Martin O'Neill

[Rob W]

Martin O'Neill set for talks on Aston Villa future - BEEB

 

 

 

Martin O'Neill will discuss his long-term future as Aston Villa manager following a meeting with owner-chairman Randy Lerner at the end of the season.

 

O'Neill told BBC Radio 5 live there would be a "number of determining factors" dictating whether or not he stays at the Premier League club.  "Aston Villa supporters will play a part, the chairman will play a big part because he is my employer," he said.  "And I will also play a part in proceedings because it's my future."

 

O'Neill said there was no truth in internet rumours from earlier in the week suggesting he was ready to quit Villa which followed claims he was was unhappy with Lerner's transfer policy.  "There is not an ounce of truth in the story that I have had a fall-out with Randy Lerner. In fact, he called me earlier in the week to see where these stories were coming from," stated O'Neill.  "He was pretty surprised and also very supportive and it was good to hear that. I have been delighted with the investment put into the club. I have been allowed to invest £80m on players.  If the chairman decided to sell, and he has no intention of doing so, then he could get his money back with interest on four or five of those players. It is nonsense to say that I want to walk away now. There is still so much to play for and there is a renewed determination to see it through.  I will assess everything at the end of the season. I will sit down with the chairman and see where we are going. I will assess everything at the end of the season. I am contacted on a yearly basis and would hope to continue."

 

O'Neill, 58, joined the West Midlands club at the start of the 2006-07 season and the nearest he has come to winning a trophy with them came when he took Villa to this year's Carling Cup final. The team lost 2-1 to Manchester United.  They do, however, retain a chance of sealing a top-four finish which would take them into the Champions League next season, and face an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.  Villa will look to bounce back from a recent 7-1 league defeat at Chelsea when they visit Bolton on Saturday. They appear to be losing their momentum, with three points from a possible 15 in their last five league games.

 

But O'Neill said he remained positive: "I have been here four years, and four years ago the club was in a pretty depressed state. I still have the energy and vitality of someone who is 15 years younger and that zest has kept me going.  In terms of the Champions League, we are going to give it a go as long as it is possible and I expect a positive response from the players after what happened at Chelsea."

 

[brummie]

I can't believe what a non story this is.

 

From our OS this evening.

 

Martin O'Neill Statement

 

In light of ongoing and perplexing reports - despite my efforts to bring clarity to the situation earlier today - I would like to reiterate one or two points which, to me, are essential. Every summer, since taking this job in August 2006, I have sat down and discussed the season in general with my chairman, Randy Lerner, attempting also to formulate plans for how we hope to keep improving the club year on year. This summer will be no different. I have a yearly rolling contract and I hope to continue to do a job, the challenges of which I enjoy immensely.

 

I think the most worrying thing is that this whole story started with some bollocks posted on a Villa blog which hardly anyone ever reads, was picked up by TalkSport and the Mirror and grew from there. What does that say about the state of our media?

 

MON has his faults - quite a few of them - and I'm starting to doubt whether he'll ever take us higher than sixth, but he is absolutely not the sort of person to walk away.

 

He's installed his people all over the club - didn't like two CEOs, got them both replaced. Didn't like the Press Officer, got one of his best mates installed. He runs the club from top to bottom, he's not going to flounce off after one awful result and a bit of the sort of booing that you get everywhere (which, of course, doesn't get picked up on quite so much if it is, say, Arsenal fans booing Eboue, or Spurs fans booing their side).

[brummie]

The difficulty for those clubs under the top four is that the best players will still prefer to go to the Champions League clubs. So the chasing clubs really have to pay over the odds in transfer fees and wages to compensate. Man City are the only ones who are really doing that. Villa have spent a lot in total, but unlike City they've been restricted to players who the top four don't particularly want. And in the case of Gareth Barry, Villa actually lost a good player due to City's money.

 

In any case, come on guys, O'Neill isn't exactly failing. In a long managerial career, he's never failed at any club.

 

And as any Villa fan will tell you, we haven't missed Barry in the slightest this season.

 

And as any Man City fan will tell you, 12m was a decent price.

 

[brummie]

has he really spent £130m??

 

didnt realise he had spent that much.

2nd highest net spend over the time hes been there

only man city beats him

 

That's nonsense.

 

That figure is Lerner's investment in the club, it is not "net spend" on transfers by any stretch of the imagination.

[brummie]

good article from Marcotti. O'neill is one dimensional, if i were lerner, i'd look to replace him. it would be a risk, because O'Neill guarantees you a competitive side that will finish in and amongst the european spots, and it could all go horribly wrong with a new man in charge. but if lerner is prepared to spend and try and get into the top four he will need another manager as im pretty sure it wont happen with O'Neill.

 

I agree with this. I'm (or i was) a big fan of O'Neil but some of his decisions this season have been baffling. I still maintain that he's a good manager that did excellent jobs at Leicester and Celtic but his failed terribly when it comes to transfers at Villa imo. Maybe he's the sort of manager that works better on a smaller budget?

 

From the bolded bit ..

 

First bit, I think that's very unfair. Harewood, Sidwell, Shorey, NRC (at a push) - I can't think of any other dodgy transfers. Davies, maybe, but he was actually doing very well for us until he injured his shoulder early this season.

 

On the flip side, Ashley Young and James Milner have been excellent signings. As were Dunne and Collins at 10m the pair.

 

Second bit, I think there's a lot of truth in that. The motivational aspect is a large part of his management.

[brummie]

12 million for Milner cracks me up every time.

 

Why?

 

Because he looks worth every single penny (he does). If we sold him now, we'd get a fair whack more than that.

 

He's also a stick on to go to South Africa. The people who should be crying in that case are those who were laughing at the fee.

[brummie]

Brummie has been quite crtical of him in the past iirc. reckons the fans have been ready to pounce for a while, he seemed to think MON would go earlier in the season.

 

bizarre positioning of players etc seems ot be the main reason, and also a lack of a plan b.

 

Lack of Plan B.

 

Tactical inflexibility.

 

Baffling selections (Cuellar at RB)

 

Doesn't use subs unless he absolutely has to.

 

Only buys from the home market.

 

Assembles a squad of really, pretty good footballers, then just plays the same ones, week in, week out. So we fall away, three years running.

 

I don't think for a nanosecond he should be sacked, that's absurd, but it is easy to say "OMG, they're mad, what are they moaning about?" based on 5 mins here and there on MOTD. He's a stubborn fecker, and as I've said on here god knows how many times, he drives you absolutely mad at times (which is exactly what Celtic fans said about him).

 

I think he could keep us 6th-8th with his eyes closed, without breaking sweat. Has he got what it takes to take us top four? I'm not too sure about that. I think two things will hold him back - doesn't really play the transfer market as well as he could, and he's tactically very set in his ways.

 

Having said that, he has certainly earned the right to keep on trying.

[brummie]

Aside from the "played under Clough" angle, I think his good reputation is partly due to the Premier era middle-class interest in football and increased media coverage. You see the same with Southgate, Hughes, Zola, etc. If a manager comes across as a nice man, or especially an eloquent one, people cut them more slack than they deserve.. Ultimately its a results-driven job. You've got to deliver

 

The other one is the O'Neill is lucky to be managing in an era when Chelsea, ManYoo, Arsenal and Liverpool are treated as having a divine right to the top four places. The press may not have big upped Gregory or anyone else as much in the past because fifth wasn't seen as some amazing achievement.

 

He's a very, very difficult man to dislike. He's witty, eloquent, entertaining, thoughtful and intelligent.

 

I get very, very pissed off with him, then I think how much I like him and how much I prefer him as a man to - for example - that wonky faced cunt Redknapp, who seems to have a vocabulary of 20 words (most of which aren't actually proper words - 'triffic' etc), or that bloated buffoon Benitez.

 

He's also extremely popular with the media. Read people like Patrick Barclay and Henry Winter and they're practically groupies. Then there are the MOTD people who are all his mates.

 

He's a popular bloke, but as you said, he has to deliver, too.

 

[Cajun]

I (milners biggest bum boy) thought the fee was over the top but as brummie says, if they were to sell him now they would more than likely make a profit.

 

Milner was just another in a long list (which continues to grow) that wasn't appreciated/taken for granted. Yes he wasn't as good on the wing but even then people went massively over the top criticizing his performances/attributes. To this day some insist he cannot cross a ball to say his life but even playing more centrally for Villa I have seen him put in some beautiful crosses (john carew will back me up on that).

 

 

[brummie]

I (milners biggest bum boy) thought the fee was over the top but as brummie says, if they were to sell him now they would more than likely make a profit.

 

Milner was just another in a long list (which continues to grow) that wasn't appreciated/taken for granted. Yes he wasn't as good on the wing but even then people went massively over the top criticizing his performances/attributes. To this day some insist he cannot cross a ball to say his life but even playing more centrally for Villa I have seen him put in some beautiful crosses (john carew will back me up on that).

 

 

 

9 goals, 14 'assists' (I hate that word), runs for 90 minutes, works his bollocks off, game in, game out, and shaping up to be a decent central midfielder.

 

It's between him and Richard Dunne for our player of the season.

[midds]

I'll be honest and say that Milner never looked like a £12m player in his time here and I was astonished when O'Neill coughed up for him. He'd go for £15m+ now easily and is getting better every season.

[Cajun]

He was fighting it out for that here a couple of seasons too, like he was amongst 2-3 players fighting for it when on loan with you lot the first time.

 

Still he was shit, slower than my Nan, immobile, couldn't cross/beat a man etc.......

[brummie]

John Robertson was slow and fat, but he knew how to cross a ball better than pretty much anyone else I've seen play in our league.

 

He's obviously done something.

 

Milner does look much the better player through the middle, though.

[Guest kingdawson]

12 million for Milner cracks me up every time.

 

Why?

 

Because he looks worth every single penny (he does). If we sold him now, we'd get a fair whack more than that.

 

He's also a stick on to go to South Africa. The people who should be crying in that case are those who were laughing at the fee.

 

Milner at £12m is a good deal imo. Didn't look like one at the time but he's proved his worth.

[brummie]

12 million for Milner cracks me up every time.

 

Why?

 

Because he looks worth every single penny (he does). If we sold him now, we'd get a fair whack more than that.

 

He's also a stick on to go to South Africa. The people who should be crying in that case are those who were laughing at the fee.

 

Milner at £12m is a good deal imo. Didn't look like one at the time but he's proved his worth.

 

To be honest, at the time, although we liked him from his loan spell with us, we too were wondering about the price. Like you said, with hindsight, there's not really much to complain about.

[1878]

I can't believe what a non story this is.

 

From our OS this evening.

 

Martin O'Neill Statement

 

In light of ongoing and perplexing reports - despite my efforts to bring clarity to the situation earlier today - I would like to reiterate one or two points which, to me, are essential. Every summer, since taking this job in August 2006, I have sat down and discussed the season in general with my chairman, Randy Lerner, attempting also to formulate plans for how we hope to keep improving the club year on year. This summer will be no different. I have a yearly rolling contract and I hope to continue to do a job, the challenges of which I enjoy immensely.

 

I think the most worrying thing is that this whole story started with some bollocks posted on a Villa blog which hardly anyone ever reads, was picked up by TalkSport and the Mirror and grew from there. What does that say about the state of our media?

 

MON has his faults - quite a few of them - and I'm starting to doubt whether he'll ever take us higher than sixth, but he is absolutely not the sort of person to walk away.

 

He's installed his people all over the club - didn't like two CEOs, got them both replaced. Didn't like the Press Officer, got one of his best mates installed. He runs the club from top to bottom, he's not going to flounce off after one awful result and a bit of the sort of booing that you get everywhere (which, of course, doesn't get picked up on quite so much if it is, say, Arsenal fans booing Eboue, or Spurs fans booing their side).

 

To be fair his "efforts to bring clarity to the situation" were downright pathetic. I, and seemingly everyone else that watched it, thought his efforts were put into avoiding the question and refusing to commit either way.

 

All he had to do was give a straight answer!

[Guest kingdawson]

Brummie these stats were posted a few pages ago. The players in bold are the ones i feel have been a success at Villa Park. Tell me what you think...

 

FIRST SEASON 2006/2007

 

In

 

Stiliyan Petrov Celtic £6.5m

Didier Agathe Celtic Free

Chris Sutton Celtic Free

Phil Bardsley Manchester United Loan

Gabor Kiraly Crystal Palace Loan

John Carew Lyon Swap

Ashley Young Watford £9.65m

Shaun Maloney Celtic £1.1m

 

SECOND SEASON 2007/2008

 

In

 

Wayne Routledge Tottenham £1.5m

Moustapha Salifou FC Wil Undisc.

Curtis Davies West Brom Loan

Zat Knight Fulham £3.5m

Scott Carson Liverpool Loan

Harry Forrester Watford £250 000 initial fee rising on appearances

Eric Lichaj Unattached Free

Marlon Harewood West Ham Undisc (region of £3.5m?)

Nigel Reo-Coker West Ham £8.5m

 

THIRD SEASON 2008/2009

 

In:

 

Curtis Davies (WBA undisclosed but around £7.5million?)

Steve Sidwell (Chelsea £5.5million)

Brad Friedel (Blackburn, undisclosed but in the region of £2 - £2.5million)

Brad Guzan (Chivas US, undisclosed, starts at around £800k up to £2m on appearances etc?)

Nicky Shorey (Reading, around £4m?)

Luke Young (Middlesbrough, around £5m?)

Carlos Cuellar (Rangers £7.8million)

James Milner (Newcastle, around £12million?)

Arsenio Halfhuid from Excelsior (undisclosed)

Emile Heskey from Wigan Athletic (£3.5m)

 

 

 

 

[tmonkey]

Villa really should have purchased Darren Bent when the opportunity was there.

[jdckelly]

Villa really should have purchased Darren Bent when the opportunity was there.

was kinda obvious he scored 18 last season for spurs despite arry clearly despising him and generally not manmanaging right (where does the rumour hes a good manmanager come from? not just bent but pav as well who is clearly more useful than crouch in the spurs side)

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

Looking back in it, was some great business swapping John Carew for Milan Baros.

 

I'm definitely of the opinion, the O'Neill has about reached the limit of what he is capable of at that club. If Villa really want to step up and fight for consistent CL football, change in necessary. I have a feeling they are very content with their current position though.

[merlin]

I'll be honest and say that Milner never looked like a £12m player in his time here and I was astonished when O'Neill coughed up for him. He'd go for £15m+ now easily and is getting better every season.

 

...and that HAS to be down to the manager and coaches ; I reckon Robertson takes a lot of credit for Milner's progress, but NUFC have to accept responsibilty for either not playing him in the right position, or not developing his ability into the sort of player he now is.

Maybe KK would have moved him inside - he certainly didn't want to sell him.

[Cronky]

I'll be honest and say that Milner never looked like a £12m player in his time here and I was astonished when O'Neill coughed up for him. He'd go for £15m+ now easily and is getting better every season.

 

...and that HAS to be down to the manager and coaches ; I reckon Robertson takes a lot of credit for Milner's progress, but NUFC have to accept responsibilty for either not playing him in the right position, or not developing his ability into the sort of player he now is.

Maybe KK would have moved him inside - he certainly didn't want to sell him.

 

Well, Keegan didn't want Smith or Owen to be sold either. By that stage, Milner was a pawn in the power struggle between him and Wise.

 

Credit to O'Neill because what he spotted in Milner was potential, not performance. I don't think any of the other big clubs were interested or prepared to pay anything like that money. And it's not like Milner slotted instantly into a regular first team place at Villa.

 

What Milner has got is a fantastic attitude to self-improvement. His physical fitness is now quite astonishing, for someone who doesn't look like the greatest natural athlete. He also thrives on responsibility, and while he wasn't ready for that central role while he was with us, he's got there with Villa.

[Rob W]

a few people tried with Milner and I think everyone thought he had promise but he just didn't seem to click

 

MoN spent quite a bit of effort and has seen him really take off

[TheGuv]

I'll be honest and say that Milner never looked like a £12m player in his time here and I was astonished when O'Neill coughed up for him. He'd go for £15m+ now easily and is getting better every season.

 

...and that HAS to be down to the manager and coaches ; I reckon Robertson takes a lot of credit for Milner's progress, but NUFC have to accept responsibilty for either not playing him in the right position, or not developing his ability into the sort of player he now is.

Maybe KK would have moved him inside - he certainly didn't want to sell him.

 

Well, Keegan didn't want Smith or Owen to be sold either. By that stage, Milner was a pawn in the power struggle between him and Wise.

 

Credit to O'Neill because what he spotted in Milner was potential, not performance. I don't think any of the other big clubs were interested or prepared to pay anything like that money. And it's not like Milner slotted instantly into a regular first team place at Villa.

 

What Milner has got is a fantastic attitude to self-improvement. His physical fitness is now quite astonishing, for someone who doesn't look like the greatest natural athlete. He also thrives on responsibility, and while he wasn't ready for that central role while he was with us, he's got there with Villa.

 

I always saw KK moulding him into a CM like he did with Rob Lee last time. And hey! what do you know MON does it and he is one of the best players in the league at the moment...

[Disco]

Aye one of Milners better games was one of his last against Coventry in the Lge Cup playing in the middle/off the front man.