makouns_grin

Matt Kendrick's latest tweets give a good indication of the position i reckon..

#avfc were still waiting to hear back from Ancelotti's people last night. If, as other reports claim, he's decided no he's yet to tell Villa

Click

Ancelotti approach possibly more in hope than expectation, so #avfc are simultaneously working down shortlist of other targets

Click

No harm in trying, good to see.

I'm sure if he says no it will actually be Randy's fault somehow which would be ridiculous!

Mark Hughes leaves Fulham but Aston Villa do not want him as manager

• Hughes activates break clause to leave Craven Cottage

• Aston Villa unimpressed by course of events

Stuart James, Jamie Jackson and David Hytner

guardian.co.uk, Thursday 2 June 2011 23.00 BST

Mark Hughes has been left without a club after leaving Fulham and being linked with Aston Villa. Photograph: Paul Thomas/AP

Mark Hughes will not be the new Aston Villa manager and has been left without a club after walking out on Fulham on Thursday night. The Welshman had been the favourite to succeed Gérard Houllier but Villa, unimpressed with the course of events that culminated in Hughes activating a break clause in his contract and leaving Fulham, have turned their attention elsewhere. Martin Jol and Steve McClaren are at the top of Villa's shortlist.

In a further twist Jol and McClaren, who are out of work and eager to return to employment in the Premier League, will also be leading candidates to take over at Craven Cottage, where Hughes had been expected to sign an improved two-year contract. Martin O'Neill, a former Villa manager, will be another major contender for that post.

Mohamed Al Fayed, the Fulham chairman, was furious after Hughes activated the break clause and tendered his resignation. A Fulham spokesperson said: "The chairman became increasingly annoyed by Mark positioning himself for another club, whilst still negotiating with us, and having agreed terms."

Fayed was, however, ready to extend Hughes's deal. One view from sources at the club is that contract talks with Hughes fell apart when Fulham felt unable to match the fees demanded by his representative, Kia Joorabchian.

Villa's reluctance to move for Hughes comes as something of a surprise. He has been the frontrunner for the Villa post since it emerged this week that Houllier would be stepping down on health grounds. Villa, however, told Fulham that they would not be making an approach for Hughes in the hours before his decision to leave.

The Midlands club have since made it clear that their stance has not changed after Hughes's departure from Fulham. It is understood they would have grave reservations about appointing the former Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City manager because of how his departure from Fulham has been handled.

Hughes, who is on holiday in Dubai, said in a statement: "I would like to take this opportunity to clarify that neither myself nor my representative have approached or have been approached by another club. This decision to leave Fulham has not been influenced by any outside party."

When Villa parted company with Houllier on Wednesday evening, Fulham believed that Hughes would stay loyal to them, as Fayed had done with him on Boxing Day, when the Craven Cottage crowd had called for Hughes's sacking after a 3-1 home defeat by West Ham United that dropped the club into the relegation zone. Hughes's new contract had even gone to the lawyers, with the terms and conditions agreed, in readiness for his signature.

Yet in the hours that followed Villa's announcement of Houllier's departure, Hughes went cold on Fulham – and nobody at the London club considered the two events to be unrelated. What Fulham could not understand, however, was that Paul Faulkner, the Villa chief executive, had made it clear to Alistair Mackintosh, his counterpart at Craven Cottage, with whom he gets on well, that Villa did not want Hughes. The Welshman, who describes himself as an ambitious young manager, may have taken a leap of faith as there was a deadline of midnight on Wednesday on the activation of his break clause. The clause permits him to walk away from the club as a free agent at the end of June. Premier League rules prevent him or his representative from contacting or being contacted by other clubs until after that.

His back-room entourage, which includes Mark Bowen, Eddie Niedzwiecki, Glyn Hodges and Kevin Hitchcock, remain under contract at Fulham for another year, with no break clauses in their deals.

Fulham accepted Hughes's resignation and their impression was that he thought he would get the Villa job, despite the assurances they had received from Faulkner that he would not. Fayed is clear that there is no way back for Hughes at the club. "Roy Hodgson appreciated the club after he had left and [Fayed] believes Mark will do the same," a spokesperson said.

Villa say they have an open mind about filling their vacancy. Speculation that Carlo Ancelotti is among their leading candidates is wide of the mark, however. The former Chelsea manager has not received any contact from Villa and he is known to have no interest in the position. Ancelotti, according to sources close to the Italian, is holding out for a club that can offer Champions League football. Roberto Martínez, the Wigan Athletic manager, has, however, emerged as an outsider for the Villa post.

O'Neill, who has been out of work since leaving Villa last August, is the bookmakers' favourite for the Fulham jobAs well as Jol and McClaren, other names likely to feature on Fulham's shortlist may include Gianfranco Zola, the former West Ham manager, and Chris Hughton, who led Newcastle United back to the Premier League at the first attempt before being sacked in December. Jol had been Fulham's No1 target last summer, ahead of Hughes, and he had wanted to come. He was blocked by his then club, Ajax.

Guardian

Nobody has a bloody clue!

sky sprts are now reporting that avfc are not considering, so if its not him and not ancelotti, who is it,

Rafa or Moyes?

please not mclaren!!

ooof

Didn't the do quite well in europe?

Typical Villa this is going to be a saga. Hughes to sign a new contract tomorrow then?

Why is it a saga, Houllier only left last night!?

Jesus get a grip people.

Sky Italia now saying Ancelotti turned us down.

I thought TalkSport was usually full of shit?

Anyway else even remotely proven what has been reported in Italy?

It is, but then again this didn't originate at Talksport

This rumour originated from a tweet by the Football Italia Editor, which was then broadcast by Sky Italia then logically by Sky Sports News here.

Talkshite just jumped on the bandwagon as they always do

Ah ok, so a little bit more substance than usual.

I thought TalkSport was usually full of shit?

Anyway else even remotely proven what has been reported in Italy?

Cannot see Carlo achieving here.

If Hughes is the best Lerner can come up with we can forget about ever challenging for a CL place. What a thoroughly uninspiring appointment.

Or perhaps he asked all these other amazing managers that willd jump at the chance to manage us and they said no!

Just because we didn't get them doesn't mean we didn't try.

Why such negativity, why are the board automatically failing because we get this over that?

I hope folk release that if we dont get Ancelotti doesn't mean we didn't try and we dont lack ambition.

Hughes would be depressing. If you want to keep your best players you need to bring in a manager like Ancelotti who demands respect and the players see the ambition. Sure he'd cost more but he's willing to stay in england and manage a non CL club.

We've been through this, its not as easy as your saying.

We ask him he could say no, simple.

Its certainly more likely than sure he will cost more, thats it he'll come!

Willing to stay in England and not live in London, where are these West Am quotes about him willing to manage them anyway?

I just hope whoever it is supported from day one, rather than deciding before he has set foot in the door that he is shit, we have no ambition etc etc etc all that nonsense.

The action of some fans of this great club have been nothing worse than appalling, up there with Barcode ones for ridiculous over the top statements every 5 mins.

If Villa fans honestly think Carlo Ancelotti would manage Villa, you need to pull your head out of the sand as well as take your claret and blue specs off.

Just seems like readying more reasons to have a go at the board (for some reason) because if any manager says no we lack ambition, without knowing the full facts.

Absolute nonsense!

Again a bit daft, but more or less pulls it off in the end.

Whoever they appoint, even if it's someone I'm less than enthusiastic about, and even if they start off with a string of poor results, I WON'T be joining in with any of the foaming-at-the-mouth venom that has been directed at GH on here virtually from Day One.

I agree mjmooney, shocking behaviour imo.

Hughes for me, don't think he's put a foot wrong so far in his managerial career, has experience and multiple top flight clubs but most of all he's a winner and a bit of a bastard and I think that's just what we need. Just fits the club better than the other options.

He's been solid if unspectacular.

Not sure if I am the only one who could not get into treme, gutted as has very high expectations but it just bored me

I'm 2 episodes in. Don't think much of it yet, but I felt the same about the Wire, so I'll judge Treme at the end of the season. I'm hoping (and expecting) it get's better

Its not as good as The Wire, but its been renewed for a 2nd and 3rd season.

Its problem is there is not much plot, its the characters and new orleans as a place thats the key. It does that on par with The Wire, but the doesn't have the interesting plot and character arcs that the wire does.

Anyone watching 'Big Love', up there with the genius that is Six Feet Under?

Didn't some people want fat sam over Houllier?

Anyone thinking we have a manager lined up is going to be disappointed imo.

Thats not how Randy works, he is respectful with these things.

He wouldn't be talking to another manager on the off chance that Houllier might leave, behind his back.

Ancelotti is a must. Chase him hard. If hes not interested id go Rijkard or Jol.

Anything else would be lacking ambition.

Jesus, what a load of nonsense.

How about if i said this?

Jose Mourinho, anything else would lack ambition!

Nonsense.

What for any reason, none of your manager suggestions dont want to come, are we lacking ambition if we dont kidnap them and force them to manage?

Then you go for another manager of that standard.

Ancelotti said he wants to stay in England and doesnt care if the club is in the CL or not. Rijkards been wanting to goto England for a while. Jol wants to return also.

Moyes would be decent. But if we go for Wigans manager or Mcleish or some average manager.. then yes.. it lacks ambition.

The three i mentioned were EXAMPLES. We need quality manager or we lack ambition.

In your opinion, quality which might be different than Randy. Baring in mind he knows how the club works internally, all the staff the ins and outs of what might or might not be needed, which you just err have none of that.

So seems pretty easy to me just go get Mourinho!

If its as black and white as your making out.

This is not Football Manager you know.

No it isnt Football Manager. However its not rocket science either.

Suggesting Mourinho is far fetched. Ones i have mentioned are out of a job.. and want to manage in England. With only Chelsea as a bigger club with a job ( who Carlo just left from.......) and will be after THE BEST manager available... the other two are unlikely to go there.

Ofcourse they are realistic. Staff changes when the manager changes.. they bring their own men. Clearly Randy knows more than i do.. he has better advice etc.. but he made the wrong decision bringing Houllier.. he knew he had heart problems and brought him in anyway.

I didnt say it is easier.. but they need to splash the cash and go for the best available manager.. i didnt say you click on 'hire manager' and you get your man.. but whatever needs to be done to get these managers.. has to be done.

Yeah ok but you said anything other would lack ambition.

That is ridiculous, as they just might not want to come regardless of how much money we offer them or this or that.

You basically say, hire one of them or we lack ambition!

Its just not that easy or black and white.

Ancelotti is a must. Chase him hard. If hes not interested id go Rijkard or Jol.

Anything else would be lacking ambition.

Jesus, what a load of nonsense.

How about if i said this?

Jose Mourinho, anything else would lack ambition!

Nonsense.

What for any reason, none of your manager suggestions dont want to come, are we lacking ambition if we dont kidnap them and force them to manage?

Then you go for another manager of that standard.

Ancelotti said he wants to stay in England and doesnt care if the club is in the CL or not. Rijkards been wanting to goto England for a while. Jol wants to return also.

Moyes would be decent. But if we go for Wigans manager or Mcleish or some average manager.. then yes.. it lacks ambition.

The three i mentioned were EXAMPLES. We need quality manager or we lack ambition.

In your opinion, quality which might be different than Randy. Baring in mind he knows how the club works internally, all the staff the ins and outs of what might or might not be needed, which you just err have none of that.

So seems pretty easy to me just go get Mourinho!

If its as black and white as your making out.

This is not Football Manager you know.

Ancelotti is a must. Chase him hard. If hes not interested id go Rijkard or Jol.

Anything else would be lacking ambition.

Jesus, what a load of nonsense.

How about if i said this?

Jose Mourinho, anything else would lack ambition!

Nonsense.

What for any reason, none of your manager suggestions dont want to come, are we lacking ambition if we dont kidnap them and force them to manage?

Anybody interest in Arctic Monkeys anymore? Quite looking forward to their new album sounds pretty promising from what ive hear so far

Suck it and See is excellent. I know that many fans still say WPSITWIN is their favourite, but for me, they have improved and matured with every album. The new album has some blindingly well crafted songs on it.

I thought the Submarine OST that Alex Turner did was a very good listen too, well worth checking out.

The Submarine OST is awesome, the new Monkeys album, similar/just as good?

I dont like Mark Hughes as a person, and less than convinced that he is just meh.