Villastine

Are you serious?? Have you actually seen Norwich play? Lambert has a plan A and a plan B, he knows how to get the best out of his players and adjust the system with the right players in the right place. I'd take either Martinez, Lambert or Rodgers. The only concern i would have is Martinez's teams can concede a few goals. However if we see an improvement on last season with decent football i will be happy. This will be a long transistion period and I am sure either of tbhese managers with the right backing can definately move us to the top half of the table again. Wigan conceeded 62 goals this season, Lamberts Norwich conceeded 66 Very true…by the way we only conceded 53!! On the flip side Lamberts Norwich scored 52 making them the 7th highest goal scorers in the premier division compared to Wigans 42. Anyway I would welcome either Lambert or Martinez. I just don’t understand how you have drawn the conclusion that Lamberts teams are one dimensional? If you get a chance watch their victories over Spurs and Swansea both of which show a tactical astuteness rarely seen at Villa Park.

Are you serious?? Have you actually seen Norwich play?

Can we please get one thing straight…..Lambert is not like MON. Lambert has built his reputation on his ability to (1) adapt his tactics to exploit the oppositions weaknesses. (pre match and in game!) (2) An ability to rotate his squad and not over rely on any players Yes he does prefer to employ direct football but then again so do most mangers in Europe!!

Would be great if we got him. He has done a great job at Norwich. Not really similar to MON. He has shown great tactical nous and an ability to rotate his squad! While we may be trying to restrict our finances we are in a different league in money terms to Norwich. Lambert knows this and is openly ambitious. I can see him jumping at the chance if we make an approach.

looks like he's gone......best thing thats happened to us this season!

Why? Well as Trent noted he'd be an improvement on McLeish, but we could erect a scarecrow in the dugout and see a marked improvement so it's not saying much. The problem with Martinez is he places style over everything. He forces his teams to play in a manner he deems appropriate even when it risks the clubs survival. Lets not forget that, despite their admittedly remarkable resurgence at the end of this season, they were shit for much of it, and they've been shit for much of his reign. And it a lot of comes down to the fact he insists on this style of football that rarely works for them. He's gotten away with it, just about, thus far, but I'm sure Wigan fans would prefer not to snatch survival from the jaws of relegation year on year and I'm convinced they would be more... comfortable if they were managed by someone with a bit of pragmatism. He's also bought a load of rubbish in his time. I don't think we have the players to make the most of his game style, and I think we'd be awful under him as he insisted on a style of football unsuitable for our situation. Given that we're also arguably in a rather fragile position right now (weak squad, lots of work needing doing and, you can assume, not a whole lot to fix it with), I wouldn't want to gamble on him. I think he'd have us lose and lose a lot. No... no thanks to Martinez. I said as much last year, and I think the same now, now amount of miracle turn arounds makes me ignore the fact that his Wigan have been terrible much, much more often than not. And a lot of that is his fault - it's possible to make teams out-perform themselves, O'Neill made his career off it, but it requires simplicity and playing to the strengths you have. Martinez insists his teams play in the manner he wants, not what fits it. Lambert is a better fit for our team imo. We have a team that doesn't suit itself to 'technical' football, a holdover from O'Neill, and Lambert can make use of that and build on it imo. You really are underestimating our players and Martinez. Wigan and for that matter Swansea don’t have better squads than us. They play a simple style of possession football that our players are capable of adapting to. These teams are not some form of English Barcelona. I suggest you watch a few of Wigan and Swansea’s games. Their players are average premiership players (at best). All they have proven is that you can play nice, neat possession football in the Premiership and get by with a squad of average players. Out squad is superior and our finances are much superior. There is no reason to believe Martinez would not be a success here.

Really don’t think there is any chance of AVB coming back to England, never mind Villa Park. Realistically we need a manager who can flourish under the conditions they will be forced to operate in at Villa. We need someone who has a proven record of working under a tight budget, getting the best from the players he has and playing attractive football. If you add the crazy stipulation for Prem experience then we’re left with Martinez or Olly!!

Bullshit….how many games did they start? They are potentially all premiership standard. This clown of a manager couldn’t even get a few decent games out of his own £10 million winger and £5 million fullback. Most of our squad have regressed under him. He has to go.

We have not recruited 6 managers in just over a year……Please deal in FACTS. Lerner has got it wrong twice. I am sure this is something he now accepts. Making a mistake and refusing to fix it is making another mistake and Randy will do this every day he leaves AML in position after Norwich. It’s certain that we need to reform the football side of the club, especially managerial recruitment, managers and players contracts and scouting. I am sure Randy will address this asap. The financial ramifications of sacking AML must be balanced with those of keeping him. Falling attendances, lost revenue from sponsors and the risk of relegation far outweigh the costs of his payoff and the recruitment of an able manager. Finally I find it hard to imagine a worse appointment than AML.

The Comoli rumours are probably just that. He is a strange man. Not too many good words for him at Arsenal, Spurs and now Liverpool. There are persistent claims that he is a bluffer. He claimed credit for signings he had nothing to do with at Arsenal and he is ridiculed at Spurs for similar antics. All the same he would surely improve our non-existent scouting network. However we could need to be sure that our new manager would be willing to work with him.

Very unlikely. There is absolutely nothing to gain from keeping him here. I think its more likely than unlikely. I think there will be about 8 players leaving in the summer and about the same in. I think McLeish will be given a season to work with "his" team. I think he will do what he did at Rangers and replace the overpaid troublemakers with European Bosman signings. I dont think Lerner will pay for another manegerial change either Financially keeping AML makes no sense. Season tickets sales have dropped off significantly and smaller sponsors have not renewed deals. Unless Randy wants to emulate Rangers current position he will not allow McLeish to fill the squad with over paid below average continental signings. This man is totally out of his depth in the Premiership and his record backs this up. He got his chance. Time to get rid. A stitch in time saves nine

Strongly disagree. How exactly did he never have a chance?! He got the f**king the job, he got transfer backing from the board. That was his chance. The joyless football we produced all season is the result of him being given a chance. The 4 wins at home this season is the result of him being given a chance. The 3 wins away is a result fo him being given a chance. We are a disgrace this season and that’s a result of him being given a chance. If he is given a further chance next season we will be relegated. I wish he hadn’t been afforded a chance but lets be clear he was.

Very unlikely. There is absolutely nothing to gain from keeping him here.

As I mentioned elsewhere Frank DeBoer fits the bill perfectly. A few years ago it may have been unrealistic to expect us to prise a manager away from Ajax but given the economic gulf between the respective leagues I think we could do it.

Well first we need to get rid of McLeish and survey the wreckage. If we stay up ….id be happy with any of Philip Cocu Frank De Boeur Roberto Martinez Philip Cocu Ian Hooloway Nigel Adkins Malky Mackay

Relegation is a very clear and present likelihood for our club. The board just seem to want to cover their eyes and ears until the last game of the season and hope we have survived. They have left it too late now to sack the clown McLeish. He does not seem to have lost the dressing room which is the only reason you could get rid at this stage of the season. I know this is only opinion but looking at experiences elsewhere it would be a huge risk to replace him with KMAC so late in the day. What we’re left with is truly awful. It’s like watching your car slowly free wheeling towards a cliff edge and hoping it won’t gain enough momentum to go over. We will try (and fail) to park the bus against Spurs. I just hope we don’t go to Norwich needing a win!!

Relegation is a very clear and present likelihood for our club. The board just seem to want to cover their eyes and ears until the last game of the season and hope we have survived. They have left it too late now to sack the clown McLeish. He does not seem to have lost the dressing room which is the only reason you could get rid at this stage of the season. I know this is only opinion but looking at experiences elsewhere it would be a huge risk to replace him with KMAC so late in the day. What we’re left with is truly awful. It’s like watching your car slowly free wheeling towards a cliff edge and hoping it won’t gain enough momentum to go over. We will try (and fail) to park the bus against Spurs. I just hope we don’t go to Norwich needing a win!!

In fairness this is bullsh1t. If the likes of Wenger was managing the Blouse and we poached him….All of us would be delirious with delight. FACT! Actually even thinking about the scenario funny

Can't ever remember seeing our support so disenchanted. I can see things getting ugly on Saturday at VP. Another insipid performance from us is all but guaranteed. There will be no reversal of form under this totally inept manager. Lads with a short fuse will need to watch themselves; he’s not worth a lifetime ban.

This……..his appointment was a mistake on so many levels – no need to make another one by not sacking him at the end of the season.

Lawro just made my day. I have been reading his predictions for a long time now and in fairness I don’t ever remember him commenting on speculation before. I really hope there’s something in it. Still even if its pure bull it indicates that the media are starting to realise McLeish has been a disaster....can’t be long before Randy cops it!

You mean watch United beat Wigan's near full squad, then beat our bunch of youngsters. Not sure how that will be a good assesment. Think you missed his point entirely. Afraid I didn't. How you set up depends on the players you have available. This in turn affects the result. I rate Wigans available squad better than ours they also have a lot more 'big game' experience. Therefore Wigan's manager will be able to make a more informed decision about how they set up. Just because you don't agree with what I say, doesn't mean I missedthe point. You can take that into account when you assess their respective approaches and outcomes. You did miss the point! You're right. We can assess them both. But as I explained before, you cannot compare them. So whats the point? Anyway as Trent has already pointed out there is no point discussing it as McLeish will be here next season and Martinez wont. I’m refusing to believe one half of that!

You mean watch United beat Wigan's near full squad, then beat our bunch of youngsters. Not sure how that will be a good assesment. Think you missed his point entirely. Afraid I didn't. How you set up depends on the players you have available. This in turn affects the result. I rate Wigans available squad better than ours they also have a lot more 'big game' experience. Therefore Wigan's manager will be able to make a more informed decision about how they set up. Just because you don't agree with what I say, doesn't mean I missedthe point. You can take that into account when you assess their respective approaches and outcomes. You did miss the point!

I’m sure that was 2 more than McLeish got?.......and the debate has moved to Martinez or McLeish at the moment.

You mean watch United beat Wigan's near full squad, then beat our bunch of youngsters. Not sure how that will be a good assesment. No I meant just what I typed. Watch Wigan tonight and see what you actually make of them over 90mins against United. It’s simple really. Just let on tonight that you’re a Wigan fan. See what your view is afterwards and if others do the same honestly I think the debate will be over tomorrow.