club, and that combined with his particular style as a manager mean it might not actually be a bad move for us just now. Still don't like him and don't much want him, though - would be happier to press on with Hughton. Same! Been waiting for something to laugh at Villa about since the horrible c***s acted like small time c***s about us going down. Hopefully they flog all of their best players and plummet. Don't count your chickens - unless Lerner's lost interest, which he hasn't really so far as I'm aware, I'd be over the moon if I were them and this could be the best thing to happen to them since o'Neill was appointed. The timing's pretty horrible of course... but nevertheless. Why the f*** would you be over the moon ? Are you insane ? The bloke totally transformed a strugglling prem club into one of the top clubs 8 clubs in the country, there's nothing better out there available for Villa right now. Randy Lerner transformed them. Any manager in the league could take a team that changes from one of the lowest budgets in the league to one of the highest in Europe from the bottom half to the top. He's still finished no higher than every Villa manager I can remember and looked clueless has to how to take them further. What is this nonsense about Liverpool ffs His tactics and transfer policy (What is it, 3 foreign signings ever?) belong in the bottom half. He barely bought anyone as he was brought in just before or after the window had closed, took over a team that had finished just above the relegation spots and suddenly they were top half of the table. He's worked wonders with the likes of Agbolohar (sp?), Milner and Barry. Lerner had a part to play in all that of course, but it's his manager that's transformed thm. As a side note, Lerner's Cleveland Browns have been one of the worst franchises in the NFL for as long as Lerner has been in charge, he's not thought of in great light on this side of the pond. Lerner is the man who has done most to transform the club, far far more than MON has. Anyone who thinks otherwise is talking nonsense, I'm afraid.

Well, strictly speaking, we'd finished sixth under O'Leary two years before MON arrived.

Nah, it won't be that. MON has been the one who has sounded like he wanted to cash in on Milner this summer, apart from anything. As I said earlier, I think it goes back to the fact that over the last two years, we've accrued an immense wage bill, including a lot of players on big deals, who never get a game. Habib Beye, 31 years old, 3 year contract, 40k a week. Nicky Shorey, 40k a week, never used. Sidwell, 40k a week, comes on for ten mins here and there (and is shit) Also, revealed recently that Emile Heskey (3.5 year contract at age 31, on 60k a week) is the highest earner at the club. Personally, I think that is the thing which has done for him. Is it good for us? Well, I don't know. I do think that had he stayed, he'd have got us to 6th or 7th this season again. That's not his problem, he could get most decently funded teams to around that level. His problem is that having got us there for three years, he plainly didn't have what it took to move us on. And that's not just judged on points / positions, it is judged to a large degree on what we've seen on the pitch at home for the last two years, where the football has been terribly predictable, and unproductive. It is good for us if Lerner appoints the right man. Were it not for the fact I've just heard he's been installed as favourite, I would be putting money on Martin Jol right now. He's the sort of manager we could use, and he's got an affinity for the club (used to watch us play on his days off when he was playing at Albion). As an outside bet, what is Klinsmann doing these days? Rumours he is a friend of Lerner, and he was widely considered to be his planned manager before the takeover, until he heard everyone else wanted MON.

He got a game on Saturday, as well. And he was one of our best players on the day.

Kerching!

Us v Valencia. Friday night Fifteen pounds Valencia playing again tomorrow Live on telly No, ta. Mind you, look at that, Habib Fucking Beye. I thought he'd died.

Jesus wept. Imagine how much Gazza or Beardsley would be worth. I was never as much a Beardsley man as I was a Gazza man, so dunno, but even ignoring the MilnerLescott distortion, Gascoigne, for me, would be 50m plus, easily. When i started watching you lot in the mid 80s and first saw him, I couldn't really believe what i was seeing, a kid, shoulders back, head upright, waltzing around like he owned the place. What a terrible waste.

He's been excellent for us, last season in particular, but yes, that's fucking insane money.

James Milner. 27.5 million by all accounts.