FamousHolteUnion

Does he have a choice with FFP rules around the corner or am I misunderstanding their impact? Only matter if we get into Europe or get Relegated i think as the Premier League hasn't taken them on for all clubs, where as UEFA and the Football League have (i think?) But lets be honest. We cant continue this way!

More money and he'll have to work an even bigger miracle next season with alot of his team leaving on free's and no money to spend. He can bring Figueroa and Diame with him (both on Frees), Al Habsi is very good but so is Given. Sell Fonz and likely one of Bent/Gabby bring in a v. good striker and Victor Moses. Wouldnt be against him bringing McCarthy either. As long as he buys better CB's than he had at Wigan he'd be laughing. I'd also be very worried that our squad would contain five of last seasons Wigan players but depends how much he got to spend on new CB's and 2 new midfielders and another Winger. (and the quality of those players)

Newcastle aren't bothered about losing Simpson, offering him a small contract he won't sign. Likely as they have another Graham Carr find to replace him in the summer. We are not in a position much worse than them this time last year just **** scout someone better. Newcastle are about to do it with their RB (and with a Centre back too i assume, Williamson or Harper will go too). Simpson has been decent. Yes. But we must be able to scout somebody from France, or Numan can find somebody in Holland. Surely.

If we get Lambert. Keep him. He'll flourish under hi counter-attack heavy gameplan just like he did under MON and at the start of McLeish's reign (god knows what happened there). He always does worse post November but he loves the club and if he gets 15 goals like he did under MON. Then cool. Also think he'd work well with Grant Holt up front. If we get Martinez. Sell him, he won't work in that system. through balls will be good for him but it doesn't suit him for some reason like under GH, thought he'd flourish there too with Young, Downing and an on-form Marc behind him but he was woeful in that attack and (whilst crap at it) possession-based team. If its true Sunderland want to give us £10-12m for him, sell. Then hire a proper scout and buy a proper forward, Newcastle have shown (twice) this season that a good striker can be bought for that amount who can finish, is speedy and can hold up the ball too. If Bent is serious in his tweets about staying at Villa, then thats Gabby's fate sealed for me. Problem being Bent will force a move in 12 months time and Gabby wouldnt. Stand to lose them both if we sell Gabby first imo and i'd be very worried about that. I love Gabby but the fact is we need funds from somewhere and its coming from either Gabby or Bent.

No. He's done well at Chelsea (in the cups, not the league) but he was shite at West Brom in the prem. He really wasn't. He managed WBA in the prem for 25 games. Losing 13 (52% Lose rate) and winning 7 (28% win rate - admittedly better than McLeish). Eck at Villa after 25 games: 28 points Di Matteo at WBA after 25 games: 26 points (admittedly we probably have a better squad than they did a year ago) He was sacked at WBA after losing 13 games out of their previous 18 matches. When he left they were joint on points with then 18th placed Wigan , ahead by only one goal. They finished up on 47 points after Hodgson took over.

His son is meant to be a pretty good player too, could bring him with him.

No. He's done well at Chelsea (in the cups, not the league) but he was shite at West Brom in the prem.

Solsjkaer

Werent Brighton and Southampton top 2 for a long time earlier in the season? If so, what happened to Poyets Brighton? Not that im insinuating he's shite he's done well and I imagine he'll be a good manager in the future but (presuming my memory of them doing very well is correct) id worry about that mid season capitulation.

If he wants a move I imagine he'll go to Blackpool if they come up. They wanted him last summer and I imagine he'd be their new Charlie Adam. Think he'd do well in a team with Philips and Ince too. Still hope we keep him.

No way we would get AVB, but if we did a quick revolution is exactly what we need. His problem was keeping Lampard, Drogba, Terry, Cole etc in the team. One or two of them should have been sold off straight away last summer to break up their hold on the club. Same with us, Dunne, Collins, Warnock and maybe Ireland. Break that up bring in better, younger, cheaper players and there we go. Leave them in the team and we get whats happened to us the last 2 seasons.

If we got Bilic and he bought Sime Vrsaljko to replace Hutton i'd be in love with him forever. Edit: Infact looking at the croatian national team I would take a few of them.. Vrsaljko Badelj Lovren Easily get all of them

Didnt he pay his own £11m Release-Clause fee to Porto to get the Chelsea job in the first place though??

He was one of our best (2nd best behind Gabby) at start of the season, linked with Man U and Liverpool. His countries shining light.. Right up until he got caught drink driving. Hope he catches his earlier form cause I still think him and Gardner could be a top pairing in the middle for us. Albrighton also plays better when Bannan is on the pitch (If only he can find that final ball he had 12 months ago).

When we look for bargains we sign Guthrie, Simpson and Best. Newcastle, who were doing the same thing signed Tiote, Ba, Marveaux, Santon and Cabaye. Don't look at British cast-offs. Wages are ridiculous and if they likely aren't good enough. Simpson has done very well this season in fairness to him but he is not a great right back and I suspect as soon as he is taken out of Newcastle's miracle team he will be about as good as Hutton (on a good day) again. If we're going to sign British it should be young talent looking upwards. Clyne or Zaha ahead of Simpson and Best. Bigger transfers should come from abroad. I'll be deeply pissed off if we piss money up the wall with Guthrie and Best.

:!:

Is there anyone besides Capello, Scolari or Van Gaal that you'd be happy with? All you ever do is rubbish people's suggestions without actually suggesting any realistic alternatives yourself. Di Matteo would be an awful option. Almost relegated West Brom, they were shite last year. His entire Chelsea reign is about nurturing the old, over paid, club-controlling players that the club, AVB and whoever their new manager will be know needs to go. They call him 'Robbie' (he even played alongside Terry and Lampard). He's done well no doubt about that. But he is absolutely not the manager we need at Villa, we need the exact opposite an attacking minded, young manager who is able to build something here from the ground up. Di Matteo cant do that, what he could do would be to come in and be nice to Dunne, Collins, Warnock and get them to perform. Then when they dont perform. This time next year we'll be here saying 'it's a big summer, need a big overhaul and to get rid of the over-paid trouble makers and build a team round the likes of Clark and Gardner' For the third summer running. Rant over lol. I just worry that we will go for Lambert, fail and then hire Di Matteo much to applause of the media and it will all go horribly, horribly wrong.