Aston Villa appoint Alex McLeish as new manager

[JH]

Amazing how short sighted some people are

 

As if we wouldn't be ripping a team to the shreds if they were supposed to be top 10 and ended up being relegated on the last day

[ponsaelius]

O'Neill is overrated imo.

 

His knowledge of football outside Britain must be shocking as all he ever seems to do is pay over the odds for average home grown players.

 

His tactics are 1 dimensional aswell imo, I repeatedly get very bored watching Villa play.

 

Can't argue with his relative success like, just don't think he has what it takes to take a team further than he's took Villa.

 

The real loss for Villa here is if Young and Milner are being flogged, the wheels could well and truly start to come of if players are being sold.

[afar]

Fuking mental, poor Villa.

 

Can we have him please?

 

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.

 

Hope the vile c*** supporters are devastated.

 

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.

[Guest gggg]

Fuking mental, poor Villa.

 

Can we have him please?

 

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.

 

Hope the vile c*** supporters are devastated.

 

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.

 

They finished in the bottom half in his first season. Then they were the third biggest spenders in Europe and finished 6th, then another huge spend and finished 6th, then another..even under Ellis they often finished there, so I don't know what's so great about that.

 

Give Moyes that money and Everton would easily be in the Champions league.

[Dokko]

Amazing how short sighted some people are

 

As if we wouldn't be ripping a team to the shreds if they were supposed to be top 10 and ended up being relegated on the last day

 

Basically, aye.

 

At the time i was fuked off and from now one any time we beat them I will be a little more smug, but if we relegated Everton, Villa or the Spuds i'd be laughing my tits off.

 

 

[Foluwashola]

Amazing how short sighted some people are

 

As if we wouldn't be ripping a team to the shreds if they were supposed to be top 10 and ended up being relegated on the last day

 

They mocked us, therefore them going through some misery now would be humorous.

[brummie]

Fuking mental, poor Villa.

 

Can we have him please?

 

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.

 

Hope the vile c*** supporters are devastated.

 

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.

[TRon]

After all the money he's spent you would think MON would be prepared to work to a budget for a year or two. Could be wrong but it appears he's took the huff because he's not got £50m more to chuck down the drain this year.

[JH]

Amazing how short sighted some people are

 

As if we wouldn't be ripping a team to the shreds if they were supposed to be top 10 and ended up being relegated on the last day

 

They mocked us, therefore them going through some misery now would be humorous.

 

Of course, but some are treating it as if there is some sort of rivalry. In reality, it's just because we were there on that day. They couldn't give two fucks about us, so we shouldn't give two thoughts to them.

[brummie]

After all the money he's spent you would think MON would be prepared to work to a budget for a year or two. Could be wrong but it appears he's took the huff because he's not got £50m more to chuck down the drain this year.

 

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

 

 

[afar]

Fuking mental, poor Villa.

 

Can we have him please?

 

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.

 

Hope the vile c*** supporters are devastated.

 

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.

 

That's what we thought too, Billionaire owner, 50,000 fans every home game, proud tradition and top 4 team. All that didn't stop of ending up with the likes of Souness, Roeder and Kinnear. Be careful what you wish for.

 

[Ritchie]

After all the money he's spent you would think MON would be prepared to work to a budget for a year or two. Could be wrong but it appears he's took the huff because he's not got £50m more to chuck down the drain this year.

 

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

 

 

 

Maybe he was told he couldn't spend the Milner money?

[afar]

After all the money he's spent you would think MON would be prepared to work to a budget for a year or two. Could be wrong but it appears he's took the huff because he's not got £50m more to chuck down the drain this year.

 

I guess we don't know what happened, but if Lerner had said to him, "we're flogging Milner and Young for a combined 40 million, but giving you nothing back to spend" then I would be pissed off too, especially on the back of selling Barry last year for a big fee. Hard to speculate, because we don't know what went on, but I can't say I'm shedding too many tears over this

[Incognito]

JFK is currently available nudge nudge wink wink.

[Mr. Snrub]

After all the money he's spent you would think MON would be prepared to work to a budget for a year or two. Could be wrong but it appears he's took the huff because he's not got £50m more to chuck down the drain this year.

 

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

 

 

 

Maybe he was told he couldn't spend the Milner money?

 

Or was told he could have it all, and realised he won't have a clue how to fucking spend it.

[NG32]

LOL

[80]

Fuking mental, poor Villa.

 

Can we have him please?

 

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.

 

 

He would be a massive step up, but considering the rumours why he's leaving Villa to how we are currently run there's no chance on earth he'd come here, it would be out of the fire and in to the sun.

 

 

 

Heh, yeah pretty much. Only thing is Lerner's mob are intelligent and strong-minded. So far as I'm aware, they've always done what they think is best for the Aston Villa's future and it's usually been right. In contrast, our lot are short-sighted cowards who might actually respond to o'Neill's assuredness, funnily enough - I know at first sight he can appear like Keegan, but I think the dynamics would be different and could (not definitely would) turn out more in his favour... at least long enough for him to give us stable premiership mediocrity for 2 to four seasons. Of course, our board have shown they only need six months to turn that kind of position into relegation, but that's another story.

 

I'd love a manger to come in to pressure the board, I thought Keegan was that man, not with threats of walking, but in terms of selling the club and the idea of spending to build quickly for a better future. I have doubts MON would make a difference to this lot, and the result would be the same, a club looking for a new manager.

 

Thing is it is a daft move for MON, the offer for Milner is huge, and anyone would take it, so his reasons are flaky, but even worse is his timing, 5 days before the start of the season. I know there's no loyalty in football, and if results went against him his job is on the line, but leaving like this at this time feels like he's trying to do as much damage as possible, very Keegan like imo.

 

 

 

 

Don't want to drag this on to talking about us too much... but I do disagree on the last bit about Keegan...

 

I think part of the reason Keegan trying to sell the club to the board didn't work is that they just gave him no credibility from the start, and gave the club no real credibility either - they thought he and we were mugs. The more optimistic (not expectant or stupid, just hopeful) we were, they less respect they gave us.  With regards o'Neill, because of the reputation he probably has in their eyes - not our actual view of him, plus the nature of his demands, plus the fact he expects hostility and so will be more aggressive and tenacious than Keegan was (Keegan ultimately wants and needs willing partners, o'Neill doesn't especially care), I think it might just work for him. I'd say one of the significant differences between him and Keegan is that o'Neill really is way more inclined to deliberately damage fellow figures at the club in public to further his own ends. He has more experience in that and is more comfortable with that game.

[Dave]

LOL

 

[Dr.Spaceman]

I only had the TV on for 15 seconds whilst trying to fix my Xbox, but oh my god were those 15 seconds worth it...

 

"Breaking news this hour on Sky Sports News...."

[Guest Heneage]

Wonder who their next Messiah will be....

[Guest neesy111]

O'Neill spent a fortune at villa recently, and after his first 2 seasons there, they really haven't progressed at all

[Colocho]

I really don't see what criticisms people can have of him? Calling him a nearly man, what a load of shit ...

[STM]

Personally i think O'Neill is a very good manager and would be very happy if he was our boss. It all depends on Villa's ambition TBH, if they want top four then perhaps O'Neill is limited, otherwise they will struggle to replace him.

[80]

Fuking mental, poor Villa.

 

Can we have him please?

 

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.

 

Hope the vile c*** supporters are devastated.

 

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.

 

Look, who appointed o'Neill? And why did he do it? Because Lerner thought he was the best guy to approach in the circumstances, and it wasn't too bad a move. I'd say his biggest mistake - especially if the money really has dried up, which I'm under the impression it hasn't - was showing too much loyalty when he first got disturbed by o'Neill's inadequacies, especially in spending the huge pots of money Lerner was apparently positively asking him to spend. Appointing managers isn't easy, but Lerner's short track record suggest he'll go about it in the right way, and even more to the point, everything else he'll do will be totally conducive to the success of that appointee. Our failure, along with that of other clubs/chairmen, is not so much found in picking the wrong CV from the application pile as from asking any new/prospective manager to work in fucking nightmarish conditions.

 

Moyes should go for it if he gets offered the chance, that's someone who deserves a chance at the big time and I think it could be a nice match. I'm not aware of anything which shows he's not up to going beyond 6th, as contrary to the case with o'Neill. I don't know enough about the manager market and Aston Villa's position just now, so I don't know if they could make an obviously better appointment.

[JH]

If Sky say "it's the big breaking news this afternoon" one more time, I might just scream. They've said it about 10 times in the last 5 minutes