sharkyvilla

That Ole interview/video is great. Very infectious enthusiasm and just seems an all-round good bloke. His biggest problem would be the overpaid trogs he'll have to work with.

That's the biggest problem. This talk of wanting someone for the next 3 years, he'll probably get half of Villa Park booing if it's still 0-0 at half-time on the first day of the season. Just hope everyone will be grateful that it isn't McLeish any more and really support the team next season.

I would feel more comfortable with Poyet with Steve Clarke to help out. I worry a bit about managers that haven't had a bad period which they have come through and gained experience to fall back on when things inevitably get a bit tough. I think that is why AVB 'failed' at Chelsea. But I obviously base this on no knowledge of how Molde played last season or how Ole handles himself as a manger. He was one of the few United players I didn't physically hate and would support him 100%. It's certainly a lot more imaginative than getting McLeish in.

**** no. He should have got rid of Stephen as well. He's terrible and looks like this knob I work with if you slightly deflated him. Tom or Gabrielle to win

Yeah that is a decent statement from him. I am so glad that he is gone though. I have no issue with the money he spent just the negativity that he brought to the football. Now let's get a 21st century football man in, there are plenty of great managerial prospects just waiting to take a club like ours to the next level.

Horsham got relegated about 2 months ago :cry: They sold the ground about 15 years ago and the council still haven't managed to agree to a site for a new ground. The housing company allowed them to keep the ground for about 10 years before finally building so the club has been without a ground for about 5 seasons and finally got to the point where they can't pay players any more. So I saw them win one game this season out of about 15 that I went to. Sad to see how a club that drew with Swansea under Martinez in the Cup a few years back in the state it is now because of some NIMBY ****. Apparently they've finally been able to get a planning application in but whether it will be accepted I shall wait and see.

Hopefully this means we won't have to put up with Gerrard spraying passes into the stands or any other Scouse garbage. I'd be happy with either him or Harry tbh. I can't see past Spain winning it anyway, a semi-final appearance is the best I'm hoping for.

Yep, but the Prime Minister hasn't got any money, and as for the future King of England, we all know what people on here think of people who inherit wealth...... Darren Bent probably earns more in 3 weeks than Cameron gets in a year as PM. The PM gets paid a ridiculously low amount of money for the job he's meant to do, although he is minted anyway I guess. Can't see anyone in England being foolish enough to spend money on a football club at the moment.

He revolutionised the game imo. Nobody else has developed a team that can dominate 70% of the possession against even the finest club sides in the world, and the pressing game he introduced was ingenius. This season he probably went a bit too far in trying to create a team so perfect that it only needed midfielders but I still fancy nobody other than Mourinho would have won the league ahead of Barca.

That's exactly how I see it too. Good post.

I agree. When Randy and Faulker are moved to making a public statement then you know McLeish must be buggered. Let's hope he can do one final decent act and keep us in the league but I am struggling to see where we're getting points in the last few games. If we do get relegated then I don't think it's as financially disastrous as it once was, but only if we bounce back in the first season. We will find it easier to shift the dead wood, the youngsters will get a chance under hopefully a better manager who plays decent football. But hopefully we stay up and McLiesh goes anyway.

I cannot see any circumstances in which he could possibly still be in charge ot the club beyond the last game of this season. Martinez will be our next manager.

It should be a great final. I much prefer to watch this than another classico, as much as I enjoy watching Barca play. Still can't believe they contrived to lose, mind. Great performance by Chelsea.

That's the crux of it, really. Valdés could probably afford to be a worse shot-stopper then he actually is and they'd still persevere with him, as his ability on the ball and general distribution suits the team's setup and approach perfectly. I'm pretty sure that's why Fergie plumped for De Gea as his long-term keeper. He saw how far behind Barca Man Utd were in the final last year and how important even having a footballing goalkeeper is to the way they play and he wanted the same. I like Valdes (btw that Drogba shot was pretty vicious and Valdes had quite a lot of ground to make up so he had to dive imo) and it only highlights how scary the depth of talent in just about every position Spain have that he barely gets a look in.

case of too many cooks, he has perfect system and club signed Fabregas and had to find a spot for him but couldnt drop Busquets, Alves, Xavi or Iniesta. True. Thiago's progress has been hampered by Fabregas's signing. I would have thought it would be better to develop him by bringing him in and out of the side when Xavi or Iniesta needed resting and then bring Cesc in in a couple of years time when his Arsenal deal was down to its last couple of seasons (I think he still had 4 years on his contract when he signed for Barca) to replace Xavi. Either way I think no other manager than Jose would have won the league for Real ahead of even this Barca side so I have to credit him as much as I dislike his football.

Gabby started the season great which suggests to me that he still has it, albeit he does have his limitations, but he has been dragged down like the rest of the club by McLeish and Houllier. You can guarantee that if he went to Sunderland he would play out of his skin for O'Neill, just like most players do. We just need to get some positivity back into the club starting with the right manager, not just for Gabby's sake but basically every other player we've got.

I thought Puyol was brilliant against Chelsea the other night. It's Pep's weird tactics that have given themselves more problems than they really should have. Why when he had the perfect system in place did he feel the need to change it this season? Still even the greatest managers get things wrong from time to time. Great post by the way Pride of Brum.

Yup spot on. Another weird selection from Guardiola. Cost them a few points this season.

it's garbage. they get on fine. Gabby does not like being out wide which is why he is keen on a move Well if he put the **** ball in the net when he DID have the chance through the middle maybe he wouldn't be stuck out wide. I think when he started the season strongly it was starting up front and scaring the shit out of defenders with his runs in the channels. By pulling defenders out of position it frees up Bent to make his runs in the box and put it in the back of the net. When McLeish's negative 4-5-1 really took hold Gabby ended up getting more marginalised and he just hasn't got the intelligence to make it as a winger. Gabby is just one of many who have suffered under McLeish's guidance.

I wish people would stop moaning. It's still entertaining and gets belly laughs out of me a few times an episode. The right person went on this task but he was clearly quite strong so it's a shock to see them go.

To be fair the spirit (hate that word but screw it) between the two sides was great. Drogba was a tit but it had a role in giving Chelsea a breather every now and then, he wasn't trying to get anyone booked. It was also nice that they did it without kicking lumps out of Barca, something hopefully Jose can learn from for Saturday.

Cracking game that. Chelsea were utterly brilliant but still could have got raped so they were lucky but fully deserved it. Terry and Cahill were top notch. I think having Iniesta out left was a bit of a waste as he and Xavi together would have increased the tempo at the right times meaning Messi wouldn't have had to spend so much time on the half-way line. Fabregas was a bit shit in truth so didn't really deserve starting in the middle instead of Iniesta anyway. I fancy Chelsea to score at the Nou Camp so would put them slight favourites as I find it hard to see Chelsea shipping 3.

I think the Chelsea-Barca game will be quite tight. Unlike Utd in the final last year where Sir Alex mentally put Giggs and Carrick up against Xavi, Busquets and Iniesta, Chelsea are quite strong in the middle of the park and have Mata and Drogba who can create something out of nothing. I haven't seen enough of Bayern this season but I would still back Real against anyone other than Barca.

I'd try to get rid of both from our wage bill, they've let the club down too often imo. Jeffrey Bruma is one that interests me alongside Clark or Baker. Maybe a bit too green to go into a season as a centre-half partnership though.

He wasn't exactly Mr Popular before that though with his diving. I think Ronaldo thrives on the need to be disliked and show he's the best thing since sliced cheese (and know it) unlike Messi who seems to not really care that much either way. He is a truly great player though. Question, do people think Ronaldo's better than Maradona?